Can you be too optimistic?

In response to last week’s question, "Can you be too optimistic?," my cable marketing friend Megan declared, "Yes, that’s when you call it denial!"    To this,  my equestrian friend Royce observed, "If you happen to be Rick Perry."

My birthday bud Jon concluded, "I’m absolutely sure you can," to which my writing and sailing friend Rich added, "just look at pretty much any bubba who has ever said, 'Hey watch this'”.

My temple friend Richard explained, "Optimism is way overrated. It is far more efficient to be a pessimist. If one expects the worst, any surprises will be pleasant ones, and negative outcomes will not lead to disappointment."    My Utah friend Bruce expounded on this, "Please define an optimist...I hold to the truth that a "true optimist" (one who always wants a bright and happy existence), continually looks at things pessimistically. Example: he doesn't feel well, so he goes to the doctor thinking he will be told he has the rarest decease and will die a very long and painful death. If that is the outcome - then he's already accepted it and goes on life; however, if he is told by the doctor that he merely has a cold, he leaves the office totally relived of his painful death sentence and feels great...     The inverse is true as well - a "true pessimist" ( one who always wants a dark and bleak existence), continually looks at things optimistically...he goes to the doctor thinking everything is fine, merely to be told of his impending doom...    To your point...no, or yes."

My collaboration friend Andy shared, "Not if you're a cat. 

And my marketing friend Mark D wrote, "Too Optimistic?   Be...or not be. There is no 'Too'".

Please share your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

         Is a mistake repeated more than once a decision? 
 

Lord, give me a sense of humor; give me the ability to understand a clean joke; to get some humor out of life, and to pass it on to other folks. 

 Hal

My family's thanks and appreciation to my cousins Barbara, Jamee and Steve for organizing this past weekend's family reunion, and to all of the family who traveled from CO, MD, NJ, NY and PA.  It was full of good times and good stories -- and ice cream; it is what family is all about!

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.