It's a reasonable outlook I think. I hope for the positive but expect the worst. While I'm not officially an engineer (although I was a systems analyst once - that's close) - it's the same mindset. Expect murphy's law and you'll never be disappointed, but if murphy's law DOESN'T happen, then you are happy and, of course, the hope for a good outcome is always there, you just don't build on it too much 'cause you're busy working on a multiple-outcomes situation rather than a singular "yes/no" scenario. == I think people should have as many kids as they want to. Their problem ain't it? tongue emoticon I'm not a total misanthrope. But I can relate to the ideology. Some people tell me I should be a motivational speaker because I tell people all the motivational stuff, but I always have the caveat of "and don't be stupid while you're at because the bullshit is a part of life and you can count on it". In short I never give up. Fuck 'em. But I know how the game is. I play my own game and avoid their traps when I can and even sometimes I let them trap me. "People suck" isn't enough for me. "People suck but I won't" So, I hold both parts I think. I've been a disgruntled optimist since the age of 8 that I can recall, I just didn't know it was called that ==