Beyond the Byline: A-ranting we go again

WILKES-BARRE — Just when Mother Nature almost had us convinced that Spring had arrived, temperatures dropped, as did blooming flowers, as well as enthusiasm.

Blame it on Punxsutawney Phil, the weather forecasting rodent, or global warming, or the astronauts returning to space — the fact is, we can’t turn off our heat yet.

So what better time than now for a good rant? Even if it’s a re-rant because things aren’t really changing, they may even be getting worse.

Research finds that a good rant can be quite motivational — for those in the direct line of fire and for the ranters themselves. They all apparently respond in an uplifting, stress-relieving way.

So here goes, my rant on things that just, for some reason or another, bother the heck out of me.

OK, so once again the theme here is “I’m tired.”

I’m tired of senseless acts of violence — and they are happening all too frequently.

And I’m really tired of insincere politicians who make promises they hardly ever keep. I’m sick and tired of candidates, their surrogates, and their supporters telling us why we shouldn’t vote for their opponents, instead of offering reasons why we should vote for them.

I’m tired of superficial go-getters who seem to be rewarded for, well, not very much. Roll up your sleeves and give of yourself to help make life better for our fellow humans who are in need. It’s OK if you’re late to Happy Hour once in a while.

And I am so tired of stupid commercials — there are so many out there. Makes me wonder what happened to those people who used to work on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and came up with great slogans and ad campaigns. I wonder “Where’s the beef?” in advertising creativity.

I’m tired of unfunny jokes and even more tired — actually sick of — ugly comments that are all over “social media.” As Rodney Dangerfield would say, “No respect, I tell ya, no respect.” But it’s getting worse. There are no filters anymore. Hurtful things posted on social media sites really are hurtful — especially when they are not true, which most are made up.

Enter AI — I am really tired of this high-tech crapola. They fabricate realistic-looking scenarios, and viewers actually believe they are real — even though some of the “people” might have three arms, or speak without moving their lips.

And I’m tired of bad manners, which are seen everywhere and rarely questioned. Tolerating such behavior only further erodes whatever is left of the fabric of our decent society. Be kind, people, be kind.

And I am tired of all those obnoxious celebrations, especially in the athletic arenas and stadiums. Young and older adults acting like idiots for doing what they are paid to do. As Vince Lombardi once said, “Act like you’ve been there before.” Unless you’re a freshman at UConn and you drain a three-pointer from the logo to advance to the Final Four. A little celebration is OK.

And I’m tired of unfocused “leaders” — athletes, politicians, CEOs, you choose. There are way too many of them. We seem to be drifting — at lightning speed — toward the bottom of the process known as the dumbing down of America. It seems to be everywhere — people with immense responsibilities who have no idea in separating right from wrong. It’s an epidemic.

And I’m tired of wasted futures and misspent pasts and too many failures, especially in our younger generations. So much potential that will, sadly, go unfulfilled. Rally America, it just can’t be too late.

On a personal level, I’m tired of too few cozy nights, fewer home-cooked meals, and no kids and grandkids to dote on. I miss my parents every single day. I call on them all the time. I wish I had kids and grandkids. Living alone has its benefits, but it’s often accompanied by loneliness. I can only watch The Equalizer movies so many times.

And I’m tired of unappreciative people — and what is worse, is that they don’t think they need to be appreciative. Can you say “entitled?”

And I’m tired of so many dogs and cats without homes. Those commercials tear me apart. They really do. If I had billions, no furry friend would ever suffer. And of course, I would help as many human beings as possible.

And I’m tired of being misunderstood by even those who should have gotten to know me by now. That saying, “you just don’t get me,” applies here. And let me also be the first to admit that there was a time when “getting to know me” could have been somewhat challenging. But people do change and mature and realize. Just sit across the table and see what you can learn — and teach.

So when I get in this mood, I look for something to do, and that usually takes me back to the Homeland — Plymouth, PA, Old Shawnee.

I take a ride through my old neighborhood and visit where it all began for me. Back to Reynolds and Second streets and the hills of Plymouth.

It’s where I learned just about everything. So much was learned there, but it’s really not so much about what you learned as it is about how you have applied what you learned back then and how you applied it throughout your life that followed.

One last rant. To those who I know to be good, solid, genuine, caring, compassionate, fun, human beings — stay on that path.

You know who you are — because you know when I wash my car.