My dad is an annoying optimist. No matter how horribly things are going for him, his reply to “How are you doing?” remains the same: “I couldn’t be better, not matter what.” The man may have a face as red as a cherry from anger and yet, still, he thinks things couldn’t be better. If you disappoint him, he will forever remain certain you were just having an off day, that you’ll try harder or do better at listening to the good that is within us all. He almost always has a big, goofy grin on his face except in the most serious situations. And he’s not deluding himself, he really thinks his life is always amazing, whether because it’s actually good or because he thinks it’s working in that direction.

I do not take after him this way.

Ask me how I am doing, I will most likely complain. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I have too much work to get done. My team mates are idiots. I can’t find something to do. Clothing never fits me. Things are too expensive. People take too long to cross at crosswalks when I’m driving. My Twitter feed, yeah, that’s just my place to whine about how horrible my middle-class, intellectually and creatively-stimulating life is. I am a first class whiner, no doubt about it.

But, I am trying to change. Really, I am. I can’t say I’ll take my dad’s standard answer, but I’m trying out “I’m still here.” as my usual “How are you?” response. Because, really, how bad can things be if you have your health, shelter, food, and clean drinking water?