As far as my husband sees things, this would be a negative situation. I see it as trying to make to most use of a small space!

David09 - I have made jam a few different times, and also have a hard time seeing how this relates to this expression. But this is just for the word itself. The phrase "being in a jam" to me, means being in trouble, or a bad situation whatever that is. If I'm in a situation that I don't like or don't want to be in, I say "I'm in a jam."Because of this, she has been in a lot tight spots that she has had to work her way out of. I keep thinking she will learn her lesson after a while, but there is always a lot of drama going on in her life. When time is critical and I am trying to get to work, is when we seem to have the most traffic jams. This can really be a frustrating experience when it happens several times a week. When I think of being "in a jam" the first thing that comes to my mind is a traffic jam. I live on the east coast, and you never know what the traffic is going to be like getting anywhere. In what other meanings do you folks use "jam" and "to be in a jam?" I'm sure there must be lots of other uses we don't know about.

fify-- Yea, it's the same thing. The only difference might be that when we say "in a bind," it's not something that is physically bound. It's about a situation or a emotional state.I'm in a real jam . I can't find anyone to work for me tomorrow and I need the whole day to finish up a paper for my English literature class. I try to avoid situations like this because I don't like getting myself in a fix and like things to be calm and easy going. My idea of someone "being in a jam", or in a tight spot has to do with relationships. One of my sisters is very blunt and never stops to think before she says anything.