Is optimism optical or obsolete?

Today was...uh...fun. Well it was "fun" in that I wasn't stuck in the snow, buried on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago for 12 hours freezing my ass off. "Fun" in that I wasn't getting mauled on the streets of Cairo, Egypt by a group of protestors on camels with whips and rocks as my country spun into deeper chaos with every foreign journalist trying to broadcast the reality with hand held camcorders, some more successful than others. "Fun" in that I wasn't an officer showing up at the residence of some delusional nut job in Florida after she shot and killed her two teenage children for being "mouthy".  And yet not as much "fun" as Charlie Sheen partying with a houseful of porn stars drinking himself into a million dollar stupor and writing $30,000 checks his ass can actually cash. No today was not fun at all.

Optimistic is looking at the bright side of things, or comparing situations that are much worse and elevating the status of your situation in comparison. Well at least that is my version of optimism lately. It could be worse. Situations could always be worse. I suppose even if I were on Lake Shore Drive buried in snow and stuck I could be the guy not in the car. Even if I were on the streets of Cairo and getting pelted with rocks at least they weren't grenades and if I were that arresting officer putting that psychotic lady behind bars at least she didn't shoot anyone I knew. Of course I could be Charlie Sheen making millions and partying with porn stars...bastard. There I go with my pesimism again. Oh well, we can't have everything.

The day to day is what it is. I remember hearing this phrase originally from an old manager when I was in the mortgage industry..."it is what it is". How right that phrase resonates. What can we do but go through the motions sometimes. We can try to put the best face on things but when you put lipstick on a pig...well that one has been overdone. Keep your chin up, so that someone can clock you straight on it and you can fall flat on your ass. Speaking of that Charlie Sheen just wrote another check for $30K.

Tomorrow is Friday. The Superbowl is Sunday and a pretty potent UFC is scheduled Saturday night. There are reasons to be optimistic....maybe.