Q&A (and brownies) with J.J. Murray discussion
The Venting Soapbox
I feel the same way sometimes, every time my niece watches the sixteen birthday party reality show. The amount of money spent on very spoiled children is only equaled to what politician pay on campaign. It suggest to young people instead of saving for your education, you should spend it all now. If you believe is history repeating itself, look at Rome and the amphitheater. I cringe at the idea that we and our children and the future is falling through the cracks.
The only hope is that we teach our children better and pray that when they are adults they will act and do better as well.
Here is an anecdote to make you can laugh, until I was 14, I wanted to be Janet Jackson, after that I wanted to be Alice Walker or Octavia Butler. I didn't appreciate my family or my mom until I was a mom myself at 21 and realized the wisdom of her ways.
You make a good point, Eugenia. The hope is that they understand or realize what kind of state the world is in. The true problem is I think is that, some young people feel they have time, to do wrong and fix themselves later. Only to find out that later has come before they were ready. They are not thinking about the future and they don't want to prepare for it either. My daughter and I go up the wall, just for her to wake up in the morning and get to school on time. Our young people do not realize how good they have it concerning their education and they are squandering their opportunities and later cry about bias or prejudice.
I wish I could explain it to them and they get it. I am struggling with my own, so I can't really worry about any others right now. However I understand a teacher's frustration.
I am the same way. I didn't realize my mom's wisdom, until I became a mother. Okay, I will use myself as a example. My current career is not my first choice; In retrospect, I realize if I focused more and increased my efforts,I would be in a different position in life, my first choice.
I tell my kid: I want you to do, what you want when you are an adult not what you have to do to survive. A lot of young people are setting themselves up to fail and they don't realize it. It has nothing to do with being young and having time to play, because nothing these days is free. The cost for a kid to have a carefree well-rounded experience is so much. Before it was simple, go outside and play, that is no longer the case.
Despite all this pessimism I still believe they can change and do better. but I still think time is off the essence and some of them won't be able to save themselves unless they change now.
I haaaaaaaaaaaate when girls are under rated in music. I've been on a search for awesome women in music, and I've found few. I'm not really into punk. The punkiest I get is the Runaways, and ONE single Sleater-Kinney song.But I know a lot of guys who won't touch girl music 'cause they think girls suck in music.
Again I will say I see your point. Believe or not I may sound like a meanie but I am softee mom sometimes. You could say the stress of the world is getting to me and I worry about the future. Otherwise I do what I can to help my kid and family and write.
Mod
I made a tour of the IR romance titles on Amazon just to see what folks are writing--and buying. Here are my observations:
1) Folks will pay .99-2.99 for what are essentially short stories delivered to their Kindles, and then they'll complain that the "novel" (I use that term loosely) was "too short and wasn't developed enough." Gimme a break. You saw the size of the file. You saw the cost. What did you expect? I still think Amazon should list page count in Kindle books since some people are obviously challenged when it comes to file sizes.
2) The covers are becoming soft-core porn, yet when you read the product description, you don't "feel" that heat. Yes, sex sells, but when the cover doesn't match the story, the reader has to feel cheated. Whatever happened to nice, ordinary folks on the covers with their clothes on?
3) The plots (in general now, don't nail me for a specific book) involve unreal people in unreal situations. I know reading is an escape, and I've provided quite a few escapes, but entire novels populated by unreal people in unreal situations belong on the fantasy shelf. I have no problem with putting real people in unreal situations (or unreal people in real situations), but too much unreality leaves the reader thinking: "This would never happen." There has to be a kernel of truth in every novel I read.
4) In general (again, don't fuss at me for a specific title), readers are aghast at the lack of editing of many of the Kindle titles. Um, DUH! Get your work cleaned up before you sell it. You're making the IR genre look bad!
I feel better now. Your thoughts?
I remember here. I also read your complaint somewhere else JJ. Readers and some writers voicing their adamant opinion of the low quality of IR fiction. I don't recall if it was in this group or another. I do remember typing that writing was an evolving skill or some junk. It was still galling folks though. I didn't get a kindle, I have a nook and what happens there is happening here as well.
I think people are forgetting that e-books are the ugly boy band starting to get cute, with a hit single and money.
I think people are forgetting that e-books are the ugly boy band starting to get cute, with a hit single and money. ROTF JO!
I have gotten three e-readers for b-day or Christmas over the past two years. I regifted because I refuse. I like the feel of opening a book, you know?
But it's a durn shame what's happening to the book world all around. What about these editors who are putting these flops out there? Aren't they the gatekeepers to what we all are forced to read?
It is sad to say that everyone is looking out for self and the dollar. The sad part is that, the blockbusters are not that original just a new spin. i.e. Harry Potter and Hogwarts vs Mildred Hubble and Miss Cackle's Academy for witches. Twilight(teenage angst + forbidden love + war and death)=Romeo and Juliet( only proving that 500 years ago ppl couldn't keep their teenagers in line either.)FYI just because I have an e-readers doesn't mean I stopped buying books. It means I buy more at a 20% discount for now. Due to my preference I like serials, so I will most likely buy some books to keep the set together. Also not all books are on an e-format. I had to request for e-publishing for at least three books I wanted to read, one was a book by you J.J.
This means if the readers are weak, the publishers are not willing.
Vacirca wrote: "I think people are forgetting that e-books are the ugly boy band starting to get cute, with a hit single and money. ROTF JO!
I have gotten three e-readers for b-day or Christmas over the pa..."
No they are the gatekeepers of making money, as long as they see potential green, you'll keep getting this mess.
I have a e-reader on my iPhone and I love it. It's nice to have a such a large selection of books to choose from at once but like you Jo, I still like reading books too and I buy them often. I've got about 30 books on the iPhone, best thing about Kindle they give all the classics for free so I'm overloading on my classics library. Books I'd lost at a child, it's great. And yes some of the IRs I read in the e-format are just well, some of the editing leaves much to be desired, some of the writing leaves much to be desired LOL.
I know what you mean Eugenia. I have a nook device ,kindle and sudible.com on my computers. I have still bought books I couldn't find on their list, because I wanted them. I have no idea if that sounds weird or not. but that is just how it is.
Jo wrote: "I know what you mean Eugenia. I have a nook device ,kindle and sudible.com on my computers. I have still bought books I couldn't find on their list, because I wanted them. I have no idea if that..."Nope, sounds about right.
Oops that was a typo, audible.com b/c I liked to read to while doing the dishes. Who knew there was a sudible.com, it sounds like is has something to to with soap.
Mod
I resisted ... and once I started ...
I can stop anytime I want. I can. Really. (In fact, I have. I much prefer this forum. That FB stuff is so random. Okay, it's too random for me).
A beef: There are so many "friends" who I do not even know, and there are "suggested friends" as if the Facebook gods know me better than I know myself. How can they suggest friends to me after I've only been on there for an hour? What would I say? "Hello, suggested friend. A computer program/network suggested that you be my friend. I suggest you be my friend."
J.J. wrote: "After years of putting it off, I joined Facebook.I resisted ... and once I started ...
I can stop anytime I want. I can. Really. (In fact, I have. I much prefer this forum. That FB stuff is so ..."
Ahh you've come over to the dark side LOL. It is all random especially all that stuff your 'friends' put up. I know you can't do this as a big-time author but really I only friend people I know in real life, it's boring but whatever and it's a good way for me to stay in touch with family out of town and peep in on my nieces and nephews to make sure they stay out of trouble. LOL. Now I'm going to 'friend' you, it sounds so menacing
Ahhhh venting about Facebook! That tastes even better than malted milk balls. Well, JJ, you did say in the beginning that anything goes, so...Truth is:
I HATE FACEBOOK!
I don't think, personally, that it brings people together. I think it's helping to keep people apart.
I feel this way because I come from a large family--greatgrandma had 16 children, and most of them had at least 4 kids. Escaping Haiti, we moved all over, but many of us live in NY. We all used to be close, my family members and I. We actually used to pick up a phone and call every once in a while. We used to actually do things together, like for holidays, b-days, graduations, etc.
We used to actually talk!
NOW: it's "yo, hit me on Facebook."
"Yeah, I heard you just had surgery. Your mom told me. That's why I posted a 'get well' for you on my wall on Facebook." (Duh, you take your behind and visit that person, man!)
Hey, I got married last weekend. Why didn't you come to the wedding?...Yeah I sent invites through FACEBOOK. What? You ain't get it?" I mean how ghetto is that? You can't send out invitations like normal brides, heffa? You just post the EVENT on Facebook?
I mean it has its priviledges right? I guess it might help with networking or keeping in touch with family that is out of state/country. I just hate how my own family, the ones that live close by, is all about connecting to Facebook these days. I keep telling those fools that interacting on Facebook does not constitute a family gathering. LOL.
The old folks in our family need the young people to check on them sometimes. They ain't thinking about Facebook. My greataunt kept asking to see pictures of her greatgrandsons-the twins. I had to actually let her see them on my cousin's Facebook page. Why? 'Cause she has been asking for pics of the boys for the past nine months and hasn't gotten any yet. That made me sad for her. I called that counsin and told her if she has time to keep updating pics online, she can take her behind to a CVS, and print out pics to mail to her grandmother. The old folks need to see their nieces, nephews, grandchildren. The younger people don't get it. They keep expecting their eighty-something grandmas and great aunts to suddenly get on Facebook so they can chat.
It's foolishness.
But still, LOL, I also have a Facebook page. My brother made it for me because he was sick of my family members or my old friends asking him if I had a page yet. He was mortified that I missed the MY SPACE craze. I'd refused to do it as well, cause frankly the whole thing seems kinda annoying. I do like sites like this one though. Bro is still angry that I don't have a pic to post online. And I will get one on I guess, but who cares? I go on it every few weeks when I get an email from Facebook. As a matter of fact, I went on Facebook today for the first time in long while, after I got this email about a friend request. Uh, thanks.
Well it's nice to talk to my family but I can't talk to all my family at once they're all over the country. So it's a good way to stay in touch but good lord I'd never send an invite for anything over the FB, so not classy. I wouldn't invite people to birthday party over it, I'd used e-vite LOL. Take it for what it is, it's just for fun but I do get the feeling that unfortunately for young people, they will have absolutely no social skills and won't be able to spell for crap. LOL.
I have a lot of thoughts on your vent Vee. We are going to agree to disagree on somethings. Like labeling stupidity as ghetto. It is term that irks, me. I mean ppl forgot what the word ghetto actually meant. So its like any definition works, "I'm ghetto, so I don't play that.", "She is so ghetto to wear that." I agree that relying only on facebook is also stupid. However I am guilty. I will send a birthday shout-out on facebook or text, although I plan to call later on and never get to. I believe sometimes is better than nothing.
My family has spread across the East Coast. Facebook lets everyone know the others are still alive. A phone call would be better, but other issues in life take precedent.
I understand the older folks are not tech savvy. That is why I became tech support for my parents and uncle.
I also believe ppl put out to much information on fb and other social sites. We type things we wouldn't say in crowded room and post pics that should only be for our eyes only.
P.S. Vee, you are my friend on facebook, join petville so I can build my castle. Or join my clique on it girl.
I don't put anything on any social site including this one, that I couldn't put on a billboard. If you use that you'll be more careful about what you put all social sites. Because those updates and tweets are kept at the Library of Congress. A friend of mine who does patent/trademark law told me about that after she took a CLE. I was shocked.
Hey folks, how you feel as blessed as I do that the weekend is here.Jo, people use "ghetto" in a variety of ways. For me, "ghetto" is not about poverty. Some folks have made being ghetto a lifestyle, whether they have money or not. I know lots of poor folk that are quite classy and carry themselves well, and well-off folks who do not. Case in point: my cousin sending an EVENT NOTIFICATION for her wedding on facebook then getting annoyed cause folks did not attend. That was a hood or ghettofied move by my definition. Seriously, if it was that important to her, why didn't she send out appropiate invitations or at least follow up with a call? Five years ago, she would have.
As educated as I am, I like to use slang in informal settings. I also use the term "hood," as in, "that was so 'hood'" but anyway, to each her/his own. Shucks, I've been known to act a bit ghetto, trifling, hood or stupid myself at times, when I was younger, so I can recognize it when I see it.
Yes, anyone can lack class aka be ghetto, rich or poor. I've seen very classy people with not a lot of money and I've seen rich 'ghetto' people too. That's a mindset not something that is based on income or even race. And the wedding notification over the facebook is like, come on please. I'm having a small wedding, only family and close friends so only like 30 people and they all know about the wedding but I wouldn't do the facebook thing, everyone is receiving a actual proper invitation, my grandmother would roll over in her grave.
I also just want to say that I don't want to come across as a hyprocrite or some pseudo-rage-against-the-machine-type. I personally like certain aspects of this networking stuff that is available. I enjoy, for example, these blog sites or chat sites like goodreads, and I like sharing with you folks. I ain't knocking those who use Facebook as a way to connect either. I believe that's why God allowed man to progress technologically. It serves a purpose. I just don't think it should take the place of face-to-face or verbal contact when it's not necessary, that's all. But again, it's my own vent about what I have seen happening. I used my family to vent, but it's happening with people outside of my family. I just feel the world is taking the texting, Facebook, BBM, Twitter thing etc too far. Case in point, there was a girl who was planning to use Youtube to broadcast losing her virginity. I mean come on. I agree with Eugenia, people--not just young people--are failing to develop or maintain social skills and not because they use these sites, but because these sites are taking the place of actual relationships, in my humble opinion.
As for your invite, Jo, to join petville...ahhhh, well I have a question: Although I appreciate your willingness to invite me, if we chat on goodreads, won't we just be repeating conversations on those other sites? LOL. Again another pet peeve. See, I don't mean to insult you with my response, but seriously, how many sites do people need to "connect" or say the same things to each other? Maybe it is not that way with you, but I sure see that mess going on with friends of mine and relatives. LOL. I'm just blown away by that. My friends/family email about something first, then text, then tweet, then post on Facebook, then post on BBM, then whatever else. I mean am I crazy, or is that a bit much?
I never decline requests when they are sent to me, because although I have my feelings about how foolish people are getting with this stuff, I wouldn't want to hurt someone's feelings just to prove a point. So, Jo, you can send a thingamajingy from your other sites and I will accept.
"I wouldn't do the facebook thing, everyone is receiving a actual proper invitation, my grandmother would roll over in her grave".Exactly! It was straight-up hood.
Vee, I think they are more social sites than we can count. A new one wanted to be the next best thing is always popping up. On facebook, I linked up with a whole lot of family and friends I knew growing up. However what I do most of facebook is play the games they provide, Yoville, vampire wars, cafeworld, petville, fishville, farmville, island paradise, frontierville and itgirl etc. Yes I know I am OD but that just happens, family and friends beg you to help them out and then you are hooked with a farm and cafe.
Your cousin's fb invite was cheap. Even if you didn't want to pay for the cards and mail, a phone call would have been better. Especially for old folks who want to see everyone married.
The ghetto-thing is an irk, nothing I should have really vented about. I was just passing my opinion, forgive me, I live with teenagers and so much is the g-word.
@ Eugenia, I heard from Margaret Atwood, who is the reigning Twitter Queen and published author, on a radio show that anyone who tweeted is considered a published author and responsible for what ever they post. So folks I am a published writer and I didn't even know it.
Jo wrote: "Vee, I think they are more social sites than we can count. A new one wanted to be the next best thing is always popping up. On facebook, I linked up with a whole lot of family and friends I knew ..."
And that's why your tweets are in the Library of Congress, when I tell my paralegal students that they all gasp. But because as a paralegal when I worked I had ethics issues, I still have a duty of confidentiality to all my past clients, it gets sticky when you start running your mouth too much all over the web. And you're right, social networking is big time. I get what you're saying about 'ghetto', my nieces and nephews say things sometimes that make me cringe. Then I have to give them the Auntie Punkin 'furrowed brow' look, you don't want that one LOL.
LOL. My friend a while back was fired because of stuff she was posting about her boss on one of her sites. Man! I tried to console her but then again why are you saying all of this about your boss who is listed as one of your "friends" or whatever it was. I think if you have a blog where your goal is to share your opinion, that is different. Matter of fact, friends of mine have been encouraging me to blog. Eugenia, you mentioned blogging. What do you use your site for?
Hey Jo! Congrats on your first publication...
Actually I have 1301 publications. I tweet about 7 times a week. Teehee.
Vacirca wrote: "LOL. My friend a while back was fired because of stuff she was posting about her boss on one of her sites. Man! I tried to console her but then again why are you saying all of this about your bo..."My blogging site is used to talk about me and my sweetie planning our wedding, talking about what movies, television and music I like, complaining about wedding planning LOL, wondering about crazy stuff I see people doing, ogling good looking men, and encouraging more bw to open up their dating options. Like I said I don't say anything I wouldn't say to people's face. I don't say anything about my job or anyone at my job, that's a no-no.
My philosophy about using the internet is like what is said in MacBeth. "What is done cannot be undone?" When I choose to talk, I choose my words carefully. If I am talking about someone they are anonymous. I am using you Eugenia as an example. I can't find your sweetie in the phonebook. I also sure he is one of many sweeties in the world. I talk mostly about situations or myself. I wanted to post on fb notes but I realized that everything I said would be read by ppl I don't necessary want to talk to. I did join the "Don't give an F club" on facebook but it turned that I did.
Somethings that are posted on the internet should be treated like Vegas. However I am not surprised about Vee's friend. She is not the only one, that got caught in that trap.
There was an art teacher a while back, who got fired b/c she was the model in a nude pictures by a photographer. It happened in Texas. An angry student found out about her on the internet and told his equally snobby parents. Not porn folks and nude like the Micheal Angelo's David.
When I talk to my students about using the internet on their free time when they work in the legal field, I always say what I said above. If you can't put it on a billboard for all the world to see, don't put it on the internet. I used to work my county's Sheriff Office in the Legal department and of course with FOIA, we did public disclosure on all government info including employees so if a officer had been convicted in an internal investigation anybody could ask for it and get it. And believe me I saw many an internal investigation where these folks had stuff on the internet, especially scandalous photos and I'd shake my head, why oh why. LOL.
In the artist teacher's case I don't think she was ashamed of the nude pics. The School board in her county felt it was inappropriate and fired her. She didn't fight it because she didn't feel she wanted to be in the oppressive school system any longer. Many of us myself included forget that the internet is an electronic trail to us. Some of us tend to create the raunchy persona and become shocked when ppl who see it give them the weird eye.
I have vented all I can on this issue. If someone has something else to say please disregard the sentence after this one.
I don't care who reads this or where is goes in Washington. The MTA of NYC are crooks, they are a state government monopoly bullying the residents of NYC. I hate them. They destroyed their workers insurance and the dept. heads are cronies.
If you don't have issues with saying, I'm sure no is gonna die if you see it. LOL. What I'm talking about are ethics issues, that involve the law, which can get you fired, fined, sued, or jailed. Fired not so bad, sued, fined, and jail sucks. Most public employees in this state are under ethics rules but I'm also still under ethical obligations as a paralegal, those are set out by statute.
Wow, I keep missing so many comments!Eugenia said "If you can't put it on a billboard for all the world to see, don't put it on the internet."
--I agree, in the case of my friend, her boss was listed in her group of "friends" or whatever the site calls contacts, but since her boss rarely "speaks" she said she forgot that cause she has so many. So I guess her boss was keeping track. On the day she was terminated, her boss said she didn't mind the venting so much, because people tend to vent about their employers, especially when their employers are tough. What her boss was concerned about was the fact that it made her company look bad. The comments my friend made about the company in general and the direction her boss (its owner) was taking it in was bad for business. How can they secure PR clients if the employees are ragging the owner, company, clients they serve, and their projects? At the time, I tried to be a good friend and console her, etc but I had to admit, I agreed with the boss. I have said things about my boss lately, especially when she made come in during those snow storms even when we knew no clients would show up for their sessions. I remember telling her, "I am so mad at you that I had to vent about you online." She asked why. I told her to remember that not everyone can afford to live in downtown Manhattan so I didn't appreciate her forcing me to come in to wait when we knew that no one would show up, especially since no one else did because they straight up ignored her directive to folks. I asked her to remember that her commute was 15 minutes. Mine was 1 hour and 45 minutes due to weather. She laughed and said as blunt as I can be, she'd rather have me place it online then tell her off to her face. But I wouldn't tell her off because she is my boss, and the Bible says to respect authorities in your life. I do stick up for myself though.
speaking of commuting in NY (City and 'burbs)
To Jo: what you said about the MTA? You ain't said nothing but a word. Less service for more money per fare? If that isn't crooked, I don't know what is.
Mod
Our church has moved from the old, drafty converted shoe repair shop to have services at the Salem Civic Center. We knew we might not be "alone" in our parlor, but this weekend, the annual bridal show was in town.
Folks sure do show out (I mean, up) for those things.
Just as I began my sermon, a calypso band (steel drums, too) began playing "Red, Red Wine" forty feet from our parlor door.
It seemed to be the only song the band knew.
They played it for twenty-five minutes.
Some of my congregation began bobbing their heads.
I nearly changed my sermon to Jesus' first miracle at Cana ... (water into wine).
And I bet I've put that song into your head just now. Try getting rid of it. Go ahead.
First, congrats on your new place of worship.Second,
ROTF!!! LOL That's my jam!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXt56M...
Yes, congrats on your new place of worship. Wouldn't that have apropos or does your church not do first Sunday communion? LOL.
I was a big UB40 Fan. Here I am baby take me by the hand!
This has been bothering me for a couple of days. I have to ask:What has happened to the men of today?
So I was at an MTA express bus stop in the Bronx, so I can get into Manhattan to work. As I was standing in this group, we observed a very young couple having an argument. Although both the girl and guy looked grown and the guy was very tall and built, you could tell they were high school students because they were wearing private high school uniforms. The young man began screaming and cursing at the girl and calling her everything but her name. She starts crying and tries to walk away from this young man. He grabs her arm, starts hitting her in the face, and finally pushes her to the ground. I call the cops right then. Then I rush over to them and tell this young fool to leave her alone and walk away, that I have called the cops. He starts screaming at me to mind my business and also starts cursing me out. He advances on me saying is going to cut my throat and all kinds of mess. Finally another older woman gets involved and says to him, "Young man, I don't know what your problem is, but you need to stop what you're doing and just leave. Don't get yourself in trouble with the police. Leave this girl alone. Just go." The young boy starts screaming at that lady. He even gets up close jabs his finger in her face like he was about to hit her. But once he hears the sirens, he finally runs off.
I turn to the group and there were three men standing at this bus stop. Not one tried to help the girl getting beat up, not one tried to assist me in helping the girl, or assist the second woman who tried to assist the both of us.
So I was old-Vacirca-angry, like before I got saved angry. I turn to the group and say as calmly as possible, "So you so-called men were just going to stand there and let that crazy boy hit this girl and not do anything?!" The older woman says, "I can't believe what's going on here. No one even tried to help that girl or us."
Two look away, but one of the guys shrugs and says, "it wasn't our business. What could we do?"
Luckily the girl told the police what happened and I think they took her home to speak to her parents. I told my brother and he got angry with me, saying I could have been hurt, but I don't regret jumping in. She could have been my little sister, niece, or in this day and age, even my daughter--she was 16. I could not let her get beat up on in the middle of the street like that. And I would not have had to get involved if at least one of those men said something to that boy. Or tried.
Still, I have to ask: what is happening to the men in this society?
Mod
I chose to go to Domino’s to pick up some pizzas before the Super Bowl two Sundays ago at around 5:45, 45 minutes before kickoff. I thought it wouldn’t be crowded.
It was crowded.
As soon as I opened the door, I squeezed inside and heard a man cursing out the manager, the girl at the counter, and several customers behind him because his pizza wasn’t ready, he had things to do, why aren’t you doing your filthin’-filth job? You know the type. His need was more important than anyone else’s need, there was no one else in the universe more important than him at that moment, and he had to let everyone know.
A father in a Steelers hardhat quietly asked the man to watch his language in front of his kids.
The angry man replied, “It isn’t anything she hasn’t heard before.”
The man in the Steelers hardhat said a little louder, “Not in my house.”
Someone said “Amen.”
The woman next to me said, “Y’all need Jesus.”
Several people smiled.
The cursing man shut up.
A man in a Steelers hardhat and the name of Jesus calmed everyone down at the Domino’s on Peters Creek Road on Super Bowl Sunday.
Mod
“Imagine This” by Amy and J. J. Murray
Imagine livin’ in a place
With lots of space
Where everything has a time and a place
Sometimes I wonder where your head’s at
Look how we could live
Just imagine that
Imagine me, comin’ home smilin’
Food on the table and the dishes all shinin’
Floor’s so clean got your tennis shoes cryin’
Dish rag chillin’ on the sink—dryin’.
Imagine me, walkin’ into your room
Bed made, clothes away, floor swept with a broom
Front page picture in the Roanoke Tribune
Oh my Lawd, they used the vacuum!
Imagine that, picture this scene
Come home from work and the whole house is clean
No dirty clothes in the washin’ machine
I pinch myself—is this a dream?
Imagine this, I don’t trip on your shoes
Don’t have to shout, “Lawd, who’s is this, whose?”
Don’t plunge the toilet cuz of tissue you abuse
Don’t have to wipe the seat—eww.
Imagine me, walkin’ into the den
And it’s not lookin’ like a pig pen
Something’s fishy here this isn’t the trend
Scottie must have beamed up my kids then
I imagine
We imagine
Look around us
It’s not happenin’
Repeat
Lawd, Lawd, Lawd. Kids puh-leaze do your chores or else your parents will go all Hip Hop on you. JJ did you beatbox too? LOL. My stars.
Naw it was funny.
Hey JJ Murray, do you think that man would have helped that woman at Dominos if his own children weren't being exposed to filth?
Then again, you guys live in the south...well, more south than NYC anyway.
Mod
I had been on the receiving end of customer complaints like his while working 2 1/2 years at a Little Caesars. I was mainly on the delivery end of things, and that's often where the most vociferous complaints were made. Folks generally complain most on their home turf. The managers I worked for would bend over backwards (and kiss the store's profits goodbye) daily to jerks like him.
If you complain in America, you get rewarded. If you give in to complaints, you lose your profit margin. How did we get to be such an impatient people?
I blame Microsoft ... :)
I would never argue with anyone preparing my food, in fact I think I am extra nice. I blame 1980's and the me generation under the guidance of Regan who spawned their evil that we are still reeling from today. United States citizen are whiny cry babies ( I am a member). I think we have been that way since Japan almost too control of the car market( also in the 80's)
I also will like to state some sick sad truths.
1. I don't think that hardhat man would have said anything if his kids were not there.
Do you remember a hiphop song called "What would you do"? It was about a young man recognizing childhood friend who was now a stripper.
2. Those men would have watched the teen girl get beaten. You too Vee and the old lady. And they would post it on youtube.
a. Their reason it wasn't our business
b. It is a possibility that the girl
could have turned on you. She could
have told you stay out of her business.
(It has happened to me.)
3. Men aren't the only ones, women would watch it too and say the same thing.
4. You did a very good and brave thing.
JO said: "Those men would have watched the teen girl get beaten. You too Vee and the old lady. And they would post it on youtube.Yeah girl, I bet a couple of folks were out there filming it on their I-Phones. I tell you my bro was so mad for my getting involved but then I got mad at him. I kept asking if he, as a big ol' 6-2 270lb, chunk of man would he have allowed that child get messed up. He said the same thing you said Jo, that when he was a bouncer at a club during college, he tried to help a girl out, she tried to beat up on him! But so what? Just because some girls choose to be punching bags doesn't mean that's the case for everyone.
But if that child told me to stay out of her business...humph. Maybe I would have turned around and slapped her too like I was her mama ...kidding.
To see young people, women, in those violent relationships troubles me. And the girls are gettng younger and younger. And I don't understand it, no matter how many trainings I've completed on "battered women syndrome" or "Family therapy for domestic violence intervention" etc. I had a boyfriend hit me once. It still, almost 13 years later, makes me cringe. When I was about 19, I was seeing this guy for about five months. I was headed to his house to hang out one day when I was home from school for spring break. I had parked my car across the street from where he and his buddies, and their girls, were on his steps (drinking beers and other things). Before I crossed the street, a guy stopped to ask me directions. Then he complimented me and asked my name. I was polite but ended the conversation quickly, knowing my boyfriend was watching me like a hawk. As soon as I got to his steps, he grabbed me and cursed me out for talking to this guy and "trying to play him in front of [his] peoples." His friends and people on the street were watching but did nothing to stop him. I kept trying to push him off of me. He slapped me a couple of times then grabbed my throat. I reached over and grabbed one of those beers from his little bucket and banged it right on his head. Almost took his eye out. Then I ran.
He tried to reach me for a couple of days by phone, leaving messages on my machine, saying how he was drunk and didn't mean it blah blah. My mother, whom I told what happened, told me that if I answered one of his calls she would break my fingers LOL. He actually had the nerve to show up to my house a few days later probably to talk bout how sorry he was. It was hilarious. My mother was the one who got the door when we saw it was him. When he asked to speak to me, and my mother said in her high-pitched Haitian voice, "Oh yeah? You want to see my daughter? Okay, she's right here. Let me get her for you." Then she ran to the kitchen and came back with this rather large, cerrated knife that she used to use to cut meat. She barked at me to stay inside. She got to the door and said, "Yes, Josh, here she is. You have something you want to say to her?" She practically ran him off the steps with the knife, screaming, "I thought you had something to say to my daughter, Josh? What happened? You asked to speak to my daughter. Why are you leaving so soon?"
I never saw or heard from him again.
He learned two things:
1)Some women don't take abuse because they will fight back.
2)Some women--even tiny, five-foot ones, will cut you.
He's lucky I didn't tell my brother, father, uncles or even cousins. He could have really been hurt but I didn't want anyone to go to jail.
Oh well. I hope that young girl has a support system to help her walk away from that abusive relationship before it gets worse.
Vee, He may have also learned not to come to someone's house wrong and strong.
Are we going to read aspects of your mom in your stories? She is classic!!
Another sad reality is that not everyone has the support to get out of the bad relationship. That young girl has more than three paths leading to a bad place. Think about it, you said they were in school uniforms, What if that guy, is the cool handsome guy everybody wants? Her friends will be telling her to forgive him, her rivals may try to turn everyone against her. High School is evil, that way.
I read some where that in a small town, a rape victim, who was also a cheerleader was forced by school faculty to cheer for the athlete that raped her! Her family is suing them.
I cringe everyday my baby goes there. She will comeback with stories of girls turning on one girl and beating her up in the hallway until security comes to break it up. Or a girl and boy arguing and he is calling her all kinds of whore and everyone is fine with it b/c they saw it or some s#!t.
I told my daughter to never condemn any girl even if you know her action aren't right. It is not your place to judge and you don't know what is sending her to that place.
I think feminism and sisterhood is basically dead to the newest generation.
I joined the PTA but my job is keeping me out of the school. I get updates from the president though. When the Mayor decided to make every principal a "CEO" of their school it was the worst thing he had ever done. So many schools are like Vegas, meaning what happens there stays there unless there is a death. The children's moral are in septic tanks and all the department of Ed can think about is charter schools.
Okay so my venting went from one thing to another, but it is all connected.
I believe March is anti-bully month. Anyone has any ideas to get through to children?
Like Christiana in The Real Thing, I have a problem with celebrities and their worship by mindless masses who find celebs' every burp, toot, tweet, mishap, DWI, trip to rehab, body part replacement or enhancement, and ridiculous outfit to be somehow holy--and important.
The deterioration of our economy is important. The overcrowding and underfunding of public schools is important. The widening gap between the have's and have not's in this country is important. Health care and its rising costs are important. Rising unemployment is important. Heck, the potholes I dodge on my daily commute are important.
What a celebrity said, did, didn't say, or didn't do on often a minute-by-minute basis is not important--and you can tweet me on that.
I do not care who is cheating on whom ... though I do feel for the cheat-ee. I do not care if Brangelina adopts an Icelandic, Himalayan, or Fijian child. I do not care if athletes who play with balls for millions of dollars--whether they play or not--are unhappy with their playing time while the rest of us are just glad to find work.
Celebrity worship has to end. I ask my students every year who their heroes are, who they admire, who they look up to, and it's a shame they pick the very people I inherently despise. "What about your parents or grandparents? What about a teacher or coach? What about a writer or artist who inspired you?" I get blank stares. I won't trouble you with their lists.
I've depressed you (and myself!) enough as it is.