Quote of the Day

"Mom, when it's cold and it rains, it's called snow."

Praying for good weather tomorrow.

Bad Behavior

Tonight I took the subway home, carrying my grocery bags. The trains were crowded and running behind. I got on the train when it did come and had to stand in the middle of the train without holding on to anything. When it got to the next stop, the man who had been standing behind me shoved me aside. I elbowed him; it was probably a bad idea, but I did it on impulse. He turned around and shoved me. He got all up in my face and yelled, "Take it easy lady!" I was shocked, because he pushed me but also because I think "lady" is usually reserved for woman older than me. I heard a few "Whoa"s behind me. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, but he was gone.

Irony Alert

I can't tell the difference between sincerety and sarcasm anymore. We spend so much of our time being brash and cynical, that when people put on their serious faces I don't know when to stop laughing.

I think it started when I read McSweeney's tribute to Amanda Davis, and thought it was a witty little satire. Yeah, asshole.

But today was a cavalcade of profound obtusity and galling ignorance.

First from Jezebel's post about Donda West. Look, she was by all accounts a great woman, amazing scholar and devoted mom, but when did not speaking ill of the dead become lauding them in (embarrasingly) extravagent ways? Why, as a society, do we have to canonize the recently deceased? It just rings hollow. How many of these people even knew her name yesterday or could identify her picture?

Then on a forum that I occasionaly read, I ran across this gem in a thread devoted to current events:

The other thing, that I think bothers people is the fact that many immigrants from Mexico in particular refuse to learn English. In some cases they get huffy if you don't speak Spanish. I think it is about more than just race, a lot of it has to do with what many see as lack of assimilation: many Mexican immigrants don't come here to become Americans. At least this is what I read in my local paper practically everyday.
I'm all for people speaking multiple languages, but one should not have to learn another language just to get by in ones own country. And honestly I think we are doing our children our huge disservice - the language of the future is clearly that of the Chinese and that is the language we need to be learning.

Um, I was nodding along "ignorant bigot, ignorant bigot" and then, bam, China's taking over! Now I don't live in along the U.S./ Mexico border in one of these towns where you allegedly can't tell what side of the Rio Grande you're on, but New York has it's share of legal and illegal immigrants. I have never had any expect me to be able to speak their native. Also, I don't think being able to say "comprende, ese?" is exactly being fluent in Spanish. But this is a joke, right? Right!?

Back to Jezebel, later this afternoon in a comment about the Angelina Jolie-penned article being published in The Economist, I read this:

I don't understand the Angelina hatred. I only wish I had the money and time to learn more about all the horrible things going on in the world so that I could help in some way. Good for her for caring and wanting to help. Give her an A for effort at least...

Haha...ha? Can we give the United Nations a C- for aptitude?

Meat Manifesto

I don't like meat, and while that sentiment may keep me from ever getting a date again, I'm willing to make it. I'm not sure what motivated me to finally make a serious committment, but now after ten years of flirting with going veg, I think I might actually go through with it.

I remember sitting on my grandmother's couch when I was five years old, eating bologna and being completely disgusted. I'd overheard that in some factories, they used toilet paper (I'm guessing unused) as filler in the bologna, and I tore the slice into pieces to see if I could find it. But the toilet paper didn't bother me nearly as much as the idea that I was eating flesh.

When I was twelve, my sister and I started the non-egg eaters club and loudly refused to eat scrambled eggs at the dinner table. When I read Jude the Obscure, and Jude became revolted by killing and eating a pig, I seriously considered forgoing meat. It wasn't just a twentieth-century hippie notion, the Victorians thought so too. I announced to my parents that I wasn't going to eat meat anymore. I was met with laughter (my dad) and shrieking (my mom.)

I didn't seriously stop eating meat until college; unfortunately cheez-its and diet coke, while meatless, is not balanced and healthy. So I went back to eating meat, not because I like it, but because it was easy. I don't remember the last time I cooked meat at home, but when I go to restaurants or get take-out, it's all meat all the time. The vegetarian options are usually about as delcious and exciting as dirt.

People have many reasons for not eating meat: religious, political, environmental, and while it's true that meat is cruel, environment unsound and possibly unhealthy, I can't profess any of them. I just don't want to.

Is it rude?

Questions.

I am, by nature, curious and gossipy. I want to know the things people don't want to say outright about themselves. I want to burrow into the sticky soft core of their psyche and find out what makes them so sickening and strange. But it's rude to pry. When you meet a middle-aged man who lives alone, you can't ask, "So you're divorced?" When you meet a 22 year old woman who lives alone in a one bedroom in Chelsea, you can't inquire "Do your parents pay your rent?" When you meet a thirty year old multi-millionare, you can't probe, "Aren't you worried the SEC will investigate you?" So I smile and nod, but inside my mind is whirring. I'm putting together clues, constructing my own dossier.

Time to get out

This evening I found myself sitting at a bar on the Upper West Side waiting for some friends. Next to me were two middle-aged woman sharing a meal. They're tone of voice should be familiar to anyone who has spent an extended amount of time in New York: nasal, bitter, whiny. Tonight, remarks Alec Baldwin had made on NPR had drawn their particular ire. He had disparaged the many middle-class establishments on the UWS as "dirty." "They're trying to push people like us out," one remarked. "I don't know what people are going to do," the other replied. Their conversation had the desperation of people who do not have regular social interaction.
Just then a pair of blond moppets in the corner of the room began squalling. Nearly everyone in the room gritted their teeth, but the parents seemed to be frozen by their embarassment and frustration. "There are two good reasons for Planned Parenthood," said the first woman.
I realized that this is who you become when you stay in New York too long.

Fall Back

My favorite day of the year, an extra hour of sleep.

Trend-oid

I've been going to the same hair salon for almost three years; ever since I came back from Italy recovering from the worst haircut ever and four months of chlorinated tapwater. I loved it, the space was cool, the stylists, receptionists and hairwashers were always friendly and professional. Despite being in a "trendy" neighborhood, it was never pretentious. I was always greeted with a smile by the people behind the counter, usually languid model types, too tired to be bitchy. K, my stylist is super cool and can translate my requests of "lots of layers, something fun around the face but not too poodley" into awesome haircuts. Plus, it's cheap! I mean not super cuts cheap, but it doesn't break the bank.
But yesterday, after another truly great hair cut, I heard a bunch of the stylists and the owner discussing a DJ. A DJ! Truly unneccessary. Then they tried to push products on me. Has the trendoid hit?

That explains it.

This week I've been feeling pretty gross: can't sleep, don't want to eat and wanting to cry all the time. I had no idea why until I read this.

Michael Jackson was in Brooklyn. That's what's giving me the heebie-jeebies.