I'm dealing with an abnormally high level of frustration and worry about money this year and I'm bottling a bit too much.

What do you do to calm down, blow off steam, otherwise make peace with things you can't do much to fix?

I punch a baby.

Exercise for the endorphins. Actively engage the brain, preferably with something creative. Go swimming...you can go underwater and primal-scream your lungs out without drawing any attention whatsoever. Organize cheap/free get-togethers...less stew-time is good.

I paint, go for a walk/run, etc.

Creative stuff sometimes helps, walking too. It's just a combination of factors with work not paying us full wages or on time, some persistent health/pain issues, etc. I'm just trying to keep my head and not stew too much. There's many good things in my life I'm glad of, it's just hard to keep an even keel sometimes.

generally, i pooh myself.

I take it out on the punching bad. So like FiZ's idea, sans baby.

Punching bad? I've gone Hulk.

talking (and sometimes ranting) to my friends, shopping and crying.

go work out

I drink. And sometimes I kick shit.

i find anonymous gay sex helps.

Fuck somebody really hard, preferably someone who's okay with you barking "YOU LIKE THAT? TAKE IT!"

Hmmm...

So a general preponderance of harmless violence is recommended here. Interesting.

I vote for everyone's answer but Fiz's and Brad's.

@mizsarah, antiscatmitic homophob.

I didn't say he couldn't have gay sex, Brad. But because he already knows you, it's hardly anonymous is it?

Gay sex not really on the menu, but thanks for out of box suggestions.

Just need to chill out and vent as necessary sometimes. I'm glad I have you folks.

Don't underestimate the value of harmless violence. If you fight the flight or fight response for too long without kicking the shit out of something, I think you fundamentally go out of whack.

2 minutes on a heavy bag will sort that out.

@ii, so you took it off the menu. at least i'll have the memories.

@lady oracle, not at all. trevor was always in our daisy chain.

Wow. All the way to daisy chains in just over twenty replies. Pretty cool.

Did I mention that I'm not entirely opposed to the gay sexings? I did? Oh. Well, then, as you were.

Thank you for the helpful ideas folks. I found myself having difficulty getting back to sleep this morning, I actually went up and went to the gym. Made a nice change of pace my morning, although I expect will be crashing earlier than I usually do tonight. But seriously, what kind of gym does not have a punching bag?

Mine doesn't, but it does have a pullup bar and a 53 pound kettlebell. Brutal.

Life is just making it harder to keep even keel this afternoon, despite the good start to the day. Payroll will be deposited on Friday, a full week late like last time, and short 12 hours.

(Everybody on staff had same cut, but still.)

Drinking works, I swear it.