Half and Half

(visualize a very artistic photo here)

Lately I've spent a fair amount of time contemplating the way I look at things in my daily life. Not long ago, a friend told me that her resolution for the new year was to stop being so negative (I hadn't noticed that she was, which leads to the very interesting point that what one person considers negative, another may see as perfectly normal and acceptable behavior).

In all too predictable fashion, these thoughts led me back to the timeless example of whether a person sees a glass as being half-empty, or half-full. (This is where I'd like you to do the visualization, please. I'd intended to photograph a variety of glasses with various liquids inside, but it seems my daylight hours are spent in far less edifying pursuits, such as earning a living... And it's darn near impossible to get a good photo of glassware if you have to deal with the glare of a flash. 'Nuf said.)

Anyway, the more I thought about the whole half-empty/half-full debate, I realized that perhaps that particular test isn't an adequate indicator of pessimism or optimism. Because I realized that I see the glass as half-empty or half-full depending entirely on what exactly is in the glass. If it's a glass of tea, apple juice, or coconut milk, I will most likely look at the thing and declare that it is half-full. In fact, I may well declare in all earnestness that the glass is full to overflowing! But should the glass contain a lucious chocolate milkshake, a fragrant cappucino or a nice merlot, I will swear the thing is, at the very least, half-empty. (Then I will go on to defend my decision not to spare even half a sip to anyone who asks for one!).

I obviously can't speak for anyone but myself, but I don't think most people are 100% pessimistic, nor are they optimistic every waking moment. Life has its ups and downs, and we deal with them as best we can.

Okay, enough of Philosophy 101.

Today I finished the first moccasin slipper, and started the mate to it. I also started a new project (because, you know, I'm just whipping through my sweater/vest and the sock for my MIL... NOT). This new project is a surprise, a gift, for someone very special who occasionally reads this blog. So while I can't show you revealing photos, I will perhaps share annoyingly blurry or truncated photos, and drop vague hints that will be (or so I hope), in the words of the immortal (and gorgeous) Captain Jack Sparrow, "maddeningly unhelpful."