Half full or half empty?

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 10:15 am

Is your glass half full or half empty?

I'd say mine is on the way to being full. A work in progress, so to speak.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:57 pm

Nobody has ever handed me an empty glass, it would be the height of rudeness.

Now, I know the glass wasn't this light when I got it. I can see there's less in there. I can feel the effect of the contents on me, where I've been sipping at it all this while. At my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying near; and yonder all before us lie deserts of vast eternity. The laws of entropy are quite specific about this point.

If I toss down the rest of it, will I be able to get a refill? Are the other glasses going round on trays available for just anyone to take? Can I wander over to the sideboard and top this one up any time I feel like it?

It's a strange metaphor, this glass you brought up. Does it simply represent life? wealth? happiness? If it's happiness, I know where the sideboard is. If it's wealth, I can struggle to the bar of enterprise and acquire more any time I have the patience to queue and nobody is engaging me in conversation. If it's life, I can trust to the generosity and good nature of the host, that the glasses on the trays aren't reserved for more important guests.

If you started with an empty glass, Koan, and it's now half full, I hate to think what you've been doing since the party started. If it's on the way to being full by the time the party ends, you're just going to make more work for the cleaners.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:12 pm

It is fun to play with metaphor.

In this case the true question is are you an optimist or a pessimist?

"On it's way to being full" does not mean to imply that I am vomiting into it, though I hear some people view my posts that way, it means more that I gather little bits of "liquid" from the decanters passed around and rever it too much to drink it away. I see that the glass is half empty but remind myself it is half full with the potential of gathering more.

Peg · Post by **Peg** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:15 pm

It depends on my mood at the time of reading this question. Most of the time, half full. Right now, half empty.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:28 pm

I don't regret for a moment consuming the half that is gone. I'm under its influence, I give myself to the enjoyment and appreciation of the memory of what is already consumed and yet, glory be, despite all that my glass is still half full! It may have less of a surprise in it, it may have come from a bargain bin during a closing down sale, but it's good stuff.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:42 pm

:yh_think :yh_giggle I admit to stealing a few sips from mine but then I work double time to replace it. Don't forget in the analogy the fuller the cup the more positive the outlook. On that note...I have noticed that I let others drink from my cup far too often. It seems the refilling in those instances is twice as much work.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:44 pm

And sometimes, when my back is turned or I'm not paying attention, someone goes and down the whole freakin' thing. I see the emptiness briefly but profoundly.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:48 pm

What you need is a friend with a good cellar, a bright fire at the hearth and a long evening free.

devist8me · Post by **devist8me** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:21 pm

That actually sounds.....wonderful.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 9:01 pm

Yup. It does sound wonderful. As long as the cup ends up at least half full again at the end of the night.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 9:34 pm

koan wrote: Is your glass half full or half empty?

I'd say mine is on the way to being full. A work in progress, so to speak.
My glass runneth over.

john8pies · Post by **john8pies** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:09 am

If it were half empty, I`d already be thinking about refilling it again in a couple of minutes.....

libertine · Post by **libertine** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:29 pm

Did you ever consider that you have the wrong sized glass? Even as a philosphical question (half full? half empty?) it suggests discontent with what you have. The optimistic answer (half full) assumes there should be more to come while the pessimistic response (half empty) suggests 'it' will soon be used up.

Changing the size of the glass (metaphorically speaking) let's one seize the opportunity to be satisfied with life as it is presented..in other words make the most of what you're handed (I think that's if you're handed lemons make lenonade ) :wah:

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:20 pm

I'm with you on this one libertine. Nice answer - change the rules.

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:08 pm

Why does it have to be a glass? :wah:

Post by **spot** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:09 pm

koan wrote: Why does it have to be a glass? :wah:Because... you said it was, at the top of the thread?

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:11 pm

spot wrote: Because... you said it was, at the top of the thread?

I'm not God. Honest.

Post by **spot** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:14 pm

koan wrote: I'm not God. Honest.OK, OK, I'm experimenting...

The reason my home made folded paper cup is only half full is because it LEAKS.

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:20 pm

spot wrote: OK, OK, I'm experimenting...

The reason my home made folded paper cup is only half full is because it LEAKS.

All efforts to keep it full end up in...wet feet. Better get some flippers or invest in plastic.

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:22 pm

Mind you you get the same effect if your cup runneth over, too.

Post by **spot** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:27 pm

koan wrote: All efforts to keep it full end up in...wet feet. Better get some flippers or invest in plastic.The more reports I read about plastics cups, the more I wonder what my bra size is going to end up as... http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc ... 9/food.htm

This home made folded paper cup is quite adequate, thank you.

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:34 pm

spot wrote: The more reports I read about plastics cups, the more I wonder what my bra size is going to end up as... http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc ... 9/food.htm

This home made folded paper cup is quite adequate, thank you.

My cup is suddenly half empty. Thanks a lot, SPOT!

Post by **spot** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:35 pm

koan wrote: My cup is suddenly half empty. Thanks a lot, SPOT!On the contrary, your cup is likely to grow a lot larger than mine...

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:38 pm

spot wrote: On the contrary, your cup is likely to grow a lot larger than mine...

Don't fill my cup with false hopes. REally.

Light · Post by **Light** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:07 am

it is both half full and both half empty it is a parallel truth.

Another truth is that my mind is becoming empty or perhaps to full...

Anyway I am going away from the pc for now, to enjoy some coffee, I am planning to fill my cup half way, then to devide to upper part from it, to be sure that it is full:)

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:06 pm

half full and filling up.................. Life is GOOD!

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:10 pm

SOJOURNER wrote: half full and filling up.................. Life is GOOD!

I am half full too I mean my glass is

Jives · Post by **Jives** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:03 pm

No Minks, I'd say you're competely full of it.

and hey! who resurrected this thread? Koan and Spot don't even post here anymore. I think they got banned.

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:15 pm

Jives wrote: No Minks, I'd say you're competely full of it.

and hey! who resurrected this thread? Koan and Spot don't even post here anymore. I think they got banned.

Hey wise guy watch it I have friends in low places ya know.

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:51 pm

Jives wrote: No Minks, I'd say you're competely full of it.

and hey! who resurrected this thread? Koan and Spot don't even post here anymore. I think they got banned.

Koan started her own forum.