Thoughts by an Old Hippie Curmudgeon
Thank you for clicking in to the inaugural post of my humble blog thing. Here, I have the opportunity to do two things I’ve always enjoyed doing: creative writing and complaining about what’s wrong in the world. I am far better at the second than the first. I use the word “complaint” here as its root: “Plaint — Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin planctus, from plangere to strike, beat one’s breast”, as in, “lamentation”, as in “We’re all gonna die!”
As an old Hippie Curmudgeon I am never at a loss for something to complain about. When I was a young Hippie the world was as near perfect (at least for me) as it could be: plenty of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll — who could ask for more. “If it feels good, do it” was the mantra du jour, “and then do it over and over and over” I would add. I had no complaints when thus occupied. Oh, there were the occasional pot shortages, but they never lasted long, nor did the occasional cashflow droughts, but as they say,”Times of no money are easier to endure than times of no weed”.
As time passed, and I regained some of my senses, it seemed that the world had started crumbling around me: Viet Nam, Cambodia, Nixon, my divorce and estrangement from my son, graduating from college and not knowing what the hell to do with my life, the Cold War, the Luke Warm War, the Hot Wars in the Middle East, Reagan, Bush, Bush Jr., terrorism and mass murders every day, drought, flood. In other words, Curmudgeon Heaven. My path became clear: I must have my voice heard; I can no longer just sit here and not bitch about it.
The best advice I ever got on the subject of complaining is: “Only complain to someone who can do something about it”. It is my intention to publish my complaints to the masses with the intention of reaching “someone who can do something about it” and pray that you will act, pray that you’re The One. I hope to say what I say with compassion, not anger or hatred. I intend that in some way I touch your heart with mine, as well as the hearts of the many others of us who actually care about the condition we’ve allowed the world to wallow in for so long — too long. When you’ve reached the ripe old age that this Old Hippie has, and have seen too many things go from bad to worse , you, too, will hopefully reach the point I have, and to those soul crushing, bone crushing, and aliveness crushing things finally say, “Enough!”. Before it’s too late. Now, far be it from me to say when it will absolutely become “too late” to effect meaningful change. I can only speak for myself when I say that I’ve had “Enough!”, as in “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” (Network, 1976, a must-see movie for the mad-as-hell among us).
You will find here kvetching on a wide variety of topics, such as politics (the good, the bad, and the ugly); the much-hated 1%; the obscene too-big-to-fail institutions of all types; the heart-breaking suicide epidemic; pandemic hopelessness; the plaintiff excuse of the apathetic: “What can I, as a helpless, little individual, do?”; the unsafe, discourteous, uncaring driving habits that instill in us a hatred of driving and of drivers; littering: the turning of our immediate environment into our personal garbage can (no wonder our world stinks); the weather (it’s never alright with those of us who live anywhere except Hawaii); and whatever else comes up to piss me off. Your suggestions are welcomed, just don’t expect me to pick up your torch unless it’s also one of mine. Just keep in mind the fact that I just might reply with a WTF if I vehemently disagree with your viewpoint. (Nobody said I had to be fair here, did they?) Comments are welcomed also — they very well could help me improve this blog; just, please, no hateful, deflamatory, inflamatory, bigotted or obscene remarks (I can WTF them, too).
My apologies to those of you who are accustomed to and/or prefer colorful, slick blogs with lots of graphics, links, cartoons, etc. Those attention-grabbers are currently beyond the skill level of this near-Ludite (I don’t spurn technology, I’m just not yet inclined to be facile with it, although that will change if I see that it can improve this site). If it be for the highest and best good of all concerned, your interest and support will be sufficient for the evolution of TBAOHC (Thoughts by an Old Hippie Curmudgeon). Please keep coming back.
Michael Oster
Thoughts by an Old Hippie Curmudgeon 