B.A. Disease--Beware of Outbreaks!

Have you ever found yourself or friends to be infected by an outbreak of B.A. Disease?

B.A. stands for Bad Attitude, and I'll tell you what--when it gets going amongst a group of folks, horse people included, it can be some nasty stuff. And now that we have all our newfangled communication technologies, ranging from e-mail and Internet message boards to text-messaging and all the rest, it can spread faster than ever.

It seems to thrive best amongst those whose attitudinal immune systems are weakened by such forces as envy, jealousy, impatience, comparative lack of material means, or a just-in-general chip on the shoulder. Classic B.A. Disease symptoms: fault-finding, blame-gaming, finger-pointing, and fits of other-guy bashing. The amazing thing about it, to me, is how it compels its victims to go in search of others to infect. "Misery loves company," as they say.

To me, misery is something I want to put behind me as quickly as I can. So I don't really get why some of those with B.A. Disease insist on doing whatever they can to keep themselves (and others) constantly sick with it.

There's such a thing as Good Attitude Syndrome, too. And if you ask me, it's a whole lot nicer thing to spread--and to catch when it comes your way.