Optimistically pessimistic or pessimistically optimistic?

The CFO and I have an ongoing discussion on whether I am an optimist or a pessimist. The CFO points out that I have a unique talent for sucking the fun out of a room. Not that I am a kill joy mind you but I can be presented with just about any situation and come up with a VERY bleak scenario. I say bleak but if frequently boarders on catastrophic.

I argue that this is a very useful skill in that I am usually prepared for most possibilities. Here are a couple of examples...

In the van I have:

• Diapers
• Pull ups
• Wipes (ready to use and and extra pack)
• Extra clothes for the Triplets
• Towels
• Blankets
• Roadside hazard kit
• Potty
• Food (snacks and canned food)
• Flashlight
• Pain medication (several different types for kids and adults)
• First aid kit
• Extra fuses
• Two liters of water
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Lip balm (Addison gets VERY chapped lips)
  

I know I have more but that is just off the top of my head:)

In the backpack I carry with the kids I have:

• Extra clothes for the Triplets
• Extra shirt for me
• One liter of water
• Snacks
• Wipes
• Pull ups
• Diaper cream
• Neosporin
• Small first aid kit
• Bactine
• Hydrocortizone
• Pain medication (for the kids and adults)
• Sippy cups
• Sham wow
• Pens
• Sunscreen

And finally on my person I carry a flashlight and Leatherman Skeletool. Not that I am ready for EVERYTHING but I am more prepared than most. I like think that I hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I usually argue that I am an optimistically realist and the CFO will sometimes concede that point. No matter what she thinks about it she likes that I have all this stuff with me in case we need it:)

I've never run into a guy who could win at the top level in anything today and didn't have the right attitude, didn't give it everything he had, at least while he was doing it; wasn't prepared and didn't have the whole program worked out.
Ted Turner

Al