Sometimes, you’re just grumpy. But I say that’s all right, because I have a theory (and because I am feeling a mite tetchy this morning meself).

It’s the yin-and-yang thing. Balance. The black with the white; the rain with the sun. Inner feng shui. But is it fair to share it with others? Do your colleagues and family need to be mandatory cast members in your grumptacular fussfest?

The Truth Is: maybe.

I think a bad mood needs to be shared occasionally with trusted friends/family. I never underestimate the necessity of commiseration. However, being humans, we struggle to avoid routinely mucking things up, and the result is often *two* crabby people. I try to put my best face forward in the classroom every day, regardless of my mood. Ninety-nine percent of the time, my students never know I’m having a meltdown or that I’m in a black mood. The other one percent…well, there’s that whole struggling to not muck things up thing.

The other angle I thought of has to do with just wanting to be mad about something. It’s the ultimate personal change of pace. I can’t say I know anyone who is constantly chirpy. I know people who fake it, but eventually the real color bleeds through.

So I say we look at it as a pressure valve, and it’s OK to hold it down once in awhile and release all the pent-up steam. Besides, it’ll make the bright side look that much better when you actually get back to normal. But of course, that presupposes you know what normal is, and that just doesn’t happen in my neighborhood…