The Drama Llama Camps in My Front Yard
Blogged on Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 by Rachael. Filed in Blog365, Contradictory, Philosophical.
Last year, during all the upheaval and crises that resulted from me kicking out my then-husband, my good friend Matt would occasionally IM and ask me how things were. I’d respond in gory detail, glad for a temporary respite from all the insanity, and more than likely I went totally overboard in relaying to him every single thing that had happened since the last time he asked me that.
He’d ‘lol’ and sympathize and make remarks about ‘the drama llama‘ that was, in his words, camped out in my front yard (with no intentions of leaving).
Now that I have a little more perspective on everything, I appreciate the drama llama even more. At first, last year, it was just a hilarious thing - I could laugh even in the middle of being horribly stressed out, because hey, what’s funnier than a llama in the front yard? Seriously.
One of the things I have struggled with is that I often - if you can believe it - INVITE the drama llama over for camping. No, really. You’d think I hate it, if you could hear me complaining about it, which I often do, and LOUDLY, with much force and feeling. The drama llama offends me, offends my sensibilities, and pretty well just pisses me off. When the drama llama is here, I curse it roundly and wish I could call the zoo or animal control to take the unwanted beast away.
However, I have gotten so used to drama in my life that I don’t think I know how to live peacefully any more. If I have days filled with quietness and rest, I immediately assume something is wrong. I’m always waiting for something bad to hop around the corner and shout at me; so to fill the empty space, I invite Drama Llama over for just a cup of coffee, maybe, or a short conversation - some gossip, some juicy bit of something. Something to rouse my passions.
AND THEN, guess what happens? I’m sure you’ve already figured it out. That drama llama always brings along a sleeping bag and tent and plans to stay indefinitely. And that drama llama is incredibly hard to get rid of once you’ve invited it over.
All this to say - I don’t always know why I invite drama. And I don’t always realize I’ve done it until it’s already a bit too late. Also, sometimes Drama (with a capital D) comes over uninvited by me, but I still have to deal with it.
I guess the only good thing about the drama llama is that it’s obvious that it’s there. You can’t miss it. It’s not like there are any other llamas in my front yard, so when Drama Llama is here, EVERYBODY can see it. And from what I’ve heard, recognizing the problem is the first step in finding a solution.
But then what? When I manage to get rid of the drama llama once and for all, what else will fill my empty drama-less space? The Martyr Monkey? The Guilt Puppy?
Maybe I should try to figure out why I have this need to fill my peaceful spaces with negative things. What do you do? How do you handle it when Drama Llama comes with all his camping gear?
5 Responses to “The Drama Llama Camps in My Front Yard”
OMG, I relate to the drama in life and inviting it, but you MUST read “Llama Llama Red Pajama” (a children’s book - it’s in the aStore on http://thismommygig.org) - I thought of it immediately when I saw the words drama and llama in the same sentence, b/c the book always says “llama drama” :-)
But the big question is, what’s the drama?
Kate Olson’s last blog post..The $25,000 Choice
May 22, 2008
@Kate, that book sounds hilarious, I will have to take a look at it. :)
As for the drama - it’s always something different, lol. Nothing actually specific right now, really. I was mostly just mulling over my tendency to invite it.
May 22, 2008
When it appears that drama is becoming part of my daily life I have learned to nip things in the bud, ask myself some pretty cold, hard questions and then boot it out the door. Sometimes that makes me seem like a cold, hard person-sometimes it makes me look all strong and independent and cool and stuff.
The real question I think your asking is why, when things are relatively calm and serene, we go looking for trouble? I think that for my self, I used to feel that chaos was comforting. I’m really good in a crisis, my own or someone else’s. I make good decisions, implement them quickly and efficiently and make sure everyone is cared for in the process. Even with the uglier situations life can throw at us, I get a lot of praise from people I care about for handling a bad situation well.
And then there’s real, day to day, none drama laden life..still difficult, still it’s own struggle but oddly no one is praising me or noticing my heroic efforts to keep it all together. It was at those times I used to invite or sort of create trouble, and now I mostly don’t. I just tell myself that chaos, while kind of sexy in it’s own dysfunctional way, really sucks the life out of you and those you love. Then I return to my quieter life and feel all smarmy about how I have some calm and the rest of the world is full of drama.
I hope you get some respite from the drama and are able to have a lovely long week end with family and friends,
amysue’s last blog post..and so Wii go…
May 24, 2008
The drama llama and I are not friends and when it shows up, I tend to run away. I am not good with drama at all. Some drama I have to face, but it takes a big pep talk from my inner monologue in order to move it from my lawn.
alli’s last blog post..I could be blogging…
May 27, 2008
Oh, Kate is right, you HAVE to read “Llama Llama Red Pajama”, and the follow up, “Llama Llama Mad at Mama”. Even my 9 year old enjoys listening to me read those books out loud!
Sometimes I think the Drama Llama has not only come to my house but has sat down directly on top of me. I get into these moods where I just create drama out of EVERYTHING, and my poor family just has to wait it out.
Now I’m picturing a t-shirt with a drawing of a Llama and the words “Say Hello to the Drama Llama”. That would be awesome.
I stopped by for the Mom Bloggers Club Comment Carnival and ended up leaving you a whole post worth of comments! :)
Elizabeth’s last blog post..What Memorial Day means to me
May 27, 2008