so don't ask if you don't want to know
People are stupid
I just can’t help pointing these people out.
If you're going to commit, then fucking commit.
Feb 17th
Such a little thing to get so pissed off about but I can’t seem to let this go. I know Internet causes and petitions are usually pointless – I know that. I know the whole thing is probably a complete waste of time anyway. I get it.
But . . .
If you’re going to commit to a cause, especially one with such simple guidelines and instructions, do it as asked. Don’t add your own cute little embellishments, your own personal thumbprint, your cute little whatthefucks.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? That’s okay. Go here: http://creativefreedom.org.nz/blackout.html
They simply ask that if you want to be supportive, change your internet avatars to black and post why along with the link. Period. Does that sound difficult to you? Nope, me neither.
And then wander Facebook and twitter and other social sites, and see what SOME people feel is commiting to the cause. Adding their own person “brand” to a black background? What the hell is that? First of all, people seeing your internet avatars on Facebook and twitter already fucking KNOW you so you don’t have to advertise. Secondly, the whole thing is over at the end of the month. Do you really have to personalize your black avatar? So stuck on yourselves that you can’t let it go for a few days? Ever heard of the saying Lip Service? Dunno what you’d call it online.
If you’re going to play along, then play along. If you don’t believe anything will come of it and it’s all just a waste of time, then fine, don’t play along. Whatever you decide is up to you, but if you’re going to play along THEN FOLLOW THE FUCKING DIRECTIONS.
Seriously, I don’t know why this is bugging me so much but I feel better now. I posted a couple of comments on twitter earlier. A couple of my friends are doing this half-assed and I thought veiled snark would maybe change their mindsl.
I thought the whole idea behind the blackout was to have a completely blacked-out avatar. Not to be cute about it. http://is.gd/jDKz
I think it’s like embroidering your logo on a pink ribbon. Why bother pretending to be supportive when you’re just paying lip service.
We’ll see if this makes any difference. If not, oh well. Tomorrow is another day. Oh wait, it’s after 12. Today is another day.
But they're FAMOUS!
Jan 26th
I’ve never claimed to be the perfect parent. In fact, when my kids were very little I made all kinds of obvious mistakes. But I’ve noticed in the last couple of weeks a new one.
First there were all those parents who dragged their very small children down to the mall for the inauguration festivities. Seriously, it was freezing, there were no facilities or room for children to play, no strollers allowed, and massive amounts of people for HOURS. So there’s a new President. Great! But honestly, what exactly is a kid supposed to get out of that entire experience. They can say there were there when? That’s like me saying I saw the first moon landing from Cape Canaveral instead of safe at home. Unless you’re on the frakking space ship it’s all the same. Unless Obama could stop and take a picture with them, there’s no reason to drag your children down there.
And yesterday as I wandered through the autograph area at Phoenix Comicon I noticed Marina Sirtis holding an infant to her shoulder. That baby couldn’t have been more than few days old. My first thought was that “she’s got a baby?” and I wandered on. A few minutes later I watched as the Father handed that same baby over to Wil Wheaton and I realized some fan was getting photo opportunities for a child who might never know it.
Now I know Mirina and Wil are decent (and likely clean) human beings who would not hurt the baby, and in fact were very touched by and loving to the tiny infant. But the fact is, both of them had been shaking hands, signing whatever was handed to them, standing close to strangers for photo ops and generally NOT being in the most germ-free situation for HOURS and someone hands them a newborn. What were the parents thinking? Who else did they hand that kid off to for a stupid picture?
Taking your child into adult situations can be dangerous. As well as inauguration day went, the whole area had disaster potential. Imagine the panic of 2 million people had there been any terrorist activity – or even just some bigot making a statement – and how would you protect your child in that panic? And there’s a reason we all talk about Con funk. All those unwashed bodies spreading what have you and you’re taking an INFANT into that and handing it off to strangers? Just because these people are on TV that doesn’t mean they didn’t shake hands with disease ten minutes before you stepped up.
Parents, please give your baby a couple of months to build up some sort of immune system before you take them out in crowded places. Especially if you’re going to pass it around to strangers. I think they’d rather be alive in the future than just a memory in a photo.
Parenting Class My Ass
Dec 6th
This ineptly titled parenting class was a joke. Or rather it would have been a joke if it wouldn’t have been 4 frakking hours listening to the most scatterbrained, unfunny, disorganized old fart of the century.
Seriously.
The man spent 40 minutes describing what the class was generally about. Hey, we’re all court-ordered to be there, we all have children, we all have a copy of the (useless as it turns out) outline and we’ve all set aside 4 frakking hours (and paid $40) to be there. We all know what the damned class was generally about. Get to the point.
I found myself chanting that in my head throughout the entire evening. GET TO THE POINT! In fact there as a time when he stopped and looked right at me and I thought maybe I’d slipped and said it out loud.
16 adults needed specific information on how to help their kids cope with the uncoupling of their parents. Period. Mr. Fidget (dude waved his hands and played with his papers the WHOLE time) couldn’t focus on a topic, couldn’t finish a sentence, couldn’t manage to complete any of the sections of the outline and was so easily distracted I thought he was new at this until he said he’d been running this class for 16 years. No wonder there are so many screwed up kids around here. Geesh.
High points? Well, Alfredo looked good enough to eat. Damn! That was one sexy man. There was one woman who piped up with the story about how her husband came home and explained IN DETAIL to their four school-aged children that Daddy has a sexual addiction and Mommy wants a divorce. Another women said she’d lived with her husband in separate rooms for the last seven years until the kids made her make him move out.
Believe it or not, I didn’t speak at all. Except once when I said people should be more honest with their children rather than trying to protect them from the truth of situations. Not as truthful as that Daddy above, but kids need to know the facts and how their lives can/will change not just Daddy and Mommy don’t love each other anymore. If you give kids room to use their imaginations, those imaginations will always go the wrong way.
Well, at least I did the court-ordered thing and now I’m ready for the next step. At some point I need to turn in this certificate, but I don’t think their is any deadline besides before everything gets to a judge. Another line-through on my starting over to-do list.
The power of words
Mar 19th
Bored teenagers lead ducks and geese onto the street so they can see how many they can mow down with their cars. Disgusting, sadistic prank. Yes. Do you feel a SHOCKWAVE of OUTRAGE at this PERVERSE MADNESS?
Opinion page this morning printed a commentary (from a physics teacher no less) titled Unequal outrage at killings that compared this act with abortions and the general differences of opinion. That while intentionally running over a gaggle of geese and a buncha ducks is wrong, should they have felony convictions? That it’s “hypocritical madness” that 4 young men are jailed while those who “kill innocent babies in the name of their mother’s right/convenience” get no sanctions whatsoever.
I just had to send in a response:
First of all I think those people who use the words shockwave, outrage and perverse madness regarding teenagers running over ducks need to calm down. The most I felt at that story was disgust. Typical of narcissistic and quasi-rich kids from Ahwatukee (my personal opinion of the area in question). Powerful words like shockwave and outrage should be reserved for really horrible events, not for a simple albeit sadistic prank. You sound like one of those talking heads on the TV news.
Secondly, those who feel the need to repeat the same sentiment (although worded differently each time) in six paragraphs in a row need to review their course notes on effective writing. We who read the opinion page generally have the intelligence to understand a point the first time, unlike those young people you are used to teaching. Actually, I understood your point by the fifth paragraph.
Lastly, it’s apples and oranges again. Helpless and innocent ducks living their lives and doing what ducks do being mowed down by bored teenagers is not the same as a requested medical procedure. Your opinion about abortion killing helpless and innocent babies is noted, but personally I believe they’re not “babies” until they are born, alive and breathing on their own. Prior to that, at the gestation allowed for abortions, they are not. It’s a speculation of life, not a conclusion. One would hope as a scientist, you would understand the difference.
Debra Walker
Words like shockwave, outrage, hero, disaster, etc. are used waaaaay too much. Doesn’t that lower the effectiveness of those words? All the horrific events from 9-11 were a disaster sending a shockwave worldwide, and somehow someone equates that with running over 10 ducks and geese? Geezuz!
car accident
Mar 10th
My sons were in a car accident today. Coming back from a day at the lake apparently the driver swerved to avoid on oncoming car and drove into a boulder the size of a semi. The little nursey-poo that called me with the usual lack of information sounded pretty chipper so I didn’t let myself get too worried. She’d mentioned one son, and knew nothing about the other and I knew they’d left the house together. CONFUSION.
So I get to Scottsdale’s hospital and Casey’s getting a CT. So I call home to catch hubby and HE says other son Max’s friend called the house and that Max was supposed to be at the same hospital. Trudging back inside (no cell phones allowed inside) I get the security guard (what, no receptionist?) to find out what the hell’s going on. Meanwhile Ginnie is freaking out and I’m trying to remain calm.
Eventually I’m allowed back there and Max is right across the aisle from Casey, both in neck braces and BOTH with very nasty attitudes. They can’t move to see each other, but they keep yelling across the aisle at each other. Buttheads. Max pissed cuz Casey got the helicopter ride and Casey pissed cuz they cut his new clothes off him. Fortunately nothing more than bruises in the long run but there I am again, keeping everyone else calm. Another couple of hours and we all get to go home.
Of course then I lose it, screaming and cussing half the way home – nobody to blame in this instance. Stop for gas and Casey starts wandering around in his hospital gown like it’s the latest fashion, and again at the pizza place. Head injury or just plain idiotness?
They all went out again afterwards. Happy Birthday Casey! Wear a seatbelt this time!
Aug 27th
I haven’t had much to say lately. Just the usual trudging along in my life.
Just for shits-n-giggles I decided to go into history and check out the type of people my hubby chats with on Yahoot. Every night. And get’s miffed if anyone else is on the computer after dinner. Check out these exemplary names…
- blondesurferbabe_90… does that mean he/she’s 90?
- iwillpay2givhed2guy (goes on forever) …. sounds like a dude – girls don’t like doing that.
- purrfectlywicked… how imaginative! I looked up her profile and she’s a skank.
Y’all want to play games with his head, he’s Buckw1310@yahoo.com – go for it. I logged on as a newbie at a girlfriend’s house one night and had him telling all kinds of lies. I’m a minor league flirt compared to him. He has no clue about this journal or half the other stuff on this computer. If I deleted all yahoo links before I go on my trip it would probably take him that long to figure out how to get back on. Oh well, as long as he doesn’t make it all real, let him play.
Speaking of trip, I leave tomorrow for Dragon*Con. I can’t wait! I’ve left huge signs in block letters all over the house instructing “the menfolk” to keep things semi-clean. In June when I went to Florida for a week, I came home and the entire house was trashed. My Hubby cooks better than I do, but can’t wash a pan. He can do laundry, and will pitch in if I ask him to do anything else. But he’s not big on taking over in a crunch, like when I’m not here. Lacks motivation I guess.
Plus, his work is closing this weekend. He’s a bit distracted about moving the ton of tools and equipment he has yet again. I’d better not come back Monday night and find his gigantic toolbox in the middle of my living room. I mean, it’s all shiney black and gold and totally clashes with my sofa.
Yard Sales
Aug 2nd
I had a yard sale today. Actually, last Saturday and today. Altogether we made about $80, but since most of the stuff was marked 50¢, I think that’s pretty good.
Geesh, people are stupid. BIG sign on top of my car saying HERE and an arrow pointing up the driveway. BIG sign on the front window of my (used to be carport) converted “billiard room” saying INSIDE! Big sign outside of the side door pointing to the door – saying INSIDE. You think people can find the damn door? Sheeee-it. Eventually I had Daughter chalk arrows from the sidewalk pointing them to the door.
Inside = air conditioning you bunch of stupid people. 96°/38% humidity right now.
The Gay Agenda
Jul 31st
I’ve been reading a lot about this whole Gay Rights Fight or as some people put it The Gay Agenda. I’m 42 years old and have lived in 4 states, spent 4 years in the military and raised 3 kids and I’ve never noticed a Gay conspiracy. I’ve met very few actual homosexual people in my life; I’m not totally sheltered. Hubby’s cousin is lesbian, and we’ve had plenty of lesbian neighbors, and I’ve worked with a couple of extremely effeminate men. But I can honestly say I don’t think I have any in my inner circle of friends. But that’s not because I chose it that way. It just so happens. I just mean I don’t really know any to learn more about them. It’s also true that I don’t have any black friends, or Chinese friends, or Martian friends either. Actually, I don’t have that many real people in my inner circle at all, but that’s another story.
One of those Arizona Representatives/State Senators/Politicians wrote a scathing editorial recently about how Gay people have an agenda and are undermining the social structure of the state. In your face effrontery. Further, that they have totally taken over the meaning of a word that used to mean happy because homosexual is such a nasty sounding word. Blah Blah very hateful and bigoted comments taking up half a page. This (I think) was in response to the Governor (who looks like your stereotypical lesbian – but I dunno if she is and I don’t care) sent a memo, or made a unilateral decision or whatever that state agencies are no longer allowed to discriminate against hiring homosexuals. Which also pissed off some old guy in Gilbert – “Now them people will have free access to foster kids and molest them and everything.” What a jerk. Now, Gov. Janet has been making quite a few unilateral decisions since she took office. Renaming an entire mountain from Squaw Peak to Piestawa Peak in honor of that soldier killed, without waiting the requisite 5 years. The Mayor of Tempe (next town over) is gay and that editorial slammed him, too. So anyhow, this stuff combined with that court decision about abnormal sex not being illegal anymore has made this subject front page conversational news.
Quick question: Why was there such a bru-ha-ha about Ellen coming out on TV as a lesbian when there’s been gay MEN on TV for years? I didn’t get that. What? Men fantasize about two women together but only if a man eventually joins them? Seems hypocritical to me.
Drive by your local high school at quitting time and you’ll see hetero couples practically having sex right there on the front lawn. Walk around any mall, same thing. Hetero people are everywhere doing things that really don’t need to be done in public. In my opinion, a quick kiss and hand holding is fine, but some of these people are practically inside each other in plain view! Foreplay has hit the streets. Ewwww – gross. But other than on TV – I have never seen two men or two women doing more than holding hands. Thank you for your decorum.
I’ve fought bigotry (albeit in small ways) my whole life. Raised in Michigan – home of the displaced redneck. All my life when people make comments about this different person or that different person I’ve spoken up. I don’t let crap like that pass. Especially in front of or from my kids. Difficult as hubby is pretty bigoted himself, and I don’t know if 25 years of me harassing him about it has changed his mind or just shut his mouth. And although I don’t know much about any non-white non-hetero lifestyle, I’ve always tried to be open-minded and tolerant.
Which brings me to my last thought. I joined an online chat group/message board thingy a couple of years ago and have met quite a few interesting and different people there. There’s a specific person who has opened a window to his world so old fat married white women like me can learn a little bit. He’s extremely bright and very funny, a formidable enemy in any battle of wits (I don’t even try) and IS the person I think of now whenever I see/hear any homophobic comments. Someday I hope to meet him in real life.
So maybe I do have a gay person in my inner circle of friends after all.
Good New: I finally moved my computer into the guest bedroom and out of the front hall. A lot more space and best of all – AIR CONDITIONING! Of course, it’s a guest bedroom now because #1 son finally found somewhere else to live – and hopefully next time he asks to come home I’ll be able to say NO!
Debbie
