Friday, January 30, 2009

"Past, Present and Possible"

When Steve and I were planning our move, we asked our Hungarian friends in Seattle,
"What drives you crazy about Americans. What do we do that makes us so American?"

The number one answer....
"You smile too much, are too optimistic and have a solution for every problem."

We asked the question so that we knew not to do it.....And I try not to be too optimistic, smile too much or find solutions to problems.....and I hate it! It is miserable. Especially now when it is too easy to do all of these things. So, I look for quotes, inspiring articles anything to give me hope for a future that is so unclear....and this is what I find...

Click HERE

My new motto: "Past, present and possible"
Thank you to Peter Saville for sharing his motto in Elle Decoration...which now is my motto.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, don't stop smiling!! Eventually, people will smile with you - it's one of the games we play as we travel in countries with rather dour outer shells (Eastern Europe and Central Asia fall into that category, Thailand/Southeast Asia does not). Getting bureaucrats like post office and train station employees to smile gets the most points.

I do think that sometimes we (Americans) do try to solve problems without really understanding the real problem. That's not to say we should stop coming up with solutions, but just listen a whole lot first.

Steven Greimann and Diane Kappa said...

Thanks Audrey! What I should have added is that I feel like my fellow Americans have stopped doing all those things as well. I am now proud to smile too much and be optimistic. It is the best way to survive in times like these.

Anonymous said...

Americans drives us crazy - sometimes...;), but we definitely need a little more fooleries (I am not shore if it is the right word, but you know what I mean :)) We need your smile more than ever. Pessimism is too well known in Hungary, so show us some other way of thinking, please!!!
Panka

Steven Greimann and Diane Kappa said...

Hi Panka,
Thanks for commenting. Don't worry I will keep smiling:) I just want my friends in America to keep smiling and find ways to add laughter in their days:)