Hear Hear, very well said, I too have lived in and traveled to lots of different countries and I don't really make generalizations about everyone based on a few. What would that say about me personally? I agree that there is good and bad everywhere and look at the person and situations individually before making opinions.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

The reason I enjoy this is the different opinions and view points, and know the positive attitude is sometimes what gets you thru the day. Having said that, don't care to put down someone else, or insult the way they look at something, think it's just a people thing. (try to recognize when a complaining is just that) :)

It's not that strange of a thing to do. Try deployment sometime. Plus, let's remember that electronics for personal use are purchased by the service members themselves.

I'm sorry, I don't understand this comment. Are you on the right thread?

I think we all have the right to complain about anything that disturbs us. The members on this board are our friends and you need a friend to vent to at times. What you expressed in your post is how you felt at that time and I'm sure you felt better after you had done so. If one person does not like it, they don't have to read it or the comments made by other members. We all want to be postive at all times, but old negativity creeps in for all of us.

I once listened to a lecturer from a reknown university describe an experiment they were conducting. They gave volunteers a "pager" (goes back a ways) and the only thing they asked the vols to do was to record their thoughts anytime the pager went off. Their findings were that the majority of the time people were either complaining verbally about something or having negative thoughts about a situation. This in a land of liberty, freedom and plenty. This gave me lots to think about and I've been reminding myself about this lecture anytime I start to get negative about a petty thing.

What does this mean?

I think someone posted on the wrong thread :)

That's very interesting. Actually, it doesn't surprise me. I'm kind of interested in the responses I've received to this post too. When I wrote it, I was only speaking for myself. I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with me--or anyone, for that matter. I only control myself and no one else. (What a big responsibility that would be--to control others!)

Anyway . . . there have been a lot of views, but not so many posts. It seems quite a few who have commented prefer to maintain their "ability" (for lack of a better word--"opportunity" maybe?) to complain publicly. That's certainly their/your right. It is interesting though. I would have expected more to want to join in. But that's just me.

I guess I want to say in my own defense that in 1983, my one and only daughter died 36 hours after her birth. She had a lot of problems from a random chromosome anomaly. It happens 1 in 10,000 births. I'll never get over the odds that it would happen to me. Had she lived, she would have required constant care for her entire life. It's one thing to care for an infant with problems. A fully-grown adult? That's a whole different story. As I write this, I'm aware that some of you are in just that situation. You have my sincere respect. All of that to say that her death was not unexpected, and while it remains the most difficult experience of my life, it was a relief that she did not survive. (And it's painful to say that. I always feel selfish when I do.)

So I have no regret about her death. I regret that she wasn't born healthy. But the biggest regret of my life is that I wasn't with her when she died. That experience taught me to try as much as possible to live my life without regret. When I make decisions about my behavior, I ask myself if it will cause me regret if I do this or that or the other thing. I can't control very many things; but I can control my own behavior. And I found myself regretting the negative things I've said on this board. And, because I try to live my life without regret, I decided to set myself straight by vowing to do better--publicly.

You can join me if you want. I don't really care. But it's important to me--for myself only--to apologize when I think I've upset someone needlessly. That's all this is about. It's all it ever was about. Agree or not. I'm still glad I said it.

I can feel better because I got on the board and wrote something negative. Or I can decide to look on the positive side and not dwell on minor upsets. I choose the latter.