Saturday, November 15, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
11-4-2008
Today is perhaps the biggest day of the year for the US with the voting and subsequent election of the next American President. After almost twoyears of really smart banter and analysis, bad campaigning and nasty attacks, all that matters now is what the people want. The already seminal date of November 4th is finally here & while it is obvious that either Barack Obama or John McCain will be our Big Man in Charge, there are other very important issues on the table that haven't been so black and white (no pun intended).
When deciding on Prop 8, the decision that will decide if gay couples will gain the right to marry in California, I personally looked at the choices as 2 possibilities: discrimination or the natural freedoms allowed to usunder the Constitution written by our forefathers. True- no where in there will you ever find a single world about "let gays marry", but in not-so-fine-print we have the catchy line that all are created equal and have the right to the pursuit of happiness. Black, white, asian, male,female, young, old you name it, its your right. So, keeping with that pattern, why would it be any different for people who also happen to be gay?Yes- exactly that; people who just happen to be gay. They are truly no different from the rest of us people who just happen to be straight; we all work, love, break laws, drive cars, eat at McDonalds. All the same. Yet now,because of what they do behind closed doors, they are literally being persecuted and segregated and not being allowed these fundamental rights.Are we proud to be in a country where the rules work for some but not all?Where we were once segregated by races and now by sexual preference? A lot of people think the worst part of Prop 8 is that our children will learn about gay marriage in school. While I do believe that this, and many other subjects, should remain untaught until the appropriate age (sexual education, violent wars, experimental science and genetics), what is wrong if, maturity willing, they learn about gay marriage and rights? It hasn't been too long since I was in school and having them learn about gay marriage is the least of your concerns. Children are constantly seeing our so-called "traditional" idea of marriage deteriorating: celebrities marrying for the fun of it, divorce up 50% & Vegas quickie marriages under the influence. For a time a "traditional" marriage didn't include different races, stepparents or stepchildren .Yet we try to stop any type of display of love, battling to be united forever. Teaching about gay rights and the progress we have made in our country's history wont suddenly turn our children gay, just like teaching about slavery or the Japanese internment camps of California will suddenly turn them into other races. What it will do, however is teach them that we, a country grown from freedom and perseverance, will always continue to correct ourselves and do what is right for our people. We did it with the Civil War, with Civil Rights and now with Prop 8.
Prop 4 has also caused some ruckus with its intent on allowing female minors to seek pre-natal health, and/or an abortion if wanted, without the consent of their parents. I see this proposition like a lot of people: I have never been in a situation where I haven't been able to go to my mother,or respected adult, for help, guidance or advice. Nothing that I would haveto experience completely by myself that would undoubtedly change the course of my life. And most certainly not while still having to go to school, and keep up my grades, and have friends, and do chores and all the normal things young teenagers do. Then again a lot of people have had to do this. You hear all the time of young girls hiding their unintended pregnancy for months, failing school in the meantime, because they are so afraid of what their parents will do. If they will accept them, still love them, or shun them away to fend on their own. It's the stories in the news that we hearabout a baby in the dumpster, or found crying on the verge of death in an alley, left abandoned. While I don't see any excuse for leaving life to die,especially under such carelessness, I do believe that perhaps if these young women had choices that they could have made better ones. Never underestimate a person with choices, for they might surprise you when they make the right one. I would think most people come from the type of family that I am from, however, so many girls don't and need to have society look after them when their own families wont. Prop 4 will simply allow young women who have found themselves unexpectantly pregnant to seek health care from clincs,healthcare providers, or even their own physician without the consent of their parents. They will have the guidance of healthcare professionals who will provide the services that is best for the woman without judgment or criticism. See, theres nothing wrong with that.
When deciding on Prop 8, the decision that will decide if gay couples will gain the right to marry in California, I personally looked at the choices as 2 possibilities: discrimination or the natural freedoms allowed to usunder the Constitution written by our forefathers. True- no where in there will you ever find a single world about "let gays marry", but in not-so-fine-print we have the catchy line that all are created equal and have the right to the pursuit of happiness. Black, white, asian, male,female, young, old you name it, its your right. So, keeping with that pattern, why would it be any different for people who also happen to be gay?Yes- exactly that; people who just happen to be gay. They are truly no different from the rest of us people who just happen to be straight; we all work, love, break laws, drive cars, eat at McDonalds. All the same. Yet now,because of what they do behind closed doors, they are literally being persecuted and segregated and not being allowed these fundamental rights.Are we proud to be in a country where the rules work for some but not all?Where we were once segregated by races and now by sexual preference? A lot of people think the worst part of Prop 8 is that our children will learn about gay marriage in school. While I do believe that this, and many other subjects, should remain untaught until the appropriate age (sexual education, violent wars, experimental science and genetics), what is wrong if, maturity willing, they learn about gay marriage and rights? It hasn't been too long since I was in school and having them learn about gay marriage is the least of your concerns. Children are constantly seeing our so-called "traditional" idea of marriage deteriorating: celebrities marrying for the fun of it, divorce up 50% & Vegas quickie marriages under the influence. For a time a "traditional" marriage didn't include different races, stepparents or stepchildren .Yet we try to stop any type of display of love, battling to be united forever. Teaching about gay rights and the progress we have made in our country's history wont suddenly turn our children gay, just like teaching about slavery or the Japanese internment camps of California will suddenly turn them into other races. What it will do, however is teach them that we, a country grown from freedom and perseverance, will always continue to correct ourselves and do what is right for our people. We did it with the Civil War, with Civil Rights and now with Prop 8.
Prop 4 has also caused some ruckus with its intent on allowing female minors to seek pre-natal health, and/or an abortion if wanted, without the consent of their parents. I see this proposition like a lot of people: I have never been in a situation where I haven't been able to go to my mother,or respected adult, for help, guidance or advice. Nothing that I would haveto experience completely by myself that would undoubtedly change the course of my life. And most certainly not while still having to go to school, and keep up my grades, and have friends, and do chores and all the normal things young teenagers do. Then again a lot of people have had to do this. You hear all the time of young girls hiding their unintended pregnancy for months, failing school in the meantime, because they are so afraid of what their parents will do. If they will accept them, still love them, or shun them away to fend on their own. It's the stories in the news that we hearabout a baby in the dumpster, or found crying on the verge of death in an alley, left abandoned. While I don't see any excuse for leaving life to die,especially under such carelessness, I do believe that perhaps if these young women had choices that they could have made better ones. Never underestimate a person with choices, for they might surprise you when they make the right one. I would think most people come from the type of family that I am from, however, so many girls don't and need to have society look after them when their own families wont. Prop 4 will simply allow young women who have found themselves unexpectantly pregnant to seek health care from clincs,healthcare providers, or even their own physician without the consent of their parents. They will have the guidance of healthcare professionals who will provide the services that is best for the woman without judgment or criticism. See, theres nothing wrong with that.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Debi Joes & Foot Juice
I'm really upset. Actually, to be honest, I have calmed down since I was first involved in the situation however remembering all that happened conjours up some grrr-type feelings. I figured warning others of the possibility that they could put themselves in the same situation would be doing myself and others justice. Here it goes:
A week or so ago I decided to treak myself and my naturally fabulous hands & feet ( thanks mom) to a refreshing mani pedi. They werent looking like their usually fantastic selves and so needed so major TLC. Thus the nail shop visit. I typically go to the nail shop when I get my eyebrows and 'debi joe' done (I'll let you wonder what that is) and that day was no exception. So on my way out of the Indian threading place, I went directly next door to nail shop. Looking back, I should have seen the warning signs of an impending annoyance coming my way, but the bliss i was still in from the afore mentioned luxury was clouding my already prescription-based vision. I missed all the signs. I step in and casually let one of the hasty manicurist know that I would like a spa mani pedi (spa meaning that I would like the hi-tech massage chairs; a standard nowadays). She nods, and continues to go about scrubbing someones heels that appear to be in the same condition as my own. Trust me, I can just in time before it got bad. Alot of foreign chatter starts to commence for several minutes with half the nail shop speaking in some Asian dialect, which none of its patrons, including myself, understand at all. I go to pick out a nail color; my slight obsession with dark reds continues, and so I dont spend more than a minute picking out something very similar to what is already chipping on my digits. Sad, but Im a bit predictable. Anyways, I sit and without being let aware of my waiting status, continue to sit for over 10 minutes, just waiting for someone to tell me whats going on. Im not an impatient person, but I do think it would be nice to be let in on how long I should anticipate waiting. To me, not that much to ask for. To me. Still the foreign talk continues. Finally, almost 20 minutes after arriving I am sat in a spa chair with the blue-mint water beckoning my toesies already running. Ugh - way too cold. I turn to tell the lady and ask for hot water to balance out the frost; shes gone. I actually dont even see her at all. Vanished. Grr. So, with everyone else very busy, I sit with a cold half foot on the foot rest waiting (again) for someone to service me. About 5 minutes later, a lady realizes the water in the spa foot tub is about to overflow and comes over to turn it off and stares at me like "Why arent your feet in the water?". And with the universal language all women speak fluently with our body language and attitude, I stare right back like "Duh - the water is cold". Grr.
Fast forward to the simultaneous mani pedi work: When you get a mani pedi in the spa chair, you are being cheated. Point blank conned out of the full experience because they attempt to 'save you time' by doing both at the same time. HELLO - if i was looking to be rushed i would not have come to get my nails done. So exactly this happened with me: Both hands and feet were being done at the same time, one more half-ass than the other, but equal in annoying the crap out of me. On my feet the lady was barely scrubbing, barely clipping and not at all paying attention. On my hands she wasent even looking at my nails as she filed away, to my dismay, making my nails shorter than desired. Grrr. I call to both their attention that I am feeling very rushed and might as well be halfway out the door at the ridiculous speed they are working at. They simply nod. And the unknown dialect picks up big time. They are talking across the room, to each other, to other women working - its like a hen house. Naturally, I am very curious as to what they are talking about and can only assume that my recent plea for a 'spa' experience has sparked the freeway of conversation. My feet are given a quick once over of the usually 5+ minute massage, and my hands are tugged and dropped as they are simply lubricated with some cheap lotion - she doesnt even take the time to rub it in. I can actually see lotion just sitting on my arm. After trying very unsuccessfully to convince me to get a 'flower' design on my toes (aka an extra $5-10 charge on an iffy red dot with a rhinestone), she gives me a scowl as I insist on 2 clear coats of the shiny top coat. It prevents chipping; why wouldnt I want 2 instead of the measly 1? I ask the same of the hand lady as she is finishing up. So I am sitting there, freshly painted and desperately trying to enjoy the end of my quickie, when my feet are propped on this ledge. Why, when I am trying to dry, is my lower body being moved? ?I look down and the feet lady has come back with a gray dingy towel to clean the foot basin, which only involved running hot water and wiping it down with this awful towel. No cleaners. No products or fungus killing solutions - just the almighty power of plain 'ole OC tap water. I cringed so hard i felt myself actually grinding my teeth; my feet were just in that tub and if thats how she cleaned, I had just shared my foot juice with any and every woman that has gotten their toes done in that chair. I felt like my feet went through a one night stand and were now feeling the dirty guilty after thoughts. With a smile on her face, a totally separate third-person gave me my ticket for what I owed: $35, without tip (HA). I dug into my wallet, reached 2 $20's, got my change and fled that nail shop as if i had just seen a robbery and the gun man was letting everyone free. I didnt look back until I was already in my car.
The moral of the story: thanks mom for my naturally fabulous hands because they will NOT be seeing a nail shop this side of OC for...uh...ever!
A week or so ago I decided to treak myself and my naturally fabulous hands & feet ( thanks mom) to a refreshing mani pedi. They werent looking like their usually fantastic selves and so needed so major TLC. Thus the nail shop visit. I typically go to the nail shop when I get my eyebrows and 'debi joe' done (I'll let you wonder what that is) and that day was no exception. So on my way out of the Indian threading place, I went directly next door to nail shop. Looking back, I should have seen the warning signs of an impending annoyance coming my way, but the bliss i was still in from the afore mentioned luxury was clouding my already prescription-based vision. I missed all the signs. I step in and casually let one of the hasty manicurist know that I would like a spa mani pedi (spa meaning that I would like the hi-tech massage chairs; a standard nowadays). She nods, and continues to go about scrubbing someones heels that appear to be in the same condition as my own. Trust me, I can just in time before it got bad. Alot of foreign chatter starts to commence for several minutes with half the nail shop speaking in some Asian dialect, which none of its patrons, including myself, understand at all. I go to pick out a nail color; my slight obsession with dark reds continues, and so I dont spend more than a minute picking out something very similar to what is already chipping on my digits. Sad, but Im a bit predictable. Anyways, I sit and without being let aware of my waiting status, continue to sit for over 10 minutes, just waiting for someone to tell me whats going on. Im not an impatient person, but I do think it would be nice to be let in on how long I should anticipate waiting. To me, not that much to ask for. To me. Still the foreign talk continues. Finally, almost 20 minutes after arriving I am sat in a spa chair with the blue-mint water beckoning my toesies already running. Ugh - way too cold. I turn to tell the lady and ask for hot water to balance out the frost; shes gone. I actually dont even see her at all. Vanished. Grr. So, with everyone else very busy, I sit with a cold half foot on the foot rest waiting (again) for someone to service me. About 5 minutes later, a lady realizes the water in the spa foot tub is about to overflow and comes over to turn it off and stares at me like "Why arent your feet in the water?". And with the universal language all women speak fluently with our body language and attitude, I stare right back like "Duh - the water is cold". Grr.
Fast forward to the simultaneous mani pedi work: When you get a mani pedi in the spa chair, you are being cheated. Point blank conned out of the full experience because they attempt to 'save you time' by doing both at the same time. HELLO - if i was looking to be rushed i would not have come to get my nails done. So exactly this happened with me: Both hands and feet were being done at the same time, one more half-ass than the other, but equal in annoying the crap out of me. On my feet the lady was barely scrubbing, barely clipping and not at all paying attention. On my hands she wasent even looking at my nails as she filed away, to my dismay, making my nails shorter than desired. Grrr. I call to both their attention that I am feeling very rushed and might as well be halfway out the door at the ridiculous speed they are working at. They simply nod. And the unknown dialect picks up big time. They are talking across the room, to each other, to other women working - its like a hen house. Naturally, I am very curious as to what they are talking about and can only assume that my recent plea for a 'spa' experience has sparked the freeway of conversation. My feet are given a quick once over of the usually 5+ minute massage, and my hands are tugged and dropped as they are simply lubricated with some cheap lotion - she doesnt even take the time to rub it in. I can actually see lotion just sitting on my arm. After trying very unsuccessfully to convince me to get a 'flower' design on my toes (aka an extra $5-10 charge on an iffy red dot with a rhinestone), she gives me a scowl as I insist on 2 clear coats of the shiny top coat. It prevents chipping; why wouldnt I want 2 instead of the measly 1? I ask the same of the hand lady as she is finishing up. So I am sitting there, freshly painted and desperately trying to enjoy the end of my quickie, when my feet are propped on this ledge. Why, when I am trying to dry, is my lower body being moved? ?I look down and the feet lady has come back with a gray dingy towel to clean the foot basin, which only involved running hot water and wiping it down with this awful towel. No cleaners. No products or fungus killing solutions - just the almighty power of plain 'ole OC tap water. I cringed so hard i felt myself actually grinding my teeth; my feet were just in that tub and if thats how she cleaned, I had just shared my foot juice with any and every woman that has gotten their toes done in that chair. I felt like my feet went through a one night stand and were now feeling the dirty guilty after thoughts. With a smile on her face, a totally separate third-person gave me my ticket for what I owed: $35, without tip (HA). I dug into my wallet, reached 2 $20's, got my change and fled that nail shop as if i had just seen a robbery and the gun man was letting everyone free. I didnt look back until I was already in my car.
The moral of the story: thanks mom for my naturally fabulous hands because they will NOT be seeing a nail shop this side of OC for...uh...ever!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)