IF

[Sibling Chatty]

IF YOU GONNA BE A BEAR, BE A GRIZZLY

Arrgh, and arrrgghh again. What's the deal with whiny people that can't decide whether they want to be "assertive" enough to NOT be run over by every opportunist that comes along?

I'd smack my head against a brick wall, but it's not MY head that needs smackin'...
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How do you motivate someone into being both sensible and intelligent enough to do what's best for themself rather than sitting back and waiting for 'something' to be done to/for them??

And if I use a board, will y'all help Dan make bail for me??

AAAAAAARGGHHHH.

Frustration is...ANNOYING!!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Reminds me of a bit by Robert A Heinlein.

Regarding the phrase:

"I'd rather be a dead lion than a live coward."

To which Heinlein replied:

"I'd rather be a live lion. It's easier."

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

How do you motivate someone into being both sensible and intelligent enough to do what's best for themself rather than sitting back and waiting for 'something' to be done to/for them??

To extend the bear metaphor a bit further, this sounds like the "polar bear" school of thought: generally, they sit by a hole in the ice, wait and watch.  When a seal comes up for air, they get dinner.

[goat starer]

IF YOU GONNA BE A BEAR, BE A GRIZZLY

Arrgh, and arrrgghh again. What's the deal with whiny people that can't decide whether they want to be "assertive" enough to NOT be run over by every opportunist that comes along?

Is there some variety of unassertive roadkill bear out there? I would be a polar bear as they are the BIGGEST and have been known to kill WHALES!!!! Now that is assertive.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Is there some variety of unassertive roadkill bear out there?

Around here, black bears would much rather hang out at a garbage dump than go hunting on their own.  Why work for your food when you have a frequently-stocked buffet?

I would be a polar bear as they are the BIGGEST and have been known to kill WHALES!!!! Now that is assertive.

Maybe on occasion, but as I noted above, they usually spend most of their time waiting for food to come to them, which is why they're so at risk from global warming: no ice means they don't eat.

[Aggie]

Arrgh, and arrrgghh again. What's the deal with whiny people that can't decide whether they want to be "assertive" enough to NOT be run over by every opportunist that comes along?
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How do you motivate someone into being both sensible and intelligent enough to do what's best for themself rather than sitting back and waiting for 'something' to be done to/for them??

Ask Lefty if you can borrow a copy of the Bible and have him read the second book in it.
Probably not a good option in your part of the country, though. 

But you can definitely hit me up for bail money.

[Sibling Chatty]

OR...You can get dressed, drive to their house, make THEM get dressed, drag them to the place they need to go, MAKE them fill out the paperwork, turn it in and wait for the appointment.

The 'there's a 10 week wait' appointment that miraculously turned into a "let's get the records from the last hospital admit, and go look at the apartment so we can set up the home study for Friday and move ahead with the program the first of next week".

It's called "using a carcinoid crisis for the manipulative effect" as people respond quite quickly to a wheezing, bright red person with blue lips and fingers, and red eyes and hands.

There are times that I have all the patience of a grenade with the pin pulled. They're generally scary for all involved, but things move with amazing speed!