Winning

OP, did you mean 'whining'?

I kind of feel for the linked post. When the Bethel Woods amphitheatre first opened, traffic was a nightmare (apropos, given that it's on the site of the original Woodstock festival). It's a lot better now, but it's still a huge PITA for locals. Plus, blanket road closures without accommodations (e.g. show a local address and get let through) can be vexing. Not a justification for being a dick (it's what, one or two days of inconvenience), but an explanation for expressing umbrage.

I live in State College, PA where several weekends a year we get an influx of an extra 80,000 or so people to see football games. Yes. It's inconvenient. Is it good for the local economy? Absolutely. You smile. You deal with it. And you either join in and enjoy or spend all fall Saturdays miserable. Life is as pleasant as you allow it to be.

Yeah, it's amazing to me that locals are taking to the Facebook page to grouse about traffic that hasn't even happened yet.

Lemonade, hell. She should run an extension cord out, hook up a few blenders and make vodka smoothies!!

If you took the time to read that thread, I'd like to offer something of an explanation for my atrocious behavior. I wouldn't want people to get the idea that that's who I am, all the time. There was a fellow on there trying to smooth things over that said he was on this board too; perhaps he'll read this and have a better understanding as well.

I grew up in a town not much bigger than the one near where this festival is being held. I've known a lot of people like this lady and her friends (there are plenty in my family) and I can tell you: they're angry because they like to be angry. Heck, I don't wanna get all political, but they vote against their own self-interest because some politician convinces them their situation is to be blamed on Muslims, African-Americans, gays, what have you. I know I'm profiling a bit here, but seriously: I know Appalachian-Americans. In fact, they're not even mad about the festival, they're mad that not everyone is as miserable as their wretched life makes them. They're likely poor and almost certainly uneducated, but although wealth and formal education are not in everyone's grasp (and don't necessarily make good people), in the information age ignorance is willful. I'm not even gonna rehash the fact that she had plenty of time to make arrangements for work and babysitting. In fact, it's probable that she was not being truthful about either one of those things, considering she was able to grouse on Facebook in the late morning and afternoon. It's not outside the realm of possibility that she has an office job where she can surf the net while working, but it's not incredibly likely.

I know some of you of you folks came here from Reddit, so I'm guessing you've heard the phrase "never stick your dick in crazy"? It's an awful, misogynistic saying, but nonetheless I'd like to offer a corollary: "You can't reason with stupid." Even the guy trying to smooth things over eventually figuratively threw up his hands in exasperation, saying: I can't help you! You're being hostile for the sake of being hostile! I could've told him that, but he would have no way of verifying that I have a sixth sense about these things, so it's all academic. The point is, smoothing over doesn't work. It just gives them a sympathetic ear to whine about how unfairly they're being treated, when they have no one to blame but themselves. In all my experience, making fun of them to their faces is the only thing that stands even a slim chance of showing them the error of their ways. I know it sounds counter-intuitive (so many things in life are), but when you deftly shoot down all their arguments while making them look foolish in the process, eventually they get the idea that they'd better shut up before they look any stupider. Also, not to try to score any points, but I had her all backed down until someone decided to step in and smooth things over. Anyway, you can take this to the bank: she'll still be pissed when we show up and she'll also be one of the first in line to try to sell us something in traffic. I, for one, will happily buy her wares.

You may not deserve the hand that life has dealt you. In fact, many don't. Still, you can make the most of it and refrain from pissing all over someone else's parade. God knows my trailer-trash family did.

All that being said: Hail Eris, Goddess of Discord! Let us free ourselves from buzzkills that seek to drag us down to their level and get ready for what's sure to be The. Best. Party. EVAR! (or at least since Woodstock)

PEACE

Understood. I just felt I didn't look my best.

I just think some people don't know how to be happy. They need more Dead in their lives. When I am down or grumpy, a little Jerry and the boys usually fixes me right up. Stay Grateful folks!