It Is What It Is

The saying "It Is What It Is" seems like such a Western New York thing to say.

My problem is that I haven't really lived anywhere but WNY. I've lived in Niagara Falls, I've lived in Rochester, and I've lived in Buffalo. And although Rochester isn't necessarily Western New York, it's close enough. My point is that WNYers, on the most part are pretty defeatist. It is what it is. Don't bother fighting or trying to change any thing. It is what it is. And that's all there is to it.

Maybe it's not just a WNY thing. It would be really great if there were people out there that didn't just let life happen to them. People who take control and do to life. Is it really just WNY that lets life walk all over them? Because if that is the case, I really need to get the hell out of here. Maybe you don't say "It Is What It Is." But I bet you say "whatever." Or even more likely, you are extremely sarcastic. That is definitely a WNY defense mechanism. We're all so sarcastic. And self-defeating. Why? Because it snows nine months out of the year? Because our sports teams let us down? Or maybe it's because nothing seems to go our way.

Western New York is so sad. Growing up in Niagara Falls, you live with the fact that the Canadian side of the falls is so much nicer. The Canadian side has the better view BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR FALLS. The American side is so crappy looking compared to the other side. Buffalo has some prime water-front real estate, but we can't seem to do anything with it. Meanwhile, EVERY SINGLE TIME you go to Toronto, they have more and more things built up on their water front property. It's not fair! Why can't we have nice things? Is it because we're not Canadian?

That can't be the reason everything Is What It Is. Can it? When I lost my job last summer I didn't just say "whatever" and give up. I woke up every morning around 9am and I sent our resumes and filled out applications and pounded the pavement. I tweeted and sent messages and status updates out. I did that for three months with no responses. People on twitter and facebook and other social networks are always saying how close knit we are because of these websites, but when the going gets tough everyone disappears. All of a sudden you lose all your contacts.

Maybe this is just my point of view. Maybe I'm bitter. Maybe I've been in WNY too long. Whatever. It is what it is, I guess.