Optimism makes life actually better because it means being willing to try things that often end up working, or at least working out. People love to talk about agency around here, but optimism is the key ingredient.
I was in high school in 2003:
- nobody was allowed to wear hats in school, and girls wouldn’t anyway
- wheelies were for babies, and peaked later
- tucking jeans into Uggs?! Like that??? No
- nobody would stand around staring at music players next to friends. Literally nothing
Maybe if you aren’t a parent you don’t know why this is so awful, so here it is:
Babies are happiest and cry least in a few circumstances, and one of the top three faves is “rolling around in a stroller looking at the world.”
Hey, let’s solve two problems at once. We should start a camp in the desert for juvenile delinquents and make them dig holes every single day in the hot sun to build character. They’ll become upstanding citizens and we’ll help save the planet!
I saw a guy explaining feng shui bed placement with the basic principle being “where would I want my head to be if birds were flying in the windows and doors?” That clarified a lot for me actually. I don’t really need to learn the rest of the system tbh.
I had an Indian friend in college who told me a story and casually mentioned her chauffeur. “Wait, you had a chauffeur?” “Well yeah, we pay him like $30 a week, everybody has a chauffeur.” “I don’t think so. I don’t think the chauffeur, for example, has one.” Reminds me of this.
I’m getting training telling me not to say “alcoholic”, say “person with an alcohol use disorder.” 😐
Guys, “alcoholic” *is* the nice word. “Drunk” or “lush” or “booze hound” would be the stigmatizing terms, and you can’t replace one word with five and expect it to catch on.
This entire situation could have been solved or avoided entirely by having one single awkward conversation. People are so afraid of what they'll find out that they live with their assumptions until it's too late.
I don’t know why this needs so much repeating, but the skin on your hands is already the barrier between your immune system and germs. You can touch disgusting things, spread germs everywhere, and be totally fine as long as you wash your hands before making food and eating.