Happy Kwanzaa!

We had a work "holiday" party this year in the home of one of the employees.

The director of our department is sweet, spacey, and slightly behind the times (though thinks that we are "cutting edge"). She just found out what an ipod was, for example.

Our department is about 95% white and 5% black (not the statistics for the company as a whole).

Back to the holiday party-the director was in the midst of thanking her department for all of its hard work, etc. etc...Imagine the set up: all of the black people happened to be in one part of the room for some reason (standing close to each other). The director finished up her speech and wished everyone a "Happy Holiday" and then she turned and addressed the group of black people head on and said, "and Happy Kwanzaa!"

The black people were suppressing laughter with all of their might (as was I). The funny thing is, I suspect that a lot of the black people in the South are "more" Christian than the white people.

Several other social gaffes were made at this party...

The Optimist Shining Through:

-I joined a local Barack Obama political group and am encouraged by the energy.....mostly black people and a few others (which I guess is not so odd given where I am)..

-I've been taking capoeira for the past month and LOVE IT. Only 1-2 people are in the class so it's essentially a private lesson with a master!! I love all the music, the drums, and the movements.....

-I've met a group of Memphis outsiders---they have a cook-out every Sunday--it's a group of people from Spain, Mexico, Haiti, all over....

-I got a job!

The Inner Cynic:

-I still don't like it here!
-My job is boring!
-The people who I work with were asked, "If you could have lunch with 3 people, who would those 3 people be?"

Responses:

George W. Bush
George Bush
Barbara Bush
Ronald Reagan
Rush Limbaugh
Sean Hannity
jesus
Mary

No Comment

Improve communication with your wife and add to world peace!!!!

patriarchy

I just finished re-reading bell hooks' book on love (it's called Communion). I had forgotten about bell since my 12th grade women's studies teacher Mr. Coleman first introduced her to me. Her writing really speaks to me. She brings up a lot of interesting ideas about communication, love, and partnerships/relationships. One of her premises is that a man or woman's search for love is valid but that this quest is undermined in our patriarchal society.

When I was back in DC, I saw a lot of family dynamics that made me quite sad. Not my family's, but my boyfriend's. Relating back to bell hooks' book, she discusses how men (and women) sometimes do not have the "ability" or tools to love.

We were back in DC because Marcos' mom was getting remarried. The situation became a bit odd since we were staying at his dad's house. I feel sorry for Marcos' dad. He's such a stereotype of all latino men (sorry to say that). It's tragic. He lectures instead of having a dialogue, he never asks questions and he always has all the answers. The effect of this behavior hurts everyone in the process. People don't get enough attention.

Children need a lot of attention. Parents need to ask a LOT of questions. They need to show interest. It can't be faked. Children don't care how smart/accomplished parents are (up to a certain point).

New perspective on life

So I'm in DC for a short time and I have a whole new appreciation for it (big surprise here). It's really a beautiful city and I think I took its beauty for granted when I lived here a year ago. Sure, the people have dumpy clothes and it's full of all of the ex-class presidents/student council presidents, but I can deal with it here.

I was reading an article that asked readers to rate whether they believed "DC sucked more or less than Boston". The whole premise is laughable and ridiculous but entertaining nevertheless.

I'm enjoying my break away from Memphis and getting more work done here. All I can say is this, 99% of women who live in DC, NY and even the west coast would not survive one month in Memphis. Yes. One month.Take my boyfriend's cousin (who is a woman). She routinely tells off bouncers, her boyfriend, and anyone else along the way...but is beautiful and gets away with it.

Despite my negatively spouted freely on this blog, I am actually able to contain my dark cloud when I'm around others. However, I learned that unless you are saccharine sweet to men in Memphis, you will be treated as an "uppity woman". And, apparently, there is no greater sin in the South than to be perceived as an "uppity woman." Just ask Hillary.

Wrong: Go into an auto body shop and ask "insolent" questions like, "When will my car be ready?"

Right: coyly curl a lock of hair, flutter eyelashes, show leg and ask so demurely, "Heyyyyyyy honey.........Ah've been waitin' for you.....and my car.......Now when are you going to be a big boy and get my car revved up?"



You had told me that it would be done in 15 minutes on the phone 5 minutes ago."

i like fries

I admit it, I'm falling head over heels for them...

Reelfoot Lake and "Home Cookin'!"

OK, we were told that this was "home cookin' " which I now know is code for: "everything is fried food." We ordered 2 simple dishes and they came back with 6 plates full of fried fat--fried frog legs, fried oysters, fried fish, fried chicken, fried catfish, onion rings, fries, biscuits, and "hush puppies" (which are fried something.) It was literally a Bill Clinton meal (when he was in office) . Then, at the counter, they had king sized Snicker bars to go!!!



We went on a sunset tour of Reelfoot Lake yesterday. This is the site of the biggest earthquake of the Northern Hemisphere (back in the 1800s.) During this earthquake was that the Mississippi River floated backwards for 20 minutes and the result was this lake! The roots of cypress trees are visible ....it was very beautiful and interesting.