Negativity

[Muncle]

We have more than our share of negative folks in TOTV, which they are, of course, entitled to be. These are the people who are convinced the developer and the CDDs are out to take every dollar they have while somehow letting the great unwashed of Florida onto TV to use our amenities without paying fees. These people are convinced that all the restaurants and stores are closing because their neighbor told them so and it is all the fault of the developer. They also equate the Villages hospital to a butcher shop assume all local doctors are incompetent. Oh, and they're sure our houses are falling down around us into Morse-built sink holes.

Well, I got an email today that I thought might apply. Apologies if anyone is insulted:


This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best to rain on your parade. So remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable.


A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband.. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

" Rome ? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty.. You're crazy to go to Rome . So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. " That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome ?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump."

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant.

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome.

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot.

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say ?"


"He said: 'Who ****ed up your hair?""


Can you imagine, censoring the Pope!!! C'mon Tony. . .





`

[Whalen]

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I always wonder about these naysayers, nobody forced them to move here and nobody is forcing to stay.

[ejp52]

So true.:eclipsee_gold_cup:
I'm wiping tea off my monitor.:jester:

[tony]

Hey, wait, I didn't take anything out of Signore Muncle's post. Don't believe him. You all know how he is.

[Muncle]

Hey, wait, I didn't take anything out of Signore Muncle's post. Don't believe him. You all know how he is.

Tony, I was referring to the line: "He said: 'Who ****ed up your hair?""

I had originally typed "He said: 'Who ****ed up your hair?"" , but I knew that wouldn't get by so I tempered it to "He said: 'Who ****ed up your hair?"" Who knew that both ****ed and ****ed were verboten?

[graciegirl]

Boy Howdy. Is that past perfect?

[tony]

Gee, the second "****ed up" should have been O.K.

[tankdvr1950]

Muncle.....other than to say that i agree with you 1000%.....no one has ever said it better

there will always be those negative types in this world....who think everyone and everything is out to get them, steal from them, etc....and nothing is right with the world.....i just wish they did not live in TV

thanks for your very insightful post

[JeanneBeannie]

Great post, thank you. You must have been reading my mind lol.
I was alittle dismayed yesterday, seemed like alot of negative posts etc. and I was trying to think of something to post to lighten things up alittle lol :pepper2: but your post was perfect!!! :agree:

As Barb just posted...TV was voted #1 on the AOL's Poll of best retirement places....thank you Barb for sharing. No wonder I cant sleep...all I do is think about selling this place and becoming a lil frog forever! :a040::2excited:.

You guys/gals in TOTV land are the bestest!!! :eclipsee_gold_cup:

[JeanneBeannie]

So true.:eclipsee_gold_cup:
I'm wiping tea off my monitor.:jester:


Ditto ejp I am always wiping the tea off my monitor from laughing so much lol lol. :a20: (Darn...I cant find the funny guy rolling on the floor laughing lol).

[handieman]

Ditto ejp I am always wiping the tea off my monitor from laughing so much lol lol. :a20: (Darn...I cant find the funny guy rolling on the floor laughing lol).

Here he is Jelly Beannie
:1rotfl:
Muncle for President:pepper2:
Handie

[JeanneBeannie]

Here he is Jelly Beannie
:1rotfl:
Muncle for President:pepper2:
Handie

Yep...thats the lil guy I was looking for!! Ahhhh....now I found him Handie!! :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:. Sometimes he only shows up once in awhile :shrug:, I was ready to throw my computer out of the window :Screen_of_Death:.
P.S. I love my new name "Jelly Beannie" :1rotfl:.

P.S.S. Muncle for President!! :pepper2:

[Barefoot]

So remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable.


Muncle, loved your post. :laugh:
Your thought process is always entertaining. :coolsmiley:

[Campbell soup]

Toooooooooooo funny :jester:

[Wizard of Oz]

These people are what I like to refer to as "Joy Suckers". No matter how good the news, they want to quickly stop your joy. :grumpy: Once you find a Joy Sucker stay away from them, life is to short to rent out space in your brain to even consider these types.:thumbup:

[BobKat1]

The old adage applies here:

Some see the glass as half empty - Others see it as half full......

[softfire]

It seems in general , as a population, people have become so negitive. Kinda like it is the cool thing to be and if you are not negitive you are not getting it-the whole life thing. (No one is going to pull the wool over their eyes) People seem to have lost the sense of wonder,joy and the art of a smile. I watch my grandchildren and how they have been trained to retort in a almost synical way to be cool. I watch it on T.V. It seems to be enbedded in all the childrens shows and movies. The action of just simple nice kind words. A warm hug.
People have seem to have lost a belife system in people themselves. No faith and trust in people. I have a business, I deal with people hrs at a time in large people gatherings. Seems people are always in a hurry to go nowhere.
Listening skills are nominal.
I don"t have the answers to this turn of human actions. I can only hope to make a differnece by showing a smile, a warm tone in speech to all I meet.
We are not a defeated people. Everyday we wake up there is a new blessing. We need to look for that before we let the hardness in our day.
In my book it is not "cool " to be negitive. It is wasteful,harmful,and a shame.
:) and be joyful even if you don't feel good today. Even if you have to go back to work when you thought you were done. Our list is endless of life's trials. :) it is contagious.

[ChattanoogaTn]

"there will always be those negative types in this world....who think everyone and everything is out to get them, steal from them, etc....and nothing is right with the world.....i just wish they did not live in TV"


:agree: :agree:

Met a lady while in line at a restaraunt the other day that was typical of what your referring to. There were 3 cashiers and only 1 line with 2 people in the single line and one person at each cashiers. My wife and I went to one of the lines that had only one person and the woman that was the 2nd in line yelled "Hey! If you want to get in line it forms back behind us as we are next!" and was VERY rude! I told my wife it is (very) hard to be nice to such RUDE people!!!!! I should have told her that "We are now forming a NEW line"! but ... being a Tenn gentleman, kept my mouth shut! Why do some people think you should bow down before them?? :cus:

PS "Muncle"....liked your hairdresser joke!

[JeanneBeannie]

It seems in general , as a population, people have become so negitive. Kinda like it is the cool thing to be and if you are not negitive you are not getting it-the whole life thing. (No one is going to pull the wool over their eyes) People seem to have lost the sense of wonder,joy and the art of a smile. I watch my grandchildren and how they have been trained to retort in a almost synical way to be cool. I watch it on T.V. It seems to be enbedded in all the childrens shows and movies. The action of just simple nice kind words. A warm hug.
People have seem to have lost a belife system in people themselves. No faith and trust in people. I have a business, I deal with people hrs at a time in large people gatherings. Seems people are always in a hurry to go nowhere.
Listening skills are nominal.
I don"t have the answers to this turn of human actions. I can only hope to make a differnece by showing a smile, a warm tone in speech to all I meet.
We are not a defeated people. Everyday we wake up there is a new blessing. We need to look for that before we let the hardness in our day.
In my book it is not "cool " to be negitive. It is wasteful,harmful,and a shame.
:) and be joyful even if you don't feel good today. Even if you have to go back to work when you thought you were done. Our list is endless of life's trials. :) it is contagious.

:agree: Very eloquently said,thank you for sharing your words of wisdom. I couldnt agree with you more. Everyone needs to slow down and smell the roses.

[glgene]

I doubt if negative-thinking people would want to read the book, "Positivity" by Barbara Frederickson.

But just in case they do........

Positively,
GL Gene

[Peggy D]

Love the story. And so true.

Like many others, I can't figure out why people stay in TV if they feel so cheated and are unhappy?

Hope I don't move next door to any of them.

[katezbox]

Muncie,

Wonderful story. I had a stepmother like that - nothing was ever positive.

A lot of us are fans of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling. To me, one of her greatest talents is finding a way to use fiction to point out things we all experience in real life.

Her "dementors" - creatures that suck the happiness out of the air around us - are so like that hairdresser.

k

[njgranny]

we sometimes run into people like that - everything on the cruise is bad. I run like hell when I meet someone like that. Life is too short to be unhappy when you're on a cruise.

Muncle - great post!!!!!

Jan

[Muncle]

Muncie,

Wonderful story. I had a stepmother like that - nothing was ever positive.

A lot of us are fans of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling. To me, one of her greatest talents is finding a way to use fiction to point out things we all experience in real life.

Her "dementors" - creatures that suck the happiness out of the air around us - are so like that hairdresser.

k

I was surprised that no one caught my "dementor" comment to Tony in the Community Watch thread yesterday. Needless to say, I was kidding, or at least exaggerating a tad when I referred to the Administrators as TOTV's Dementors.

Kate, I loved the Harry Potter books -- had to read them to find out what was enthralling my great-nieces et al. And I loved it that they were infuriating some of the ultra-fundamentalists. Though I've got the DVDs, I've really enjoyed watching the first few movies on ABC the last several weeks. But it brings back a fear for my mental well-being --- from Day 1, I have found Hermione to be absolutely adorable. I keep telling myself, "Damn, you prevert, she's 10 years old!!!" But I don't think I'm in a league with Woody Allen or Michael Jackson, so I'm okay.




`

[katezbox]

I was surprised that no one caught my "dementor" comment to Tony in the Community Watch thread yesterday. Needless to say, I was kidding, or at least exaggerating a tad when I referred to the Administrators as TOTV's Dementors.

Kate, I loved the Harry Potter books -- had to read them to find out what was enthralling my great-nieces et al. And I loved it that they were infuriating some of the ultra-fundamentalists. Though I've got the DVDs, I've really enjoyed watching the first few movies on ABC the last several weeks. But it brings back a fear for my mental well-being --- from Day 1, I have found Hermione to be absolutely adorable. I keep telling myself, "Damn, you prevert, she's 10 years old!!!" But I don't think I'm in a league with Woody Allen or Michael Jackson, so I'm okay.

`

Munc,

I must have missed that post. Yesterday was (finally) a truly beautiful day in TV and we were out and about.

I think you are OK - I personally have a bit of a crush on the Weasley twins - now that is a bit pervy! So happy to know there is another HP fan out here in TV.

K

[Boomer]

I was surprised that no one caught my "dementor" comment to Tony in the Community Watch thread yesterday. Needless to say, I was kidding, or at least exaggerating a tad when I referred to the Administrators as TOTV's Dementors.

Kate, I loved the Harry Potter books -- had to read them to find out what was enthralling my great-nieces et al. And I loved it that they were infuriating some of the ultra-fundamentalists. ............

`

I have it on good authority that librarians got hate mail (well, I guess it was semi-polite hate mail) when Harry Potter was first published. I knew of one mailing that contained a clipping from an "authoritative" publication. At the center of so many completely wrong statements was a glaringly wrong statement that said that Harry Potter "worshiped the Dementors." Yep. That's what it said. Right there in that "authoritative" publication delivered to the librarian.

But the librarian restrained herself admirably and did not say back to that self-righteous letter-writer, "WHY IN THE :cus: DON'T YOU AT LEAST READ THE BOOK YOU :cus: :cus: BEFORE YOU START SENDING THIS :cus: TO A LIBRARIAN???"

There is a common denominator with those people. The biggest percentage have not read the book.

I have a long-time friend who thinks quite differently from me on a lot of things. That's OK. There are just certain things that we have a tacit understanding not to discuss. But I could not stand the Harry Potter thing anymore and so I asked her what the issue was. Why should wizardry be such an issue, I wanted to know. Kids know better. They just liked the books. Adults, too. The chance to totally suspend reality for a while. A good and evil struggle. All that stuff.

Her answer to me was a surprise. She told me that because kids were so mesmerized by the books and often read them more than once and were so completely immersed in them, taken in, so to speak, that could cause their minds to possibly be opened to being taken in by other things, all kinds of bad things. Cults. Satan worshipers. (and I had to wonder if maybe even Democrats :shocked:)

...... I thought that cause and effect processing was a real leap. Gee. And to think that I had just thought that J.K. was a phenomenal writer. Who knew???!

Anyway, I said I did not agree and then changed the subject. We are still friends. But like I said, some things -- no point in even trying to discuss. They are so convinced that they are absolutely right on this stuff. Oh well.

And Munc and Kate, I am not worried about those little crushes of yours. Harry Potter takes us all back to being kids for a while. And the ones you mention are the ones that your kid-self would have liked and hoped to sit next to in class and whose pencil you would have tried to work up the courage to borrow, hoping for a little conversation. Harry Potter makes us all kids again.

Boomer

[graciegirl]

I have it on good authority that librarians got hate mail (well, I guess it was semi-polite hate mail) when Harry Potter was first published. I knew of one mailing that contained a clipping from an "authoritative" publication. At the center of so many completely wrong statements was a glaringly wrong statement that said that Harry Potter "worshiped the Dementors." Yep. That's what it said. Right there in that "authoritative" publication delivered to the librarian.

But the librarian restrained herself admirably and did not say back to that self-righteous letter-writer, "WHY IN THE :cus: DON'T YOU AT LEAST READ THE BOOK YOU :cus: :cus: BEFORE YOU START SENDING THIS :cus: TO A LIBRARIAN???"

There is a common denominator with those people. The biggest percentage have not read the book.

I have a long-time friend who thinks quite differently from me on a lot of things. That's OK. There are just certain things that we have a tacit understanding not to discuss. But I could not stand the Harry Potter thing anymore and so I asked her what the issue was. Why should wizardry be such an issue, I wanted to know. Kids know better. They just liked the books. Adults, too. The chance to totally suspend reality for a while. A good and evil struggle. All that stuff.

Her answer to me was a surprise. She told me that because kids were so mesmerized by the books and often read them more than once and were so completely immersed in them, taken in, so to speak, that could cause their minds to possibly be opened to being taken in by other things, all kinds of bad things. Cults. Satan worshipers. (and I had to wonder if maybe even Democrats :shocked:)

...... I thought that cause and effect processing was a real leap. Gee. And to think that I had just thought that J.K. was a phenomenal writer. Who knew???!

Anyway, I said I did not agree and then changed the subject. We are still friends. But like I said, some things -- no point in even trying to discuss. They are so convinced that they are absolutely right on this stuff. Oh well.

And Munc and Kate, I am not worried about those little crushes of yours. Harry Potter takes us all back to being kids for a while. And the ones you mention are the ones that your kid-self would have liked and hoped to sit next to in class and whose pencil you would have tried to work up the courage to borrow, hoping for a little conversation. Harry Potter makes us all kids again.

Boomer

HiJacking alert.

Boomer.

ONE of the reasons that I like you so much is for your wisdom. IF only everyone would take a page from your book and change the subject when things get into an area when agreement is not possible. (I find I do that when some of my friends say they have the smartest and best grandchildren) However most people just keep beating a dead horse and than get all annoyed and...that is when the fight happens.

I know this is off the subject, but I had to say that.

I haven't read all of Harry Potter books because I keep getting sidetracked into mystery novels and biographies. In fact, I have been known to be reading three books at a time. They are my nerve pills when the economy goes to ..... in a handbasket.

Sorry. Back to the negativity of some people/Harry Potter.


Flash. BOOMER. You are not only an English Major but YOU are a Librarian!!

[njgranny]

Grace - I'm "book addicted," too. I've noticed that many fiction books today are about vampires, wizards, faeries - you name it. I've gotten used to reading books that are far from reality and am enjoying them. MY DH can't get over that I read and watch tv at the same time. :-)

Personally, I'd love it if my grandkids read anything in addition to their school work. One of them is addicted to her cell phone and the computer. We're lucky if she even talks. ha, ha.

Jan

[SUNNYMARYANN]

jeannie you brighten up every post

[katezbox]

... seems to completely understand so many issues and speak on them in a way that lets us all "get it."

I think it is time to re-read Harry....


Kate

PS - I wonder if anyone is concerned that I got bad side effects from other books I have found addictive over the years - starting with the Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew and Heidi and Little House and moving on all things Jane Austen...

PPS - I think the main "down side" to book addiction is my complete lack of athletic ability. Witness my golf game.

[chelsea24]

Truly a great post Uncle Muncle! :a20:

[jojo]

Kate, We read the same books. I lived for the next installment in the Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twin books. I was an only child and books were my escape. Also relate regarding athletic skills. My worse grades in college were in phys ed.

[graciegirl]

Kate, We read the same books. I lived for the next installment in the Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twin books. I was an only child and books were my escape. Also relate regarding athletic skills. My worse grades in college were in phys ed.

Me too, JoJo. Fred and Flossie and Bert and Nan...and Nancy who never necked!

[Muncle]

...PS - I wonder if anyone is concerned that I got bad side effects from other books I have found addictive over the years -


I remember the first series to which I became addicted in the mid-50's, as well as the Hardy Boys, of course. These were the Landmark Books, much more popular among boys than girls. The were American histories and biographies dating back to Columbus. There were several great WWII and other war battle books. But the aspect I found most rewarding was that these were 1950's books. Warts on the heroes and situations were almost all ignored. Yeah, there was a book on George Washington Carver, but race was not a major issue. We were 3rd grade kids who watched Crusader Rabbit and the Mickey Mouse Club. We didn't need to know the unvarnished truth as much as we needed heroes like Carver, Columbus, Edison, Lewis & Clark, and Black Jack Pershing. We had plenty of time later to learn about the inhumanity of slavery, the treatment of the Indians (they weren't Native Americans yet), and how blacks and women were treated. Maybe we were better able to face the facts later, because we knew our heroes and events were also story book fodder, more reliable than Golden Books, but still . . .



`

[graciegirl]

I used to sneak out the adult novels and read them. Ah such romance.

I think I like cheese and milk so much to this day because of the Heidi books.

Did anyone else read " I Capture the Castle"? I don't know why it sticks in my mind but I remember liking it a lot.

In the summer the local library had reading contests for the kids with themes like "Gold Rush" and if you read x amount of books you got a little bag with pebbles painted gold. I didn't need an incentive. I LOVED to read.

[tony]

Well, any of you can ask Mrs. Tony, and she will confirm that I absolutely cannot remember movies or books. I love movies and books, but I can actually remember very few. She sent me out once to get movies for the weekend and I came back with three. She announced that we had seen all three. I asked if I liked them and she said yes, so we watched them again. It was late so I could not take them back.

This is all leading to Harry Potter books. Don't ask me titles. Don't ask me about the plot. I can read them again and they will be new and enjoyable. You can ask me about my perception of quality. I remember that. J.K. did wonderfully at first. I envied her. Wish I could have crafted those yarns.

Then came the fourth. It was like reading a ninth grader's writing and plotting. Terrible stuff. It should be kept away from kids. She quit writing from the heart and with feeling and was writing while holding her bank book in the other hand. I lost my desire to read such drivel. Like so many movies, the original wa fine and Movie II was just junk. So often that happens. And so went Harry Potter.

Anyhow, I probably should not have written this because now Muncle will print this, hold it up, and slap it say, "Tell me. Tell me these are the words of a Dementor."

[saratogaman]

There are people in this world who are basically negative downers. We are wasting our precious hours by even dealing with them. They are lacking in self-esteem, try to build themselves up by knocking down others, act like they know how to straighten out the mess in this country and the world, know what's wrong in your marriage as they destroy their own, have screwed up kids but all too freely who tell you how should have raised yours...did I mention their thoughts on religion and politics? Spare me!
Be selective...just because you know someone or live next door does not mean that you have to pay attention to them.
Pick and cherish the best...ignore the rest.

[graciegirl]

There are people in this world who are basically negative downers. We are wasting our precious hours by even dealing with them. They are lacking in self-esteem, try to build themselves up by knocking down others, act like they know how to straighten out the mess in this country and the world, know what's wrong in your marriage as they destroy their own, have screwed up kids but all too freely who tell you how should have raised yours...did I mention their thoughts on religion and politics? Spare me!
Be selective...just because you know someone or live next door does not mean that you have to pay attention to them.
Pick and cherish the best...ignore the rest.

Very good advice and I needed it just this evening!

Thank you for bringing the thread back to topic.

Sorry to be a hijacker!