The time is ripe
to stifle that gripe

Grumble, grumble, grumble. That's all I hear around me. Some days, that's all I seem to do myself: "It's too hot. When are the tradewinds coming back? I'm late 'cause of traffic. Did you see the price of gas?"

This grumbling started me wondering, have we, as a society, brought grumbling to a new high? That squeaky wheel gets rustier and rustier.

Let's move on, folks. If you put your current plight in perspective, you'll realize that there's always going to be somebody out there in far worse shape than you. So why grumble about things you can't change or control?

Several times a year, I drop off leftovers from school functions at the Institute for Human Services. I decided a long time ago not to go into the building out of fear of seeing someone that I know. After doing this for 10 years, I still drive away grateful for what I have. After all, economists have research that shows most of us are all just a paycheck away from becoming homeless ourselves.

During summer school at Punahou, we hosted a bake sale and canned food drive for the River of Life Mission. I reminded students that people are hungry every day, not just around the holidays, so don't grumble because the snack bar ran out of Spam musubis.

TODAY, I decided to check the newspapers for some good news. There it was: Seven Hawaii middle school students were named among 400 semifinalists in this year's Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. Outstanding!

I'd like to address two of the seven: Kenji, I do my heart many favors because many around me routinely call me "nuts." William, I'll have to check online to find out what a "rotifer" is. My best wishes to all of you.

Do you know what my eighth-grade science project was? My friend Jolyn and I built a maze out of an old dresser drawer, and I bought a guinea pig that I named Oscar. We ran Oscar through his paces but soon discovered that he preferred sitting in one spot to running through the maze looking for a piece of lettuce. My mother kept him so well fed that he was never hungry enough to do anything but sit wherever we placed him. Oscar lived to the ripe old age of 9, and I don't think we entered the Science Fair that year.

Not that I'm grumbling about my own science shortcomings. Instead, I'm fortunate to know two budding young scientists, and feel reassured that in spite of pervasive images of youth gone wild, schools continue to turn out smart and capable individuals.

As for me, I could waste my time grumbling or apply myself to a more worthwhile endeavor, like looking up my old friend and science partner Jolyn.