An Emotion Gauge

Sometimes I wish there was an emotion gauge so I can know if I am going nuts. I wish that we could plug into something, or have something we could plug into us, that would give us a rating. You know, on a scale of 1-10 you are at an 8.

Then I could call some of my friends parenting teenage girls and say "the next time you have an argument about ______" plug in the Emotion Gauge. Tell me if you score lower than an 8 or if this situation warrants an 8.

This morning, I told Salinda she didn't have internet back. Within 2 hours she had taken my old laptop without permission and logged on. And then she was either dumb enough or rebellious enough to leave it signed on the internet on her bed.

I locked up the laptop and I think I'm just going to not say a word until she brings up wanting a favor from me or something. I just don't have the emotional energy to go through yet another of her faked "I'm sorry" conversation that results in another lie and disobedience within the hour.

Then Sadie and I had another round of why she couldn't wear the tank top she had on and she told me I couldn't tell her what she could wear. This was after the 90 minute conversation that started with that as the presenting issue last night. I told her she better start taking all of her tank tops to school with her in her backpack because since she wouldn't give them to me, I'd just wait until she left for school and take them all.

I'm afraid that part of her defiance is her seeing that Salinda can defy me. But she is able to make her own choices and she isn't going to get away that easy.

So, if I had a gauge, I'm at about an 8 over this internet thing and these slutty clothes. But it's typical teenage girl stuff, so maybe I should only be registering a 5 or 6.

I have finally gotten to the point where I can keep myself at a five or below on the response scale to all of the boy stuff that has gone on around here for years. But the girl stuff just makes my blood boil.

So, do you think I could invent and patent an emotion gauge?