On the Positive Side of things...

I can be pretty pessimistic sometimes, but lately I've made more effort to think positively. Like today. I'm laid off for the summer and submitted an EI claim. With my last report I had to call in to clarify some information.

FYI - calling the EI reporting service is VERY annoying. You call, hit 0 to speak with an operator and some recording tells you there are too many calls and to try again later. You are disconnected and have to call back. You may call back and get a busy signal. Eventually, you will call and be put on hold for a long time.

The fun part about being on hold is that every minute the cheesy hold music is interrupted so a recording can tell you that you are still on hold and to keep waiting as an available representative will get to you ASAP. The best part is every time you hear the pause in the music, you excitedly hope you have finally gotten someone only to have all hope dashed as you realize it's that stupid recording again.

Finally, you reach someone. This is where things get better for me. The person I spoke to cleared up the issue with my report, was kind, answered my questions and even looked up information about the status of my application when she didn't have to. This was awesome. While the waiting was not so much fun, I was very impressed by the service I got. So that's my not-so-pessimistic outlook for today. :)

It's not them, it's you

One thing I've noticed is how cyclic problems can be for some people. They can change homes, friends, schools, workplaces, etc. yet encounter the same difficulties over and over. I know this because their griping makes its way onto my Facebook newsfeed. If you find you're always dealing with the same problems, here's some perspective to consider:

It's you. The problem likely lies with you, in some way. If no matter who is in your life at the time, you encounter the same problems, then you are the constant factor in the situation so you are what needs to change. Either you need to be more careful about the friends you choose, you  need to change your environment or attitude, or you need to handle situations differently.

My advice: change something, or quit griping.

It may seem harsh, but this is advice I'm giving myself. It's tough, as griping often seems easier than actually DOING something about a situation, but in the long run it's for the best.