Porthole

Am I blunt or tactful?

30BDC: Does your communication style tend to be straightforward or subtle? Are you more likely to speak your mind or beat around the bush? Have you ever gotten into trouble because of your communication style?

Tact: adroitness and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues.

Blunt: honest but tactless.

I am perceived by some as being tactful, lol, but today I was blunt when I said:

As I will tell everyone, young and old alike, YELL if necessary: "I have NO tolerance for conspiracy theories. They are academic frothing at the mouth. At this point they are a dangerous distraction from dealing with a medical emergency."

Was I wrong? In my estimation no. Honest? Yes, I truly am fed up with distractions and fake news. Was it tactful? Probably not ...

Sometimes I snap.

Could I have been nicer? Sure ... but, I wasn't in the mood to pussy-foot around. This crisis is wearing on my nerves.

Each day I feel the walls closing in. In spite of efforts to make this place 'safer' I'm not convinced. People who have options ... like they can go off in their cars and camp for a month ... or stay put on their 5 acre ranchette with Amazon Prime delivery ... may not understand. I'm trapped. Heaven help all of us if any of us gets sick. It will be shades of the Diamond Princess.

But yes, it could be worse!

I'm supposed to be in Spain or Morocco or Portugal today. Spain is shut down and Morocco just closed its borders. If I had made it to Portugal? Who knows. That'll probably be in tomorrow's news.

So, I don't joke about this crisis. My mother and aunt are in their 90s. It is likely that neither will make it through the Spring. And me? I'm not 100% healthy. And this virus goes after weakness in the heart or lungs.

I'm not sure tact will get through to some people how serious this is. It's not about a lack of TP or how can I go without my favorite latte ... it's about people not caring whether they get sick and make other people sick. And I don't know how to be tactful about that when I'm so angry.

When I'm not angry I can be a quite pleasant, albeit annoying, person. I've been angry far too much this year.

And yes, in the past my mouth has gotten me in trouble. Usually when I'm angry ... but I remember times as a child that I was admonished for not being direct. I was so confused at times ...

I'm not sure I addressed the prompt. I don't do well when forced to look in the mirror. I've avoided mirrors all my life. If you want a better answer ask my friends, especially those who've seen me at both good and bad moments. They will tell you.

1.640