A Rant for a Thursday Morning

It's time once again for me to rant about a few things.  I haven't really ranted in awhile.  It's good to get it out of my system.

Yesterday, as you may or may not know, was the 4th of July.  I was very happy that the City of Loveland decided to keep the fireworks display, despite the drought & fire/fireworks bans throughout the state.  It's pretty safe here in Loveland...the fire department shoots the fireworks above Lake Loveland.  And the fire station is right there.  They did a great job, as always.  Some really cool fireworks this year!

That being said...I'd like to now complain about the complete morons that populate the park on the 4th.  My sister Shauna put is best..."most of the people in town are crammed into a very small area and all the teenagers run amok."  I put it this way:  Never underestimate the utter stupidity of people in large groups.  We were just trying to sit at the amphitheater and enjoy the band concert.  We didn't need to deal with, or witness, the complete lack of respect some people have for their fellow beings.

1. You have your right to smoke.  I have my right to breathe clean air.  Even though you are outside, you are surrounded by people...and the smoke doesn't go straight up.   I'm already getting a lungful of smoke from the wildfires.  I don't need to breathe in your cigarette smoke.  Show some consideration and stay at home if you can't go a couple of hours without a cigarette.  AND FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE...DON'T THROW YOUR CIGARETTE BUTT ON THE GROUND!  If you start a fire with that, and they know it was you, you will be charged with felony arson. 
2. You have your right to use foul language.  I have my right to not listen to it or expose the children in my family to it.  There are children all around you who are like sponges.  Check yourself and don't swear when you're in pubic.  To the guy who dropped the F-Bomb very loudly as I walked past you with a 4 year old, show some self control.  My immediate impression of you is that you don't have the intellectual capability to come up with a more creative way to express yourself.
3. You have the right to bring your dog to the park.  But why in the heck would you bring your dog to the park on the 4th of July?  There are thousands of people around.  You might think your dog is friendly with other dogs...but you don't know if other dogs are friendly with other dogs.  Or maybe you know that your dog doesn't like other dogs, but you don't care about anyone but yourself...so you bring the dog to the park anyway.  Never mind the fact that most dogs are scared to death of fireworks.  WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?  Oh, wait...you're not.
4. This is directed at the kid who tried to disrupt the band concert:  You might think you're funny.  You might think you're cool.  Your friends are laughing and egging you on.  But you know what?  Every single person who was sitting on the hill thinks you are a complete and utter moron.  And you know what?  You didn't disrupt the band.  Did you notice how they kept on playing?  You succeeded in being a minor annoyance to  some people who didn't find it funny at all.  Basically, you're a jerk.  I hope you're proud of yourself.
5. This next one is just a common sense kind of thing.  (But we all know that common sense ain't so common.)  If there is a mass of people all walking in one direction, and you need to go in the opposite direction...please move to the outside of the group.  Don't try to go up the middle...especially in the dark.  Seriously, you'd think this would be obvious.
6. And finally...this is for anyone who thinks it fun to act like an idiot in public.  Have you ever stopped to think that a potential employer might see you?  Chances are, they won't remember you when you come in to apply or interview for a job.  But chances are...they will remember you.  "Weren't you the guy I saw at the park on the 4th *insert idiotic behavior here* ?"  You NEVER know when you'll make a first and lasting impression on someone.  It's one thing to be an individual and do something fun in a public place.  (The guy playing a djembe on the corner as people were leaving the park was kind of cool.  The kids walking on the police tape they put up between some trees, that was pretty cool, too.)  But if you're going to do something stupid, do it in your own backyard.  No one wants to see that. 

I think what it all boils down to is this:  Be considerate of the people around you...and don't be a moron.  It's a free country...you can do what you want.  But you are impeding on my freedom to not be surrounded by idiots.


This ends my 4th of July Rant 2012.  Stay tuned for next year...I'm sure the idiots will be out in force again.