Richard’s Almanac: Stop complaining

As I examine my behavior I find that I seem to complain a great deal.

I wonder whether complaining comes with old age or is it a basic part of personality? For me, I believe it’s a function of the aging process. I’ve always been a bit cynical, but never so negative as I seem to be recently.

This came to me last week when I made a trip to the south side to see an exhibit at Jack Larsen’s LongHouse in East Hampton. I’d read that there was an exhibit of Ai Weiwei’s zodiac sculptures and I wanted to see them. Weiwei is a Chinese artist and activist.

The LongHouse is basically an outdoor sculpture garden with huge works by many artists. Weiwei’s 12 larger-than-life zodiac bronzes were on pedestals surrounding the Albee outdoor amphitheater. They were about two or three times actual size and the details were fantastic.

So what was I complaining about? It had nothing to do with the LongHouse or the exhibit. My dissatisfaction was evident on my way there and battling traffic on my way back. This was a Wednesday (the museum is open from Wednesday to Saturday and reservations are required) and the roads were packed. Steady streams of cars and trucks all seeming to be in a hurry. I had horns blown at me because I did not leave a full stop sign quickly enough.

I said to my passenger: “This is what makes people drop everything and move up to Vermont.”

Not that I am getting ready to do that. I lived up north for many years and have no desire to go back to those icy cold winters and springs that never come. But traffic is a rarity only seen during ski season.

When I arrived back on the Island I heard myself complaining about the number of bicycles on the road and the number of pedestrians and runners. Their presence forced me to be more aware while driving. And I guess that annoyed me. Fortunately Island roads have not been experiencing heavy traffic. Except Route 114 and shortcuts at certain times of the day by those vehicles using the Island as a bridge between the North and South forks.

But I’ve decided to try not to complain. All it does is annoy those around me. We should learn to accept that things are different now. Not the way they were six or seven decades ago. So I am not going to whine about traffic, crowds, people, music and so on.

I’m going to enjoy all the fine advantages we have on this special little island and hope that they stay that way.

I hear that younger people complain a great deal, as well.

From what I can tell they’re complaining about the current state of our society. And I can’t blame them. They’ve got all these old guys and gals running the country. We have two senior citizens running for president and a House and Senate dominated by seniors.