Temper Temper....

I sometimes think back to my childhood days and realise that not much has changed. I still much prefer my own company, I'm still irritable when challenged, I can still read an Enid Blyton book with as much pleasure as I did when I was 10, I still hate sudden loud noises that make me jump, I still love jelly and evaporated milk and I STILL have temper tantrums.

The only thing that saved me from spontaneously combusting when I was but a young lass was the thought that one day I would grow up and finally find inner peace. Well, at the tender age of 36, I've decided that my naivety must be addressed.

If I had to liken myself to a cartoon character it would be the Tasmanian Devil. I am a lovable warm character who means well but who sometimes has a tendency to lose it completely at the slightest irritation. In fact, I am utterly jealous (and wondrous) of those people who never see red. What is wrong with them? Why aren't they hopping around like they've just walked through hot coals? My defense is that I am passionate and I care. The reality is that I am probably blowing things massively out of proportion and could do with taking a chill pill (or 2).

Hubby is one of those nice calm people who hardly ever loses his temper (even with me). He takes everything in his stride, is prepared to give everyone the benefit of the doubt (me included), sees the positive side of most things in life and will probably live a long and happy life because of it. I wonder why we work so well? Something about opposites attract I suppose and the fact that secretly I aspire to be like him (except for when dealing with the arseholes at HMRC).

I've analysed why I haven't grown out of my temper tantrums and I can only put it down to one thing...hormones. Why else would I wake one morning, feeling tranquil and calm and ready to forgive anyone for their annoying mistakes and habits, when another morning I can wake up and literally want to kill someone. I can't explain why I was so prone to tantrums as a small child, think it was because I was just a sore loser....

So in a bid to cleanse my soul and hopefully rid me of the tantrums for ever, I am going to list my most common blood boilers in the vain hope that I may be eternally free from hate and frothing at the mouth.

1. Middle laners on the motorway
2. Ditherers in the shopping centre
3. Ditherers in the street
4. Ditherers anywhere
5. Inconsiderate people
6. People who let you down
7. People who are arrogant and overly opinionated
8. Call Centres
9. Solicitors
10. Anyone who works for the DWP
11. People who interrupt when you're talking and finish your sentence for you
12. Kerry Katona
12. People collecting for charity in the street who "jangle" their tins at you
13. Ex-husbands
14. Women who obsess about carbs/calories/weight
15. Misplaced sarcasm

Oh well, there's always therapy....