"There are too many caucasians in that picture"

I do love my job. BUT some things people say/do just make me wonder.

I always wondered why colleges use the images that they do. I understand that they want on the cover of their brochure, a picture of students all with books in their laps, smiling, happy to be at X University. And the picture will have one white guy, a black guy (which is a myth in college never mind grad school but that's a whole other topic), an Asian girl, a Hispanic girl, you get the idea. This picture perfect image of unity. Never mind some minorities are barely represented at some schools. But do these people REALLY sit around together? While you have some intermingling, let's be honest...the Asian kids hang out together, the white kids together, etc. And no one picks a college because the brochure has a picture of their ethnic group on the cover!

So today I'm working on a marketing piece that will be going to the Fire Departments, targeting firefighters to enroll in our degree program. So we need an image for it. Its not easy finding a picture of a firefighter, in uniform, that isn't in the midst of a fire....let alone their original idea of him, on a computer. So I finally find something I think will work - three white guys, and a white girl, in uniform, in front of a firetruck in the station. Close enough. My co-worker gonna say "its too Caucasian looking" and I replied "its just what the NY Fire Department looks like". "REALLY?" she says in complete shock. Uh, YEAH. Unless you live under a rock, you'd know about the constant criticism of the department for its lack of women and minorities. Oh so I thought. Because when I said that minorities are very underrepresented, she was still in shock. "REALLY?" she says again.

I'm not a kind of person that puts race into the cause and/or effect of everything. But sometimes, its very relevant, and blatantly obvious. Or is it? I don't have any particular ties to the department, don't know anyone that works there, or applied and was denied. So how come I'm aware of the underrepresentation? Do people feel like ignoring the obvious makes the obvious problem of race go away? Or am I stereotyping people when I say people of a certain social status are so far removed from the average person's plight, that they don't even realize that there's any struggle at all? Is it that there aren't fire hoses being opened up on groups of innocent people, therefore there is no longer a problem?? Or maybe I just dont' feel like finding a new picture.......

We don't have roaches in the suburbs

*in stuck up voice* We don't have roaches in the suburbs...
*regular voice returns* my friends in Brooklyn seem to feel because I live in Queens, a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT borough, that I live in the suburbs. Well, folks in the suburbs don't have roaches....at least from what little experience I really have with the suburbs they don't.

We get more interesting creatures. Like termites, that my brother blames for my floor damage. Or ANTS!!! which I currently seem to have. But apparently these ants have characteristics of the suburban folk (insert stereotype of no common sense)...they're in the wrong room. No, not the kitchen...they're in the bathroom by the radiator. Maybe they came in cause its cold outside?? Poor little guys......NOT......they got til the weekend to vacate the premises or their asses are grass......

does anyone else have this battle?

Or am I the only one, signifying me having bi-polar disorder? I know that I'm very moody, and go through periods of time where I'd rather just be alone with the people in my head. Now, those little people in my head are awful busy most of the time. But one constant task that they argue about are those "some-timish people" and what to do about them.....I'm a very black and white kinda person....no pun intended. but if I like you, I like you and that's that. I may not talk to you everyday, but I'll do just about anything for you...you can call me any hour, and I'm there....but if I'm startin to not feel you much, chances are, you're on a slippery downward slope....and if I don't like you, it very hard for you NOT to know. *sidenote-I'll never be a poker champ.....for my pokerface is NONEXISTENT*

But sometimes, people fall into the NOT category (as in HOT or NOT) and while usually there is a reason, sometimes there's no big blowout story as to why they have shifted sides on the list. And here's where those little people come in. And after all the babble, I'm getting to the original question I guess. Is it better to be just a tad fake, smile at those you really not feeling, to keep the peace, everyone happy and balanced? Following the theory of don't burn any bridges? Or do you just loose their number and address with no remorse? Isn't it a chore talking to people you're really not interested in? Our time here relatively speaking, is short. Now the obvious cases of 'she stole your man' or 'he crashed your new car' are easy. But those 'something about her just seems a weeeeeee bit trifling' or 'the sound of his voice just annoys me like nails on a chalkboard'...what do you do there???? I'm not good at the fake thing and sometimes I think its a skill I need to develop....dunno....or maybe all this is just another sign that the people in my head are causing me to loose more and more fries in the happy meal that is me....

Found the house shoe....and made pokadot pants!

So update - found the house shoe...it decided it needed some shade and was hangin out underneath a shelf.....how it got there is beyond me....maybe the mouse decided it didn't fit what it needed it for, and returned it...

So...I've lived on my own for 9 of my adult years....and not once have I bought a bottle of bleach. Because I know. Me and bleach are not a good combination. But I recently bought an all purpose spray cleaner, for counters and the like, and it has bleach in it....Did a WONDERFUL job on my sink.....but ummmmm.........now i've got pokadot house pants. Good going. But oh how I love my new place! :)

p.s. i just realized I also made some "pokadot" towels as well....

Did a mouse steal my house shoe???

ok so yeah. we all know i have an active (or over-active to the pessimists of you) mind......but I can't seem to find one of my house shoes ANYWHERE.....like really......where could it have to go? especially without its partner....if it just stepped out alone, wouldn't it have come back by morning before its partner noticed??? I got up this morning, the one house slipper, all alone. *and in my half sleep state, i put just one on* then i realized the other was no where around. Late night? rough night??? Then I'm starting to think, didn't i hear some strange noise last night while I was sleeping??? Now, I'm cleaning my kitchen cabinets, AGAIN, after realizing the sellers weren't who I thought they were. *read - bastards* And every piece of dust, dirt or wood chip, even if just in my head, is a mouse dropping...did the mouse that i heard last night while I was sleeping, steal my house shoe after it had a midnight snack in my kitchen??????
*sigh*

My Che poster is such a conversation piece!

I love this poster. Its always fun when someone sees it...

There was the cable guy at my old apartment on Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn...He most like hey who is that guy. Someone had bought him a Che tshirt but he said before he wore it he wanted to know about him. I think I gave him more information than he really wanted but at least he left with a clear understanding of what he was about to wear!

Then there were the movers couple years back who asked me if I was a Communist with strange expressions on their faces. Even though I said no, I noticed they were EXTRA careful with my things....

The latest was a Dominican cable guy at my new place. After seeing it, he asked if I was Spanish. When I said no, he was even more visibly puzzled. So why do you even have that? I told him I read a lot about him and liked what he stood for. Couldn't really tell if he agreed or thought I was nuts and wanted to get out quick before the CIA came for me.

Someone else once asked if he was my idol.....don't think I'd agree with that one. I don't think he'd want to be seen as an idol either. But I do admire his strength and conviction about what he believed in. Being asthmatic, clumsy and awkward (as he somewhat was) makes me think that you can truly do anything you put your mind to. "Better to die standing, than to live kneeling".

I can't wait until my furniture delivery guys come this weekend....see what comments they have!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

wishing everyone all the best for the new year! :)

I've FINALLY moved. I've unpacked every last box in 3 days...yes, I'm a maniac but I just wanted it done and the boxes GONE! So I'm pretty well settled for 3 days...and today one of my last items was checked "done" when the cable guy came and installed my internet, cable and phone......never mind they spelled my last name wrong....never mind it only has FOUR SIMPLE LETTERS...BUT! I have a floor, I've moved and I have working TV!!!!

I'm sure the ridiculousness of my life will continue....but I did go see The Pursuit of Happyness yesterday. And it reminded me as much as I like to complain about the absurd things that happen to me, and that set me back sometimes, I have so much to be thankful for. I'm truly blessed.....and I'll try to remember that the next time I'm cussin about something that went less than perfectly...

~happy 2007!