This was originally posted in February 2004:

Here's the deal about those of us who are hypersensitive: it's not about whether we see the glass as half-full or half-empty. Who cares what you call it? it's the same thing. What induces insanity among us sensitive types is when someone tries to tell us a glass is full when it's not. You want to watch me pull my hair out by the roots? Hand me a glass that's 98% full and tell me it's full. I can't let go of that damn 2% that's not full. I just can't do it.

Most people, I think, have their full-empty threshhold somewhere around 60%. If the glass is 60% full, hey, it's pretty good and they're happy. Then there's people like my husband, who are so determined to look on the bright side that if the glass is 25% full, then by-god that's the way they like it and don't you try to tell them there's a problem. And then there's me, who probably would be able to obsess about the .05% in a glass that was 99.95% full.

Now here's my advice if you know someone like me: for god's sake, acknowledge that they have a point. They'll never be able to let it go until you say, "You know, you're right, that glass is not full." Usually that's all it takes, and then they can relax and everything will be OK. And here's my advice to the people that are like me: try to relax. Try to realize that nothing in life is 100%, and those poor blokes that can't see the bits that aren't quite right are just doing the best they can with their inferior sensibilities. (just kidding. mostly.)