[eweissenbach]

As I was shoveling four or five inches of snow off my huge driveway this morning, I had time to ponder. I thought to myself, I am really enjoying this - the snow was a beautiful, fluffy, relatively easy to shovel variety, the air was cold, but little wind, and I was toasty in my snowmobile suit and insulated boots. That made me think of the many posts I have read on TOTV as well as other complaints from people about winter, cold, snow, etc. It also made me think, why do I find joy in something that many people find miserable? I am a generally positive person, who tries to find the good part of anything rather than the bad part. That, in and of itself, does not make me a superior or even a good person, it just happens to be my makeup, probably as the result of patterning by my cheery and positive mother. As I continued shoveling, I thought about people I have known who are generally negative, usually finding something worthy of complaint in every situation. I thought about a boss I once had who would routinely send back his meal, or his expensive wine, as not meeting his lofty standards, where I thought both were stellar. I thought about people who express that Gracie must work for the Morse family, as no one could be that genuinely positive. I thought about people who have alleged that myself or someone else expressing positivity must either a Pollyanna or ignorant of the obvious (to them) truth. I hope I am not holding myself out to be morally or ethically superior, but I agree with Zig Ziglar who Sid basically "I would rather spend an hour with a person who is insincerely positive than spend a minute with someone who is sincerely negative". I am sure there are benefits to being negative or cynical and I am also sure their have been people who have accomplished great things because of that point of view. I wonder about things such as what causes someone to be overwhelmingly positive or negative? What is ones motivation for being one way or the other. What is the psychological payoff - how do you feel about people who are the opposite of you on the positive/negative scale. I suppose most people are balanced between the two extremes, and how do they see themselves? Finally, does anyone really see themself as negative, and if so what is your viewpoint of people who are positive. Oh well, I will get back to shoveling the snow and check back later to see if anyone has some interesting or enlightening observations. If not, Merry Christmas - we will have a very white one.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

As I was shoveling four or five inches of snow off my huge driveway this morning, I had time to ponder. I thought to myself, I am really enjoying this - the snow was a beautiful, fluffy, relatively easy to shovel variety, the air was cold, but little wind, and I was toasty in my snowmobile suit and insulated boots. That made me think of the many posts I have read on TOTV as well as other complaints from people about winter, cold, snow, etc. It also made me think, why do I find joy in something that many people find miserable? I am a generally positive person, who tries to find the good part of anything rather than the bad part. That, in and of itself, does not make me a superior or even a good person, it just happens to be my makeup, probably as the result of patterning by my cheery and positive mother. As I continued shoveling, I thought about people I have known who are generally negative, usually finding something worthy of complaint in every situation. I thought about a boss I once had who would routinely send back his meal, or his expensive wine, as not meeting his lofty standards, where I thought both were stellar. I thought about people who express that Gracie must work for the Morse family, as no one could be that genuinely positive. I thought about people who have alleged that myself or someone else expressing positivity must either a Pollyanna or ignorant of the obvious (to them) truth. I hope I am not holding myself out to be morally or ethically superior, but I agree with Zig Ziglar who Sid basically "I would rather spend an hour with a person who is insincerely positive than spend a minute with someone who is sincerely negative". I am sure there are benefits to being negative or cynical and I am also sure their have been people who have accomplished great things because of that point of view. I wonder about things such as what causes someone to be overwhelmingly positive or negative? What is ones motivation for being one way or the other. What is the psychological payoff - how do you feel about people who are the opposite of you on the positive/negative scale. I suppose most people are balanced between the two extremes, and how do they see themselves? Finally, does anyone really see themself as negative, and if so what is your viewpoint of people who are positive. Oh well, I will get back to shoveling the snow and check back later to see if anyone has some interesting or enlightening observations. If not, Merry Christmas - we will have a very white one.

Beautiful thoughts.


I think that it is a good thing if we can all bloom where we are planted.


I know that this time of my life is so much better than the sadness I lived with as a child. My wonderful Henry doubles all positives for me and has for 51 years. At this time my health is good and I am able to enjoy life as it is presented to us.


I believe that a good part of how we face obstacles is hard wired into us at birth. I didn't used to think so, but I think personality traits are inherited just like athletic ability or the lack of it or math skills.


So I am blessed....or cursed with being a Pollyanna.


Merry Christmas to you Ed and your dear family.

[njbchbum]

At my age and this stage in my life I tend to see all of my glasses as half-full. Should I see a glass that is half-empty I think for a minute and realize that I have already enjoyed the top half of life that was in that glass.

[Jayhawk]

Turns out the answer is neither half-empty nor half-full

[redwitch]

I'm with Jayhawk -- my glass is never half-full nor half-empty. It just is. Sometimes, that glass has some really yummy stuff in it that I've enjoyed. Other times, it has stuff I'd really rather not have to drink but I know that once it is gone, I can go back to the good stuff. So, definitely a middle-road person, I hope.

I am picky, sometimes to a fault but I do try to give everyone and everything the benefit of the doubt. About the only time I really get my dander up is when I see someone being mean to another entity. Then, I react and think later.

Even so, I can't imagine shoveling snow as a fun thing. Sorry, Ed, buy you just ain't right!

Hope you have a great Christmas! See you in January.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Even so, I can't imagine shoveling snow as a fun thing. Sorry, Ed, buy you just ain't right!

Hope you have a great Christmas! See you in January.

You are probably right Dee, I even enjoy mowing the grass, and loved every job I had, and every boss (with one exception).

[justjim]

Oldcoach, we had about eight inches of snow in our two car driveway. I shoveled a path to the newspaper box when the "boss" hollered "Jim, doctor told you no"! 30 minutes a cup of coffee later I was wondering how I was going to get that snow off our driveway.

The door bell rings and there stands three little girls (12/13 Years old I guess) "would you like your driveway shoveled" for $20.00". You bet. A couple of minutes later I raised the garage door to see how they were doing.

I begin laughing----three little girls and one small snow shovel between the three. I had two snow shovels in the garage which soon were in the girls hands. They did a great job---earning $20.00 and a tip----plus some of my wife's extra special hot chocolate. Only in America! My glass Had been filled and runneth over.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by justjim

Oldcoach, we had about eight inches of snow in our two car driveway. I shoveled a path to the newspaper box when the "boss" hollered "Jim, doctor told you no"! 30 minutes a cup of coffee later I was wondering how I was going to get that snow off our driveway.

The door bell rings and there stands three little girls (12/13 Years old I guess) "would you like your driveway shoveled" for $20.00". You bet. A couple of minutes later I raised the garage door to see how they were doing.

I begin laughing----three little girls and one small snow shovel between the three. I had two snow shovels in the garage which soon were in the girls hands. They did a great job---earning $20.00 and a tip----plus some of my wife's extra special hot chocolate. Only in America! My glass Had been filled and runneth over.

Great story Jim!

[Whit53]

Originally Posted by justjim

Oldcoach, we had about eight inches of snow in our two car driveway. I shoveled a path to the newspaper box when the "boss" hollered "Jim, doctor told you no"! 30 minutes a cup of coffee later I was wondering how I was going to get that snow off our driveway.

The door bell rings and there stands three little girls (12/13 Years old I guess) "would you like your driveway shoveled" for $20.00". You bet. A couple of minutes later I raised the garage door to see how they were doing.

I begin laughing----three little girls and one small snow shovel between the three. I had two snow shovels in the garage which soon were in the girls hands. They did a great job---earning $20.00 and a tip----plus some of my wife's extra special hot chocolate. Only in America! My glass Had been filled and runneth over.

You just made my heart smile.

I think kindness just attracts kindness.

[redwitch]

JustJim, just AWWWWWW!!!!

Ed, hurry up and buy a place down here -- I'll have a lovely part-time job for ya. hehe

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by justjim

Oldcoach, we had about eight inches of snow in our two car driveway. I shoveled a path to the newspaper box when the "boss" hollered "Jim, doctor told you no"! 30 minutes a cup of coffee later I was wondering how I was going to get that snow off our driveway.

The door bell rings and there stands three little girls (12/13 Years old I guess) "would you like your driveway shoveled" for $20.00". You bet. A couple of minutes later I raised the garage door to see how they were doing.

I begin laughing----three little girls and one small snow shovel between the three. I had two snow shovels in the garage which soon were in the girls hands. They did a great job---earning $20.00 and a tip----plus some of my wife's extra special hot chocolate. Only in America! My glass Had been filled and runneth over.

JustJim, that is a great story, and you just filled my half-full glass to the top!

[ilovetv]

I think it's balanced to say it when something is wrong, inefficient and aggravating, and to say it when something is going right, efficiently and aiding a pleasant atmosphere.

About the quote from Ziglar, "I would rather spend an hour with a person who is insincerely positive than spend a minute with someone who is sincerely negative".......

.....Well, he was a salesman. For him in his capacity of running an automotive business and traveling motivational speaker, I'd imagine he would have wanted his salespeople to speak only positive things about the product....for an hour, if that's what it takes to get the customer to sign on the dotted line.

But.....the consumer/shopper/buyer expects to be able to say the truth--and have this truth acknowledged--about the product they bought if it turns out NOT to be what the "insincerely positive" salesperson told them for an hour.

As an example, when we go out to a restaurant and are looking at the menu and asking about certain choices, I appreciate it when the server leans in and says very quietly, "That choice has not been good lately....several people have sent that back tonight.....and I think you'd be better off ordering this other dish you asked about....it's one of my favorite dishes and I always order that".

I appreciate that "minute of sincerely negative" advice....that also came with an honestly positive piece we could decide with.

About the people who find something to gripe about in every situation, most of those I've known/worked for/lived with are stuck in a rut and will not take a risk to try to get out of that rut.

Sometimes it's the stress of running a business and employing people, or sometimes it's a spouse who has the other spouse hen-pecked and the "victim" will not stand up to the other one.

An example of that would be the men here renting/visiting who say, "I'd get a place here in a heartbeat, but my wife will not leave the (grown, married) kids and grandkids." When I suggest "spend 6 months here and 6 months there", the answer usually is "my wife can't stand to be away from them for that long".

I can see how people get negative in a relationship like that, where one won't give in even a little bit. There has to be give and take, in balanced amounts.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

I think it's balanced to say it when something is wrong, inefficient and aggravating, and to say it when something is going right, efficiently and aiding a pleasant atmosphere.

About the quote from Ziglar, "I would rather spend an hour with a person who is insincerely positive than spend a minute with someone who is sincerely negative".......

.....Well, he was a salesman. For him in his capacity of running an automotive business and traveling motivational speaker, I'd imagine he would have wanted his salespeople to speak only positive things about the product....for an hour, if that's what it takes to get the customer to sign on the dotted line.

But.....the consumer/shopper/buyer expects to be able to say the truth--and have this truth acknowledged--about the product they bought if it turns out NOT to be what the "insincerely positive" salesperson told them for an hour.

As an example, when we go out to a restaurant and are looking at the menu and asking about certain choices, I appreciate it when the server leans in and says very quietly, "That choice has not been good lately....several people have sent that back tonight.....and I think you'd be better off ordering this other dish you asked about....it's one of my favorite dishes and I always order that".

I appreciate that "minute of sincerely negative" advice....that also came with an honestly positive piece we could decide with.

About the people who find something to gripe about in every situation, most of those I've known/worked for/lived with are stuck in a rut and will not take a risk to try to get out of that rut.

Sometimes it's the stress of running a business and employing people, or sometimes it's a spouse who has the other spouse hen-pecked and the "victim" will not stand up to the other one.

An example of that would be the men here renting/visiting who say, "I'd get a place here in a heartbeat, but my wife will not leave the (grown, married) kids and grandkids." When I suggest "spend 6 months here and 6 months there", the answer usually is "my wife can't stand to be away from them for that long".

I can see how people get negative in a relationship like that, where one won't give in even a little bit. There has to be give and take, in balanced amounts.

So well said, ilovetv.

I would much rather hear someone's honest, sincere opinion about something than listen to false positives. Chronic complainers I can do without, however.

Ed, I appreciate your opinions, and I know they are sincere and feel you are truly a positive person. But... I am cold, I've always been cold, and living in the north in snow... after it's done newly falling, I can find nothing positive about it. I don't think that makes me glass half empty. I just can't get anything good out of being cold.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by CFrance

So well said, ilovetv.

I would much rather hear someone's honest, sincere opinion about something than listen to false positives. Chronic complainers I can do without, however.

Ed, I appreciate your opinions, and I know they are sincere and feel you are truly a positive person. But... I am cold, I've always been cold, and living in the north in snow... after it's done newly falling, I can find nothing positive about it. I don't think that makes me glass half empty. I just can't get anything good out of being cold.

[bonrich]

Some say the glass is half full, others say the glass is half empty, another one may say you made the glass to big......