Thursday, September 17, 2009

Wild Optimism


Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

Mick Jagger
via the impossible cool

My friend called me the other night really exited that he had met someone new over the weekend. I love the feeling of meeting a new person, all possibilities in front of you, no mistakes, no flaws. Granted, this perfect wonderfulness isn't meant to last but it's fun while it does. So he meets said new person for 2 nights and insists that he will probably marry this person. Then he drops this.
"I did something else."
"What? You didn't actually propose or anything did you?"
"No. Worse kind of. I bought tickets in another city for the symphony in 3 months so we can go on a weekend trip there together."

This is what I call "Wild Optimism". Some people have it, some don't. My friend consistently does this type of over the top planning when he meets one nice person for 6 hours despite the fact that in all likelihood, it won't work out. I was prepared to give him a reality check and tell him that this kind of thinking needs to stop.
But then I realized that I display this sort of behavior when it comes to my work. Relationships? Pretty realistic. My work? Ummm... Let's just say that I have some embarrassingly lofty daydreams from time to time that would fall in this category for sure. Like, maybe I have my INC. Magazine cover styled in my mind already. Whatever, you never know.
So I decided not to laugh at my friend for his gesture for his new "probably fiancee" because I guess when it comes to attaining goals we all have Wildly Optimistic moments.

6 Comments:

Blogger Grace Boyle said...

Aw, I like this. It might seem a bit over the top but it's really sweet because in the end, don't you think we need more optimistic people versus pessimistic downers?

September 17, 2009 at 8:31 AM  
Blogger Caitlin said...

Yes! After I fought off the eye-rolling, I was thinking "why don't we let ourselves do things like this more often?"
I mean, the symphony weekend CAN'T happen if it never gets planned....

September 17, 2009 at 9:17 AM  
Blogger Royce said...

Yeah I agree with Grace, it's great that some people still dream big you know? And by the way, you may have "planned" your INC Magazine cover, but you aren't buying tickets to go shoot it in 3 months, are you? There is kind of an understood level of fantasy in that thinking, right?

The only issue I take with this guy is if his super-optimism scares the girl... some people would be a little frightened to hear "I think I'm going to marry you" after two dates, no?

September 17, 2009 at 11:34 AM  
Blogger Caitlin said...

Very true, very true.
I doubt my friend has said anything publicly about this (at least he better not have)....

September 17, 2009 at 11:55 AM  
Anonymous Rachael Stott said...

Optimism breeds possibility. I think it's solidifying his intention of being with this girl, with something solid is wonderful.
If it doesn't work out maybe he will take you - its a win-win really.

September 17, 2009 at 9:21 PM  
Anonymous DoubleAmericano said...

So a few comments here... First, I feel like very few people in this world really put themselves out there... we all hide behind these masks that a made up of what we "think we should be like" or what "society thinks we should be like." Because of this you meet someone and then you have to spend 6-8 months figuring out if you are really meant to be together after the initial infatuation... I believe in putting my spontaneous, optimistic, 10-year ahead planning self out there for people to see in the hopes that when I do find that great and loving relationship... then at the 6-8 month mark I won't be finally figuring out if I really like the other person, but rather reveling in a fantastic relationship that has made us both better people for it...

And as for jumping on trains that aren't necessarily heading in the direction you are going... You never know exactly where live will take anyone... so its better to build bridges than burn them... you never know when you will be the next main character in a "Sandra Bullock" romance movie... If you get what I mean...

I will keep you all posted as to how my romance movie turns out ;-)

September 21, 2009 at 7:16 AM  

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