Monday, May 25, 2009

That's what parkin' lots are for

"Ain't no need to fight/y'all take that redneck stuff outside/that's what parkin' lots are for..."--Dierks Bentley, "Sideways"

David Reutimann won the Coca-Cola 600 330. Will wonders never cease?

Wow. Exciting things today, and not all in a good way. I'm glad we stayed the hell out of Manhattan this weekend, because there was an explosion inside a Starbucks on the Upper East Side. Thank the Gods nobody was there!!!! Speaking of explosions, the crazy bastard in North Korea tested new nuclear weapons. How the fuck does such a medieval country manage that?!

It was pretty interesting at my instructor's house, too, when a couple of guys got into a fight over one of her teenage daughters. The daughter was encouraging the hell out of it, too. I have to admit, I haven't had many fights done on my behalf, but I have enjoyed the rare occasions when they come up. But I never saw a participant have to go to the hospital over it. He'll be all right, but a cut to the scalp always bears looking at. My instructor will never serve beer or soda in glass bottles again!

Tomorrow brings a nail-biter and a stomach-churner. The California Supreme Court finally rules on Proposition 8's legality. One of L'Ailee's many cousins, part of her family's wide-spread "diaspora," is a lesbian in San Francisco. We hope we can call her to congratulate her, even though she so frequently says, "It will be harder for me to find a woman to marry." We hope this turns out *right*. We keep thinking, *Iowa* got it, FFS, so why not California? I am not speaking to several of my own relatives at the moment, because they think "the will of the people should be respected." I yelled too often, "So let's have people vote on your marriage, then! You respect democracy, right?" I really don't get why our opponents act like same-sex couples should be okay with this situation.

We are going to wear white knots in support of everyone's right to tie the knot tomorrow. I can easily tie my hair back with a white ribbon, and L'Ailee will wear a white lace scarf around her head, and both of us will wear white scarves tied at our wrists. Win or lose, we'll be TiVoing at least part of the Pens/'Canes game to go here. The Eastern Conference championship is far easier to predict than the California Supreme Court anyway!

It looks like many of my blogfriends posted moving posts for Memorial Day. For me, it's hard to really comment. I don't have many military connections in my life. Very few of my relatives served after the Civil War (paternal side) or emigrating from Europe (maternal side.) I have to make myself remember. It helped that at my belly-dancing instructor's house, we engaged in a moment of silence at 3 pm, along with many other people around America. I know I owe more to the fallen soldiers and their families.

Links, links:

Women created Memorial Day No, I didn't learn this in school, either.

Many bi people and Pagans have served and continue to serve in America's military. I'm proud to remember them, too.

Donna Reed was actually pretty cool! She was a favored pin-up girl for GIs, who wrote her tons of letters during World War II--and she kept hundreds of them.

Finally, this will totally louse up my theme, but Puck Daddy has video of what was easily the most hilarious moment of the Red Wings/Blackhawks game yesterday. I played my first games of ice hockey this past winter and wear my (aqua glitter) mouthguard properly; so does my 8-year-old hockey-playing friend in the next post down. If the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane doesn't understand that he needs to wear it correctly now, well, nothing will teach him!

5 comments:

BostonPobble said...

Hell-o! Details on what sounds like a really juicy, drama-ridden, grab the popcorn and gape in amazement event at your instructor's house, please. ;)

White knot tomorrow. Check. Surely I have something white around here somewhere.

As for Memorial Day ~ you want the truth that most people won't mention (and this is not meant to be critical of you In Any Way so PLEASE don't hear it as such)? Memorial Day is more for people like you and my other friends who don't have family or friends who have served or are serving. Those of us who do, don't need a day to remember. We always remember. We can't stop remembering. And for far too many, it's not a memory but an immediate event. So take today, acknowledge it the way you did (which was a lovely, simple and just right statement btw), and know that you did good. One person who doesn't "have a reason" to remember actually remembering is far more heartfelt than an entire parade of people who "have reason." So, thanks.

CrackerLilo said...

This is about what L'Ailee and I figured was the trigger for the event. She and I were split, talking with other friends. Yemaya and I had already performed.

The teenage daughters also belly dance. A friend of a family friend, who is in his late teens, openly gaped over this girl when she performed. He told another teen boy what he'd like to do with her. The boy was her sort-of-boyfriend, who she's been on two dates with. He did not appreciate the first boy's comments. So they started yelling, then shoving, right in the middle of the family's backyard where most people watched and ate. This was when everyone's attention was diverted.

They punched each other, then each found glass bottles on the ground, and kept going even after my instructor's husband literally turned a hose on them! It ended when the second boy broke a bottle over the first one's head. Blood *everywhere*, but several people came to look, and it wasn't as bad as it seemed from a distance. Several of us called 911. There were two ambulances!

A handful of women didn't get to perform after that, unfortunately.

Thank you for saying that about Memorial Day. I guess for families of soldiers and veterans, it's similar to the way I feel about awareness events for suicide, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. I already know damn good and well what those do, because of people I've loved, and don't really need my awareness raised.

mariedavis said...

It's so funny, I get my news from Latin America -- and that is how I heard about the bomb -- NOT in the US press today -- how odd??? love the women's history info... thanks

BostonPobble said...

Oooo! I just *knew* there was juiciness! And yes, military families feel very similarly to you about all those things. So, thanks for being aware the other day, for us. ;) {{{hug}}}

CrackerLilo said...

School's been interesting for the girl and her bruised-up boyfriend, too. (That's right--not "sort-of" anymore!) He apparently had kind of a nerdy reputation. This may be turned around for next year now that everyone knows he sent a 19-year-old to the hospital. :-)