[bluebird]

Maybe you could divert his negativity elsewhere. Like "hey pops, what was it like to live in the good ol' days?" or talk about a good experience in the city, or something he's very passionate about (other than hating). Positive thoughts!

If not, how about a tutorial on how to do a certain thing. Like if he's a cook (and that's his hobby/passion), what are the steps to make great spaghetti sauce? Maybe he'll still complain/curse, but he'll also want to calmly explain his secret to making the best spaghetti sauce you can make.