Alabaster Crowley wrote:
I'm realistic and nihilist.

ok, cool, I would like to think I am too but isn't there a certain direction to which your mind goes when confronted with a situation.

Some people are automatically negative about it seems like almost everything, which in my mind isn't beneficial in getting through it.

Like divorce, sure its a difficult time and there are a lot of feelings, confusion, and other issues involved but keeping in mind that there is an end and a light at the end of the tunnel seems so much more appealing than being full of despair and gloom, not that there shouldn't be any.

Kind of a situation I can relate to right now.

We are getting separated, not my choice but I can't fight it and realize that I have to look towards the future and decide where and how I want to get there.

I can either handle it with grace and understanding or I can be a complete ass.

I choose the first.

T Brown wrote:

ok, cool, I would like to think I am too but isn't there a certain direction to which your mind goes when confronted with a situation.

Some people are automatically negative about it seems like almost everything, which in my mind isn't beneficial in getting through it.

Like divorce, sure its a difficult time and there are a lot of feelings, confusion, and other issues involved but keeping in mind that there is an end and a light at the end of the tunnel seems so much more appealing than being full of despair and gloom, not that there shouldn't be any.

Kind of a situation I can relate to right now.

We are getting separated, not my choice but I can't fight it and realize that I have to look towards the future and decide where and how I want to get there.

I can either handle it with grace and understanding or I can be a complete ass.

I choose the first.

Is it pessimistic of me to say it's realistic to think the worst will happen?

Alabaster Crowley wrote:

Is it pessimistic of me to say it's realistic to think the worst will happen?

Lol,umm no....yes? maybe....????

T Brown wrote:

Lol,umm no....yes? maybe....????

Jay  Edwards wrote:
I am optimistic about my life while pessimistic about the world...

+1 (and then some)

Alabaster Crowley wrote:
I'm realistic and nihilist.

You can't be both at the same time. In my opinion.

Fotticelli wrote:
I'm a realist and I know how good I have it by the dumb luck of being born in the right place in the world. And I'm healthy, basically. I've been in bad physical pain maybe a total of half a day in my whole life. And I'm 55. And I get to take pictures of some of the most beautiful picture subjects. I am a realist so I know this will not last and one day I will cease to exist. So I'm trying to make the best of the time while I'm alive.

True, but you can be optimistic about growing old-er and still in good health, able to do most everything you want providing you take measures to do so. ??? or no??

T Brown wrote:

True, but you can be optimistic about growing old-er and still in good health, able to do most everything you want providing you take measures to do so. ??? or no??

The body deteriorates starting at about 40. If you were hot (a man or a woman) the diminishing of attention from the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your orientation) is going to eat away at you. Fortunately that was not a problem for me. Other than being less desirable other things about you body break. Eyesight goes bad, boobs droop, penises shrink, you don't hear things as well as you used to. Even if you have no major health issues you go into body maintenance mode. You body is like a car. It needs check ups. Your docs will tweak your meds to keep your cholesterol, estrogen, glucose levels or whatever within the acceptable range.
There are good things about being older. You don't give a shit about stuff as much. I am one of those people who would not change a thing about my life if I had a chance. I consider myself lucky. Nothing really horrible happened in my life. My father died in my arms from a heart attack when I was sixteen. That screwed me up for a decade or so but that's life. It taught me how fragile and precious life is. I don't want to bore you guys. I guess I can sum it up by saying that you appreciate things more when you get older. Everything is more beautiful. Trees, flowers, animals, mountains, clouds, boobs. But you do feel your body is rusting and falling apart slowly.

Fotticelli wrote:
You can't be both at the same time. In my opinion.

I disagree. They're not even about the same thing. Realistic is about what will happen; nihilism is about what people do.

Alabaster Crowley wrote:

I disagree. They're not even about the same thing. Realistic is about what will happen; nihilism is about what people do.

How is "what will happen" different from "what will people do?"

Fotticelli wrote:
The body deteriorates starting at about 40. If you were hot (a man or a woman) the diminishing of attention from the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your orientation) is going to eat away at you. Fortunately that was not a problem for me. Other than being less desirable other things about you body break. Eyesight goes bad, boobs droop, penises shrink, you don't hear things as well as you used to. Even if you have no major health issues you go into body maintenance mode. You body is like a car. It needs check ups. Your docs will tweak your meds to keep your cholesterol, estrogen, glucose levels or whatever within the acceptable range.
There are good things about being older. You don't give a shit about stuff as much. I am one of those people who would not change a thing about my life if I had a chance. I consider myself lucky. Nothing really horrible happened in my life. My father died in my arms from a heart attack when I was sixteen. That screwed me up for a decade or so but that's life. It taught me how fragile and precious life is. I don't want to bore you guys. I guess I can sum it up by saying that you appreciate things more when you get older. Everything is more beautiful. Trees, flowers, animals, mountains, clouds, boobs. But you do feel your body is rusting and falling apart slowly.

Oh believe me I understand that 1000%, been dealing with that myself, but being of the mind I am I feel compelled by my optimistic nature that there is something I can do to combat those conditions, high blood pressure -> check taking pills, but lost some weight and exercising more seriously now to lower it naturally, I should be off the pills soon, cholesterol -> was very bad now normal, the sagging and dragging things, lol all I can do is try to maintain and accept those things I cannot change and go after the things I can. Eyes -> yup needed glasses after having perfect vision my whole life, but I have kind of grown accustom to them and like how they fit me. I know that women do not look at me the same way they did when I was younger and thats fine because I am a different person now, I am evolved and more in tune with myself at this age than I ever have been. I know someday, hopefully I will come across that one special person who sees me for who I am and what I have to offer as still very active, intelligent, and alive male.

If that means my appeal to the opposite sex is diminished just because I am not as youthful and "spry" as my younger counterparts then so be it.

But I am optimistic that isn't the case, lol...

Alabaster Crowley wrote:
I'm realistic a nihilist.

sounds exhausting.

T Brown wrote:

ok, cool, I would like to think I am too but isn't there a certain direction to which your mind goes when confronted with a situation.

Some people are automatically negative about it seems like almost everything, which in my mind isn't beneficial in getting through it.

Like divorce, sure its a difficult time and there are a lot of feelings, confusion, and other issues involved but keeping in mind that there is an end and a light at the end of the tunnel seems so much more appealing than being full of despair and gloom, not that there shouldn't be any.

Kind of a situation I can relate to right now.

We are getting separated, not my choice but I can't fight it and realize that I have to look towards the future and decide where and how I want to get there.

I can either handle it with grace and understanding or I can be a complete ass.

I choose the first.

This is the way I roll.

People who lean towards the negative suffer unnecessarily. People are unpredictable and when it comes to love, there are no guarantees.

I'm one if those people that needs answers/solutions to problems. If I understand the 'why' I can get on with my life easier. I've learned that some people love you as much as they are capable. Not everyone is wired for a lifetime.

It is what it is.

On the positive, why sustain a relationship where its survival was thread together by duty than feeling. When it's done, you have the opportunity to have someone again, excited & willing for the future.

Life is short.
Too short to be unhappy, no matter what happens.

VictorG Photography wrote:
a pessimist will blame the weather
an optimist will hope the weather will get better
a realist will adjust their sails

I am the latter two equally.

VictorG Photography wrote:
a pessimist will blame the weather
an optimist will hope the weather will get better
a realist will adjust their sails

I think thats true in part, but a realist could still adjust their sails and still have a bad attitude about it or a positive attitude.

As an optimist I don't just sit on my  laurels and hope for change, I know the only way to achieve a difference in my life id to actively go out and seek that change, its the positive attitude that drives my actions.

Surely a realist will do the same but with less conviction, purpose, or passion.