Should I be nicer to my things?

Have you ever dropped a screwdriver or one of those little useless Allen wrenches that come in every piece of you-assemble-it furniture and just let that thing have it? Maybe it's been stressful. Maybe whatever you're doing is not going well. So you just let the obscenities fly assuming there are no kids around and insult this tool in ways that might make your mom send the pastor to your house. I do it all the time.

You okay, man? Do I need to call someone?

It's one of the main ways I release frustration, yelling at inanimate objects in my house. "F@cking TV!" "Screw you, garbage disposal!" It comes so naturally to me, and I always thought, "Better to yell at the TV than to let that stuff out when I'm frustrated at work or something." But is it?

I thought of it as a healthy release, but I've let it become my default. Maybe it's spending too much time at home, not socializing more often. I spend far too much time yelling at things that aren't working out, and that insult tool becomes easier and easier to reach for.

Especially when you're working with AI. It is SO easy to cuss-out your agent when the code is not going your way. I've said some things to AI when falling into a prompting loop that have surely put me on a list.

Sorry y'all. I was crashing out.

I noticed it would spill over into my interpersonal interactions, sometimes. I wouldn't cuss-out a co-worker or a friend, but that annoyance was right there at the surface and it shows. SAY WHAT ONE MORE GODDAMNED TIME!

So from now on, I'm trying to start by changing how I talk to everything differently. I can start by being more encouraging to my screwdriver. Cheering on my compiler. Trying to be more patient with AI. It's actually the easiest way to start: because when I screw up, I'm not hurting anyone's feelings. I can beat myself up a little for being a jerk to the dishwasher, and then try to do better next time.

...And how's that going for ya?

Shut up, stupid header! It's got good days and bad. But I will say, when I remember to do it, it not only strengthens my abilities to be more tactful interpersonally, it makes me feel a little better. I mean, who doesn't like cheering on your friends? Go hard drive. Isya birthday!

But it makes sense: yelling at the things in my life left me feeling surrounded by enemies. Or at least incompetents. Now, I feel like I'm surrounded by friends. Teammates who want to help get the work done. Although, I still get a little testy at the little Allen wrench.

So for now, I'll just keep trying to get better.

You virtue signaling little... [fade out to Tesla's song "Gettin' Better"] It's gettin' better every day.