Year of the Whiners

I am changing the Year of the Ox to the Year of the Whiners. Is it just me or does it seem like people are whining more than ever? Take for example the moan spewed by Bernie Madoff about his house arrest, liking living in a penthouse paid for by some 13,000 investor’s money is a hardship, imagine Riker’s. Or Gwyneth Paltrow’s pretentious spiel as a down to earth perfect whiny ass rich actress who finds it pompous to be photographed with her husband. Or the ex-wife of a retired famous baseball player chasing him down NYC streets yelling and screaming he’s a loser. Closer to home, I noted it in my boys, in acquaintances. This general whimper is everywhere.

I noted this rash bellyache syndrome in the past couple of weeks. Gone are the days we read about the flamboyant lifestyles Wall Street or the celebrity hogs vying for 15 minutes of fame. You can name last year as the “Year of the Wannabe.” I Wannabe an A-List actor, banker, chef, perfect real-wife, motorcycle mechanic…… You get the gist of last year. Gone with them are the days of excess.

Now are the days of whining. Is it in the cards or in the stars this particular month or year is all about “poor me”? Am I spewing the whine as I write about it? Probably. It’s the year we hear it in all areas, for some people whine is all they can do as they lose their home to foreclosure or their job to downsizing. Who can blame the average folk for being caught in the middle of a very deep recession? We can listen because it’s sad and heart wrenching to us. We want to help, we want to be good neighbors, caring citizens because most of us are just regular average folks.

It it is quite difficult to endure the whine of people who are not in contention to lose their job or their home, who command a high or wealthy lifestyle and complain publicly when it's in jeopardy. It irks even the saintliest of people to hear of these types people cry foul. And that’s my point, this is the Year of The Whine not the Ox. Where's the ear plugs, honey.