I haven't been here to blog for over a week. Things got very busy for me between my classes and just life in general. Here are a few of my recent issues with life:
Mother's Day
I have a mother and a mother-in-law. I was blessed to have two great grandmothers. So forgive me for not being excited about this holiday.
I love these women, but I hate what this holiday does to them. It turns women everywhere into prima donnas of the highest order. Sure, we should appreciate our mothers and everything that motherhood entails. Think about it, birthdays focus on the person who was born, not on the effort that it took to get us here. But is all of this--flowers, gifts, brunches, trips, jewelry, tiaras, etc--really necessary?
I am not a mother, so maybe that's why I get so annoyed when this time of year approaches. Am I jealous? I don't think so, but I guess we'll find out in a few years or so when I start to get little home-made cards from my future children. As they get older, will I expect more from them? Will I demand original poetry or dramatic readings? If I live long enough to become a grandmother, will my children try to impress me by forcing their children to compete against their cousins for my blessings?
Did you notice that I have mother-guilt-speak down already (if I live long enough...)
City Living
As long as I continue to be black, I will never understand why white people, especially those who live and work among us, still don't get it. Black people want respect, plain and simple. My neighborhood is in transition--it has always been racially diverse, but now we are experiencing a new form of class-based gentrification, so tensions are high.
I belong to the community listserv, and recent discussions indicate that things are going to be hot this summer. The white people (and I'm sorry, yes, you can tell who's who even over email) all support certain neighborhood projects: a skate park, a Yes! Organic market, a home goods store and a coffee shop. On quality of life issues, some of their complaints have a racial tinge such as who commits certain crimes and in turn, who gets targeted. Then one day, a woman posted a question about the intent of the listserv, whether it was for sharing information or for bitching. Then she suggested that everyone sounded like over-entitled white people, which to her mind made them all sound like typical gentrifiers. Boy, that hit some raw nerves, especialy since the poster was white.
Then, it became an endless stretch of bitchy emails back and forth among the same 13 people. A few others waded in to add a few logs on the fire, but then there were calls for an ouster, personal attacks, and then things just died down. People apparently got tired and decided to move on. A whole bunch of nothing!
As Time Goes By and other Anglomania
A month or so ago, I was at my parents' home and they got all excited about their BBC TV shows. I have watched a few of these shows occasionally, but now it is an obsession. My favorite is "As Time Goes By" which is a brilliantly funny comedy about a mature couple who reunite after 38 years apart. In addition, I sometimes have to watch "Are You Being Served" and "All Creatures Great and Small"--both of which I watched periodically as a child.
Along with my minor obsession with the British royals, one might think that I am a closet anglo-maniac. Well, I am part-Irish, so I'm entitled! I think its time for me to have some tea :)
Ciao!
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