Thoughts

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. - Jonathan Swift

I've come to see that I get disappointed so easily in others because I have such high expectations for them.  Perhaps they can't live up to those expectations?  Perhaps it is not right to expect anything from others?  I also, however, have high expectations for myself and if I fail to meet my own self set designs I am also hard on myself.  This goes hand in hand. 

Then I think about a quote on my friends blog: "You should NEVER settle for less than you deserve. Because the moment you do, you get even less than what you settled for."  This is something to consider. 

So one shouldn't have expectations, but by the same rule set, how does one prevent settling?  I don't want to be a person that live a life of complacency.  If something isn't right, fix it.  Fix your mind, your heart, a negative pattern that has been established.  If that "something" can't be fixed I think that speaks magnitudes in and of itself.

On an entirely different note I read a great book called, "Love and Obstacles."  It's somewhat of a vulgar book about this man who desperately wants to fit in and find himself amidst a lack of positive role models or supervision.  It's told from a collection of short stories that chronicles this mans life that wasn't anything but ordinary.  While somewhat of a "loser" character, it's rather an interesting book and he is rather larger than life.  4 (bizarre) stars.  

I also started reading "A New Earth", which is supposed to be a self help book from the Oprah Book Club, but it blows and I'm deleting it from my kindle.  Yes, I got one for Christmas (aka birth of the boyfriend day).

"On to the next one..."
 

Happy New Year

In the endless quest for New Years quotes I settle on three:

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.  ~Oprah Winfrey

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.  ~Benjamin Franklin

Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past.  Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go.  ~Brooks Atkinson

I think each quote, in it's own right, offers something important.