The Optimist Goes Against the Pessimist: Who’s Going to Win?

Have I shared the fact with you that my DH, my man in shining armor, my better half, is a pessimist? Notice how I still have nice things to say about him in spite of my telling the truth. That’s just part of my optimist personality. Nevertheless, if you ask him about his outlook, he’ll tell you he’s simply a realist. Sorry sweetie, but I’m not buying it and I don’t think you guys will, either. I’m telling you, his outlook on life is downright cynical. He’s a Gloomy Gus, a naysayer if I’ve seen one.

Case in Point: Halloween night we’re planning to go out for a nice dinner. Hubby says, “We won’t need to buy any candy to pass out.”

I say, “Yes we do. Even if we aren’t here, I’ll set the candy out on the porch, leave the light on, and let the kids take their own.”

Hubby rolls his eyes, and starts laughing. “What are you smoking?” (In my defense, I don’t smoke anything.)

“Why?” I asked.

“Please, if you leave the candy on the porch, the first bunch of kids to come by will take it all, plus our bowl.”

I look at him and frown. “Do you always have to think the worse?”

“Fine,” he says. “Put the candy out and let’s see. Let’s see who’s right.” Then he resorts to using the R word. “I’m just a realist.”

Realist. my butt! When the economy got tight, and I’ll admit it’s tight, but he starts saying he’s gonna lose his job. He looks for it to happen every Friday, even though he hasn’t heard hide nor hair about a layoff about to happen. Last thing he says when he leaves for work every Friday is, “Today’s probably the day.” But it’s not just about his job or just about Fridays. He wakes up every morning and basically says, “I wonder what terrible thing is gonna happen today.”

I call him on it all the time. He’ll come home and I’ll say, “So what terrible thing happened?”

He looks at me and shrugs and answers, “Nothing. Why?”

I roll my eyes and remind him of his premonition. He just looks at me and says, “Yeah, that’s the way I work. I expect the worst to happen and then I’m pleasantly surprised when it doesn’t.”

I’m frowning big time at this point. “But what about all the stress you put yourself under by thinking the sky is falling?”

His reply: “Best to be pleasantly surprised than to be totally blindsided by a piece of sky that you didn’t expect to fall and hit you on your head.”

Right about then I’m ready to scream. I just don’t get it, guys. I don’t get pessimism or pessimistic people. Why get yourself worked up over something that hasn’t and probably won’t happen? I don’t mean bury your head in the sand, but why not think positive until you have something to worry about? Then if something comes up, deal with it.

I mean, not only is there the whole thought process of how you make bad shit happen by believing bad shit will happen, but I can’t stand the thought of walking around in a state of doom and gloom all the time.

Now, hubby claims I take my optimism a bit too far, that I walk around thinking everything is hunky dorie, but hey, positive thinking has done well for me. I’d have quit writing about the first five years if I wasn’t a optimist. Hubby also says that we make a great pair because we balance each other out. I know we make a great pair, but I’m still not sure he needs to be such a wet blanket.

Anyway, back to our dinner and the whole candy on the front porch issue. We go out for our dinner, it was wonderful just as I expected it to be. We pull up into the driveway, we slowly walk up to the front porch and then we stop. I cut him a look, he cuts one back.

Then I raise my chin high and say, “It doesn’t mean anything. Probably some dog took the bowl after the last of the trick-or-treaters took the candy.”

He starts howling with laughter, I storm into the house. Did I learn anything? Not a darn thing. I’ll always be the optimist.

Fine, I’ll admit he might have won this go-round, but I’ll win the next one. I’m positive of it. Just as positive as he is that he won’t win.

So what about you guys? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Come on, share a little.

I’m in California this week on vacation. Hubby and I are doing the Sideways wine tour. I may or may not have internet connection and be able to respond to your comments, but I will get to them sooner or later. So make sure you leave a response.

And oh, next week starts my contests and giveaway for my new release, Divorced, Desperate and Deceived. So don’t miss out and make sure you come by and post a comment to win a book and other prizes next week/ Oh, I’ll also be guest blogging all over the Internet and I’ll post the links to those sites on my blogs.

Thanks guys and make sure you leave a comment.

Crime Scene Christie