03/29/07 - 12:18 a.m.

So I'm really angry right now. About 1988.

I figure my sharing stories about my childhood has boosted my self-esteem -- and made me realize how mad I was at the people who'd tried to steamroller me with their anger racket.

If there's "good grief", then maybe there's also "good anger." That is, I need to flush this to the surface and acknowledge it. It's part of being a whole person. And it will remind me why I don't talk to my family.

That feels like a surprisingly healthy idea.

I also decided it probably played a role in my unhappiness at my last job. The open-ended structure left me unsure where I fit in the organization -- and when you've had [verbal] abuse in your background, and you're working on self-esteem issues...you really want a little more assurance.