The long talked about (little acted upon) "Purple Line" is moving closer to fruition these days, but par for the course it is receiving some opposition. Because the route of the proposed light-rail or busway system would connect rich and poor neighborhoods, the "haves" are none too happy.
There are two sides to every story and for this one I sit square on the fence. I LOVE METRO. It gets me where I need to be and for the most part its pretty reliable. (Dont believe me? ask the people who use BART or Filthadelphia's rail system) I can at lease see the argument that is made about providing easier access to potentially undesirable people.
When all is said and done, I am sure there will be some compromise on both sides and the purple line will open sometime after 2010. Its quite ironic that the opposite is felt when it comes to rail to Dulles.
Because I am not ignorant I know that racism still exists in this country. Last weeks election results mean that we have taken one more step towards a brighter future, but we are within eyesight of a dark and ugly past. If you needed proof of this, take a look at this article from the NY Times. While the article is about the importance "The South" once played in national politics, it can't help but cover the prejudices and ignorance of some of the people who populate this region. Some of the more telling quotes come from page two of the article where a city employee said
...anyone not upset with Mr. Obama’s victory should seek religious forgiveness. “This is a community that’s supposed to be filled with a bunch of Christian folks,” he said. “If they’re not disappointed, they need to be at the altar.”
Another lovely young lady was quoted as saying
"I think there are going to be outbreaks from blacks,” she added. “From where I’m from, this is going to give them the right to be more aggressive."
My only hope is that more good than bad will come of this momentus occasion. That these people who have only limited knowledge of black and other minorities can get an unfiltered view, not something played "over and over again" on the country music radio.
One of my favorite portions of the endorsement speech, and believe there are more than a few, is the following quotation by Gen. Colon Powell:
"...'Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim.' Well the correct answer is he is not a Muslim; he is a Christian. He has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is NO. That's not America..."
I'm glad somebody of prominence has the gall to say it but the ignorant are going to completely miss the point of this statement.
"Sittin in the staircase holdin back tears. Lookin over mad years worth of photographs. Pictures of some places I'm never going back. Some people I used to love, why I aint show'em that?....."
I reflected Sunday with a friend, at brunch, over Margaritas. I cried. Again. I knew you were important to my life for a long time now, but in the past 8 months the future grew murkier. "I know that life took us apart, but you're still within my heart. I go to sleep, and feel your spirit next to me" but its hard. Maybe I needed the space as much as you. I possibly had become too dependent upon you for support and forgotten how to stand on my own two feet. You helped me find my way to prayer and I will keep you and yours in them always. The bookstore, Chipotle and Coldstone never will be the same without you. But if all I have are the memories, then they will have to suffice. Go forth restless wanderer, and if this is the end, it has been more blessing that I ever could've asked for.
"...and when my life is over, remember when we were together...."
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Staring out the window at the world as life races past me Glued to my seat on the bus Its cushions and walls graffiti-ed with the pointless trappings of previous empty minds My window so covered with grime The view is all things Clear is not one of them The air in here is thick and stale It is heavy with "settling" "wallowing" lives "unfulfilled and hallow" Outside the sun shines bright and a breeze gently blows It is all a tease because I cant enjoy the expereince My Window barely opens a sliver Down the street the bus roars Stopping occasionally to collect more passengers More restless souls A destination in mind but only acutely aware of the journey Collectively we have the power to help each other But separate we remain Almost numb Ignorant of the experiences and knowledge that abounds in us all In my seat I remain Out my window I stare Eyes following the scenery Life races on Without me
Dear Sir, Though I know the vagaries of it, I cannot claim familiarity; It has been said, many times over the world around, that life is hard. Accept not this fact without some fight But wallowing in the pain of hardship does not move you out of them. I am not in your shoes, and I cannot see through your eyes nor can I carry much of your load, But I try and that is all I can do. See me not just for what I am, but what I could be; A beacon, a shoulder, an ear, a hand. Take not your frustrations out on me; I am no punching bag, no whipping boy. My patience is long, but it too grows thin Dear Sir, Pick up your chin and open your eyes On this road alone, you do not travel
I know I did a blog a couple weeks ago where I mentioned how crazy my life had been as of late and there was a direct correlation to this and why I hadnt been blogging much; in that very same blog I promised things would be getting more regular on here, like a geriatric on metamucil, and then things got crazy again.
Well like Brett Farve, I'm back again and hopefully this time will be for a sustained period of time. Not cause I feel obligated to be, but because there is so much to talk about, but no one wants to hear my voice all day.
Part of living is learning to manage different things. Most people consciously focus on managing their time, space, emotions, health. The problems we face in life are usually associated with one of these four factors. Different people focus on different issues, but for the people I know very few focus on managing their health. Often times we move about this earth with reckless abandon, "thinking the faster that [we] go, faster [we] will reach [our] goals" and its not until we take a wrong turn do we operate otherwise.
The first realization of vulnerability cause different reactions. Some people believe it was random and do not change course of operation, they believe odds are in their favor it or something similar will never happen to them again; others learn from their mistakes and change course completely, they vow to never make the same mistake again.
The second group are the prudent ones and while they may not have as much "fun", they will continue to live largely worry free lives; the first group has a gut check and must learn to live with the results of their actions. They must learn to manage.
The problem with managing is that it can be draining, its a constant psychological war taking place inside the head. One minute you're fine with nothing but sunshine ahead, the next you're full of regrets and posturing of "what if".
We all want more than just to manage, but for me, that is good enough right now.
I know the words have been said more than once before But in this case I cannot say them enough And while 1-4-3 may not be accurate to what I feel The emotions are just the same
I remember when we met what seems like not so long ago I remember the things I did, the things you said I am glad we have matured together
I knew it not then, but I am certain of it now You were sent to me by Him to guide me You were sent to me by Him to help me cope He knew back then that I would need a friend like you
I know that nothing in life is forever Relationships always change I want the best for you in every possible way And I pray that you can spread your love to others
So for the present we are in and the future ahead I hope friends we can stay but should things change I praise Him for your presence in my life
I dont know why for the longest time I wanted to pretend like I wasnt dramatic, but I am. Now that I have accepted taht fact I can continue living some symbolance of a normal life. All is good in Dom-Land and my sanity has returned to normal levels. This doesnt mean I stop counting my blessings or asking for miracles, but it does reflect a me that will be closer to the center I was a little over a month ago.
So much has happened in the last 6 weeks I havent even had time to really sit down and reflect on things. Gonna put some time into doing that over the coming week, the nice long weekend should help as well.
I think I will do an A-Z list of the last 6 weeks soon.
I have been on a religious tint of late, because when its hard to stand its only second nature to look for support. I know that Christ is my Pillar, my Rock, my Shield, and my Strength, and HE will love me regardless. Today's inspirational gospel song is:
I Need an Angel
I've run out of answers I've run out of time And im so confused that im loosin my mind Its gonna take a miracle to help me this time Im traveling a road that has not one sign
Help me...Have mercy on me...Set my soul free...and let the bell in my heart ring....oooo
This is my cry, hey, this is my plea, ya see
I need an angel, Im callin an angel, send me an angel down [2x's]
Im carryin a load thats to heavy for me Have no where to go so im down on my knee Im tryin to see the forest but theres this one tree Cant understand why im sinking so deep
Help me (Help Me Help Me) have mercy on me (Wont you have mercy on me) Set my soul free, and let the bell in my heart ring
This is my cry, this is my plea
I need an angel (I need an angel) Im calling an angel, send me an angel (Send it on down)
Here Me Now
I need an angel (I need an angel) Im calling an angel, send me an angel (Send it on down)
Oooh something inside me telling me the morning will come (Morning will Come) Yes it will Oooh sometimes its hard to face the truth so we run (We Run) God if you care at all please dont let me fall by the wayside (Oh No) Please be my guide, would you light my path... Take Me, Shape Me, Mold Me, Change Me, Teach Me, Fill Me, Save Me
I need an angel (I need an angel) Im calling an angel, send me an angel (Send it on down)
I need an angel (I need an angel) Im calling an angel, send me an angel (Send it on down)
I know its gotta be some kinda angel out there for me
Send a angel down right now Send a angel down right now
You know those times when you lose sight of the little things; you just cant see the forest for the trees. I get like that sometimes; I lose sight of the finish line and forget to have faith. Its time like that when I like to throw on this song and just release. It never fails, throw on this cut and the tears stream, and I feel better almost immediately.....
Took me awhile but I'm finally here So I just want to testify make it crystal clear (take your time) See I done been picked out to be picked on talked about out my friend's mouth till He turned my life around (turned my life around)
Seems like I always fall short of being worthy cuz I aint good enough But He still loves me (yeah) I aint no superstar The spotlight aint shinin on me (no no no no no) cuz I aint good enough but He still loves me Loves me
I used to wake up some days and wish I'd stayed asleep cuz I went to bed on top of the world today the world's on top of me everybody's got opinions (they share) They aint been in my position (they don't care) that it breaks my heart when I hear what they have to say about me yeah (what they say)
seems like I always fall short (fallin short) of bein worthy (Lord I aint worthy) Cuz I aint good enough (no no) but He still loves me (still loves me) I aint no superstar (I wanna be for you) The spotlight aint shinin on me cuz I aint good enough but He still loves me
I'm not perfect (I'm not perfect) Yes I do wrong (yes I do wrong) I'm trying my best (trying my best but) But it aint good enough (just aint good enough) Shunned by the world (shunned by the world) If I don't succeed Cuz I aint good But He still loves me (I just aint good enough)
If you aint worthy just raise your hands And let me know that you understand That we are all so blessed To be loved, loved
Stand for Him and fall for anything Cause through His eyes we all look the same What would we do without blame?
Feels like we always fall short Of bein worthy (we are not worthy) Cuz I aint good enough But he still loves me I aint no superstar (I aint no superstar but I wanna be for You Lord) The spotlight aint shinin on me Cuz I aint good enough (Oh) But You still love me
I'm not perfect Yes I do wrong I'm tryin my best but (tryin my best) It aint good enough (I'm not good enough) Shunned be the word (shunned by the world) If I dont succeed (i dont succeed-ceed-ceed) Cuz I aint good enough But he still loves me (child sing with me) I'm not perfect Yes I do wrong I'm tryin my best but It aint good enough (But the Lord's been so good to me) Shunned be the word (Shunned by the world) When I dont succeed Cuz I aint good enough (I aint good enough) But He still loves me (The Lord still loves me)
No I aint good enough But He still loves me (Raise your hands if ya understand) No I aint good enough (How He blessed you cuz he blessed you too) but He still loves me (even though I aint worthy) No I aint good enough (you aint worthy, He's there for you) but He still loves me (no matter what I do) No I aint good enough (I aint good enough) but He still loves me (but the Lord still loves me)
That will live in infamy. I am known for being dramatic, especially melodramatic, but something told me I was right about this one. Its not easy to adjust to or accept and I will prolly be coping with the gravity of the situation for awhile, but I laced up my own concrete shoes. All thats left for me to do now is pray: forgiveness, strength, clarity of mind, inner peace, salvation. I have been blessed and that is all I could ever ask for.
Three months ago I had a few wants that were completely self centered. I didnt apologize for them then and I dont apologize for them now. I do however revel in the fact that two of the three have been realized.
I got a new phone, it isnt the LG Voyager, after doing some shopping I realized its features were too bloated for me and price tag was too hefty, but The Alias by Samsung is good as long as u dont get it in the ugly "champagne" pictured below....
Miami will be realized in 3 Days. 6 days 5 nights in a luxury hotel in South Beach!!! There will be pics and crispiness will ensue.
Now if I could just save up some money to get my self a damn bed
**A new addition to the list is a new wardrobe; I am tired of 75% of my wardrobe consisting of free college garb or clothes that don't fit anymore, they have to go. All mildly worn clothing will be donated to charities for those in need, so the act of getting a new wardrobe isn't completely self-centered, I think :-/.... Clothes are fricking expensive !**
I am carrying on like this anyway. Last night you disappointed me, AGAIN. C-Dub would say that I am foolish to let you keep doing this to me. That you should have learned and I should have too, cause there is nothing more important than your time. Truth is I love you and I want to forgive you; I want to understand why you choose to do the same things repeatedly that cause me to feel this way....
Yesterday afternoon you ask me if its cool if you go to a "titty bar" with some friends. I responded that it is cool but that you didn't need my approval anyway. (In retrospect I think I missed the point, you weren't asking for permission, you were just being open, and I was rude and maybe a little mean to you.) The rest of the convo went roughly as follows:
"I'll call you around 10pm" "What for?" "Communication. I'll be home and I want to see you" "Ha, who goes to a 'titty bar' before 10pm?" "Its a Monday, and we are old" "ha, ok. You wont be home by 10"...
Anyway, I came home to a dog that had shat all over my apt, so I wasn't primarily thinking about what time your silly ass would actually call me. Decided to watch some programming and a movie to pass some time cause I just wasn't in the mood to do any physical activity. It's about 950pm now and just in case by some act of GOD you get home anywhere around 10pm I decide to wash and brush my teeth in preparation of seeing you. 1005pm and you haven't called, but no one gets upset over a few mins. I decide to read a few chapters in my book till my lids are to heavy to hold open. It's now 1045pm and not so much as a text message; cellphones are banned in most "titty bars" due to the camera function, so sending you a message is pointless, and I'm not about to trip over an hour. I'll take a nap so I won't be sleepy when you finally call.
1104pm and a message arrives "are you still up" (you sent the message knowing full well I like to sleep early cause I have to get up early, unlike you, and that I was likely sleep), I'm sleep and don't get it till 1228am when something rouses me from my nap. I respond and get nothing back. I call at 1232 just hoping to hear your voice and some indication of what might be going on; it goes to voicemail. You're clearly still at the "titty bar". No message left cause I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't be assholish. Back to bed for me.
106am and a text message comes through, "no worries. i assume your in for the night" textversation continues as follows:
"um, yea thats a good assumption. am i 2 assume ur just leavin the 'titty bar'?" "yeah but im home now want to leave sometime ago" "ok" "well i love you babe sleep well"
The no response to that last text I think was pretty indicative of what I was feeling like at the moment. Like my aquarium I felt shat on. So many thoughts raced through my head I couldn't sleep. I got up and blogged, about love. Thoughts out and temptations brushed aside I laid down and proceed to struggle to fall asleep for the next 30 mins. Thanks again for that lovely experience. My dependence on you has flared up in beautiful fashion once again. ( I am getting a fucking bed when I get back from Miami).
This morning I woke up and started my internal conflict on how to proceed with the day. I want to talk about it, but I don't want to do it via online or phone; I want to sit down with you in person and explain why this hurts so bad. So many ways to correlate it race through my head, but I don't think dwelling on it will do anything. I decide to not dwell on and remember the good. This entry is necessary cause without it I am gonna dwell. This is my therapy session. I love you, but I don't know if I can continue down this path of turning the other cheek.
Also, just so you know, that comment you made about "wanted to leave early". Please don't say shit like that. If you wanted to leave and didn't because of friends it makes me think you're weak. I don't deal with weak people. You're too smart to be pressured by friends. Saturday you asked me to go to a party with you cause you didn't want to go alone. I was already at a party having fun and hanging with friends; being with you meant ditching them. I did it no questions asked, despite the fact that they gave me shit and didn't want me to leave. I am just asking for equality.
so many things, but tonight its a losing game. Im off to visit heartbreak hotel, before I come home again. I am tired but there is too much on my mind for me to sleep on this shitty bed. Im off to do some thinking.
...Too bad they cant fix escalators, elevators, or psycho rail cars. For those reason and some additional ones, a little over two months ago the Dulles Rail Project was all but dead; but as with all politics, ass-kissing and back scratching can get you a long way. The word in the news today is that the Dulles Airport Extension will be approved by federal administrators and Northern Virgina will continue to grow exponentially. At least now, the vehicle traffic wont have to grow exponentially as well.
I am so sick of black people keeping each other down for their own selfish reasons. The latest example is the Reverend Wright v. Barack Obama Drama. Why must the man stay in the limelight?
Are homeless people immune to the temperatures outside or are they just perpetually cold? No matter what time of year it is they seem to have on twice as many clothes as everyone else outdoors...at least the black ones :-(
Why do I listen to my father's instructions? A task that would have take 5 mins had I read the manual, proceeded to take 50 thanks to him. Good thing he knows how to cook.
When did customer service go down the shitter? If your job is to assist me when i come into the store and I have no attitude, you shouldnt either.
WHY THE FUCK IS GAS SO GOD DAMN EXPENSIVE? I henceforth forgo driving anywhere unnecessarily, especially if its sunny. I could use some extra pigmentation and the exercise is always good for me.
Where did my weekends go? I am so sick and tired of running around all day Sat and Sun. Looking forward to a day that I can just lay around and be fat.
April 21, 2007 was the first day of my lease on U Street. The lease was symbolic for many reasons, but most importantly it symbolized my freedom in the city I loved. I had been thinking about this blog for awhile but the other day while I was walking home I was flooded with the memories. It has been a year of ups and downs on U St and I dont think I would change a minute of it. This is my look back at a year gone by:
The Good
To the summer I spent training for the 32 nd Annual Marine Corps Marathon, the marathon that kicked my ass. Those who came out an supported me, from fresh water to bundles of grapes and horrible bright green t-shirts, the marathon was a great experience because of you. You pushed me and believed in me.
The Nights on 18th St in any dive bar that would serve us. To the stumbling both to and from Jumbo Slice, manna to drunks everywhere.
Walking around in my undies cause it was too Fudgin hot in my apt to wear clothes.
My brother living with me and subsidizing the utility bills. I could afford summer debauchery because of you.
My Wings Wednesday Crew. $0.25 Wings, Good Beer, Great Convo
To The Fed Life, what a pleasant career change.
The new and lifelong friends that I have made along the way. Those I can open myself up to completely.
To Obliviana, you kept me entertained, and allowed me to express myself in healthy ways. An update on the story:
A new year has rolled around in Obliviana, and as is true in nations far and wide resolutions were made. After much celebrating to bring in the New Year, “the people” of Obliviana were excited to hear what the Royal Court had in-store for this fledgling nation over the coming year. In rather unceremonious fashion, Prince Half-Baked let it be known he would attempt to right the ship he had begun to sink at the end of the year. His first goal was to step down from and, gasp, remain off his thrown for the time to come. He had seen the joy and satisfaction that could be had from supporting yourself. He too would “find a plot of land” and make a living for himself. He even had aspirations of pursuing higher learning. The Kingdom was shocked, pleased and excited to see what the year had in store for its youngest son.
With so much good news coming from the Prince the people had worked themselves into a fervor with the possiblity of more good news via Princess Peapod. Would she rebuke her ways and bring equality to the land? Would a social democracy take hold where all opinions were considered and all were not made to grovel at her feet? As the Princess ascended her soap box to announce her resolutions, the land fell silent; a pin drop could be heard on distant fields.
“Behold my kingdom, I shall be as great as I have always been. My clothes will be as fabulous as always. I will eat from some of the best restaurants and continue to fail to fufill a valuable role in society as before. I do resolve to be a better Princess.... no the GREATEST Princess ever.”
As audible gasp rippled across the land and the hopes of the people were sufficiently crushed, life went back to its previous state. The people would continue to suffer for the remainder of the Princess reign of terror. 12 months to go.
The Bad: Dirty Dishes & Clothes Everywhere Space Invasions & Unapproved Borrowing Family Drama Three Jobs to Survive
One more year on the lease, and then I will be looking to blaze new trails on my own. This roommate thing is ok, but I need space or to live with someone that is more similar to me. Not to mention I need to cut some expenses.
The theory is people come into your life for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime; when you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person. Its the figuring out part that is hard to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON...It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. Sometimes they die. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. Your need has been answered, and now it is time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON...It is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Some relationships are often times best viewed from the outside or in retrospect/hindsight, others you know from the start what kind of relationship, or lack thereof, it will be. There is something so impersonal about categorizing relationships, but it is definitely something to think about as you come to junctures in your life. Who do you take with you on your life's journey and who do you leave behind?
Since I havent had much of anything to write about lately I will take this "opportunity" and play this game for all of about 2 minutes. I was "tagged" by JayBee, an educated & opinionated country boy, and much like him I was a virgin to this "game". The rest goes as follows...
1. Link the person who tagged you…
2. Mention the rules in your blog…
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.
Something to consider when reading "my quirks" listed below, I dont know if they're really quirks, but does it really matter?
My Quirks: a.) I hate chain mail and have known to become very passive aggressive towards senders of such wastes of my time. The crap stops here ;-)
b.) I sing loud, passionately, and mostly off key whenever I am driving with little regard to who is riding with me or watching me from outside the car. I dont give a fudge!
c.) Im a stubborn ass when drunk, a loveable ass the rest of the time.
d.) I have no problem talking about bodily functions (especially mine) no matter how unsettling they might be to others.
e.) I can't stand self-absorbed or oblivious people. The sun didn't rise this morning just for you, and unless you are the equivalent of 1.9891 ×1030 kg with the ability to sustain all life the earth aint rotating around you grow the hell up!
f.) I believe in learning and growing constantly, so that I can continue to be unpredictable without trying.
There it is peeps, read it and gag, or roll ur eyes, suck ur teeth, whatever comes to you.
I know its been quite sometime since I last had something to say, but no worries I am sure I will be inspired again soon enough. There was a point in time where such inability to write would give me all kinds of anxiety, but after a few years of it you come to terms with such writers block. My inner blogger has died. I do not worry because as so many times before it will rise from the ashes like the Phoenix and I will write again. Till then there is plenty other blogs out there to keep you interested, so enjoy.
Once again, politics has gotten away from the real issues at hand...
Thank goodness there are some people with sanity and intelligence in this world. NY Times Opinion Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof takes a look at Obama and Race and has some interesting, if not downright agreeable points.
Let me start with saying that I could never be one, but I do love drag queens for so many reasons. They are creative and often times uninhibited, plus they love black female stars. Please note in the video included below the white chic in the middle wishing she didnt exist; hoping to GOD that she is delivered from the craziness taking place around her. I would pay to get inside her head.... Other things to consider are how fast "she" gets the heel off and pulls out the mace.
P.S. Thanks Ms. Cooper for finding this clip and making this posting possible. U had me crying because I was laughing so hard!!!
I know this song is played out (not to mention horrible) but I stumbled on this today and couldnt get enough. Further proof that a good beat and a catchy hook (not to mention a stupid dance with corresponding instructional video on youtube performed by the artist themselves) will get you a long way...
Hot or Not ?!?!? You be the judge. In my opinion ( I think others will agree), she cant sing (you want here that shit go here). If her album drops and sells anything close to notable numbers we as people "Americans" have issues....
Not to mention did you see her wackass, no talent "friends" all over the TV yesterday?!?! Everybody tryin to make a name and a dollar off this "scandal"
Which reminds me of another post I was working on a while ago....
In my lifetime I have watched what used to be credible stories involving important issues of huge consequence descend into this. The sensationalizing of news has done nothing but rob of information we shouldn't have to search for; knowledge we need to make informed decisions. Since when is Dr. Phil declaring Britney Spears to be crazy (and later regretting it) more important than the issues surrounding the health of our nation, its citizens and the next administration?
I agree that sometimes people "just want to escape from the harshness of reality", but this is life. Ignoring the issues for superficial fodder wont make them go away. Believe that my thoughts on the topics below will come later, in the mean time, this is an interesting speech that was given on a similar topic.
...And I am not alone! Its an epidemic, escape while you still can!
The details of the experience... My mom joined Facebook "because a co-worker did, and invited [her]". She proceeded to 'friend' myself, my brother, and our cousin. She then spread her 'friend-ness' to my good friend (whom she knows) and my brother's GF (currently his ex-gf). The comments started appearing on our pics and walls Then her own pics with us in them appeared Most recently I was "sent a beer"!! When this article was sent to her by my cousin the following response was received:
I read the article yesterday and that was not us b/c I did not do a friend request to Dominique. In fact it was a friend from work that asked me to join and I said ok…I look at the pics and just think how funny it is that there is so much on the profiles…but I did think it was kind of funny how the parents are asking their kids to “friend” them. This was more like Dante’ and I cause he said “well I will just block Mom from stuff on my site” which is fine with me b/c I am not there to get into your business. I‘ll just look at it every now and then and see what new pics are there especially since some of those pix have me in them!
But the article is funny and coincidental!!!
Lies I tell you!!!! I will attempt to save her from the "cool parent" road she is inadvertently wandering down, but it might be too late...
How do I get a parking ticket for a car I dont own, 1100 miles from where I was on that day? Stupid Iowa State Parking, please expect a very angry phone call Monday morning. Ugh!
Let me start with the positive... This nomination/election season has been magnificent. Since all the candidates declared their candidacies, serious issues have been addressed and the masses have been invigorated. Most, if not all, the primaries garnered record turnouts; numbers like this havent been seen since the 1970's. For a change people saw the process working; their voices would be heard, their votes would count!
Then things started to change... The Republican nominee front runner became clear, and his name was John McCain. An experienced senator from the old people state of AZ. This scared the shit out of the Dems. McCain would be a formidable advesary for any Democrat and with the race so close, things have turned contentious. Once the forgone conclusion to be the nominee, Mrs. Clinton was losing, and BIG. With Mr. Obama maintaining a solid lead in delegates despite "losses" in all the big states, we would see the "change" for which we voted.
But my gut tells me different... Malcolm Gladwell says to trust your gut, your snap decisions, which scares me. Now that the race is close and Mrs. Clinton feels cornered, politics as usual is emerging. The fear-mongering tactics of the republican party and the mud-slinging of the general election have started. Howard Dean, the DNC chair and former VT govenor, was on the "Today" show the other day at which point he stated that the hotly contented superdelegates are "chosen to do whats best for the party."
OH SHIT! The stage has been set for the perpetration of a crime... Would Mrs. Clinton suceed in convincing the delegates to ignore the will of the general democratic voting population to vote for her, the "more ready" contender. Do they realize how many young and first time voters they will disenfranchise with this move? And what is with all this talk of seating FL and MI delegates when no one but Mrs. Clinton was on the ballot in those states? They ignored party rules, they were stripped of their powers, that cannot be changed now! I am a democrat, socialist at heart, and I so badly want to have faith in my government.
BUT MY GUT TELLS ME DIFFERENT! My gut says that come August in Denver, Mrs. Clinton will be the nominee by theft. McCain will win in a landslide for more reasons than one. We will spend "100 years" in Iraq and the Persian Gulf protecting "the people" (read oil interests) and our country will continue to be divided. The national deficit will grow, education and health care will suffer, and the income disparity will continue to balloon exponentially.
The posibilities are frighteing. Why did this have to turn into politics as usual?
have managed to disappoint me again. How you can do it and be unaware I am unsure. How I can continue to let you do it eludes me too. Maybe you arent unaware, and you are just inconsiderate, selfish even. Maybe I am enjoying the abuse, a subconscious masochist enjoying the ride.
My guard was lowered and the wall came down, but I feel it building again. I hate to see it happen, but I hate to be treated like this. You're losing me and you might not even know it. I hope you change before its too late, or maybe I will speak up before I am further disappointed. Only time will tell how this will play out, but off I go to think about it, I will not have another restless night thanks to you.
I loved this cartoon (See Video Below). The music popped in my head for some reason today as I walked into work (the subconscious mind works in mysterious ways).
Dont you just hate when going to bed with the wrong thing on your mind causes you to have bad dreams and be restless all night. I had a great time yesterday, hung out with the old boss and his wife at the crappy bar in Foggy Bottom, but the company was cool. Missed my ride to the house party, which sucked but, just grabbed a cab, no biggie. House party was fun till the kegs got tapped and people bolted.
An aside: you know a house party is good when, the people you invited, invite people and you dont know half the people in your own house. Free anything brings people out like its their job.
Quite a few of us grabbed our shit and made our way over to the local dive. Much better experience there this time, than last. Continued to party till "last call" and received some discouraging news via text. Took my time walking home till my bladder felt like it was going to explode forcing my stroll to become a trot. Made it home just in time to not piss myself. Still no good news, so I go to bed with somethings on my mind. Awake several times in the middle of the night hoping the news had changed before finally giving up on hope at 544AM. :-( UGH! And that dream that kept me up will be documented but it wont be shared. I just might share some details sometime, but for now imma hold it close.
This is the very reason I dont add all those stupid applications to my profile on Facebook. Besides the fact that they are useless, their creation is completely unmonitored for privacy.
Hampton, VA isnt exactly America's Crossraods, so when we booking my hotel for my two night stay in ths southern VA town, I was not surprised to find limited lodging options. No big deal as I am no hotel snob; if the sheets and bathroom are clean when I get there, I am good to go! Two nights and two days at the Clarion by Choice Hotels. Smooth sailing, and decent service until night two. These Marines mustve thought Jerry Springer was doin a late night taping in our building cause all kinds of drunken yell and shouting started RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR at 130AM. My initial reaction was to go outside and then I remembered two things: This aint a door where I am an RA and I am still black in the south. So after spectating these idiots go at it for two minutes I called the front desk. I was apparently not the first to do so, cause I received apologies and promises that the problem would be solved promptly. 30 seconds later someone was up on the floor getting tweedle dee and tweedle drunk into their rooms and letting them know the cops were coming. I went back to sleep thinking, yes peace and quiet. Of course I wouldnt be so lucky, 20 mins later they were at it again "I DONT CARE WHAT SLUT YOU SLEEP WITH! FUCK YOU" "If you dont care why are you yelling" "Go to your room 'Becky'" Thank God I was given some sense, and raised well. 230AM the cops finally showed up. Took statements, and threatened to arrest the parties involved. ALL IN FRONT OF MY DOOR! great viewing pleasure, except I wanted to sleep. UGH. Never again.
It has long been debated at what age are children, across the board, grown enough to make decisions that affect themselves as well as others. The judicial system weighs in often on legal cases ranging from emancipation to murder (the involuntary and premeditated kind). The legislative system has its own opinions, deciding at which age people are capable of making informed about issues with long term ramifications. But are any of them right?
Who's to say that a 23 year old is any more capable of making a informed decision that their 16 year old counter part? Here is something I can agree with. Phasing teenagers into adult life is one of the best ideas out there. Of course the idea is not perfect, but that is the beauty of democracy, we vote on ideas we believe would work, and then we vote to keep them, drop them or change them.
Even more interesting that the article are the comments. ( I apologize that there are so many comments, but you can skim them to get the gist) The multitude of people that are unwilling to open their minds to the possibility of change or that someone at 16 might be capable of handling the repercussions of their actions. A couple favorites are these two:
Are you mad? On one point only do I agree with this absurd essay. The drinking age should be lowered to 18. Beyond that I think the voting age should be raised back to 21 and the driving age raised to 18. Enumerable studies have conclusively shown that persons, especially males, are very poor drivers under the age of 18. The statistical incidence of serious and often fatal wrecks is a grim testament to this.
I also favor literacy tests for would be voters. How many sixteen year olds can place Iraq on a map? In my experience very few. Voting has consequences. I don't like the idea of allowing people who can't tell the difference between Afghanistan and Iraq casting a vote that could get me or someone else sent there. Voting is not some social test tube experiment. It is extremely serious business with very real consequences attached to it. Besides, haven't we done enough to cheapen the franchise without extending it to children?
— John Cheevers, Merced, California
Lowering the voting age will only flood the electorate with poorly informed voters. Even if a basic course in politics/government were required, who is to teach this? The public schools with their liberal bias cannot possibly give an even-handed approach. Neither can most private institutions with distinctly Christian-conservative perspectives give a clear picture of the development of political ideas and concepts of morality in society over time. Better to raise the voting age, if change it at all. I'm 21 and I still don't consider myself experienced enough in life to make a fully-informed vote. I do it of course, and hope I'm making the wisest choice. How many 16 year-olds would say the same?
— Patrick McWilliams, Savannah, GA
I love stupid people that speak up thinking they are making great points! To you
Mr. Cheevers -
How many people (regardless of age) can place Iraq on a map? Better yet, how many US citizens regardless of age could locate Wyoming or Kansas on a map?
The point of educating people is so they dont make dumb decisions
How would extending the vote to "children" "cheapen" the right? (I didnt say "franchise "cause I dont know what the hell you mean by that)
Mr. McWilliams -
Most people formulate their initial political views on those of their closest kin, the "liberal-biased" public schools, or "Christian-conservative perspective" private schools are teaching them who to vote for, but what the importance of their decision is in government not telling them for whom they should vote. There would be curriculum requirements.
Just cause you're a 21 year old idiot, please dont think its safe to assume 16 year olds arecnt capable of making better decisions that you. You are proof that "the electorate" is already flooded with poorly informed voters.
Every two years we all must bear witness to the same process; the political machine gearing up to garner support for some candidate based on their beliefs and policies they "intend" to support/institute. The nature of the beast is that competition inevitably forces candidates to assert lofty goals to win the support of many. In the end many people are left disappointed and unfulfilled from what turns out to be empty promises made by these candidates. I believe those people can now have hope.
Over the last 8 years we have seen our nation polarize politically; we are a nation divided. Slow to realize (or accept) the truth, America is finally ready for something new; or as every campaign this season likes to put it "CHANGE". As an educated person I dont buy everything someone tries to sell me, but I am starting to buy into this one. With larger turnout than ever before (especially on the democratic side) and a race tighter than we have had in decades, we can start to have hope.
I am thoroughly enamored with the whole process. Thanks to these close-nit races and record voter turnout, no longer can a candidate force feed us some crap about why they are better than the opposite party (I am so tired of mud-slinging tactics). Tell us why they are the best person for the job, period! Education, Healthcare, Immigration, Alternative Energy; these are the issues we care about, tell us where you stand and how you will address them. And further more, should you not win the party nomination please support your party member that does; dont forget we are the UNITED States and we just dont work right when we dont act accordingly.
This is a generalized thank you to all those that were involved in the greatness that was last night...
Thanks for agreeing to go out....the wait for dinner was extended (25 mins), but the sushi (Sushi Taro) was great and affordable ($40 including beer and tip). The pre-dinner Thai beer, in the small Thai restaurant around the corner, while we waited was a great way to start off the festivities. The sushi was delicious after the genteel waitress explained to us how to order. 21 oz. of authentic Japanese beer to wash it down. The night was young and we were still "thirsty" so it was off to The Big Hunt. Convo covered the usual, family, work, politics, and sex but as usual it was lots of fun. 5 beers later and endless mocking of people, t'was time to go....Thanks for agreeing to go out.
Thanks for boosting my ego... I walked into the bar by myself waiting for a friend and I must've caught your eye. I went to the bar, ordered a beer (I am on 7 now if you're counting) and made my way to the wall to do some people watching. You, a little more than slightly, inebriated walked over amazingly composed and stated "you're cute". I was flattered. That wasn't all you said, but everything else didn't matter. You validated me and you didn't even know it. Your boyfriend came and you proceed to makeout with him. Good thing I wasn't looking. On to next beer as I waited for that phone call. My date arrived just in time for you to flatter me once again and me to finish my beer....Thank you for boosting my ego.
Thank you for paying that cover fee.... I was, more than slightly, inebriated and you wanted to go dancing but I dont pay to get into clubs; especially not ones charging $15! You said "don't worry" so I followed along. The place was full, you introduced me to one of the co-owners and a couple other people (working in the industry I guess you really do get to meet alot of people) but none of them mattered. We danced, we did our share of "looking like a couple" (you figure out what that could mean). I had an amazing time....Thank you for paying that cover fee.
Thank you for convincing me otherwise....ok I had gotten sweaty from dancing and prolly needed to shower before bed, but I didnt care. You laid out your position and there was no saying no ...Thank you for convincing me otherwise.
As the largest generation in American history gets closer and closer to "retirement age", something needs to be done to fill their void in the workplace. For their benefit and ours. A look at the issue by Washington Post columnist provides several solutions to the problem our nation faces.
I couldnt agree more with the solutions that are pointed out and I can only hope that the generation is not neglected or "put out to pasture" prematurely. Besides, what would Walmart be without the elderly (grandparent) greeters (as long as they are paid decent wages and given great discounts on their "everyday low prices")?!
Let me reiterate: I love the NY Times. "Economists Dissect the ‘Yuck’", takes a look at repugnance and the human perspective related to moral issues and money.
The Aussie Open has long since drawn to a close as I type this post, but it will remain fresh in my memory for many weeks to come as tennis goes through a bit of a lull again. The Men's Final was by far the most exciting its been at event for years. With Federer dominating the previous two years against lesser experienced opponents, the two new faces brought a new energy to the court.
From the time the players walked onto the court for pre-match warmup, you just knew that this was going to be a tense battle of two talented men, and the crowd was gonna be a factor too. The Serbs were mad for The Djoker and everyone other Aussie had fallen in love with French Ali. Much as he had done in his other matches against higher seeded players, Tsonga came in and blew The Djoker out his shoes with his speed and power. A convincing first set victory was in hand.
After that it was all downhill. Thanks to the crowd jeering his family and friends, Djokovic was notably out of it in the first set. As tournament officials stepped in mitigated the situation, Djokovic settled into his game of grinding, point controlling and shot making ability. The next two sets would breeze by in favor of the Serbian as French Ali looked sluggish and lost. His sparkle was gone, and his time had run out.
Just as you thought the fat lady was gonna sing, an incredible set was played in the fourth. Neither man was willing to relent and the set would need to be decided by a tiebreaker. Anti-clamatic and all, Djokovic won the set, the match and the Championship. He would become the first Serbian Singles Champion. My previous predictions about 2 Serbian champions was correct, but I wasnt even aware of it. Half of the victorious mixed doubles championship team hails from Serbia as well. Sounds like a pleasant story of the little war torn country that could.
Will these young stars (three of the finalist were 20) continue their dominance through the rest of the season? For more seasons to come? As much as I am annoyed by the Shrieking Princess I think this could be a very big year for her. The younger Serbian Vitch is getting her stuff together and might actually win a set in her next Grand Slam final. There is so much to look forward to this season.
With CNN projecting a DOMINATING win for Barack Obama in the primary in S.C. I am once again filled with hope; hope that a black man just might become president sooner than later, in my lifetime no less. Nothing is set in stone with this "victory", but every step closer to the finishline that we take is a victory.
Now it comes down to February 5, 2008 what the sensationalist media is calling "Tsunami Tuesday". I don't know how this thing will end, but if it means that in the future more people will participate and involved in the process, then I am happy.
ugh.....i am drunk and Sharapova just won the 2008 Women's Singles Australian Open Championship in uninspiring fashion. I cant wait for tomorrow night. What a blah match. I expect more out of u Ivanovic! Two championship finals and two very dissapointing finishes. So much for two Serbian Grand Slam winners. Off to continue drinking and listen to what the Russian Psycho has to say. Peace till Sunday morning!
They are listed roughly in order of importance to me and having had the benefit of enjoying these items, it is hard to imagine life without them. Possible, I am sure, but I dont want to entertain the possibility.
As an advent supporter of public/mass transportation, I love to hear positive news concerning WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Tranist Authority) or Metro as it is (un)affectionately known around the National Capital Area. While the system is struggling to cope with increased ridership, higher fuel costs, and aging equipment it is still one of the best public transport systems in the nation. As the region has continued to grow in size in volume, Metro has tried to expand as well. The system is often times attributed with feuling the burgeoning suburbs and providing [fairly] reliable transportation to and from the city for the many federal workers; the bezillion condos along I-66 and Rt. 50 in No.VA would never have been built without it. Since its ground breaking in 1976 Metro has a come a long way and hopes to continue to grow with the region. A new hurdle looks to have been placed in-front of the agency future goals. An extension to the regions main international airport and thriving technology corridor, the Dulles project looks all but dead thanks to federal authorities no longer interested in chipping in. Due to the fact Metro has no dedicated source of funding, it is largely dependent on federal funding to keep running from year to year. With the what seems like constant squabbling over how to extend the rail to Dulles (underground or elevated track) through the Tysons Corner area, federal officials are backing down from their original funding promises.
Here's to hoping that the problems get corrected and that the system can one day be compared to the great systems of Western Europe.
The Djoker emerged victorious in straights sets over the Fed in the second men's semifinal and boy am I glad that I forced myself to wake up at 4am to watch this one. The tennis was beautiful. Djokovic played aggressive tennis from the baseline rarely relenting his position on the court while Federer looked mortal and flat many times.
This sets up a potentially amazing match for Sunday morning at 330am. I will wake up again. Novak Djokovic, aka The Djoker versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, aka - French Ali . Being the higher seed and more experienced player (he made it to the 07 US OPEN Final where he lost to Federer) Djokovic will be the favorite to win the match, but the way Tsonga has been lighting up higher ranked players this tournament, almost all bets are off. I am torn between, who I would like to see win as I like both players, they have great game and great personalities, but I hope the match play is good and one for the books. Either way we will have a first time slam winner, and the possible emergence of a new force in tennis. (as a side note, there is a possibility that we will have two Serbian Grand Slam Champions should his compatriot, Ana Ivanovic, win the women's final to be played tonight locally) This is GREAT for tennis and its fans! NOVAK "The Djoker" Djokovic VS.
The end is drawing nigh for this tournament but there is still quite a bit of entertaining tennis to be seen. Three semi-final matches were played last night, both women's and the first men's, but only one was worth watching. There was good, bad and ugly in these matches.
The first Men's Semifinal between the the Spanish Caveman and French Ali was a sight to behold and well worth the sleepless night it would produce. In stunning fashion, Tsonga stepped on to the grandest stage at the Australian Open and dominated the world's number two tennis player from the word 'go'. No matter what The Spanish Caveman tried to do, he couldnt put a dent into Tsonga's flashy, powerful game. In the end Tsonga emerged a straight sets winner and continued the streak of relative unkowns in the Aussie Open final. If the Djoker can pull off the upset tonight against Federer, the final on Saturday night could be spectacular, guaranteeing a first time grand slam winner! I am gittery from the mere thought of it!
I dont even feel like wasting space on the women's matches, (sadly cause most times I prefer the drama and matches on the women's side over the men's, but not this tournament) but in an effort to provide somewhat fair coverage I will briefly discuss these beat downs. The Shrieking "Princess" beat the eldest of the Serbian Vitches in the same dominant fashion as every other player who has crossed her path the tournament. The girl is determined to avenge her embarrassing smackdown in last years final. (More interesting than the match is her psycho father and his antics in the stands. I am a firm believer that this man needs help, maybe even medication.) Unlike some of her peers The Shrieking "Princess" did not crumble under the expectations now that she is the heavy favorite to win the first Grand Slam of the year and her third; should she win the final the only one missing from her collection will be The French Open, and as a self-described "cow on ice" while playing on clay there is little to no chance she will carry this one home. Even more dissapointing than the first women's semifinal was the second. The veteran player Hantuchova continued her antics as usual and choked just as the final was within reach. Credit to the younger of the Serbian Vitches for hanging in there and forcing Hantochova to win, but this was ugly tennis and unless she steps her game up tremendously, there will be another rout in the final on Friday night; the Shrieking "Princess" would be on the opposite side though.
If you dont work, or just love coffee and tennis, be sure to wake up at 330am to catch some thrilling tennis. I know I will, which means an early bed time for me tonight. Look forward to reporting on it tomorrow.
Living up to its nickname as the Oz Open, the upsets kept coming on the women's side. Picked as a favorite to possibly win the whole thing, The Goddess fell in straight sets to a hard hitting and more athletic Ivanovic than she had played in their previous 4 meetings. The youngest of the Serbian Vithces, came out firing from the start and The Goddess, heavily strapped on the thigh, looking lost and confused at times couldnt get her stuff together; He serve was off, her shots werent penetrating, her volley's were a flub and she wasnt moving as well as normal.
In the other women's quarterfinal match, two little known players slugged it out and the elder stateswoman, and veteran, Daniella Hantuchova emerged the victor to make it to her first Grand Slam semifinal. Ms. Hantuchova and Ms. Ivanovic will take the court tonight and I predict (and hope) the Serbian beauty will emerge victorious again.
On the Men's side The Djoker played a Spanish scrambler and won another match in straight sets with ease. He nor The Fed would have any of the "upset bug" that was going around on the women's side of the draw. While Blake gave the Fed more of a fight than Djoker's opponent did, he still sent the Harvard Powerhouse packing like the rest of the American men (and women for that matter)
Tonight should be fun, and thanks to a little thing called the common cold, I will be all caught up on my tennis! Off I run, doubles is on Tennis Channel
I believe that The Boondocks is an excellent piece of social commentary. I dont get to read the strip often anymore, but I do occasionally catch the show. Monday night, I caught what has to be one of the best episodes ever. Enjoy and comment
::UPDATE:: If you have tried you know that the above video doesnt work....apparently Cartoon Network and Adult Swim are not down for copyright infringement. To catch the episode you gotta go here
The Diva just fell in straight sets to the eldest of the Serbian Vitches. She didnt look herself in the loss, and her usualy dependable serve deserted her. What could be the deal? More to Come.... The house of cards continue to fall The Little Bitch That could was beaten by the Shrieking Princess! The tennis gods are appeased.
Today shall be called Upset Tuesday...
The men continued the trend with Jo-Wili pulling the upset over Mikhail Youzhny. The big hitting, flashy French player KO'd the Russian in straight sets and doing so emerged from the shadows of his young fellow Frenchman Gasquet and Monfils. A self professed Mohammed Ali look alike, Tsonga now moves on to face Nadal in what is sure to be an interesting match to say the least. Breaking the trend by beating his little known opponent with ease, Nadal will enter as the heavy favorite and might do to Tsonga what the Frenchman has been doing to his opponents all week, get under his skin.
I thought the long weekend would be a good time for me to catch up on some of the tennis that I have been missing out on thanks to my social life and the time difference. I was wrong. My recap of the past two days is largely what I have read on Tennis Magazines website or the snippets that I was able to catch in the windows of free time that I had.
No more big upsets on the women's side with the number 1,3,4,5,7, and 8 seeds all in the quarterfinals which start on Monday night here in the states, but are played Tuesday in Australia. I am uber excited about the match between the Shrieking "Princess" and the Little Bitch That Could, because it means one of them will be out of the tournament as a result. As the lesser of the two evils I am hoping the Shrieking Princess can pull it out (as stated in my earlier post) but either way the tennis gods will be slightly more at peace.
The mens side has a couple of great stories and just as a good matches in store as well. Novak "Nole" Djokovic dispatched the hometown favorite, Hewitt, meaning that only the good guys are left in the tourney. Blake will face the Fed who should be newly determined to reassert himself as the firm number one. Djokovic will face the spanish grinder Ferrer, but with his sturdy play should be able to pull of a 4 sets or less win. Tsonga, the for sure break through player of the tournament will play a sometimes beautiful player in the Russian Youznhy that could be another great late night match (gonna set the DVR extra long for this one). Nadal is playing no one of consequence and should make it easily into the semis.
Only a few more days of this before my nights are empty again. Havent decided if that is a good or bad thing yet. But I will let you know in about 4 days!
Will try to recap day 9 before day 10 starts but makin no guarantees here!
Its the weekend down under and mother nature conspired to ruin tennis, but the Aussie Open unlike the other tournies has two roofed courts to ensure play continues. What an AMAZING day of tennis it was. Play did not finish for the day until 4:30am in Melbourne! The Tennis Reel:
Though play took place all day on Rod Laver and Vodofone Arenas the action was pretty mundane. The women's side had two "major" upsets with the Spanish Russian and Chakvedatze going down in straight sets to fledgling opponents. With The Goddess dominating the talented Indian, Mirza, the rest of the women's matches that got on court were pretty mundane. As a side note, how exciting is it that they are providing coverage of the women's doubles match The Diva and The Goddess have been playing? Watch out field, they have two titles as a team already, looks like three is a serious possibility.
If your even the slightest bit of a tennis fan you know of the theatrics of the night on the men's side. The formerly untouchable, unless its on clay against Nadal, FedEx was pushed to a super long super thrilling 5th set. So amazing! Tipsaravic, an unsung Serbian grabbed the control from Federer and was the aggressor for the majority of the match. In the end after the longest match of Federer's career that wasn't in a final he pulled out the win. Later that night Baghdatis and Hewitt had another thriller setting two records for Grand Slam matches along the way: latest start at 11:45pm and latest finish at 4:30 am. A true test of endurance and stamina, Baghdatist gave Hewitt everything he had but in the end, the heart and hometown crown would pull their favorite son through to the next round.
Hopefully there is more good tennis in store for week two of the tournament as nothing but the best of the best are left. I cant wait for the action and drama.
I think Steve Tignor over at Tennis Magazine summed it up best, in his post Late Night Blues, when talking about the adventure Aussie Open watching can be:
"Did I say I liked watching the Aussie Open at all hours? Can I revise that statement? It’s not that I don’t like it, exactly, but it does kinda get in the way. If you're out at dinner past 10... you’ve missed a good three hours of banter between Martina Navratilova and Bill Macatee. Or if you need to get to work at a respectable hour, forget about taping and seeing all of [the late late matches]. I’m not complaining, just scrambling to find a way to fit all this tennis—as well as a good, old-fashioned mace job in the stands—into my routine."
Truer words could not have been written. As I left for work this morning, The Roddick v. Kohlschreiber match was still on LIVE and would not finish until almost 10am EST! The dissapointing part of it is that as a unabashed Roddick (The Fratboy) hater, I would have loved to see him get demolished at the hands of the "talented" shot makig German.
Alas, on with the rest of the recap...
Another night, means another Williams sister match and tonight The Diva showed up on court and ushered the hard hitting, fleet of foot Belerusian out of the tournament. One break in each set was that was accomplished, but it was enough and Serena kept the errors down and moved well.
Mauresmo continued her abysmal free fall from the upper echelons of tennis with ouster at the hands of hometown favorite, Australian Casey Dellacqua.
The Little Bitch That could was pushed, by the fun Italian Francesca Schiavone, but pulled off another straight sets victory. I am hoping her and the Shrieking Princess cross paths in the quarters and that the Shrieking Princess emerges victorious. (Lesser of two evils) However, should TLBTC make it to the semis and the The Diva did too, I am confident the result will be different than the last three times.
Other big names made it through in pretty simple fashion as well - The Eldest Serbian Vitch, The Czech Beauty, and of couse The Shrieking Princess
The mens side provided more excitement with the aforementioned Roddick lost. Always good news for a tournament if you ask me. Mikhail Youzhny and Nikolay Davydenko both pulled off wins but American Mardy Fish will have to pack his bags for Florida now.
One of the best stories of the tournament has to be Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. He is and athletic French player whose biggest win to date was against Murray in the first round. I love to watch him play cause he enjoys it so much. Last year he was sent home by Roddick (ugh) but if things keep going well for him, he could be this year's Aussie Baghdatis or Gonzalez.
Friday night means I will have to decide between tennis and being social, but the DVR will be set to record the Mirza vs. The Goddess match (a battle of big hitters; Mirza's forehand is amazing) as well as the Baghdatis, Hewitt Grinder.
Things have been hectic this week so as a result I have been behind with my updates this entire week. As I recap day 3 at the open I am watching the day 4 matches, what am I gonna do about it, so sue me. I am working two jobs and trying to be social, its not easy!
The biggest match of the day was a night match between the Comeback Mom and The Shrieking "Princess". Unfortunately the outcome wasnt what I hoped and I will have to endure at least one more round of her ear drum ripping squeals.
Other matches included a win by Roddick, easy wins by The Diva and The Little Bitch That Could. With so many seeds holding true to form, there hasnt been alot of excitement in the first week of tennis and I refuse to bore with the meaningless details. Robredo was the only seeded male to fall, and at the hands of American Mardy Fish no less, while Swiss Patty Schnieder tumbled to a lower opponent as well.
Day 4 Matches: The Goddess The Spanish Russian The Czechian Beauty (Vaidasova) FedEx vs the Magician (could be a good one)
::Update:: I realized after putting up what I thought was 'day 4' that I had somehow jumbled things all up and skipped a day somewhere or combined two days. Anyway, corrections have been attempted, but the past is behind me and thats where its staying. Ill do better next time
The "Happy Slam" is two days done and going pretty much on course. I know that it would cost a few thousand bucks to get there and enjoy the event, but I would gladly trade the cold windy days here in the Cap City for the warm summer days Down Under.
A few upsets on both sides of the draw but still nothing big yet.
Women: The Goddess pulled through with a decent win again a double fisted Chinese opponent. She is in great shape, and I hate picking against her sister The Diva, but I think she has a good shot at the title. The Younger Serbian Vic thrummed her opponent and the Spanish Russian was decisive in her victory as well.
The Diva is back tonight, along with the headline night match of The Shrieking "Princess" vs. The Comeback Mom. I might wake up early to catch this one live.
Men: The Djoker and the Fed won easily against non-formidable opponents, no stomach problems stopping him today.
Hmm, there are no big name men playing today. Or at least none that I really care about. You want the up to the minute info check out ESPN2 or the Tennis Channel. Off to more tennis viewing.
Thanks to the current seeding system, the first week of the Grand Slams can be pretty boring. With 32 seeds, the top players dont face "real" danger until 3rd or forth round. The exception to the rule however tends to be the Australian Open; as the first big tournament of the year, players arent always in the best shape or mentally prepared for what is ahead. And on with the recap we go.
Women's recap: Holding to form all of the big name women made it through to the next round. Decisive wins came off the rackets of both The Diva and The Little Bitch That Could. Match of the day on the women's side has to go to surging teen Paszek of Austria and the eldest of the The Serbian Vitches. After 3 hours, 3 set, and countless breaks of serve, the Serb pulled out the win in some thrilling tennis. Her prospects dont look good for the rest of the tournament due to the back and leg injuries she will have to battle along with the person across the net. Matches for tonight include The Goddess, and The Spanish Russian: Kutzy.
Men's Recap: Unlike the women, the men's side had some upsets and some real challenges one day into the tournament. The Scott: Murray got ousted by French stud Tsonga and Moya got bounced by an Austrian Journeyman (hoping to catch the former on Tennis Channel today). Nadal was pushed hard while Gasquet and Nadal had relatively easy wins. Matches tonight from The Djoker, The Aussie Asshole (Hewitt), The Fed, The Argentine Crusher (Nalbandian), and The Harvard Scholar (Blake).
With such a full night of tennis, not sure how I will get anything productive done, but life will be there after the open.
All relationships are give and take - friendships, marriages, kinships - they have to be in order for them to work. Going into a relationship knowing balance is necessary can prevent some of the pain that is often associated with relationships. When we were kids we tended to horde our friends and hated sharing them with anyone; as we grew older most of learned that it was impossible to be the center of everyone's universe (some people still havent gotten the message however). The problem becomes however, how much sharing is too much? When it comes to relationships, serious or not, when is it ok to say I'm sharing you too much?
In my relationships, I have always been more that willing to share the people with whom I associate; i like to think I do a good job picking my friends and if they are good enough for me, other people should be able to benefit from there company as well. My problem comes when I have to share someone with material things. Hobbies are healthy, but when they become obsessions and affect our relationship is when I don't have time. I don't need to share you with with your car, your house, or your internet addiction. If you are not smart enough, mature enough, or aware enough to realize that what you are doing is wrong then we need to move on.
I thought I had gotten to a point where I would no longer watch your mindless programming. I thought I had matured to a point where there was nothing you could do to get me to watch what has to be programming geared towards 17 year olds. Then you do this:
The Gauntlet and Making the Band!! You know I have no self control when it comes to these shows, one a dramatic social trainwreck the other self promotion at its best. Now I will have to watch you twice a week for an hour each ensuring my brain will start to leak out my head again. Chain me to the couch and hit me in the head with a mallet why dont you?!?!?!? THANKS. :-(
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