People who make me better or badder

[susandennis]

I have a friend, Jon. We spent some formative years together (mainly our late 20's/early 30's). We haven't lived in the same town since and we haven't even kept up with each other. He and his boyfriend/partner of 30+ years live in LA. The last time I saw Jon was when he and Page and a friend of ours and me all went to Las Vegas for the weekend to celebrate my 50th birthday. We had a fabulous time but after that just kind of lost touch.

Anyway, Jon is in this entry because he was one person in my life who always always always brought out the very best of me. The funniest me, the wittiest me, the nicest me... the me I'd really like to be. I was always that me around Jon.

I'm reminded of Jon today because of our building manager - Jathan. Jathan always always always brings out the worst in me. It wasn't always so. In fact, after a brief trial period, I went out of my way to recommend Jathan for the job of building manager. And he has not been our worst building manager but probably close. Every time I have any kind of interaction with him - on the phone, via email or in person, it's always annoyingly unsatisfying. And I just want to either slap him up the head or shake him until his brain gets right again in his head.

And even though by now - he's been here 18 months - I know he's going to piss me off, I cannot seem to steel myself so that I do not react to his stupidity. And it pisses me off.

He absolutely and routinely brings out the worst in me and that pisses me off, too.

Kind of weird and uncool that someone who spends so little time around people at all, is so defined by some of them.

Comments

[susandennis]

That best person is rare. Really rare. But such fun when you find it.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's actually because of spending little time around people that makes them have more effect. I think I probably see fewer people than you do - most days I don't leave the house as I work from home, so the only non-virtual person I talk to is my business partner. I'm good with this as I'm pretty introverted, but I suspect that the impact of the people I do see is much more per person, as it were, than it would be for people who see lots of people thus making any one individual impact stand out less. If that makes any sense.

[susandennis]

Really excellent points!

[timbear.livejournal.com]

If it wasn't for the steadying influence of my husband I'd probably be slapping people left right and centre on a daily basis.