I am a pretty simple person and try to keep many of my views to myself. I don't speak politics or religion with others. I try to see both sides to every story so that I may form an honest opinion on my own. I read both MSN and Fox news so that I may try to dissect the real news story (isn't that sad there doesn't seem to be any news anymore that doesn't either lean to the left or to the right?). All in all I feel that I am a very fair person. The story of Sgt. Crowley and Professor Gates is just one that has sent me over the edge. To be fair, I may be biased since I come from a huge family of police officers. That being said, I find it disheartening that the media would play this out as a racist issue. It is totally ridiculous that Sgt. Crowley is being vilified for this arrest. Here are some facts:
1. He was responding to a call.
He did not pull him over or stop him on the street. He did not even make the phone call. He was responding to a potentially life threatening call. He was by himself. He has a right to be a little confrontational (I get jumpy when the doorbell rings, let alone try to figure out what I would do if confronting a possible burglar)
2. Professor Gates began speaking disrespectfully immediately
When did it become OK to speak harshly to police officers. I raise my kids the way that I was raised and the way almost everybody I know was raised. You respect the people that risk their lives for you. That includes anybody in the military, the police, firefighters, people in the medical profession, etc. You know what, no, that is not accurate. I raise my children to respect everybody. I totally understand sticking up for yourself if you are continually being disrespected, but I have yet to see or hear any evidence stating that he was calmly trying to explain to the officer the misunderstanding. Treat others as you would like to be treated. I find this to be very helpful in all aspects of life. Maybe Professor Gates should go back to preschool to remember some important life lessons.
3. The 911 caller is getting none of the blame.
I don't blame the 911 caller either. I know Prof. Gates had been gone for a long time, but if you got to know your neighbors, this situation would never had happened. Furthermore, if there is a case for "racial profiling" it is not against the Cambridge Police Department but for the caller. However, I do not feel that this is a case of racial profiling. I honestly feel that your average citizen would call the police if somebody was trying to break a door down, whether it be teenagers, men, women, etc. I truly, honestly believe this.
Here is the police report if you would like to read the submitted report
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html
Here is a great article written by an African American male on his point of view:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32085686
Now that I got that off my chest I am now going to check in with all of my neighbors:)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Annoying Mom's
So today I was sitting at the Eugene Swim and Tennis club and was forced to listen to these two "friends" get into a pissing match (in a friendly way) over their children. The first woman was watching her son play and commenting on how well he was playing:
"My child has improved immensely this year on his swing. We have been doing tennis FOREVER and the improvements are amazing" (really, forever, he is four... idiot).
"Well we just started my son in this tennis camp this summer, but he is just SHOCKING to watch play golf. It just amazes me every time. He takes lessons at the COUNTRY CLUB" (literally, she basically shouted country club. Guess she wanted us all to know that she belongs to the country club as well...OK)
So mom #1 comes back with "well, we looked into golf lessons, but it was just too time consuming with all of his tennis lessons, classes at Montessori, and piano lessons and tutoring he is getting from Sylvan to continue his advancement. I am pretty sure he is going to skip a grade" (by now I am staring at these women with my mouth hung open. I can be certain of two things. The child will be walking around his school with a giant kick me sign on his back and she neglected to include his daily therapy sessions that he no doubt needs).
Mom #2 couldn't one up Mom #1 so she changed subjects about the Disney Channel that the tennis club had on for the siblings that weren't in the tennis lesson.
"You know, we don't allow the Disney channel on in my house. The themes are just morally wrong and too mature for anybody younger than high school" (yeah, that is what teenagers do when they come home from high school. Run to turn on the latest from Disney Channel. Maybe if they are smokin something and need a good laugh, but that is about it on that scenario).
Mom #1 "I know, we don't allow that either. My 7 year old daughter went and had a play date over at a friends house and watched some of it there. She came home and said the word sexy (she literally whispered this word). I was shocked, just SHOCKED. I know she had to got that word from that channel" (I was thinking, sad for her, nobody around her has ever used that term in her presence. My husband tells me I am sexy almost daily, and let me tell you, I make sure he yells that word if anybody else is around to hear it).
Mom#2 "You know, my husband wrote in to the president of Disney studio's letting him know how inappropriate the content was on that channel. I mean really, come on" (first thought that popped into my head was a.) your husband is a bigger douche than you if he wrote in to a studio about "content" and b.) there is not one MAN I know that would ever, EVER, do something like this).
Thankfully, class was over and the kids came running out. My blood pressure seriously soared listening to this conversation. Here is what my conversations sound like with my friends at the tennis club:
"you want a drink?"
"Yeah, do you" :)
"My child has improved immensely this year on his swing. We have been doing tennis FOREVER and the improvements are amazing" (really, forever, he is four... idiot).
"Well we just started my son in this tennis camp this summer, but he is just SHOCKING to watch play golf. It just amazes me every time. He takes lessons at the COUNTRY CLUB" (literally, she basically shouted country club. Guess she wanted us all to know that she belongs to the country club as well...OK)
So mom #1 comes back with "well, we looked into golf lessons, but it was just too time consuming with all of his tennis lessons, classes at Montessori, and piano lessons and tutoring he is getting from Sylvan to continue his advancement. I am pretty sure he is going to skip a grade" (by now I am staring at these women with my mouth hung open. I can be certain of two things. The child will be walking around his school with a giant kick me sign on his back and she neglected to include his daily therapy sessions that he no doubt needs).
Mom #2 couldn't one up Mom #1 so she changed subjects about the Disney Channel that the tennis club had on for the siblings that weren't in the tennis lesson.
"You know, we don't allow the Disney channel on in my house. The themes are just morally wrong and too mature for anybody younger than high school" (yeah, that is what teenagers do when they come home from high school. Run to turn on the latest from Disney Channel. Maybe if they are smokin something and need a good laugh, but that is about it on that scenario).
Mom #1 "I know, we don't allow that either. My 7 year old daughter went and had a play date over at a friends house and watched some of it there. She came home and said the word sexy (she literally whispered this word). I was shocked, just SHOCKED. I know she had to got that word from that channel" (I was thinking, sad for her, nobody around her has ever used that term in her presence. My husband tells me I am sexy almost daily, and let me tell you, I make sure he yells that word if anybody else is around to hear it).
Mom#2 "You know, my husband wrote in to the president of Disney studio's letting him know how inappropriate the content was on that channel. I mean really, come on" (first thought that popped into my head was a.) your husband is a bigger douche than you if he wrote in to a studio about "content" and b.) there is not one MAN I know that would ever, EVER, do something like this).
Thankfully, class was over and the kids came running out. My blood pressure seriously soared listening to this conversation. Here is what my conversations sound like with my friends at the tennis club:
"you want a drink?"
"Yeah, do you" :)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Things White People Like
So there is this blog out there titled "Things White People Like". At first I was a little uncomfortable going to a website with that title because I was fearful that it may be racist, but it is not, just very ironic (a thing white people like). It seems to focus on things that 20 and 30 somethings in the middle to high income bracket seem to enjoy... and enjoy... and enjoy. There list now has over 100 items on it with descriptions on each one. My personal favorites are:
-Coffee: Still drink my 4 dollar coffee almost daily. Don't drink regular coffee but a non fat sugar free vanilla latte extra hot with a splenda. Seems too complicated to make on my own so I happily fork over my money for it to be made for me!
-Microbreweries-big in the Northwest
-Wine-Just figured out how to hold my wine glass properly but I do love my Pinot Grigio. I am not a fan of reds or people who tell me that I will acquire a taste for red's (though these same people said the same thing about coffee and now look at me, wait, nevermind, I still don't drink a regular cup of coffee)
-Having two last names-yes Wagner-Weir, I am looking at you:)
-Marathons-Just when I get into running and feel accomplished for completing 5 miles, 30 of my friends decide to start running 10-15 miles...a day. I will never be this dedicated and will always feel underaccomplished (not sure if that is an actual word, but we are going to go with it)
-St. Patrick's Day-Hell Yeah! Love this holiday, but it will never be the same after this year. Green beer, green clothes, kisses, green beer. What is not to like about this
-Hummus-I could eat it everyday (and often do)
There are somethings that I think need to be added to the list:
1. Reusable bags. Every single store is now selling them. Some stores (ahem, Trader Jo's) even make you feel bad if you don't have one or bring one in. Here is the problem I have with reusable bags. I can never remember my shopping list by the time I get to the store let alone the bags that I am supposed to have for my groceries. Plus, I always intend to buy 1 item and end up with 37. I think I would look like an idiot or a cheap ass if I only had one bag for my cart full of groceries. Furthermore, what is the social etiquette for these bags? I shop at many different stores (Safeway, Trader Jo's, Target, Market of Choice). Do I have to have the bags that correspond with the store, or is it chic to use them no matter if the name of the store does not correspond with the name of the bag. It is too much of a headache. Paper, please!
2. Homeschooling their children. Why is that now becoming more and more the rage? Are these parents aliens? Do they enjoy NEVER getting a break, ever, from their children. Furthermore, were they tortured in school and think that by the time these kids enter back into school society they will have no problems? I have no problem paying for my kids school, but I draw the line at converting my kitchen table to a desk top.
3. The term Douche. How did this term really begin ever getting used? It is really foul. No really, if you really think about it, it is really foul. If my origins prove correctly it started out by trying to give the ultimate putdown (usually between one boy to another) at calling each other douchebags. Than, more recently it has been shortened to Douche, D-bag, Douchenozzle, etc. The term is thrown around without a blink of an eye. ( I must admit that I do, on occasion, use this term. I think that I don't find it as offensive because I have never seen an actual douchebag, but can imagine that it would not be pleasant)
4. Ed Hardy/Affliction gear: See #3.
5. Summer scarves. Though the list does include scarves, I think summer scarves should get it's own number. I am sure that I am going to offend at least half of my girlfriends by printing this, but hello, the whole point of a scarf is to keep your neck WARM. When it is f*cking 98 degrees out the last thing I want is another article of clothing (sorry for the swearing, I am currently dieing of heat right now)
I am sure that you may be able to recommend a ton more and this may be updated as well, but these are the things that I have thought of recently.
-Coffee: Still drink my 4 dollar coffee almost daily. Don't drink regular coffee but a non fat sugar free vanilla latte extra hot with a splenda. Seems too complicated to make on my own so I happily fork over my money for it to be made for me!
-Microbreweries-big in the Northwest
-Wine-Just figured out how to hold my wine glass properly but I do love my Pinot Grigio. I am not a fan of reds or people who tell me that I will acquire a taste for red's (though these same people said the same thing about coffee and now look at me, wait, nevermind, I still don't drink a regular cup of coffee)
-Having two last names-yes Wagner-Weir, I am looking at you:)
-Marathons-Just when I get into running and feel accomplished for completing 5 miles, 30 of my friends decide to start running 10-15 miles...a day. I will never be this dedicated and will always feel underaccomplished (not sure if that is an actual word, but we are going to go with it)
-St. Patrick's Day-Hell Yeah! Love this holiday, but it will never be the same after this year. Green beer, green clothes, kisses, green beer. What is not to like about this
-Hummus-I could eat it everyday (and often do)
There are somethings that I think need to be added to the list:
1. Reusable bags. Every single store is now selling them. Some stores (ahem, Trader Jo's) even make you feel bad if you don't have one or bring one in. Here is the problem I have with reusable bags. I can never remember my shopping list by the time I get to the store let alone the bags that I am supposed to have for my groceries. Plus, I always intend to buy 1 item and end up with 37. I think I would look like an idiot or a cheap ass if I only had one bag for my cart full of groceries. Furthermore, what is the social etiquette for these bags? I shop at many different stores (Safeway, Trader Jo's, Target, Market of Choice). Do I have to have the bags that correspond with the store, or is it chic to use them no matter if the name of the store does not correspond with the name of the bag. It is too much of a headache. Paper, please!
2. Homeschooling their children. Why is that now becoming more and more the rage? Are these parents aliens? Do they enjoy NEVER getting a break, ever, from their children. Furthermore, were they tortured in school and think that by the time these kids enter back into school society they will have no problems? I have no problem paying for my kids school, but I draw the line at converting my kitchen table to a desk top.
3. The term Douche. How did this term really begin ever getting used? It is really foul. No really, if you really think about it, it is really foul. If my origins prove correctly it started out by trying to give the ultimate putdown (usually between one boy to another) at calling each other douchebags. Than, more recently it has been shortened to Douche, D-bag, Douchenozzle, etc. The term is thrown around without a blink of an eye. ( I must admit that I do, on occasion, use this term. I think that I don't find it as offensive because I have never seen an actual douchebag, but can imagine that it would not be pleasant)
4. Ed Hardy/Affliction gear: See #3.
5. Summer scarves. Though the list does include scarves, I think summer scarves should get it's own number. I am sure that I am going to offend at least half of my girlfriends by printing this, but hello, the whole point of a scarf is to keep your neck WARM. When it is f*cking 98 degrees out the last thing I want is another article of clothing (sorry for the swearing, I am currently dieing of heat right now)
I am sure that you may be able to recommend a ton more and this may be updated as well, but these are the things that I have thought of recently.
Monday, July 20, 2009
My Girls
Some people meet their best friends in their neighborhoods, some at college. Some meet in their fraternities/sororities and some meet people at work. Some are even fortunate to marry their best friend. In each of these categories I have some amazing friends that I hold very dear to my heart, but the girls who know me, without a doubt more than anybody else in this world are my girls: my best friends from high school (there is one very large exception to this rule with somebody I met at ERAC, became roomies with, and I believe lifelong friends with.)
I don't know what it is about these girls that make me so emotional. I can only describe it as a stripped down friendship. We just know each other. You can't pretend to be something that you are not, you can't lie, you can't be fake. You just are who you are (I am so poetic sometimes, aren't I).
Since I have moved away, we try to get together a few times a year for just girl time. The last few years has been easy to combine trips with bachelorette parties, weddings, weekend trips, etc. Trying to schedule a time we can all get together is often difficult but we always try to make it.
Our most recent time together was for my best friend Alicia's 30th birthday (which is scary because we were talking about her bbq that we had for her 15th birthday, and really, she would kill me if I even began to discuss her 16th birthday). We met up with Sasha for dinner but missed Kristin (my other half basically) who was sick. Sasha is planning her wedding and asked us to be bridesmaids in her wedding. We said "Of Course!" simultaneously (this is wh
at happens when you are friends this long. You finish each other's sentences and think the same thoughts, not that this was a difficult thought to think, but you get my drift). Naturally, we had to celebrate so we ordered some wine and some champagne and some cocktails to hold us over while they opened other bottles of wine.Alicia and I decided to go out and enjoy (re-live?) our youth. She took me to a place called MoMo's, a big hangout for Giants fans. It was pretty dead when we arrived and we got some very special treatment being that it was Alicia's birthday (probably doesn't hurt that she is beautiful as well). Had a shot to toast her and then a drink. My eyes started to go cross eyed but I said power through it, power through. So I did what any other sensible person in my position would do. I took another shot. Followed closely by another drink. The bar got crazy packed all of a sudden and everybody was talking about what an amazing game it was. Couldn't figure out why because it seemed like they won by a landslide of 8 to 0. I was so gone, I didn't even realize it was some monumental game for the first no hitter by a giant since 1976 or some crap like that. All of a sudden a man dressed up in a panda suit walked in (which still confuses me sober) followed by my infamous words "I'm Done!.
Being that we are now 30, we came home at the respectable time of 11:00pm in which I proceeded to pass out, throw up a few times, and pass out again. Leesh woke me up early in the morning and asked how I was doing. I felt great! Than I sat up:( Oh great, here goes that cross eyed thing again. Took a shower, went a layed down for a bit, put on half of my makeup, layed down for a bit, tried to eat something, layed down a bit, put on the other half of my makeup, layed down. Finally decided that this up and down thing is really not working for me so I just blew dry my hair laying down. What, you ask, am I getting ready for? Oh, just a grand day of wine tasting! Yumm. Just what my tummy is calling for!
We all meet up to drive into Sonoma and my sister takes one look at me and tells me not to puke in her car. Though my girls know me backwards and forwards, I don't think I could ever get anything past my sister. We put on some old school Bay Area rap that we grew up with (Think RBL, Too Short, etc) and laugh at how "gangsta" we used to think that we were. I can only imagine what the people thought when we exited the Infinity after blasting some of the most disgusting songs ever made. Oh Well. We got over it. We get to our first destination, Gloria Ferrer, or however you spell it and they have sparkling wine. To my amazement this (somewhat) settled my stomach. We stayed for a over 2 hours just catching up and reminiscing. That is the thing with these girls. We can talk for hours and hours and never try to come up with new conversation.
We hit up a few more wineries and had lunch in Sonoma Square. We decided to hang out at the Lotus Hotel and have another glass of wine (because we really needed just one more). Naturally, we bump into some guys we went to high school with and got caught up with them even though we were over an hour from where we grew up. Headed back and Leesh convinced me to rebound for night two (I only get a weekend like this a year, so I have to live it up right). Went out to dinner where my stomach still isn't feeling good (seriously, longest hangover I have ever had) and got ready for night two.
We met up with some of my ERAC girls and went to a club. I was one of 4 white girls there so I fit right in. Got to see a Dance Off and kept looking for Randy Jackson to see if he was dancing for America's Best Dance Crew but could not locate him. Evidently these guys were doing this dance off thing for fun. Hmmmm. I am out of it! Finished off a bottle of Grey Goose (between 5 of us girls. What, we couldn't waste!) and headed back.
Finished off the weekend with a nice healthy (read: high calorie) brunch at Sam's in Tiburon. Had a Bloody Mary or two there before my liver started to shut down. Finally got to see Kristin even though our time was too short. We began to talk about our next adventure, where we were going to go, what we are going to do, and when everybody is available to get together. We have an exciting year already (bachelorette party, showers, wedding) to make that many more memories.
I recently finished a book called "The Girls from Ames". It is a nonfiction book about 9 girls and how they have remained friends for 40 years. There is not a doubt in my mind that we will be there a few decades from now. We have dealt with each others first boyfriends, and first breakups, first loves, first marriages. We have dealt with pregnancy, heartache, illness and loss. Through it all, we have found the laughter that is the base of our friendship. I love my girls.
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