It seems as though I’m actually learning restraint. The other day I responded mildly to a mild annoyance. (I did not type, nor even compose in my mind a hate filled diatribe about some trivial perceived error or slight. I gave a fairly mild reaction and just went right on with my day.) There are whole days it seems, where in I never even come close to giving in to my demon, which can be very smart, very nasty and then very suddenly, very sad and crazy sounding. I know that it actually is good to keep my demon bottled up and out of sight. And only very occasionally let him out to play when it really is safe for him to do so.
I watched a movie tonight, How To Train Your Dragon. It was almost too cute for me, but I found myself drawn to the story of the boy who doesn’t want to fight dragons, because it’s so much better to just make friends with them. It was an inter-species take on a classic us vs them kind of story and I found I liked it a lot. And sometimes, at least, I do feel a lot wiser for trying to keep my own inner dragon tamed and co-operative. The fiery stuff used only when it can be most effective and least hurtful. I definitely agree the kid was right– it is much better to tame and manage your dragons than to fight with them.
I really do need to clean up my Facebook stream just a little more. So far I think I have done fairly well at keeping a largish number of diverse people in my stream without ever getting bogged down with anyone who is mostly tiresome or salesy. I can’t provide you with a definition of salesy, but I know it when I feel it and I really don’t like feeling sold to by friends. It seems to me there is a huge subtle difference between recognizing just how a product or service you represent could genuinely meet an expressed need and constantly trying to pitch someone on something they’ve shown no enthusiasm for. Most of the time, it seems that unsubscribing is enough. But lately….I’ve been seeing just a wee bit too much salesy kind of content. And I really don’t like it.
Libdrone's Thoughts and Musings 
Mmmmm…bacon.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I really hope you aren’t lumping my contest addiction in with “salesy.” I’d be sad. 😦 And then I’d have to sic Prunebutt on your inner demon for an Alien vs. Predator sort of smack-down (we could sell tickets and retire, maybe – then laugh about how “salesy” we were whilst arm-wrestling over cabana boys bearing Mojitos, much to the chagrin of our husbands). 😉
Oh, no. Not at all. You are a contest junky it seems to me, Holly. It’s part of your charm, honestly.