One of my favorite children’s books is Alexander and the Horrible Terrible Very Bad Day.  Maybe you have read it?  It begins with Alexander declaring “I woke up this morning with gum in my hair and I knew it was going to be a horrible terrible very bad day”  He then went through his litany of mishaps of the day, each time announcing:  “I think I’ll move to Australia.  The book ends with the wisdom:  “Some days are like that — even in Australia.”

Over the years “Some days are like that — even in Australia” has become shorthand in my family for acceptance that not all days are light filled and wonderful.  I much prefer that to the soggy “It is what it is” of the current vernacular.

What’s wrong with acknowledging that you have had a crappy day or even a string of crappy days?  No one wants to hang around a constant complainer or negative person.  On the other hand, don’t you get slightly annoyed at people who see only bright sunshine?  Admitting that things aren’t always wonderful makes you more real.  Authentic, as my favorite writing teacher would say.

So what brings me to today’s rant?  Well, I didn’t wake up with gum in my hair but I did wake up with a red scar on my head from a face plant I did two weeks ago and the physical residuals of suffering a trauma.  Business has been challenging and my bank account is not where I would like it to be.  But the major bummer is my planned weekend get away to one of my favorite place in the whole world — Laguna Beach, California.  What can be wrong with an all expense paid weekend in paradise?  For weeks the weather has been hovering at 79 sunny degrees.   The forecast for Friday?  Raining and 57 degrees!   Saturday and Sunday are clear and 65.  Oh the horrors.  A whole weekend in an ocean-front five star hotel room and it isn’t hot and sunny?

There.  I got it out of my system.  I ranted and admitted that not every day is a winner.  Feels better.  Feels authentic.

Don’t be afraid to share the down side of your life.  Some days are like that — even in Australia.

The ups and downs keep life interesting.  Here I am in the middle of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon