Thursday, August 28, 2008

Withdrawing from the Karma Bank

I’m not necessarily a believer in the all powerful concept of karma, at least not as strong as Earl (as in My Name Is Earl). I know a lot of people who scoff at the idea of universal balance, but those are also the same people who say offhandedly: "What goes around comes around."
For those of you who know or don’t know what’s up with potential housing for the BC branch of the Marteboom clan check Carole’s post over at the Polar Bear’s Den. Here’s a bit of my take on the situation.

If all works out, and the cynic in me believes that it won’t work out despite all evidence being to the contrary, this will be an ideal place for myself, Carole, Duncan, No 2 Son (or Number 1 daughter), Strider & Willow (and maybe eventually a puppy named Sprocket) to grow up (at least for them, I’m not growing up). I am grateful for the opportunity.
But here’s the problem.

I have spent the last few years of my life being a fairly large bunghole. Some of you will *gasp* and say "Non! Ce n’est pas possible!" (but in English). Some of you will say: "Yeah, Damn Right!" I’ve never been as helpful as I should, I’m generally never as nice as I should be. I like who I like (though I spare them not in insulting) and I don’t bother to meet new people. At work I spend a great deal of my time insulting people and they think I’m joking (95% of the time I really am) but its not the happy joking type; sadly I seem to excel at that type of humour which is funnier the more hurtful it is. Years of practice being insulted I guess. I have a quick mind that sees the funny, I have a tongue that perhaps is too quick to translate the funny thought to funny word. I’m not a bad person, but I don’t think I’m necessarily a "nice" person.

So I don’t deserve the opportunity that’s come up.

Fortunately for me, my wife does. She’s a genuinely nice person. And the type of person who would disagree with that isn’t the type of person that I would break out of my shell to get to know, and the type of person I would unleash the full brunt of my quick mind, quicker tongue upon. She does nice things, thinks nice thoughts. Chances are if we’ve done something nice for you as a couple, she thought of it and I said: "Sure" and grumped inside about the loss of Warcraft time. Like Jesse "The Body" Ventura I tell it like it is.

If there is a karma bank, and my wife has used a large portion of her "awesome person" karma, its time for me to start paying back.

To that end last night I hurt my knee while dragging Gargantuan Boy from the car and I broke a tooth. Paying off that bad karmic debt. Maybe I’ll try and be nice too. Build up some of that good karma while paying off the bad. Who knows? The Lord can obviously work miracles; he’s getting us into a house.

4 comments:

Evil Dingo said...

Congrats on the new digs. You're right, you are evil and you don't deserve it, but congrats all the same.

Unknown said...

I knew you of all people would understand as you went through the same thing not long ago - playing off the wife's karma!

PrincessButtercup said...

I really hope you take this to heart Mr Bill.... I don't think you understand what JOY you simply have added to my life. When you and ChrisTopher helped us move, you had me in stitches which I OFTEN recall and STILL get a giggle out of. Whenever I get to sit and listen to you, you have cool and good things to say or like I said make me laugh. I laugh, I like to laugh, but my life has been so full of things that are not funny,that it takes a truly intelectual humorist to make the laugh come out. Whether you think you add to the whole pot or not, your humor as zany, wacky, off the wall and sometimes complex as it is, fills my heart with glee and makes it just THAT much more enjoyable to know you Mr Bill...

Unknown said...

Thanks - what a nice thing to say!

I'm glad I make you laugh. I like making people laugh and despite the fact that I do it at the expense of others I will probably keep doing it :) Or trying.