Mean Streak

I realized recently that I have a mean streak that I didn’t really realize I had.  There is a co-worker who really annoys me because he is always arguing with me at every chance he gets.  The other day he sent me an email asking about something that was so obvious I couldn’t believe it.  Instead of answering it simply, I printed out exactly where the answer appeared and responded in such a snarky way that really didn’t sound like me.  I didn’t copy the whole team, which really would have been mean, but hey, he had it coming. 

I don’t consider myself a particularly mean person.  I do not call myself a bitch, but sometimes I can be bitchy.  Sometimes I get annoyed with someone in particular and do little things to annoy them back, but I don’t really consider that being mean.  I have seen mean people, and as the bumper sticker says, they suck.  I try to be nice to people as much as possible but sometimes it is unavoidable especially when they are mean to me.  My husband has remarked that I can be really strong especially when writing and he is glad he is not on the bad side of me.  Occasionally I have sent a letter when I am dissatisfied with a service or an issue and after reading it he has said that my words can really cut.  But overall I don’t normally see myself as that kind of person.

Being mean is a sad state.  You have to remember, I think, what you have done in the past and think of things to do in the future that can top that.  That’s too much work.  I have enough trouble trying to remember to pay my bills on a monthly basis.  There are far too many things to keep in check in my regular life that adding what I did to so and so and how I can do it better, seems way too much to keep in the air.  I know that everyone loves a good villain in TV shows and movies, but I am not sure that people act like that in real life.  Maybe they do, but I don’t associate myself with them so I am naive on their existence.  Like people who constantly complain, people who are conniving all the time are tiresome.  A mean streak is fine, but being mean is too much of a hassle.