And my new job titles are:
• Dream Interpreter
• Psychic
• Mind Reader
• Mystery Girl
• Direction Giver
• Therapist
And I don't read palms, but someone read mine today.
Either that, or my hands were just red. I think it's the weather.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Racist in San Francisco
I knew San Francisco was racist before I got here. Every white person I ever met who had been to SF said, hey, it's great, I love it, you should go there! The only black people I met who had been had not only had a horrible time, they had managed to get beaten in a fight over a trivial argument, and they all lobbied highly in favor of never going to the city again - or ever.
Being here, it is easy to see that most Black people, African Americans, or "People of Color" are in either service jobs, or subordinate positions of some kind. The people you see going to work in an office or some such are predominantly white. With all the social activism in this city, you expect a different standard, but apparently not.
The real shame of it, I think, isn't just the white-on-black (or other), it's the Black-on-other. Or even other-on-other, whatever kind that may be.
Maybe people are inherently racist. I like to think not. But I do think that we are primed to suspect people who look different from us. And I may even be subject to it at times, too, making generalizations - some of them based on repeated experience, but nonetheless.
I have a story about this, but more later...
Being here, it is easy to see that most Black people, African Americans, or "People of Color" are in either service jobs, or subordinate positions of some kind. The people you see going to work in an office or some such are predominantly white. With all the social activism in this city, you expect a different standard, but apparently not.
The real shame of it, I think, isn't just the white-on-black (or other), it's the Black-on-other. Or even other-on-other, whatever kind that may be.
Maybe people are inherently racist. I like to think not. But I do think that we are primed to suspect people who look different from us. And I may even be subject to it at times, too, making generalizations - some of them based on repeated experience, but nonetheless.
I have a story about this, but more later...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dress Shopping
It is astonishingly difficult to find a decent dress in San Francisco. My assumed reason for this is that Women in San Francisco don't generally wear dresses. For the most part. It's not like Boston, where people sort of somewhat dress up for work on a regular basis. Here, people pretty much show up in jeans no matter what, and if they are nice jeans (or at least not horribly ripped), and you wear them with a nice shirt, that would be considered dressing up. I am pretty sure the women I see walking around in heels and skirts on weekends are in town for a wedding, or for the opera, or something, and they don't actually live here. Because if they lived here, they wouldn't be dressing like that.
But maybe the problem is not so much the dearth of dresses per se, but in fact the lack of dresses that are wearble. Most of what I saw was either balloony, or boxy, or strapless, or too short, or all of the above. What does it take to find a normal, below-the-knee dress that has a waist? Apparently, a lot.
I am convinced the 80's are not merely returning, it's like a zombie episode. It's the undead of bad fashion disguised as "designer" stuff. But just because it has the labels and a silhouette not quite like some other dress does not mean it is going to look good when you wear it.
You are probably better off wearing jeans. But do not - I repeat, DO NOT - peg the legs. Please.
There was one store that had both an acceptable number of dresses, and a high percentage of them that were wearable and/or interesting, and that was Anthropologie. Not that I could have necessarily worn them all, but at least I could appreciate the consideration someone took to make them look nice, rather than just stick some rayon on a hanger and call it a dress. I mean, because if I am going to spend money on something, I would like it be more or less stitched together, thank you very much.
So anyway. I did not find my dress at Anthropologie. But I did manage to find a dress. And I liked it even more when I brought it home than I did when I was at the store. Mission successful! I guess sometimes good things are worth the effort.
But maybe the problem is not so much the dearth of dresses per se, but in fact the lack of dresses that are wearble. Most of what I saw was either balloony, or boxy, or strapless, or too short, or all of the above. What does it take to find a normal, below-the-knee dress that has a waist? Apparently, a lot.
I am convinced the 80's are not merely returning, it's like a zombie episode. It's the undead of bad fashion disguised as "designer" stuff. But just because it has the labels and a silhouette not quite like some other dress does not mean it is going to look good when you wear it.
You are probably better off wearing jeans. But do not - I repeat, DO NOT - peg the legs. Please.
There was one store that had both an acceptable number of dresses, and a high percentage of them that were wearable and/or interesting, and that was Anthropologie. Not that I could have necessarily worn them all, but at least I could appreciate the consideration someone took to make them look nice, rather than just stick some rayon on a hanger and call it a dress. I mean, because if I am going to spend money on something, I would like it be more or less stitched together, thank you very much.
So anyway. I did not find my dress at Anthropologie. But I did manage to find a dress. And I liked it even more when I brought it home than I did when I was at the store. Mission successful! I guess sometimes good things are worth the effort.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
New Job
All's well that ends well. The darkest hour comes before the dawn. Why do these platitudes have to apply to my life? Why I can't I just live normally, without all these ups and downs and ridiculous interruptions to what it is I am trying to get done?
Why the drama??
I guess I'm used to it. When you come from a family that can't go out to dinner without some kind of dramatic sequence, I suppose it becomes part of your life pattern. I might even go looking for drama where there isn't any, which is stupid, because I actually hate drama. I was always the one calming everyone else down. I was always above the fray. And now it's like people keep fraying my ends, and I've about had enough.
So I have to promise myself this year, NO DRAMA.
Right. Like that will happen. Because even if I'm not dramatic, it seems like everyone else is. Sigh. But what I find really ridiculous is how everyone hates drama in their own lives, but they regularly engage in it, and love watching it on TV. I guess that's not so surprising. We've all got morbid attraction.
As for me, well, my story is not over yet. But at least things are "looking up," as they say.
I have a new job. I have a place to live and a very sane landlord, and nice neighbors. August was pretty rough, but I figure it's worth it sometimes to go through a bad spot to find the good thing at the end that was worth waiting for.
Why the drama??
I guess I'm used to it. When you come from a family that can't go out to dinner without some kind of dramatic sequence, I suppose it becomes part of your life pattern. I might even go looking for drama where there isn't any, which is stupid, because I actually hate drama. I was always the one calming everyone else down. I was always above the fray. And now it's like people keep fraying my ends, and I've about had enough.
So I have to promise myself this year, NO DRAMA.
Right. Like that will happen. Because even if I'm not dramatic, it seems like everyone else is. Sigh. But what I find really ridiculous is how everyone hates drama in their own lives, but they regularly engage in it, and love watching it on TV. I guess that's not so surprising. We've all got morbid attraction.
As for me, well, my story is not over yet. But at least things are "looking up," as they say.
I have a new job. I have a place to live and a very sane landlord, and nice neighbors. August was pretty rough, but I figure it's worth it sometimes to go through a bad spot to find the good thing at the end that was worth waiting for.
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