My good mood will not be defeated

Originally written on10/8/11

Since I came back from my awesome adventures in Colorado, I have felt in better spirits than I can remember in quite some time.  The heavenly fall weather doesn't hurt, that's for sure.  I find myself in the strange position of feeling good about work, my progress in getting healthier and my hopes for romantic entanglements, along with a real, invigorating sense that I am seeing and appreciating the beauty of my world in more ways than one.  This is a heady, awesome feeling.

However, I also know that it means that the other side of the coin, when and if it comes, could be seriously crappy.  So in an effort to head off any impending grumpiness, I am going to allow myself a little mini-rant, fully realizing that I may offend, annoy or other otherwise implicate some of you. (or maybe not, since I'm not sure I even have any readers anymore who aren't bots) So, let us commence.

What the eff is up with these moronic drivers these days?  I swear, I have almost been in a wreck at least 6 times in the last two weeks, and I was NOT at fault; I've been cut off, veered in front of, nearly rear-ended, and narrowly avoided a multi-car pileup on the highway.  It's been a variety of offenders, too; the redneck in the pickup, the teenager texting and the perfect blond in the giant SUV.  I wonder why so many people feel it's their right to drive like idiots?  Oh, I forgot, it IS their right.  Super.

I am singularly, seriously tired of our "cover your ass, take no responsibility for my mistakes, blame others" world.  And I am not just talking about Congress.  I know a lot of people, near and far, who need to, to quote Book of Mormon (the Musical), "man up."

Speaking of Congress, I get a newsletter from a local representative entitled "From the Front."  It's petty, but this bothers me.  I happen to have family and friends who are at or in "the Front." I'm pretty sure they are a long way from Washington DC.  I'd unsubscribe in protest, but I think it's important to hear how our representatives are spinning themselves, even if I don't agree with them.  So I'm relegated to complaining on the interwebs.  Oh, the power.

And speaking of power, there is finally some zany movement on the left to counter the crazies on the right.  Occupy Wall Street; I wish I knew what they stood for, but I have to admit I tend to believe that corporations with huge cash coffers and unlimited political influence are pretty dangerous to privacy and democracy.  Is Occupy Wall Street the solution? I seriously doubt it.  But I do appreciate that we're now considering that the enemy might not be teachers, union workers and immigrants. 

Why does there have to be an enemy, anyway?

Ah well.  I can't change any of these things.  It just feels good to say them.  Time to move on to better things, like sunshine, Broadway and film festivals.