Random Thoughts on the Blogosphere

Sometimes I don't know what I'm even doing with a blog. I really don't like conflict and arguing with people, yet here I am giving people an open door. I guess I'm trying to learn something while at the same time passing on knowledge. But sometimes you come across really rude and nasty people on here and instead of having a rational debate on something you end up in a virtual brawl. And, then sometimes you meet people who are refreshingly open-minded.

This past weekend my husband and I went down to D.C. to visit some friends. We watched the IMAX film, Roving Mars at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Although it was short, it was interesting. The film showed the building of the rovers and the thought processes that went into the invention. It also used a combination of real video and photos along with CGI special effects to show the landing of the rovers and their work on Mars.

Afterwards we had dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant where I indulged in enchiladas for the second time this month. YUM! I also ordered the flan for dessert. Unfortunately, the flan wasn't that great. I shoulda chowed down on the cheesecake instead. If you're looking for good flan, then I would highly recommend the flan at Coyote Crossing. Excellent! Then we spent the night and the next morning discussing and debating the plots of Smallville and Battlestar Galactica and the origins of the universe...no, really, I'm serious. Anyway, It was an excellent weekend.

Today was a gorgeous day. I got off my lazy azz and took a walk around the complex. Luckily that kept me busy for awhile and I was distracted from watching TV and eating goldfish crackers all day. I've really got to step up my workout/diet whatever...cuz I've only got a month before I go to Punta Cana and I'm nowhere near bikini ready. =(

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

So, I've noticed a lot of the time I don't seem to get much respect from service workers in my daily life. I think most of it has to do with the fact that I don't often dress up and, therefore, I look like a kid. Even my eye doctor thought I was 21! I think everyone dismisses me because of this. A few of my Asian friends agree. While we're blessed with youthful looks, we're also cursed by the lack of respect those youthful looks bring. I can only imagine the stares I'll get when I'm pregnant. People will think I'm a pregnant college drop-out! However, I was talking to a good friend of mine earlier tonight and she said I'm not getting respect or attention because I'm tooooo nice and way too polite to people. She said I'm giving them the sign that I'm easy to walk all over. (I know what you're thinking...this blog reflects an outspoken, annoyingly loud, and sarcastic person - not a nice, quiet, polite dogooder. But, sometimes blogs are a reflection of the self that is shut away and screaming to get out...people who know me well know that I'm a more complex combination of the two.) This thought had crossed my mind before, but I hadn't given it much weight. Now I'm wondering if she's correct. Could it be that I treat people with too much respect that they can't possibly give me any back??? I think it sounds ludicrous, but maybe it's true. In many cases it's the yelling, irate bitchy customer that always seems to get exactly what he/she needs. People jump to attention and start running to assist. The service workers know they'd better not mess with this person or else! More and more I'm begining to think this is true. Obviously, not in every case, but more or less true. The fact that this IS true is infuriating! How is it people would be more inclined to deliver good service to someone who berates them over someone who is polite to them? How is it that a few stern words and an evil eye are better perceived than courteous discourse and a smile? Not only is this stupid, and I hate stupid things, but I'm annoyed that I have to become a total bitch in order to get the simplest tasks done. I don't like being mean to people unless I'm provoked. I can't fathom going up to the unsuspecting innocent and yelling, "Bitch! Where's my money?" Shouldn't everyone get that initial chance before being condemned? I sure think so. Apparently not everyone else does. So, I guess I'm going to have to grow some wrinkles and wield some nasty words if I want to get anything accomplished.

arggh!

I know I'm beating this like a dead horse (where the hell does that expression come from anyways???), but...my GAWD...it's so completely infuriating and dumbfounding...I'm almost knocked speechless (almost)...it's like you feel like your head's going to explode.

(CNN) -- An Afghan man possibly facing execution for converting from Islam to Christianity is expected "to be released in the coming days," a source with detailed knowledge of the case said Friday. On Thursday, top Afghan clerics urged Muslims to kill Rahman if the government freed him.
"Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die," cleric Abdul Raoulf told The Associated Press.

I mean, my God...how do people like this exist??? I mean, what do we do with people like this? Jettison them into outter space? What the hell do we do? BELEoEurOEUIRooo!!!!

More hypocritical, depressing news

Right now there's a man in Afghanistan facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity. Ironically, self-proclaimed "super-Christian" George W. Bush, who brought "democracy and freedom" to Afghanistan, has yet to condemn this atrocity. The Christian convert's trial judge told the BBC, "We will invite him again because the religion of Islam is one of tolerance. We will ask him if he has changed his mind. If so we will forgive him." AWww....how tolerant and graciously benevolent of them!

Uhh..is this what U.S. soldiers died for in Afghanistan? The right for the new Afghan government to put to death a Christian convert? And where the F*$# is Bush???? He's always got something grand to say about democracy, freedom, and Christianity....why is he suddenly speechless?

UPDATE: Looks like Bush publicly condemned this situation today in a speech out of West Virginia. Mr. President, are you reading my blog? According to CNN, Bush said, ""We have got influence in Afghanistan, and we are going to use it." Let's hope so, let's hope so. I can't think of anything better than for Mr. Bush to prove my above tirade wrong. Let's hope he does.

Thank God

for this beautiful day!!!!

Today
Partly sunny; windy, warmer
High: 74° F

Real World, Real Dumb

Ok, not that this is any news to anyone but MTV's Real World totally SUCKS!!!!! Unfortunately, I have to admit I used to be a fan. I enjoy laughing at other people acting stupid. I guess no matter how bad things get in my life I can always point to these people and think, "at least I'm not them!" Anyways, now even I am abandoning this wagon. I watched the first episode of the new Real World Key West and thought I was going to throw up. I mean, c'mon MTV!!!! Can't you show some originality??? I'm sick and tired of seeing the same five personalities hashing out the same tired storylines season after season! There's always:

1.) The Jock - The goodlooking, yet moronic, beer-guzzlin, booty-chasin, frat-boy, who is sure to hookup with...

2.) The Hot Girl - The hot bimbo, who likes drinking, dancing on bars, tonguing her female roommates and other females at the bars, running around in her underwear, and has serious low self-esteem issues (and sometimes an eating disorder)...

3.) The Token Minority -
a.) If a black male, then he's the angry black guy who's mad at society and by default mad at most of his roommates, especially The Jock.
b.) If a black female, she will undoubtably become the object of desire for one of the white males, but usually not The Jock, who is already taken by The Hot Girl.
c.) If an Asian female, she will rarely, if ever, be the subject of an episode and she will rarely have any lines. This is not because she did not say anything or do anything of interest, but because she got edited out to give more screen time to the immature rantings going on with the ill-fated love story between The Jock and The Hot Girl and "The Hot Girl's about-to-be dumped boyfriend back home". And, although usually very attractive, Asian Female will not be highlighted as such.
d.) If an Asian male, ....haha..PSYCH!!!! There never has been nor will there ever be an Asian male on Real World! haha..c'mon...get REAL!
e.) If a Hispanic male, he will be relegated to a supporting role. He will support one of his white male castmates with two-liner comments as needed.
f.) If a Hispanic female, as long as she's goodlooking she will be shifted to the white girl category and there will be little to no mention of her race.

4.) The Gay Roommate - If a male, then his presence will cause the straight male roommates to question their own bigotry on the path to enlightenment. If female, no one will care because there's already enough girl-on-girl action going on in the jacuzzi anyways.

5.) The Reject - Usually a female, but not always, who is unattractive, yet reasonably intelligent and, thus, does not fit in with the other roommates. He/She will either explore the ramifications of being an outsider and have a good cry so as to give the show a humanistic, serious tone, or He/She will provide witty and sarcastic commentary on the idiocy of the rest of the house.


COME ON MTV!!!!! CAN YOU THROW IN SOME DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES ONCE IN AWHILE???? AND, HOW BOUT AN ASIAN GUY?????? ONE THAT ISN'T STEREOTYPICALLY NERDY TOO! OR BETTER YET! HOW BOUT AN ASIAN JOCK?!? I KNOW I'M BLOWING YOUR MINDS MTV...

Scary

So Domino's pizza founder Thomas Monaghan is building a town, Ave Maria, in Florida, which will be governed by strict Catholic law. There will be no pornography, abortions, and birth control, among other "sinful" things. Other than the above, I haven't seen a list of rules for this town or an explanation as to how they'll enforce them, besides regulating businesses. You've got to figure that if they want a town ruled by strict Catholicism, then they'd need a whole litany of "Do Nots"...like requiring people to go to confession (which, incidently, hardly any of the Catholics I know do), no premarital sex, no blasphemy, etc... I'm not sure how that would be enforced and, in fact, I'm not sure it could be....seems to me a lot of that would be unconstitutional. And would they restrict nonCatholics from living there??? That's also unconstitutional.

I just got done reading Bentley Little's book, The Association. It's about this couple who moves into a gated community and they come to find out that their Homeowner's Association is run by a sadistic group of nonhumans (demons or what?), who run the community with a yellowpages size book of unbelievable rules....like:
No minorities are allowed to live in the neighborhood.
No pets allowed.
No business work to be done on premises.
No personal photos or mementos to be displayed in home.
Only green string can be used to tie plants in gardens.
Cars must be facing the same direction when parked in driveway.

etc, etc..
Of course, the Association will kill your pet if you have one...and kidnap and kill your minority friend who happens to be visiting. And all the houses contain surveillance cameras so the Association can videotape you in your own home and on your own toilet. But anyways...you get the gist of it. Anyways, I doubt that will be the case in Ave Maria, but the whole idea really rubs me the wrong way. And what bothers me just as much and maybe even more is Gov. Jeb Bush's wholehearted endorsement of the town. I'd like to invoke a little separation of church and state, please.