Friday, September 5, 2008

And They're Off!

Friday Friday Friday, going grocery shopping and having a nice family dinner. Wait, what's that I see? In back there.... Oh! Hubs schedule changes to nights! No shopping or errands will be done!
Saturday, Saturday what have we got for Saturday? Sleep late then spend the day in pajamas? Going once.... Thank you, young lady up in front! A wedding! Love it when two awesome people get married... to one another, I mean. Even when there's 4 hours to kill between the ceremony and reception.
Sunday, we've got an opening on Sunday.... wait.... a 50th Birthday party!
Going once, going twice.... *bam!* No more time open in the Martinez weekend.
Thanks for coming out folks, drop your auction numbers in the bin on the way out. We'll see you again next weekend, with more chances to keep the Martinez family running like crazy all weekend.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Where is the Outrage?

Over Labor Day weekend, three children were killed by gun violence in Chicago. Where is the outrage? I don't mean marches and I don't mean vigils. I mean parents and family members who know damn well what's going on. That their child, nephew, uncle or cousin thinks he's a badass with a gun. Yes, I said "he" because the overwhelming majority of gun violence in my city is at the hands of males. Or if they don't know, if it because they choose to look the other way? Do they wash their hands of a problem child (or problem teen, or problem young adult) and then say it's not their problem?
Just as infant abandonments are OUR problem, so is this tide of violence that's sweeping up OUR children here in the city.
Does anyone remember my post about my own ten year old son, crying because he hears about all the shootings, and worrying it could happen to him?
Why are we so quick to shield someone we know to be dangerous? Why do people look the other way until they lose someone they love? Do other school districts keep a yearly tally of how many of their students are killed, as Chicago Public Schools does? How sad.
Sadness can turn into something stronger though. The will to be a part of your community and involve the police, and the community watch groups, and the alderman...... Walk the streets in your own area and see where there's trouble. Is there a certain corner where unquestionables are hanging out? Call the police. See or hear a fight? Call the police. Empty buildings just calling out to kids? Call your alderman, if you don't have one in your area, call your state rep.
Talk to the young people in your family. Be an active part of your children's lives. Let me tell you, if you parents are on you about where you are all the time, you won't have TIME to get involved with this mess. If your parents have stressed to you that every life is sacred and vital, you will be far less likely to pick up a gun and point it at your fellow humans.

Ah yes, another lighthearted and joyous post from yours truly. Where's the outrage? Right here.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Must Be Monday

Due to street cleaning, half of the streets where I'd normally park my car prior to getting on public transportation were blocked off. Now, in Chicago, they don't actually "clean" the streets so much as whip the trash out to the middle of the street, while leaving very large tickets on the cars of those who didn't heed the posted warnings. So I couldn't park anywhere near the train, because there were no less than 842 cars all circling the same 6 blocks, looking for a space.
Drove closer to downtown, tried again at another station. On the way there, I was debating running over the idiot bicycle commuters. I'm all for it, don't get me wrong. But we have bike lanes for a reason, and that reason is to ride IN them. Not weaving in and out of traffic so cars can't go faster than 4 mph while they ease their way back into traffic. I wondered if I bumped one of them, would they just fall over? Or would they end up mashed under my back tire? This morning, I didn't really care. Especially when I saw a bike guy run a red light and run right into the side of a cab. Moron. So I get to another train station and start looking for a place to park. The crafty inhabitants of that neighborhood have decided to make their area a permit-only parking area. WTF! I live in Chicago, I buy a &*^@%@&* city sticker every year, shouldn't that be my damn permit to park here?!
So I park approximately 6 blocks from the Iowa/Illinois border and hike it back to the train station. Now I'm only 2 stops from downtown, so you'd think I'd get there quickly, right? WRONG. The trains are so packed that 2 pass by before I can safely squeeze my way into one. Then when I get off the train and am back on the lovely streets of Chicago, a cop car pulls up in front of McDonald's. A morbidly obese cop gets out of the patrol car and huffs and puffs his way through the 15 feet to the McDonald's entrance and that, my friends, is when I lost it. Are you f'n kidding me?! I was passed over for THAT!? I'm busting my ass just to get to work, and Jabba the Cop is just waddling over to Mickey D's for some breakfast. ARGH! It must me Monday, there's no other explanation for this.... oh, wait. It's Tuesday. Crap. Must be in Bizarro world, the Twilight Zone, or Groundhog Day.

Anyway, we went on a lovely get away this weekend with family. Please enjoy our cheesy vacation pictures below. Yes, those are nuclear power plant cooling towers. No, I did not drink the water around there.