I will be the first to admit that I am an avid complainer. If you were to make a web 2.0 style “word cloud” of the things I complain about the most, the word “sore” would most likely be the largest word followed closely by “tired” being slightly smaller.

Mostly, my complaints aren’t about anything really important in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it’s important to me on that given day i.e. I can’t move my legs well enough to go from the bedroom to the kitchen to make myself breakfast. But, really, no one should care about these trivial complaints but me. I’m sure anyone that reads them on my statuses or hears me just thinks to themselves “Oh, that’s Bryan. He’s either sore or tired…” I don’t think anyone really cares about my complaints.

Occasionally, I will have a complaint about some larger issue. Most likely this will have to do with “the government” or some other type of large system that’s only out for making money and protecting their own interests.

Other people complain too. They complain about their family, their job, their house, their money, car, pets, etc. That’s fine. Hey, if I can complain, so can you.

One of my pet peeves lately, however, is acronym “FML”. This expression has been made popular by the site http://www.fmylife.com. If you are unfamiliar, “FML” means “Fuck My Life”. The site consists of people’s Facebook status like submissions about the bad stuff that happens to them during the day.

For example (from the site, just picked one):

Today, I went to the movies with my friends. A pretty redhead came on the screen. One of my guy friends leaned over to me and said, "Have you noticed there aren’t any pretty redheads in real life?" I guess he forgot what color my hair is. FML

I have tried to use “FML” in a Facebook or Twitter status here and there. Every time I have tried to use it lately, I have deleted it and really, just decided to leave it out.

I am not trying to sit on my high horse and criticize anyone that uses it. If you are an “FML” user, that’s fine. Keep on using it. You’re life must really suck. When I have tried to use “FML”, I can’t help but reflect on whether or not my life is really *that* bad. Let’s see:

• I live in a nice house with my beautiful fiancé.
• I have an awesome family that I love.
• I make enough money to eat well and do most of the things that I want to do as well as save for the future.

I wasn’t crushed under any falling buildings in an earthquake. My house hasn’t been destroyed by a natural disaster. I haven’t really ever had to struggle to make my bills or worry that there wouldn’t be food on the table or a roof over my head. No one really close to me has been involved in anything particularly horrible to my knowledge. Compared to someone in a third world country, I live like a king, in excess. I have more than they will probably ever have in their entire life. I am not bragging. I am simply stating a fact.

It feels wrong for me to say “FML” or “fuck my life” when I look at all that is NOT wrong with it. Granted, sucky things come up… medical bills, unexpected expenses, etc. But, is your little embarrassing moment really and truly summed up with “fuck my life”? Go cut yourself b/c you are probably an Emo kid.

Did your mom walk in on you getting it on with yourself? Believe me, she knows what’s going on. She will get over it. You will get over it. Oh, and yes, you will keep doing it. Just lock the door next time, dumb ass.

Did your kid spill soda all over your new car that you just picked up from getting detailed? Wow. That REALLY sucks. Fuck that man, your life is terrible. You should just throw that kid away. Better off they aren’t in your life anyway.

In case you are wondering, yes, I know that “FML” is just another “internet expression” and probably shouldn’t really be taken all that seriously. Still though, I can’t help but think about all of these things when I write it in a status. I have the feeling that if someone from harder times read it, they would say something like “stupid kid… you don’t know what a hard life is… quit your bitching”.

So I ask you. Is your life really THAT bad that you feel compelled to say that? Really?