There must be a pony...
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85130)
Shingle Springs, California
July 19, 2011 1:24pm CST
I remember a story I heard in 7th grade health. We were doing a mental health unit, actually, and there were quite a lot of mental health "jokes" that we heard on a recording on day. This one was about a family with twin boys, one who was a complete pessimist and one who was a total optimist. They decided to do something about it. Come Christmas they gave the pessimist a room full of toys, everything he could possibly want and more, in an attempt to improve his outlook on life. For the optimist, they got a huge crate full of horse manure. The pessimist went and looked at all the toys, and complained that other people had more, that they would break, etc. etc. The optimist started digging through the manure, exclaiming "where there's manure, there's got to be a pony!"
I suppose the moral of the story was something about not being able to change a person's nature. Not sure.
Anyway, to my morning, and my evening before it.
Last night I came home and the girls were watching a documentary about JK Rowling. Dearra in particular is into everything Harry Potter right now. All of a sudden, CLICK, the TV goes blank. We thought somebody had sat on the remote. But when we went to turn the satellite receiver back on, it wouldn't turn on. Uh oh, dead receiver. Not the end of the world though. The girls went upstairs to watch their show on the old 19" TV. Later they came downstairs and we watched a video. They will have to live without satellite for a couple of days on the big tv, but not the end of the world.
This morning I had loads of fun. In no particular order the garbage disposal broke, my tea cup knocked over and I almost dumped boiling water on myself, I had to clean up after a kitten with the runs, Dearra kicked the trampoline with her toe and threw it in the direction of the glass table and then went on a rant, I had to clean up after ants, dropped rice on the floor, and had to deal with Cary not cleaning up after himself and lying about it.
I drove into work not wanting to deal with the real estate agent who wants to come by about the house, and feeling homesick (for my home in Los Angeles).
But I guess I must be more closely related to the optimistic twin than the pessimistic twin, because I'm pretty sure there must be a pony somewhere. I just have to find it.
7 people like this
19 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
19 Jul 11
I'd like that concept, it might be one to get me through my life..
I have had nothing but bad days, with math and my own family, I'd like to say there is a pony somewhere..
I am sure your day will improve, with that outlook it will..Especially your outlook to booze's reply, I won't go there...
I have had nothing but bad days, with math and my own family, I'd like to say there is a pony somewhere..
I am sure your day will improve, with that outlook it will..Especially your outlook to booze's reply, I won't go there...
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
19 Jul 11
Yeah, well how about multiplying those pony's with polynomials???
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
20 Jul 11
I'm a recovering pessimist. I Did get many of the toys I wanted and yet I Knew all this happiness was just on loan or worse, I was stealing in somehow. With the help of my guy and my close friend I finally see , that the happiness I feel Is Mine and I deserve it. When bad things happen ,I don't serach for a pony but I don't plan to die either.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 Jul 11
I'm trying to get to the middle.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85130)
• Shingle Springs, California
20 Jul 11
as long as it's daylight and not a train...
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
19 Jul 11
The sun will come out, tomorrow....
Where there's a rainbow there's a pot of gold... now you just need to find that pot of gold, and go buy the house from whoever has it now (the one in LA). I think I'd have had a fit if all that happened to me in one day... I often have.
2 people like this
@timetravel (1425)
• United States
27 Jun 12
There must be plenty of repossessed houses for sale in L.A.! How's that for optimism? It's the old "glass is half empty" vs. "glass is half full". The way I heard the story was simply two brothers saw a bunch of manure in the backyard, and the one immediately started complaining about the smell and yuck factor, while the other one started sniffing around, figuring if there was manure, there was a horse nearby. Needless to say, he found the horse working in a fertilizer factory, being fed massive amounts of all the horse feed he could consume so that he would continue to produce such fertilizing fertilizer. The boy realized if he took the horse, then it would kill the plants and vegetation that help our environment and feed us. This thought was very depressing to him, and in the future, when he smelled manure, he thought of the horse he couldn't have because it would affect everyone else around him....KIDDING!!!! LOL!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Jul 11
Out on the horizon is something good. I just know it. Here close to home I am a pessimist. As if you didn't know. I spew it don't I? I did win a book on one of my other sites and am excited to read it. I got it today. I met a very nice senior on my blog site. SHe is a dear. So things do work out. Even for a pessimist.
2 people like this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
20 Jul 11
ha ha...good for you that you are a pessimist and still looking for the pony. I'm sure you will find it.
I would have gone crazy on a day like this...but wouldn't look for the pony or complain (what's the point either way?)....now what does that make me???/
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
19 Jul 11
I would say something to the effect that now I have all the yucky stuff out of the way, the really good stuff is going to start happening. I once had a pony. I may get one again. Or not. Perhaps the real estate agent with bring you a pony equivalent, like a great offer on the house.
2 people like this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
20 Jul 11
I've never really considered myself an optimist, but I am searching for the pony here, too. I refuse to accept that the gargantuan manure pile here is sans pony. Besides, considering my boyfriend's outlook on things, one of us has to be a bit of an optimist. I guess that job falls to me... 
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98719)
• India
20 Jul 11
Yeah but there must be quadruplets I think. I mean the confused one who is lucky and gets it right every time or most of the time regarding optimism or pessimism, and the confused one who is unlucky and gets it wrong all the time. I mean when I should be optimistic, I am pessimistic, and when I should be pessimistic, I am optimistic, you know...
1 person likes this
@much2say (53907)
• Los Angeles, California
24 Jul 11
If not a pony, you might find some hay - hee hee!
And remember that good fertilizer can make a garden grow!
I've had many a days like that . . . by the time I get to bed, I know that tomorrow is another day and another shot at "life".
I've missed your discussions this week (maybe more) - wow, so you think you may sell the house? I think I missed a lot here!!!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85130)
• Shingle Springs, California
25 Jul 11
I think I"ve been saying all along that I would need to sell the house...
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
19 Jul 11
Just one of those days and or moments I suppose and hope soon you will see better ones come your way. I have never owned a pony and or a horse either. 
Although some days actually feel like I do horse around.
Although some days actually feel like I do horse around. 2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Jul 11
hi dawn yes I have never seen you being pessimistic in your discussions so you will soon find your version of the horse
after all the quirky irritating things that happen to you
to day. Selling a home has to be one of the most stressful
things outside of moving but I guess I thought you and your children would get the house, but I must be wrong eh? Is
that the usual thing in a divorce being made to sell the house
then I gather you both split the proceeds? anyway You will find your pony lol lol
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85130)
• Shingle Springs, California
19 Jul 11
Yeah even if he paid me major child support, I couldn't afford the house on my own anyway. Too big for me to keep up on my own too. :-(
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
20 Jul 11
indeed most of the time its how you look at things and not necessarily the situation you're into. sometimes you're in such difficult situations but if you look at it in a broader and positive way then things could be a lot easier for you to deal with
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16517)
• China
20 Jul 11
I don't get the story .I am still confused after searching"There's got to be a pony."on mylot search.I guess that It means the optimist never says die and makes the best of things.
1 person likes this
@Joannalynn (1)
•
19 Jul 11
I have had days and years just like that. I know exactly what your talking about. My home on the southside of columbus I lost. Luckily your girls didn't have a problem with the satellite being out. My 3 boys are like that, able to find other ways to occupy themselves. My boyfriends daughter on the other hand would have thrown a fit. Your right you can not change a persons nature but the can change their attitude. Keep your head up eventually you will find your pony.
1 person likes this
