NOT IN THIS GRIPE TIME

I don't know, but for me there is a time and a place for griping. Personally, I'm not one who is totally against listening to complaints. True, it isn't my favorite thing to do, but it doesn't mean I won't make time when the situation merits it to hear someone's complaint.

I just think there are appropriate times for it and other times you should keep your mouth shut that's all. Of course the problem is that with some people, particularly those who are prone to complain they really don't seem to have the ability to gauge when complaining is a good idea and when it is tacky.

So I thought for the benefit of those in need of knowing this information I would pass ona few pointers. You know in case it would help you avoid making an idiot out of yourself.

For starters it is probably not a good idea to decide to gripe to a policeman giving you a ticket about how you think all cops are jerks. Likewise it might not be the perfect timing to say tell a fireman who is sparing your house from burning down how you think the fire department is incompetent and over paid. Those are not the best times for such comments.

Other such less than prudent choices might be when you are on the phone to the cable people or say some utility company because you are having a problem with our service and decide to all the person a butthead. That will probably not get you any appreciation in the process.

There just is something in general that doesn't end in people wanting to maintain the spirit of cooperation when you are verbally abusing them. Isn't that so silly and immature of them?

Okay so when is griping a good thing in terms of timing? Well perhaps right after somebody blew it big time and is feeling really depressed. So they are looking for somebody to confirm they suck at whatever. They will no doubt listen as long as their lips aren't moving with the 'yeah but' excuses. If they get caught up in those you can forget them looking at it reasonably.

People not to gripe to would most likely then include a list of those carrying guns or who are experts at martial arts and most of all if they have no sense of humor. Or if they aren't any of those, but have lots of employees with no necks and think ripping off a person's limbs is a good hobby. They too might not be the type you want to gripe to regardless of the situation.

Sometimes the best way to gripe is with a letter you can send that is signed by someone else. Then say if you send it to the phone company it will be the neighbor whose name you signed that loses his phone service and not you.

What is really fun is when they throw a fit over having their service disconnected for no good reason. That griping hardly improves things except your smile at seeing them getting the shaft.