Tim FitzHigham

We went on Thursday night to see Tim FitzHigham in Gambler at the Australia Hotel as part of the 2012 Melbourne Comedy Festival. He made us laugh with anecdotes about recreating historical bets, he is a fine story teller. I am glad we went.

Next Thursday Claudia and I are going to see Lynne Chapman for some couples counselling. We spoke today about what we wanted to discuss there, which was positive, we agree in general that we are compatible. Claudia wants to talk about me and alcohol. I couldn’t raise the topics which I had written down previously when I was thinking what I want to discuss as it would have been draining to raise the history again this morning and I thought it would be safer to do so in the session. Instead I said that reading Emotional Intelligence had been empowering and instructive. Claudia asked for an example, and I said that I learnt that an emotional response underpins a logic response. By this I meant what the book said about the emotional mind reacting before the rational mind and that without that intuition there is an inability to form an opinion which will then allow rational thought. I was also thinking about how in general I am happy with my rational abilities and feel low on the emotional quotient scale. Claudia however while agreeing that the idea from the book was interesting went on to say that I should learn from the book passage to be more logical in my responses. I didn’t correct her that I thought the opposite, I could do with more emotional management. Why didn’t I inform her of this? Probably because I was fearful of starting a disagreement over something that was trifling. It is all getting a bit meta but is in itself an interesting example of our dynamic.

I think I could do with being more open. Emotions confuse me but then they do everyone. I think in trying to exert control over them and stay rational I exasperate the situation of not being a good speaker when just saying the first (but kindly worded) thing that pops into consciousness would probably do the trick.