Why?

I have yet to experience writer's block when it comes to blogging. I do experience a blockage of sorts though, especially this time of the year. It's called depression I suspect.

Once the holidays pass and winter sets in firmly I gear down. I detest January and February. Too little sun and too much cold for my liking. It seems to worsen as I age. There are very few winter activities I want to participate in. There are outdoor activities I like, such as (warm weather) fishing, golfing, and biking, to name a few. None of these mesh well with winter weather though.

I consider myself a simplistic person. Not simple by any means, nor overly complex either. My mind never ceases to ponder things. This time of year my mind tends to force out the goofy though. I think about serious topics not as heavily thought about during the other ten months of the year I favor over January and February. This doesn't bode well for a blog which has generally been kept lighthearted. The rants about work and idiot customers, while an annoyance to some degree, always have an element of amusement to me, and hopefully for you poor souls as well, who take the time to read the nonsense I fling around in here.

I seem to see life differently this time of year. Although the life I see now probably isn't much different than it is during other parts of the year, I dwell on the negatives much more. My view of society, politics, religion(s), justice, and other worldly matters turn darker. I alternate between anger and sadness at what occurs in the world much more often this time of year than over the rest of the year.

Crimes seem more senseless and heinous this time of year. Politicians incur my wrath more readily this time of year. Religion(s) appear more sinister this time of year. Justice makes little to no sense as it's rendered this time of the year.

I wonder why much more. Why do we sweep certain problems under the rug? Why do we accept that we can't change things for the better? I wonder why we don't get more involved in real problem solving? I wonder why we don't acknowledge that by allowing certain things to happen why we don't accept responsibility for it ourselves? What prevents us from shedding apathy? When do we say enough is enough? What's the balance to showing empathy and telling someone to get their act together when too much empathy is shown, thus becoming an enabler to problems not getting solved?

As an example I see and know people whose tolerance for gay rights is nonexistent. They'll shout from the mountain tops about how bad it is. They'll attend anti-gay rallies. They'll discriminate against this segment of the population. But why do they do this? What is it they fear? What exactly is this segment of the population doing that interferes with their life in any way? Why is it they show no tolerance for this segment of the population, but tolerate so many other issues and problems we face in society. Why don't they devote the same energy in solving other problems? Why do people worry about what's happening between the sheets between two consenting adults and not show the same level of concern for starving children, homeless people, genocide occurring around the world, crazy countries developing nuclear weapons, etc?

In short, why are we willing to accept less as a society, of society in itself? How far does society need to sink before we're willing to step in and fix it? Most people know right from wrong. Most people do the right thing day after day. But is that enough?

We're without a doubt the most intelligent species on the planet. Why can't we direct this intelligence in finding real solutions? As the most intelligent species why do we tolerate so much that is wrong in the world? The good in society outweighs the bad in society. Why won't we step up? Why don't I step up for that matter?

My apologies for those expecting the usual nonsense they see in here. As I stated before my mind works a little differently this time of the year. There's an over abundance of thoughts tumbling through my head to write about, just not the normal drivel you're accustomed to seeing. I'll do my best to limit it though.

Thanks for your tolerance, if you've gotten this far.