Okay, so this is going to be a rant that I was not planning on blogging out, but I just can't keep it in. Recently I had several discussions with a good friend who happens to be a Libertarian. Every single discussion came to a stalemate because 1) we're both smart enough to actually have reasons for what we believe and aren't easily dissuaded and 2) we're speaking COMPLETELY different languages. Take our discussion about gentrification... Said friend wanted me to explain my complaint about the loss of diversity in my neighborhood in terms of market, in capitol. I kept saying, "Yes, I get that landlords have the right to raise rent. Yes, I get that things shouldn't just be an automatic privilege... but you're talking money and I'm talking about community and access and people." There's more to someone's contribution to a neighborhood than just their rent and if someone has libertarian leanings, I don't know if I will ever be able to articulate in their language what that is 'cause what they believe often precludes counting those things in the equation. There are so many other arguments against libertarianism (like, for example, how can you pull up your bootstraps, if you don't have any boots in the first place?) but this is neither here nor there. In the end, I love and respect my friends. Our political differences just means we sometimes see different problems in the world around us and don't use the same ways to solve them. In the end, we both hate the religious right and really, what more in common do you need?
On the other hand, Pat Robertson and I will NEVER have anything in common. This 700 Club news segment on the introduction of LGBT acceptance/understanding curriculum into West Coast schools really got my goat, for more than the obvious reasons of homophobia, blind trust in a book, lack of understanding of different people, fear of change, general ignorance, and hatred. No, Robertson upset me because he, like my friend, buttressed his argument by valuing numbers over people. Pat Robertson argues that the LGBT community has an unreasonable amount of cultural influence in comparison to its very small amount of the population. Robertson states that LGBTs are only 2-3% of the US population, but clearly are unduly affecting mainstream American culture. Legislation that asks schools to teach 5-year-olds to respect and understand their peers (regardless of if they have 2 mommies or 2 daddies or a daddy that used to be a mommy) obviously proves how entrenched this unreasonable influence is.
Okay, whatever, 2-3%* doesn't seem like much when you look at it statistically. But when you do the math and look at the amount of people, Robertson begins to look like more of a jerk than normal, if that's even possible.
So, here go my 6th grade math skills... If the population of the United States is around 312, 000, 000 let's times that by .03. What do you get?
9,360,000
9,360,000 people is hell of a lot of people, regardless of race, orientation, or gender... Hell, I personally believe we should be teaching our children respect and understanding (not toleration--I hate that condescending term) for any person that's different, even if there aren't 9, 359, 999 others. But I guess that's cause I'm a crazy believer in social justice. Silly me, living in a world of capital and statistics!
PS Hey, all you right-wing nutters out there! Why don't you stick to spouting Bible verses and leave the numbers and science to us that actually know how to use it!!!
* which is actually a really low estimate--most sources put it at around at least 10%.... but I'm using his stats for the sake of argument.
Friday, December 21, 2007
I'm So Sick of Numbers!!!!
Merry Christmas, Thomas Jefferson
So, not to ride on the coattails of someone else's well written disgust of the current local disgusting carol, but seriously, these are the WORST LYRICS EVER!
It's snowing tonight in the Blue Ridge
There's a hush on the Chesapeake Bay
The chimneys are smoking in Georgetown,
And tomorrow is Christmas Day.
The Tidal Basin lies quiet
The tourists have found their way home
Mr. Jefferson's standing the mid-watch
And there's a star on the Capitol Dome.
It's Christmas Eve in Washington,
America's hometown
It's here that freedom lives,
And peace can stand her ground
While "googling" the song, though, I came up with one I say we vote to replace it... It's a protest song on a 1997 Steve Earle album called Christmas in Washington. Give a listen and you'll find that though it doesn't have the pretty vibrato of the current radio repeat, it's REAL MUSIC!
Christmas In Washington
(Steve Earle)
It's Christmastime in Washington
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The Republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
They'll be no more FDRs'
I sat home in Tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And I'm wonderin' what it means
Chorus:
So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now
I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere I failed to find your trail
Now I'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So I sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now I'm stuck here in this town
Chorus
There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and Cisco know
It's going straight to hell
So come back, Emma Goldman
Rise up, old Joe Hill
The barricades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, Malcolm X
And Martin Luther King
We're marching into Selma
As the bells of freedom ring
Chorus
Now that's the Washington that gives me buzzies in my stomach....
Ah, To Be Young...
I came across this great feature on Jezebel.com today and it made me very happy. It's a review (apparently a regular feature) of beloved young adult and children's literature. I'm excited because I hope it will bring up books I've forgotten about as I continue my recent (non-blogged about) obsession with the very same thing! Since the summer of 2006, I've been trying to read more Newbury Award Winners or children's classics to break up the "high end literature" and academic crap. So far, I've made it through The Giver, Witch of Blackbird Pond, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Numbers the Stars, His Dark Materials, Chronicles of Narnia (yes, even the Last Battle), Wrinkle in Time, Swiftly Tilting Planet, Anne of Green Gables, Jacob Have I Love (I totally identified with Louise, being a brunette and socially awkward fraternal twin myself) and The Last Unicorn. It's not a super huge list yet, but I'm hoping to expand it. Perhaps I can finally start another book club and we can focus on non-threatening and time consuming books like these...
Anybody have any "must read" suggestions from their childhood for me?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Pull That Thermometer Out, Pa, That Turkey's Done!
I finished my Christmas shopping!!!!!!!! And I bought almost all of it from locally owned DC stores, so extra high five to me!
I can't post all of what I got here cause, well, the five people who read this blog are the people I got presents for, but I can't resist showing you what I got the boy for his stocking stuff. Don't worry, he can't read anyhow so he won't know!
It's a MOUSE CHEESE GRATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love animals of all kinds, commodified, functionalized, anthropomorphized, I don't care! Monkeys, kittens, fishies, hippoty-hops, puppies, mouses are guarenteed to make me smile.
And help me grate cheese :)
Things I Love About the Green Line
- Getting all of my XMAS shopping done in one night and at all locally owned stores
- Feeding my tired self chicken roti and chala at the Islander
- Observing the regulars at Wednesday Karaoke at the Islander
- Really super excited passerby clapping and smiling and giggling with adoration for singer from OUTSIDE the restaurant
- Running into a friend that I don't see often in Metro station
- Being guilted into getting a drink at the Wonderland with said (drunk) friend even though I should be sleeping/wrapping presents
- Running into some other friends at bar, drinking a lovely beer, making some new friends and still getting to bed by 11:00pm because I live two blocks away!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Don't Stand So Close to Me
Well, my coworkers and I decided to go to lunch today and as we were driving back, we were not 100 feet from the opening of the work gates when a police car jumps in front of us and proceeds to stop all traffic...foot included. Apparently something was going on at the government hospital across from us that involved the Big Cheese or the Man Behind the Big Cheese because 3 government helicopters fly over, men with guns stand guard, and traffic is stopped. I had had three diet cokes and that was seriously not cool. This is one of those pretentious Washington D.C. things that really irks me.
Boo.
Seriously, Have We Time Traveled?
Are we back in the 1950s or something where a smart, successful young woman dreams only of getting knocked up? Seriously, Jessica Alba, Britney Spears, and now, Lily Allen? I am honestly in shock at trend for young baby-makin'! As a feminist, I totally believe it's everyone's personal choice... and these woman certainly have the financial and professional ability to have babies at 22 years old, versus most of us.
But I do have to admit, I'm a bit confused. I might even admit that I'm a little judgemental, even if my politics don't want me to be.
Zoey 101 + 1
It is sad that when I heard that Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant, I giggled? I mean, who didn't see this coming? Apparently Jamie Lynn herself, who said "It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected." What?! "Oh, so I decided to have sex (which I've been told by both my fancy private tutors and my church is how we reproduce in our species) and you know what, I couldn't even believe it, but out of NOWHERE, for some insane unrelated reason, I got pregnant!"
Unexpected is not the correct word, Ms. Spears. I think the "un" word you mean is "unplanned."
Seriously, didn't anyone in the Spears brood learn about condom use!?!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Like It's a Surprise?!!
So the New York Times had a recent article about how the rich are getting richer faster than ever before. More disturbingly, it says that increase in incomes alone for the wealthiest people is greater than the poorest 20% annual income. I mean, maybe I'm not good at math or something, but it certainly doesn't seem like "trickle down" is working. More like, "holding everything I can get in a bucket instead of sharing," if you ask me.
Monday, December 17, 2007
XMAS funk
So, I normally am brimming at the top with XMAS ideas for the fam. I really get along with my peeps, so I usually can find them fun things that they really appreciate. This year, NOTHING. I have some ideas, but haven't had the time to get to follow through. Seriously, I am not stressed at work and pressed for time everywhere else. I have friends in town practically every weekend (not complaining, but it does mean commitment) and I've been cooking dinner and working out more. And trying to get more sleep. Know what that means? About -1.5 hours free time every night. I don't understand how people do it. Must be cocaine cause my " diet coke" ain't cuttin' it....
Bitch bitch moan moan complain....
Merry Christmukkwanzayulesolstice!!!
There's nothing like...
... getting a new Mac! I'm writing this on our new iMac. Sure it took some arm wrestling, but I got the boy the next best thing to a G5 tower. Course maybe if the G5 towers didn't have wonky DVD slots and insane jet-loud fans, they'd be worth the extra $1500. Seriously, Apple, get a move on already!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Old School Sesame Street
So, with the new (and mildly pornographic) Tickle Me Elmo commercials, I've been thinking about how glad I was pre-fuzzy red & cute generation. I mean, check the commercial out--what is he doing behind those blurry cubes?
To cleanse our pallet here's some Old School Street celebrating (in the words of a recent NY Times review) a place where "the masonry on the dingy brownstone at 123 Sesame Street, where the closeted Ernie and Bert shared a dismal basement apartment, was deteriorating. Cookie Monster was on a fast track to diabetes. Oscar’s depression was untreated. Prozacky Elmo didn’t exist."
Here's Grampa Manslaughter's fave
And my fave
So, here's to pre-helicopter parents and dingy brownstones and a world without perpetually happy Elmo! Without Oscar the Grouch, my anxiety and depression would never had been normalized and thank god for that.
I'm an idiot...
Because I took so much time off to visit my now-deceased grandfather, I have to work about an extra 24 hours to take off the full week of Christmas. So, I get up early on Saturday, trek 45 minutes up to work, ready to put in a full day before settling down to drink some beer and head out for a party... and I don't have my keys to my office. I'm an idiot.
So what did I do next? I trekked back home, got in my pajamas, opened some beer and felt sorry for myself. That's right, beer solves everything.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
My might wins!
We officially and successfully hosted our first Thanksgiving in DC. We tried back in 2003, but unfortunately that was interrupted by my Nana's funeral, so I don't really count that one. This one had (alive) family, fresh crab and oysters to celebrate my Eastern Shore heritage, and, best of all, me winning the wishbone!!! Take that, boy! I kicked your wishbone pulling ass!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!
Mizzou-Rah!
So, I have officially watched my first full football game not featuring the Razorbacks! Go Tigers! Course, I do have to say that the Hog game was equally as exciting and our whooping of LSU certainly affected the rankings. Also, what in the hell is the Mizzou fight song...for the life of me I think I'll only ever know Arkansas's!
Tag, I'm it!
So, Jennipher tagged my blog and I'm going to play along for the sake of holiday spirit. Now that I've been tagged I'm supposed to:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
4. Let them know they've been tagged.
Now, to the interesting part, my five facts:
- I almost had my belly button removed as an infant because it wouldn't heal
- I am currently obsessed with Lupin/Tonks fanfiction... and no it's not for an article
- I collect antique piggy banks... sadly they have no money in them
- I have almost always worn my hair short--in second grade I was teased and called the "boy in the dress." I'm only slightly scarred by that experience. Thank god for my therapist...
- I had a massive crush on Scott Bakula when I was in Junior High. Must have been Sam Beckett's good deeds.
1. Mike
2. Robin
3. James
4. Emily
Sunday, November 18, 2007
My dream shags...
I'm watching "Presumed Innocent" right now and have officially decided that as much as I love me some floppy-haired, smirking Han Solo, Mr. Harrison Ford with a short crop circa Blade Runner is #3 on my dream shag celebrity list. Course, I still want him to act like Han Solo, just with a fresh haircut. He could even crack wise about it...
If the beautiful, young Ford is #3, who rounds out the top five you ask?
#5 doesn't have a traditionally pretty mug--but when she's onscreen, I can't help but want to kiss her. And have her type letters for me.
#4 is none other than the most predictable leading men of leading men, Mr. Darcy. I love how Pride and Prejudice teaches us to pine for an emotionally unavailable, haughty man. But you know what? I'd take those stormy eyes and that austere face over emotional availability anytime.
#3 you already know
#2 I know there are a lot of people out there who really really hate this woman. Not me. Since the first time I watched Hackers with my junior high boyfriend Adam, I realized I was way more interested in kissing Ms. Jolie than him (or nearly anybody). Course Adam was a clarinet player, so it's not totally his fault.
And finally, #1. Not many woman of my generation understand my undying love and lust for this person (save Sara), but how can you not want to have sex, marry, and have babies with Mr. Jimmy Stewart. I mean, how sexy is his integrity, his long and lean frame draped in 3 piece suits, and his undying loyalty to democracy? Color me smitten.
So folks, good night and dream well!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Will this never end?!!
So another two months and more drama... seriously, I don't understand how the past 4 years have been some of my best and some of my worst. The boy's dad just had a stroke and is part of the Great American Uninsured. I caught bronchitis, I have a huge deadline at work, I still can't lose those last five pounds before Jenn's wedding, and I always feel like I'm broke. Sometimes life without school seems more stressful because I have time to think about it.
On the other hand, I officially curated my first exhibition at my job and it was a huge hit---might even become a travelling exhibition! I'm seriously contemplating going back to get my PhD at my work's encouragement. My partner is both infuriating and the biggest muffin-head in the whole world. I have lost those first 10 pounds. And I'm partially broke cause I'm always going out and doing shit.
Basically it's been nothing but ups and downs, one one hour, another the next. And yet, my blog's basically dead. I was so into it for a while, but then again I wonder if that wasn't partly because it was new and then because I knew certain people were reading it... wanted to make sure those anonymous "friends" knew exactly how rockin' my life was. Of course, then it's just filtered, isn't it and is a waste of internet space... Not to mention really petty on my part.
Of course, when have I ever been filtered?!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Twenty Things I've Done Lately...
- came home to an apartment with no electricity... on a massive heat warning day
- went to arkansas to see my grandpa...
- buried my grandpa :(
- bought clothes i can't afford
- went to vegas for my girl's bachelorette party
- partied with a very rich sheik from dubai while there
- helped sara move to atlanta
- petted a shark while there
- got a tattoo while there
- made an appointment to get another tattoo--i'm addicted now!
- read the final harry potter
- immediately started rereading the first one
- curated an exhibit on harry potter and the history of medicine.
- drank too much at chincoteague
- drank too much in vegas
- drank too much in atlanta
- ate too much in arkansas
- definitely ate too much crab... well, is there ever too much crab?
- started running again
- and, finally--confirmed how amazing my girlfriends are-- woo! anal ponyz rule!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Dead as a Doorknob?
Is this blog dead? I don't seem to have the time or impetus to update it anymore. I've been very busy with work, orchestra, friends, and sleep to have 15 minutes to sit down, much less sit down and write. I'm behind on my DVR recordings, my books, my social obligations. How in the world can I be expected to also blog? Sure, other people do it easily, but they are writers. I am not a writer, not really. I write academic and exhibit text, which is not off-the-cuff, quick-thought, journalism style. It's thesis, point point point, footnotes out the waaa-zoo. I just don't think I have it in me to be one of those "bloggers" with constant opinions and updates about the world out there.
So, I'm not saying that I'm never going to start this back up and update again, because inevitably there will be something that pisses me off so much I have to write about it... and maybe this summer I'll get reinspired to write more... but as my philosophy lately has been, less talking and more doing. So if you come knockin', don't be surprise if I don't answer the door... figurative door, that is.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
My Dad's Rules for Life
1) Never trust anything my cousin says
2) Never invade Russia in the winter
3) Don't Let You Friends Vote Republican
4) Don't Buy Roses at Wal-Mart
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Screw Rock Stars!
I just met and shook the hand of Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr! That may not mean much to y'all but go to his wikipedia page and you'll see how awesome he is. Basically, I met one of the coolest and most important medical professionals around... not to mention someone who has an unwavering commitment to social justice. His talk was amazing and not at all what my institution is used to hearing. He was frank about the rampant racial health disparities in our country and about how being "liberal" is what got him about of Montgomery, Alabama. Oh yeah and there was a backing gospel choir, something I can guarantee my institution is not used to experiencing!
I seriously haven't felt so inspired and rejuvenated in my work for social justice in a long time. Sometimes the cynicism just wins out. But then you get to experience the presence and wisdom and advice of someone who REALLY fought to change the world and despite setbacks, still REALLY fights to change the world...and honestly it just swells my heart.
Also, I know it sounds totally geeky, but after I shook Dr. Watkin's hand I realized that I had shook the hand of someone who had saved thousands and thousands of lives. And changed the lives of other people of color through his commitment to diversity. And changed the perspectives of the medical establishment and America. And inspired people... I have to admit that the geekiest thought I had was that I had shaken the hand of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. mentor, friend, and fellow activist to Dr. Watkins. Well, I guess it's more that both I and Dr. King have shaken the same hand, but you know what I'm saying...
I mean, I know it was just a handshake, but to think of whose arm it was attached to and all the things it had done in this country...
It was seriously cool.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Babies on Spikes
And of course, instead of living in a country where I have thoughtful and inspiring leaders to help me make sense of what's happened, I have Bush. At the same time Bush is voicing his "deep concern" for the victims and families of Virginia Tech, he also feels it necessary for his puppets to tell the American public that "the president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms..." To buttress this heart-warming display of "compassionate conservatism," our lovely president came out supporting his Supreme Court's upholding of the partial birth ban, which has no clause to protect a women's health in any instance. All in the spirit of "building a culture of life in America." The day after the shootings!
Am I only one that finds the ways in which Bush builds his "culture of life" a little, well, fucked up? Seems like to me that laws that fail to protect the health of women and that allow easy access to semi-automatic weapons align more with a culture of death. But what do I know? I'm just a baby-hating, gun-hating, god-hating, illegal-immigrant loving, bleeding-heart liberal. And a woman on top of that!
Mmmm, tastes of chicken.
Out Like a Lamb, My Ass
Well, it's been nearly a month since I've last posted. I actually hate this, because I like blogging. I think about snarky comments all day long. But I can't post at work because 1) I don't have the friggin' time and 2) I work for "the man." Couple this with the fact that I refuse to get a Crackberry and participate in the Verizon/Metro Love Fest and you get no time for posting.
Other than this damn flu I got (thus the title of the post) and moved-up deadlines for stuff at work, life has been pretty nice. It's weird, though, that I can simultaneously feel like I am both never home and always home. I've been having people over for dinner a lot and have also been getting up for the gym at 5:30am (dear lord!), not to mention I'm still going to orchestra. I actually had to sit first stand during a sight reading last week because noone came. That was painful. Very painful. For everyone, in fact. So I have all of these regular, weekly things taking up my time... then there's all the last minute movies or shows or happy hours or whatever and it's just go go go go. When am I supposed to blog? I guess it's just not as important to me now? I want to write and I want to vent, but I don't want to be a public writer for a living and I'd rather get a chance to actually read about the things that are annoying me. You know, in my attempt to be a well-informed, open-minded citizen instead of just a knee-jerk leftist. So instead of blogging I read my Mother Jones or I have a conversations with someone or I learn something new about this world I'm in. Maybe I can start making more time for this blog, make it a priority. Then again I've also starting painting again, so maybe this creative writing spurt is over and I'm needing a different form of expression in my life? I don't know. We'll see if this "once a month" update thing becomes regular once May is over since I won't be here for a lot of it. I'm off to Cleveland for a friend's masters recital and then to Chicago for a conference and then, well, I know I have somewhere I'm supposed to be...
Regardless, I didn't just get on here to get all philosophical about my blog. I actually have been rather bothered by the events of last week, but haven't quite known what to say. The Virginia Tech tragedy is really an awful thing and I can't believe that people are using the fact that someone, anyone, can get access to semi-automatic weapons and slaughter 30+ people as some sort of proof that we need MORE guns. Whatever, I'm from the South where lots of people have guns to go hunting, protect their "vast" properties of broke-down trucks and paranoid worldviews, and cause their daddies had them. I grew up in a gun culture. I know how guns work--my Grandpa had them and showed us what a safety was and how to load and clean so we wouldn't accidentally shoot ourselves or someone else.
That said, I don't like guns. I don't think they should be legal anywhere. I think that guns were created to exert violence and I don't think anyone can argue with that. There is no other use for a gun than to shoot something, be it alive or not.* And even though I know that, I also know that getting a gun-free culture is a losing battle in a country founded on a violent uprising. That doesn't mean we shouldn't work for it and it certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't all come together to ban certain weapons. If that kid had used a non-assault class gun* (or hell a knife), it would have taken him a hell of a lot longer and very good aim to kill all those people as he loaded and reloaded and cocked each round. Instead he had all the time in the world and all the ammunition he needed to murder en masse.
I'm sorry, but what happened at Virginia Tech does nothing to convince me that the American people need an assault weapon to keep the "ci-yotes" from their livestock or to stop a burglar or a rapist or even a school shooter. It just convinces me that we need to do something about the fact that we live in a culture where this happens again and again and again.
* So shove that stupid statistic about "cars killing more people than guns" up your butt because I happen to think that the fact that cars weren't created solely to kill is an important variable in this equation, k?
* yes, I know, I know, there's lots of debates about what these words mean... I don't want to get into it... In general, I mean the sort of guns that allow someone to put over a 100 rounds in 30 victims with little to no effort.
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