PHIL WIELAND: Is it cruel not to be randomly kind?

I hate to sound like the Random Acts of Kindness Week Grinch, but can people stand being nice again so soon after Christmas?

Next week is RAK week, and Valpo is going to celebrate it in a big way. Well, big for RAK week. It's not like anyone has suggested putting up RAK decorations and sending RAK cards to dozens of people you otherwise would not communicate with at all.

Valpo's celebration will consist mostly of the mayor reading a proclamation urging residents to commit a random act of kindness during the week. This is the first year Valpo has celebrated RAK week, although it has been observed internationally for a decade or so.

I've got nothing against random acts of kindness or any other kinds of kindness, but it just seems like the timing is bad, coming as it does so soon after the ghosts of Christmas bills past begin arriving. The groundhog days of winter are upon us, and kindness probably is not the first thing on people's minds right now.

We already have Valentine's Day next week, and we don't need the added pressure of creating extra kindness. All I'm saying is it's too soon.

If we are going to have only two times a year when people care about someone other than themselves, we should spread them out. June would be a good month for RAK week. The weather probably will be nicer, and you can help someone by offering to spread tanning butter on them instead of shoveling their drive.

While the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is pondering my suggestion to change the date, here are a few random ideas for kindnesses to warm somebody's heart cockles next week.

• When someone cuts you off in traffic, give them a five-second head start before opening fire on their vehicle.

• If you see some inconsiderate bonehead illegally hogging a handicapped parking spot, offer to help them qualify for it by breaking both their legs.

• Thank your police department. Try to do that as an officer is writing you a ticket for doing 75 in a school zone. In reverse. In a school bus. While texting. Wait until after the field sobriety test.

• Write a letter to someone who made a difference in your life, like your parole officer. Send it from Rio.

• Give directions to someone who is lost, like all the Republican presidential candidates.

• Talk to a homeless person and tell them to get a job.

• Be a role model or, even better, a roll model, especially if you look like a croissant.

• Bake someone a cake. I prefer German chocolate with coconut-pecan icing. I will make enjoying it my random act of kindness to you.

The opinions are the writer's. He can be reached at phil.wieland@nwi.com or (219) 548-4352.