There’s a fine difference between being perpetually pessimistic and possessing an grumpy streak. While some might see grumbling as simply whining, there's actually an skill to it, a way to express annoyance without estranging those around you. This isn’t about being indirectly rude, but rather finding a equilibrium between honesty and considera

The city exhales a/its/the sigh/breath/exhalation, a symphony of rustling/grinding/screeching tires against the smooth/grimy/worn surface. Above, the sky weeps/hangs/casts a pall of/over/across gray concrete and steel. The pulse/rhythm/heartbeat of traffic flows/trundles/rumbles, a/the/an ceaseless march/motion/progression. Each car, a fleeting sha