THE PERFECT STORM OF GRUMPINESS

I opened one eye. The room was lighter than I'd expected. The other eye creaked open and I looked at the clock. It maliciously told me that it was two minutes past eight.

I was late for the dentist.

When I emerged, having been poked around by metal implements under an interrogation lamp, I got back to the car and looked at myself in the rear view mirror. My scarf was tucked into my shirt, one collar was out over my jumper and I had toothpaste on my lip.

So, here I am, at work, scruffy and without-breakfast, the perfect storm of grumpiness.

The more I think about it, the more I start to realise that grumpiness is actually a choice.

OK, certainly, I could have been more organised and I could have woken up earlier and made pancakes as I'd planned. That was a choice.

I could have set an extra alarm, forced myself out of bed and listened to some relaxing music.

I could even have taken my time to dress properly, even though I was already late. These were all choices I made.

But I don't really mean any of those pre-emptive choices. I raced around this morning, making quick decisions because I was living right up to the margin of my time. There was no... breathing room, and sometimes that's just unavoidable.

What I think I'm saying is that there is a choice I can make in the midst of the storm, a choice not to be grumpy but to overcome my attitude, especially after the initial storm has subsided.

That's the choice I face right now - the conditions that created my attitude have gone; I'm no longer in a massive rush. However, the after-shock resounds through me and I am observably in a residual grump for no currently active reason at all.

What I'm saying is that I can choose not to be. I can choose not to be the grouch in the corner who snaps at the smallest thing and must be avoided by his colleagues at all costs. It might feel like I can't, but I think I actually can.

What's more, I have a sort of plan. I think it starts by deciding to be the very last thing I feel like being and actually being overly nice to the people around me.

So that's what I'm choosing to do today - even though I missed the coffee van and my hair looks like a landing strip for local starlings.