Five for Fifteen

As the new year begins, I'd like to address two lists of ten things. One is a list of things I noticed in our culture in 2014 that are disturbing, annoying or just bad. The other list is things I would like to see happen in our society/culture/cities in 2015. Sorry if the first list seems a little Andy Rooney-esque, but you might find some of these same things if you look around enough.

2014: Annoying Tendencies

1. People driving with the white glow of their phone at or just below dash level. I suppose this has been going on for a few years now, but it seems to be out of control. I have no way on how to stop it short of making it a misdemeanor.
2. Disney movies with the predictable cast of good guy/girl, stupid/wisecracking sidekick, love interest, villain with henchmen sidekicks. Oh and do they all have to have the pop song dance sequence in the middle of them (or worse, sprinkled throughout.) I haven't seen Frozen yet for most of the above reasons. Take an animated movie, regurgitate it and replay. Ugh.
3. Athletes jumping in the stands. Haven't we seen this enough?
4. Big flags unfurled, smoke machines, jets overhead, fireworks, and blaring rock music before a football game for say, week 7 of the season. I'm not unAmerican, but c'mon, it's just week 7. Kick off already.  
5. Tights are not pants.

2015: Things I'd like to see.

1. The cost of two fighter jets flying overhead at a football game being put toward expansion of the kitchen at the Guest House homeless shelter in Milwaukee. That would make the crowd stand up and cheer just as loud, is my guess.

2. A Black Friday where no one shows up. Google Black Friday videos and you will agree, trust me. People turned into animals.

3. Light rail, streetcars or some alternative to buses and cars in Milwaukee metro. Seriously, people!

4. Less black people shot. Less white people shot. Less cops shot. Less harmless bystanders shot. Less shooting. Less guns. Less two year olds shooting their mothers in Walmart. Less media spin on everything. Again, seriously people!

5. A functional Legislature. 

So that's it. There's much more to gripe about and hope for, but talking about it here isn't going to change any of it. That is where my challenge comes to everyone. I encourage and challenge each of you to go out into your community, your city, your school and your world and make it better. Pay something forward, volunteer, be nice, say thank you, be gracious and polite, put yourself in others' shoes, donate money, donate time, look outside your comfort zone, correct injustice.

But most of all be nice.

Blogging off...