1) Eating outside. I am not sure what it is about Southern California and the constant need to be outside. Yes, we have beauitful weather for walking and running and swimming. But must I always eat outside under the baking sun with an unrelenting assault of leaves and tree bits attacks my plate?
2)Furry boots and short skirts. Again, I am not sure what is it about Southern California and the need to where what looks like winter boots with appears to be a handkerchief masquerading as a skirt. Its a juxtaposition that I don't understand and quite frankly think is silly.
3)The overly agressive driver in the jalopy. I can't tell you how many times I have been cut off while driving to work, by some idiot who is barrelling down the freeway in the broken up, sad clown car version of a 1999 civic. Unlike, the beamer and the benz that regularly mash out my saturn, your car is not fun to look at or aerodynamically pleasing. Its just annoying. So instead of buying that super muffler that sets off car alarms, can you please just get the rear bumper fixed so you can take the packing tape off? Thanks.
4)Spirit Airlines. Haven't heard them? Good, because they are the nickel and dime kings and queens. Want to check your bag? $40! Want to bring a carry-on bag onto the plane? $35! Want to pick your seat in advance? $5! Want something to drink on the plane? $3 (including water)! Oh and by the way... those fees are just for one way, suckas......
5) The debt ceiling debate. I wish everyone would stop trying to be cute and just solve the problem. The country will continue to run at a deficit no matter much or how little you raise the ceiling... so just do it!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Julian Bond is awesome
Last night, Andre and I went to a Zocalo event last night at the Peterson Auto Museum . It was a discussion betweent he awesome Warren Olney and former NAACP chair Julian Bond. The civil rights leader was eveything that you would hope for: charasmatic, charming, witty, sharp, and funny. He recounted several stories from his days at the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee as well as fondly remembering his days at Morehouse college, specifically in a philiosphy class taught by Dr. King.
One of the best moments of the evening was Mr. Boond describing his views on LGBT issue and the black community. He actually "boycotted" Coretta Scott King's funeral because it was held in a church that openly discriminated against gays in the church and had an anti-gay marriage policy. He told stories of how Coretta Scott King was a huge gay rights activist and would have been appalled to know that her service was taking place there. I respect him for trying honor what he thought her wishes might have been.
He also spoke about how President Obama was disappointing him, but that every other president had disappointed his as well, so there is nothing particularly special about that. He also remarked that he felt somewhat naive in anticpating the kind of negativity that the Republican party has throwing toward the president. He recalled his continuing surprise with the effort and willingness of the Republicans to throw the country into debt and chaos so that Obama wouldn't get his way.
Lastly, he told great stories about Dr Barnes and Lincoln college after someone in the audience asked about his Dad and the documentary called "The Art of the Steal". If you haven't watched it, go do so, its great.
Sadly, the question and answer section og the evening was quite short and I didn't get to ask either of the questions I had, which were:
1) As the black community struggles to maintain and achieve progress, how can we look at the dissolution of the black family unit as part of teh problem and what can we do to mend it?
2)I wanted to know what his thoughts were on the Justice department recently announcing that they would not reopen the Malcolm X murder case because they did not view it as a pressing matter or him to be a significant enough person of interest.
What would you ask Julian Bond?
Here is a link to the artcle from last night (AND.... a photo of Andre and I in the audience!)
http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/07/25/the-names-bond-julian-bond/read/the-takeaway/
One of the best moments of the evening was Mr. Boond describing his views on LGBT issue and the black community. He actually "boycotted" Coretta Scott King's funeral because it was held in a church that openly discriminated against gays in the church and had an anti-gay marriage policy. He told stories of how Coretta Scott King was a huge gay rights activist and would have been appalled to know that her service was taking place there. I respect him for trying honor what he thought her wishes might have been.
He also spoke about how President Obama was disappointing him, but that every other president had disappointed his as well, so there is nothing particularly special about that. He also remarked that he felt somewhat naive in anticpating the kind of negativity that the Republican party has throwing toward the president. He recalled his continuing surprise with the effort and willingness of the Republicans to throw the country into debt and chaos so that Obama wouldn't get his way.
Lastly, he told great stories about Dr Barnes and Lincoln college after someone in the audience asked about his Dad and the documentary called "The Art of the Steal". If you haven't watched it, go do so, its great.
Sadly, the question and answer section og the evening was quite short and I didn't get to ask either of the questions I had, which were:
1) As the black community struggles to maintain and achieve progress, how can we look at the dissolution of the black family unit as part of teh problem and what can we do to mend it?
2)I wanted to know what his thoughts were on the Justice department recently announcing that they would not reopen the Malcolm X murder case because they did not view it as a pressing matter or him to be a significant enough person of interest.
What would you ask Julian Bond?
Here is a link to the artcle from last night (AND.... a photo of Andre and I in the audience!)
http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/07/25/the-names-bond-julian-bond/read/the-takeaway/
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Feeling like your age, but in a good way...
Are you one of those people who are soooo mature for his/her age? Well, I was for a very long time. Even now at 29, people still say that I far more mature than they were at my age. Silly me, I thought that once you graduated from college, you needed to buckle down and become an adult, requiring at least some maturity. And oddly enough as a teenager, someone telling you how mature you are seems like such a compliment (probably because when you are a teenager, being an adult seems so awesome). But now as an almost-thirty year old, not quite quite so awesome, and actually, I might even call it a little condscending. I know that its meant as a complement, but seriously, if the standard of 30 has fallen so low that we are still applauding people's maturity, then I am concerned for all of us born in the eighties and later.
Personally, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be. And of course the operative word in that sentance is "I". Where I am is certainly not were some of my friends are, but that is ok for them. An employed, no-kid-having, grad-school-pondering, home and 401k- owning Angelno is ok for me. My friends and I are staring down 30's door and seriously, some of them are freaking out. I don't entirely get it, but I imagine it is similar to what my mom went through when she turned 40. For me, thirty seems pretty cool. I mean, I have most of the complicated stuff figured out: career, check. Husband, check. Home, check. identity, check. Dog, check. And of course, maturity, check. So when I look at 30, there are so many things already established, it just seems like it should be a breeze. All except for the kid thing, I am good to go for 30.
Personally, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be. And of course the operative word in that sentance is "I". Where I am is certainly not were some of my friends are, but that is ok for them. An employed, no-kid-having, grad-school-pondering, home and 401k- owning Angelno is ok for me. My friends and I are staring down 30's door and seriously, some of them are freaking out. I don't entirely get it, but I imagine it is similar to what my mom went through when she turned 40. For me, thirty seems pretty cool. I mean, I have most of the complicated stuff figured out: career, check. Husband, check. Home, check. identity, check. Dog, check. And of course, maturity, check. So when I look at 30, there are so many things already established, it just seems like it should be a breeze. All except for the kid thing, I am good to go for 30.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)