Color me bitter, not really

I am generally a happy person. I laugh all the time. Although, that is just a coping mechanism. My New York wit and sensibilities may come off at times as if I am bitter. My great memory and recall may make it seem like I hold grudges. I don’t necessarily do so. I can forgive and move on. I can quickly flash into anger, particularly if my integrity or a sense of injustice permeates the air. As quickly as I flash into anger, as quickly I flash out of it. Recently someone noted disapprovingly that I should not flash into anger that quickly. I just stared, shook my head and responded “you are lucky you that I flash out of anger quickly and that I showed you my anger. It would be worse if I wore my poker face which I can do very well. ” that person didn’t necessarily get my meaning. Shrug. One day they will. Not that I am bitter.

I have plenty of reasons to be bitter. Yet when a make colleague says the same thing I do and it gets recognized, I’m not bitter. Yet, when I work day and night while a particular person is lounging on the beach, I’m not bitter. Yet, when someone gets invited to a particular meeting for their so-called expertise when in reality they can barely tie their shoe-laces, I’m not bitter. It’s not in my DNA. You know what’s in my DNA? Moving on and just shining. If people don’t get my worth, it’s on them. One day they will.

I am an all-round foodie. I love trying new foods and learning about food in new spaces and cultures. Sadly, the one food taste I cannot stomach is bitter. Bitter melon? No, thanks. Despite it being the latest food craze, I have no tolerance for Kale. I just need not drink a morning kale smoothie. I like life and the sweetness it brings. This mass hysteria and movement towards kale shall pass just like it did for quinoa, acai and coconut water. Bitter black coffee? No thanks. I prefer my caramel macchiato; with non-fat milk of course. I still hold onto that fad of skim milk. I was just in Portland, Oregon where skim milk was not as ubiquitous a drink as you tend to find in New York. Although beer and rum (yum) reigned king.

I believe my body just cannot tolerate bitter sensations. My body expels them right out. Supposedly, bitter foods promote a body cleansing process. No thanks. I’ll cleanse my system with sweet laughter, spicy comebacks and a bit of saltiness instead. The thing to note is if an environment starts to veer towards injecting a sense of bitterness into the system, its time to move on. I believe in snark. I think its smart and funny. However, snark gets propelled outward and is not internalized the way bitterness tends to be.

Want something bitter? Listen to Alanis Morissette’s “You oughta know” or “shitlist” by L7 and dance it out.

I’ll take your kale and raise you a mojito and a salted caramel chocolate bar. I will walk into work and have myself a few good laughs. Although, if there are any “roaches” I will stomp on them. It is New York after all.