"Excuse me, please."

I've got a good question for all of you! Why is it that people have such a hard time being pleasant? I have heard it said that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. I bet people don't even think about that when they walk out the door everyday. Because if they did, I would not write about it in my Diva Diary. But I am a little vexed! I was raised to be considerate and polite. When sitting next to someone on the crowded 4 subway train, I try always to remember to say excuse me. And when I walk into a room full of people - colleagues in particular - I always greet them. It is only polite. I don't blame my frequent encounters of incivility on the fact that I live in New York City - what some call the "Rude Capitol of USA." People are just generally rude and sometimes I want to scream "Move! Get out the way!" or just "throw them bows" (thank you Ludacris). But on those days when I am disappointed and frustrated with my fellow human and my pleasantries are reciprocated with miserable nastiness, something happens for humankind to redeem itself. A nod of hello or the elevator being held open for me helps me to realize that, yes, there are still people on this earth who have had a "good upbringing." And as a people, we aren't completely hardened by society and life that we cannot apologize for mistakingly bumping into you. So please "put on a happy face" and smile or say excuse me once in a while.

I'm stepping down from my box...