A Blog Where I Don't Complain

It was recently pointed out to me that I complain "a lot" in this blog.

I was going to complain about that observation, but realized that would be completely in character, so instead I will cheerfully agree.

It's actually true. Although, if you think about it, since the name of this blog is "The Irony of It All" one could assume that a certain amount of complaining is practically a requirement. Synonyms for irony include sarcasm and satire, which can easily be construed as complaining.

In person, I rarely complain about anything. Well, OK, I do have a habit of growling at bad drivers, but that's not so much as complaining as venting. After they are no longer in my purview, the venting stops.

But in this blog, I do complain a lot.

For instance, I complained about the recent $40 million school bond issue in Cape. Actually, I did that several times dating back to December when the first rumblings of the bond issue surfaced. Most of the entries were sarcastic satire, although I did explain my reasons for not voting for the bond issue in one of the offerings.

I also complained about the census and how wasteful it is sending out letters telling people their census form was going to show up the next week then following up the census forms with post cards.

That advertising campaign was apparently not successful. I just heard that only a third of the census forms were returned by the government deadline. Good thing the census bureau sent out all those notices or I bet nobody would have sent their forms in at all. Damn! There I go complaining again, using sarcasm. When will I learn?

I did reflect on why I complain a lot in this blog -- apart from the whole "irony" issue -- and came to the conclusion that a lot has to do with how I make my living.

I work with computers on a daily basis often troubleshooting problems. After doing this type of work for 20 years, I've come to realize that it is extremely rare for technology to work exactly as expected or as promised. There is always some hidden "Gotcha!"

I'm of the opinion there is a downside to practically any technology. I expect things not to work as advertised and that's what I often sniff out. I'm like a negativity truffle-hound.

And as a result of doing this daily at work, I constantly look for the "Gotcha!" in everything in life. Things are not all sunshine and lollipops and if it looks too good to be true, it probably is just that and this truffle-hound will sniff it out.

But in an effort to not be so gosh darned negative, I'm going to dedicate the rest of this blog to being positive. That's hard for me, considering the whole negativity truffle-hound aspect of my personality that I previously explained, but I'm going to give it the ol' college try.

For instance, I will admit that I have been critical and a wee bit sarcastic of the new Cape Girardeau trash system that the city will start using in May.

I've made fun of the name of the service (C.A.R.T.S.) calling it lame. And I wondered about what would become of the poor trash men who had always dreamed of being trash men and were now being put out of work by a robot. And I also questioned the practicality of the system operating in some of the older parts of town.

Complain, complain, complain, that's all I did.

But even though the new trashcans are very big -- that's not a complaint, I'm just stating a fact -- I kind of like them. Unlike any of the trashcans that I currently own, there is not a single hole in the bottoms of any of the brand new trashcans.

At least, not yet...

...Oh, nuts!