Whenever I hear the word, it always brings up a negative connotation.  In fact, the definition at dictionary.com has "Excessively meticulous; fussy" and "marked by extreme care in treatment of details".  Excessive, and extreme seem negative to me.  So being meticulous is good, but picky is bad... or so it would seem.  I have to wonder though... am I really picky?  I would definitely say that I can be very meticulous... but fussy?  Of course, by examining the definition of "picky" so closely, I'm quite possibly proving my pickyness.  Damn.