My fabulous college friends without whom life would not be as rich and fulfilling, came up with the TNP principle. Turn Negative into Positive. In order to get my friends to read my blog, I need to focus not on the peculiarities of human existence but on the good of the human condition. So I shall (for a moment and then discard in favor of the usual cynicism). I have noticed a politeness on NY’s subways that I hadn’t notice before the economic crisis (maybe people are starting to believe that karma is in fact a boomerang — stop, I am being cynical again). On at least three occasions since March or so, young people have offered to give up their seats on the train if I wanted to sit down. I gently and appreciatively declined all offers because contrary to my obviously enfeebled looking state, I AM a ROBUST 45 year-old who can play a very physical game of invasion of the aliens with her 7 year-old. (Note to self: consider hair painting — the new name for highlights — to cover the gray, or as my college friends endorse, take a brown Sharpie to my hair and voila!) Ok maybe this is not what my friends thought of as TNP. I’m trying. Change is a 12-step process. (Ok, 11 step because I am asking NO ONE for forgiveness, at least not for my cynicism. There are too many other topics and bad traits for which I need to ask forgiveness.)