Sunday 7 June 2020

Not grumpy

I've always been determined not to become a grumpy old man. There are far too many of them already, moaning non-stop about one disappoint-ing aspect of modern life after another. I'm determined to be optimistic and cheerful and enjoying whatever life offers me. A few years ago I made these promises to myself:

Not to moan and groan.
Not to become an old miseryguts.
Not to let the world's problems get me down.
Not to make mountains out of molehills.
Not to turn petty irritations into cause célèbres.
Not to complain about my bodily deficiencies.
Not to denigrate other people's lives.
Not to tell other people what to do.*
Not to rant and rave.
Not to demonise young people.
Not to be cynical.
Not to be paranoid.
Not to see the worst in people.
Not to be nostalgic.
Not to think everything was better in the old days.
Not to think I know best.
Not to think life's conspiring against me.
Not to be offended by bad manners.
Not to be offended.
Not to over-react.

I think I've kept to them pretty well (though some of you lot may think differently). I'm constantly amazed at the way other people turn minor upsets into huge grievances, and how they manage to find a negative slant on just about everything. The lunatics are running the asylum, the world's going to hell in a handcart, people only care about themselves and so on.

I wouldn't want to be remembered as the grumpy old codger everyone's glad to see the last of because he was utterly depressing. I want to be remembered as that sweet old guy who always had a friendly greeting and lifted other people's spirits. And only needed a chorus of birdsong to feel as happy as Larry.

*except for politicians and bankers, obviously.

24 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Jean: I think you share my attitude. I've never noticed you being grumpy about anything.

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  2. I think you might have missed out on a bit of fun! A good rant and rave can get things out of your system and alleviate tension.
    Sx

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    1. Ms Scarlet: Oh, I have plenty of fun, and I'm good at getting things out of my system. I find ranting and raving (on the rare occasion that I succumb) is only satisfying for about five minutes.

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  3. I like the sobriquet that I have got myself - The Old Reprobate. Much better than a grumpy old man what?

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    1. Ramana: Yes, I like that nickname. Though I suspect you were more of a young reprobate than an old one.

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  4. I wouldn't describe you as grumpy but, as you correctly suspected, there is always one of your readers who can be relied upon to turn your tight nit argument into a piece of Venetian lace. See through.

    Looking at your list I raise an eyebrow. You most certainly do

    - moan (as evidenced by your post above and those gone before.

    - you do let the world's problems get you down. Occasionally. What's wrong with that?

    Your claim that you do not to make mountains out of molehills made me laugh out loud. Your blog's whole premise is built on you enlarging problems where there are few.

    The rest of the list I grant, from my onlooker's point of view, you are indeed not guilty of. However, let's not evade the truth that you have been "offended" - not least by me.

    And I'd say, at least in your written copy, you do have a slight, ever so slight, tendency to "overreact".

    Hugs and kisses (at a safe distance),
    U

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    1. Ursula: Well, I did say I'd kept to them "pretty well" rather than perfectly. Of course there are lapses. And I disagree that my posts are full of moans and molehill-mountains. I might as well say you're moaning about my blog post.

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  5. Easier said than done my friend if one is living life to the fullest. I'd rather die screaming into the void than curling up in a rusty old heap.

    But to each his own.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. www: As I said above, I'm not claiming to be perfect. And I don't intend to die screaming into the void. Hopefully this rusty old heap will just gradually fade away into peace and tranquillity.

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  6. I suffer from an ever present case of depression so I don't think I'm grumpy, more just depressed.

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    1. Mary: I'm sorry to hear that. It's a very common condition and hard to live with.

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  7. Have you run across a lot of grumpy old men? It seems like more of a caricature thing created by movies and tv shows.

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    1. Bijoux: Yes, I could name a few. A newspaper editor I worked for once. A lot of jaded old politicos I've run into. One or two neighbours who always give me the brush-off. But I guess movies and tv shows do take it to an unreal extreme.

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  8. Most of the old men I know of are far from grumpy...said this old woman....

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    1. Fly: Glad to hear it! The grumpy types are a real downer.

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  9. On the whole, I'm sorry to say that I've known more grumpy old women than men. I don't want to become one of them. I don't want to think that *everything* used to be better or criticise young people in general. So yes, I'll go along with your list. Well put.

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    1. Z: Interesting that you've known more grumpy old women than men. Yes, it's crazy to demonise all young people when obviously they're all different.

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  10. I just don't hang around with grumpy old anything.

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    1. Joanne: Very sensible of you. I also avoid the grumps.

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  11. I told my dad (who was a grumpy old man his entire life) to choose the man he would like to become and model his life after that man.

    Think of Santa Claus.

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    1. Susan: I suspect Santa Claus is a grumpy old man behind the scenes - complaining about lazy elves, the cost of sleigh repairs and ungrateful children.

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  12. Interesting research factoid - there is actually some evidence that people do, in fact, become grumpier as they age. Especially men. But obviously, those are statistical averages and not an unavoidable curse. And while I enjoy a good snark as much as the next person, I think I'm actually less grumpy as I age. It just doesn't seem worth it to me.

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    1. Agent: I suppose it makes sense that people might get grumpier as they age because by that time they're more aware of how well and how badly things can be done, and if something's done badly it's more blatant. But as you say, grumpiness simply isn't worth it.

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