Rants ahead.
First up, the current occupants of the White House. I think anyone who has met me knows that I feel that 45 is a POS, and I don't mean Point Of Service. Yesterday, when he was scheduled to visit Houston, I read a report about how it would be interesting to see if he could prove to be a good "Consoler-in-Chief," given that he "appears to lack empathy." Well he performed as expected, and I ask myself OH MY GOD HOW YOU CAN YOU LACK EMPATHY???? Galling.
Then, his wife. On the one hand, you have the "Don't Reduce Her to What She Is Wearing, It's Not Important, and Women Should Stop Tearing Each Other Down" crowd, and on the other hand you have the "But She Changed Into Sneakers Once They Landed" crowd.
My take? This is an imperfect world, and the stiletto heels and sunglasses were a stupid choice. It gave the appearance of trying to look fashionable rather than practical when visiting a dangerous place in a hurricane zone. Also, why the sunglasses - it was not sunny in DC or in Houston? And by extension, why is she always squinting, does she need prescription glasses? I don't get her. And how she dresses is not the most important thing in the world, but people do notice and if Michelle Obama got slammed for wearing shorts on Air Force One, we can criticize Melania for wearing stilettos. It didn't ruin my day, but I still think it was stupid. Also, the whole "Women Should Stop Tearing Each Other Down" thing makes me stabby. Women are people, and if we should no more give them a pass due to gender than we should men. When a woman acts stupid, improperly, rudely, insensitively, etc. she should be called out on it.
The kid. He's a kid, let him wear what kids wear. Leave him alone, leave him out of it. He's got enough to deal with given his father and older siblings. God help him.
OK, next. Yesterday morning on my way to work, I was waiting to cross the street and there were a group of four people in front of me. One of them said, "I am so upset because my car is going to need $1500 worth of repairs and I don't know how I'm going to afford that." Another person said, "You shouldn't be complaining when thousands of people are suffering more from Hurricane Harvey." And that annoyed me. Granted, if she had been upset about breaking a fingernail, I would agree. But you know what? People's problems and their suffering are real, regardless who has it worse in the world. I am guessing that the first person was feeling awful about what was happening in Houston, but also worried about her personal finances. Each is legitimate, and there are no prizes for who suffers the most.
Sharing the sidewalk. I know that in a lot of places, there are sidewalks that are as wide as buildings. But I live in Center City Philadelphia, where the streets are tiny and the sidewalks tinier. When I am walking with someone else or even a group of people, and even a single person is coming the other way, I move behind who I am with so they can walk past. It's not hard, and it's never meant that I've missed a golden nugget of wisdom from the mouth of my companion(s). It appears that I am one of the few people who do this. And if you DARE to say "Excuse me" and try to pass, people look at you as if you just ate a baby or something. I've even gotten the sarcastic, "Oh excuuuse me for living" type of comment. It's a sidewalk. No one should have to walk in the street and risk getting hit by a vehicle because you are walking along with someone else. To quote George Costanza, "We're living in a SOCIETY, people!"
Nazis. 'Nuff said.
If you are still reading, thanks for letting me get this off my chest. It won't change anything, but it makes me feel better. Because now I can take my lovely perfect self and my estimable personal behavior and move on with my day. And that should make all of us feel better, right? ;-)
7 comments:
Well said ...............and while we are at it, let's stop with the stupid platitudes meant to make us feel better (or to get us to shut up), but which make us feel worse and in your words, maybe a bit STABBY!
Tomorrow just might NOT be a better day. It's NOT a given that I will find a great house eventually. My deceased father may NOT be in a better place and all that other bullshit said to minimize what is REALLY going on in our lives.
Let's just all say ---------I'm sorry you are going through crap right now.
So while eventually I will get on with my day and paste on a smile, for right now I'm just gonna sit right here and be grumpy for a bit longer.
(P.S. Hope you have a great day! LOL)
I'm with you. On all of it. AND...I will not be one of those people who minimizes your feelings by saying any of the following:
1. Gee, Bridget, tell us how you really feel. LOL.
2. I hope you feel better now.
BECAUSE I HATE THAT CRAP. A LOT.
It's insulting.
Here is what I will say, beyond what I already did:
1. Thank you for mentioning George Costanza's quote!
2. I am also tired of people who try to mitigate my complaints by reminding me that Others Have It Way Worse Than I Do. No kidding. That will always be the case. It's the "I wept about having no shoes until I met a man with no legs" thing. THIS DOES NOT MEAN I CAN NEVER BE ANGRY OR UNHAPPY. I CAN HAVE FEELINGS.
3. Some people are Just Plain Awful/Rude. Period. That we have to share our space with them is Regrettable. That they now feel they have a Champion In The White House which has emboldened them and rubber-stamped their behaviour is horrifying. This is why my wine budget has doubled.
4. I am refraining from commenting upon 45*'s spouse because I am trying to convey complete and total disinterest, which is really what I do feel. But the whole Woman Commentary controversy is garbage.
Okay! Glad we covered this. Had to be said.
Excellent post! the only thing I will say is that sometimes the behavior of others makes me question whether we do, indeed, live in a Society, OK, I'm finished now.
Well said.
I feel like I cannot carry on a conversation with many of my friends and family members. They lambasted everything Obama did, cursed those who voiced their opinion of George Dub-ya, and now if I dare to mention Trump and his lack of decorum they attack me and say, "I should 'get over it' because he's the President." I feel like shaking them and shouting, "see the man, look at his character, ignore his party affiliation, and see how openly vindictive he is, and how woefully unprepared he is to BE the President."
I've been pretty stabby this week too. Let's just say there is a lot of stupidity and ignorance out there, and my tolerance for it is pretty thin at the moment.
And another thing, I need to start taking my knitting to work meetings so I don't either a: get fired, or b: kill someone.
"Also, the whole "Women Should Stop Tearing Each Other Down" thing makes me stabby. Women are people, and if we should no more give them a pass due to gender than we should men. When a woman acts stupid, improperly, rudely, insensitively, etc. she should be called out on it."
This a million times. This is what equality actually is people.
Just because we complain a bit doesn't mean we are invalidating other people's issues and don't have a sense of gravity or reality.
I don't drive in the city at all these days. The sidewalk, the escalators, hold right, pass left. The struggle is real.
I am drowning in the hypocrisy of our society and trying to make do.
Lady, I wish we were closer, we'd have a good rant day or two. :) Your post speaks to me.
Am I allowed to say that I think he is a POS also? I am British and we have our own problems, but seriously, I feel for you. I am also in total agreement on the 'sisterhood' thing....crap.
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