We never did it that way before. These are fighting words in my vocabulary. There is nothing more infuriating to a hard working mother, wife, friend and professional then to solely rely on what we did before without giving the notion that trying something new or that different may be of benefit. 

Can you feel the irritation in my words? This is a hint of what’s to come. I am wearing my cranky pants this week, friends, and hope that you will indulge my need to vent.

It all started when social networking mogul, Mark Zuckerberg, and his pals at Facebook decided to make some changes to the website’s layout and interactive features. You would have thought that the world was coming to an end. The status responses to the changes ranged from “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” to elaborate petitions to go back to the way things used to be. As if we, as users, have the authority to tell anybody what do about a site that costs us nothing to use and maintain and that, quite frankly, we don’t own. 

It’s time for a reality check people. And as unbelievable as all of this is to me, I am fully aware that by making these statements I am likely offending a large number of folks whom I love with all of my heart. Don’t take it personally friends and relatives but indeed...who do we think we are?

This leads to the way the rest of this week went. 

Next, came the moment at the signalized intersection when, as I was to take a left hand turn on a green light, the automobile coming toward me at my left, at beyond full speed, chose to fly through their red light to go straight ahead. 

“And why did I almost find myself dead at that moment Your Honor?” I plead in the make-believe courtroom in my mind, “Because the other driver felt that when he saw the yellow light more than 20 yards away, he still had the right of way!” 

If I listen to recent rhetoric, we tend to chalk that up to this idea that this is the way that Rhode Islanders drive. Likely because that’s the way it has always been. Ugggh!

But wait, there’s more. 

Then there’s the media attention to presidential candidates, political pundits and deluded celebrities who talk to hear themselves talk, pretending to say something important leading to an election that is still more than a year away without focusing on the problems we face as a nation, state, county and town right now. We still have so many
folks who want nothing more than to have job to go every day that the numbers rise to a day-by-day recordable percentage. We are the greatest country in the world! How could this still be happening here?

Oh for Pete’s sake. At some point, we as individuals and as a collective unit need to get over ourselves and separate the fact from frivolity. 

Contrary to popular belief, we do not own Facebook, Twitter, or any other social network for that matter. Get over it. If you don’t like it, then don’t play. Better yet, don’t buy it, don’t read or watch it and most importantly, DON’T ELECT IT! 

That’ll show ‘em.

A red light means “stop” and green means “go.”  When in doubt, refer to your driver’s manual. I felt that fact bore repeating.

The media will only show what they know will generate ratings. They care not about the common good. Exercise your right to use the “off” button or the “delete” tab on any of your electronic devices to let them know that you will no longer tolerate bad journalism and tabloid foolishness. Hot air costs us money and our dignity and I for one am not willing to part with one dime or one ounce of my soul for a politician or industry executive who stands in the way of doing what is right because a poll told him or her to do so.

We are responsible for our actions. Good, bad or indifferent, we, all of us, are responsible. Step up to the plate or get out of the way. Anything in between is wasteful and likely harmful. I refuse to give weight to the bad guys or girls in our midst who do nothing more then siphon the positive energy from a room and manipulate their way to their own agenda leaving the innocent or good-hearted in their wake. 

The generations before us didn’t get through the ups and downs of history by throwing up their arms and declaring that there is nothing we can do to make what is wrong right, just because “that’s the way it has always been done.” 

It’s time to roll up our sleeves, put our thinking caps on and every other cliché you can think of to take the risk of trying something new and balance it with the lessons we have learned from the past. And if we don’t, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

So to Mr. Zuckerberg and his posse I say, “Good for you.”  It’s your house; decorate it any way you want. And if I don’t like it, I can find the door.