“To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.”
― Thomas Paine

Something I read in the book "Smart Boys" was that exceptionally gifted men have a harder time staying married because they see a spouse as one more achievement. This theory fits modern parenting research that says we need to focus on what's inside, not on achievement. (you know, like my son's t-ball team didn't keep score at all this season). But, I don't know. I know divorced people. I don't think the #1 cause was an achievement mindset.
Just brought it up because marriage is a big part of many adult lives.

I'm pretty sure that arguing the case for something in which I don't believe is what I'm technically paid to do.

"Courage is the ability to go from failure to failure without loosing enthusiasm". -Winston Churchill on a calander

Maybe this is the real reason that everyone hates lawyers (at least until they need one).

I saw that quote while looking for a good quote about unavoidable setbacks.

My son told me yesterday that instead of being sad all the time I needed to get angry because you can channel anger into something productive--like he is doing by learning Japanese and improving piano skills. He doesn't dwell on the fact that he has to wear a painful brace until he stops growing which will probably be at least another year and he has already worn a brace for 2 1/2 years. I can't help being sad that he missed having a normal childhood and that we just keep getting slammed with bad luck.

After each bad luck event I try to see the positive. My husband managed to throw the chainsaw out of his way when he fell off the ladder this morning while trimming the storm damaged tree and he didn't break any bones. He rode his motorcycle to work several days last week because my car was in the shop and he didn't get killed.

At least we are surviving and our son seems to be handling his difficulties without losing his enthusiasm and his sense of humor and I am so thankful for that.

How do you regain enthusiasm once it is lost? I just feel so tired.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&...ved=0CF4QzgIwAA

Especially go see page 3 of results.

Lori, I just don't know.

I just read that fear of the unknown and anxiety in some gifted individuals is a type of overexcitabilities.
http://m.jeg.sagepub.com/content/34/4/669.abstract?sid=17f971ab-5650-44a5-8aef-52c31e3d454f

I keep hearing that feeling like you have no control causes or contributes to depression, and depression causes loss of energy and enthusiasm.
http://mindrenewal.us/page4.html

I don't know if real life's that simplified.  My cousin who's a therapist said any medical doctor can prescribe you a mild anti-depressant to get you over this.  I haven't tried it because I'm extended nursing.

 My trusted guru says my feelings tired, loss of control, and loss of enthusiasm is part of the package of having kids.  He's Catholic so he's said his scriptures say to take good care of the widows and childless, who I guess weren't taken good care of back then.  He says that was a very practical commandment because what it actually ended up doing was keeping these women around the community that had all the skills and talents of a woman and a mother but the difference was they had energy and enthusiasm to do things for the community because they didn't have children.

I actually think the ability to converse and interview can be gifts, as well. Probably most people can learn to be adequate-to-proficient at conversing/interviewing, but there are some people who have an incredible gift for it.

I hear them and think, there's no way that's effortful study; that's a gift...

I disagree. We live in a rich laboratory environment of language, with tons of examples of how to do it right and do it wrong. All you have to do is observe, analyze, and apply.

I've been asked by adults for advice on how they could improve their communication skills. I give them a simple answer: read.