Rage. Is there any emotion not worth feeling more than rage? It’s bad for your health; it’s not a good social emotion; and it sure as heck isn’t very attractive. But alas, rage is something we all experience more times than we would like to remember throughout our lifetime, and it is an emotion I am feeling at this very moment.
I’ve stated in the past that my second job is that of a security officer. It would be fine if I were given more hours, better pay, and actually received my checks on time, but without those three things, the job pretty much stinks. I have to deal with 10 to 12-hour shifts at a night club, where everyone is drunk out of their mind and belligerent beyond belief, and yet I am not compensated properly. And while many will say, “Just get another job,” doing so is hard during these economic periods where simply keeping a bad job you already have is tough.
So I deal with it, and I’ve gotten pretty good at controlling my anger. It’s a decision I’ve made for my own personal well-being, and one I am proud to have made. Playing my video games, reading my comic books, and writing for the lovely video game websites I’m a proud writer for (like StarCraft Fan) all help keep me sane as I struggle with this terrible, terrible security company.
But when your check is even later than usual, you can’t help but feel enraged. I was supposed to receive a pretty big paycheck this past weekend, but I checked my mailbox and found absolutely nothing. I thought to myself, “It’s OK, it’ll probably be late like usual. So I’ll probably get it on Monday or Tuesday like I have in the past.” Monday and Tuesday are the days when late checks arrive, and despite the frustration involved, it’s always comforting to receive your paycheck, even if it is a few days late.
Monday came… Nothing. “OK, it’ll be here tomorrow.”
Tuesday has come…
Nothing.
Nothing but sheer frustration and anger. No amount of expletives can describe how I feel right now. And with car payments that need to be made, it’s super tough not to get angry. But again, I care about my blood pressure, so what did I do the moment I started feeling the anger rising? I played a little StarCraft. Just a few storyline missions; that’s all it took for me to calm down, and I’m glad I can channel my anger with a game like StarCraft instead of just sitting there being a sour human being.
Blasting zerg, unleashing pain and suffering onto evil alien freaks, and just taking my troops all the way to victory is so satisfying; but it’s even more satisfying when I do it to channel my anger, because I know it’s a healthy alternative to just standing around and being angry at a lame company that can’t do business the right way. So the next time you’re feeling that horrible emotion coming to you, take a deep breath, sit down in front of your computer, and play a little StarCraft. Trust me, it works.
