Complaining

So a couple of days ago someone challenged me to refrain from complaining the weeks preceding Thanksgiving. I thought OK, I can do that. I'm not a particularly negative person, I can do that.
I've failed. Badly.
My first challenge came when I was in a situation where other people were complaining. I understood their grievances and could commiserate, so I became just another member of the group and joined them.
Failure one. Complaining by Association.
Next I had a bizarre experience happen to me. I was trying to print 20 copies of a 14 page paper for my writing class. At the first computer lab I ran out of free copies. At the second there was a line to even get into use a computer, and I was running out of time. The third computer lab let me print the rest of the copies that I needed. Too bad they then took my ID hostage until I put more money on it to pay for all those pages. During all this I was happy, I was laughing. Life was good. But it was so bizarre I wanted to tell people about it, but whenever I did I felt like I was complaining.
Failure two. Sounds like complaining.
Then, that odd day was followed by two miserable ones. I had a lot of homework and nothing seemed to work out. Really, that's not why I was mad though. I was just feeling grumpy. And so I vented my feelings, crying and complaining. I was overall miserable.
Failure three. Actual Complaining (with the emotion and attitude behind it).
Ha. I thought it would be easy. Easy to be grateful and happy. Nope. It's hard. But the challenge succeeded in one way, I may not have stopped complaining but I've been a lot more aware of when I do complain.
Happy Thanksgiving.