Sunday, July 18, 2004
Today: Before Returning to the East.
Things I've noticed in two trips home in 3 weeks:
1. It's colder here. Really. In new york I would never have to bring a sweatshirt with me wherever I go unless I'm with a girl who will eventually whine about being cold in the 75 degree weather at night and need . Here, I have to bring two sweatshirts: one for me, and one for said girl.
2. Weddings are weird and generally uncomfortable. I've been to 3 weddings this year, if you count a performance of Tony & Tina's wedding (which really might as well be a wedding). The participants, generally are nervous, and the attendants, if they've known the bride, groom or both for very long are also nervous. Everyone is confused as to what to do all the time, even if there is a rehearsal. The reception is crazy, because we've all been to so many of them that we're not sure the exact protocol (even if there is a program). Eventually, we all get tired of trying to figure out what we're supposed to do and just get drunk. This is the part of the wedding that I like. The rest, excluding the ceremony, of course, is unnecessary theatrics.
3. I don't like the confederate flag, especially when I see it up north. I've seen it now twice this weekend alone--on cars with clearly NORTHERN license plates (NY, CT) . I think if you're a northerner, putting that kind of symbol on your vehicle begs other drivers to ask themselves "if I pass this redneck motherfucker, am I going to be killed by his filthy shotgun and then dragged behind his pickup until I'm an unrecognizable stump?" My mother tried telling me that people who put those symbols on their cars aren't racists, they just want states to have rights. My response to that was "mother, if you said 'federalism' to any of those people, do you expect them to know what that means?" she couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer, so I won that argument. In my humble (ha) opinion, the fact that people will still make and market that kind of out-0f-date, hateful paraphernalia proves how far we have NOT come as a country.
4. I have some home organizing to do. My mother's on board for the Defeat Bush again in '04 campaign, but my step-father is not convinced. I tried to use the 'do you want me to be a marginalized, disenfranchised citizen?' tactic, but his response to that was 'you're not the only person in the country' . Evan said I should have replied 'neither are you,' but I said 'if it was up to the republicans, I wouldn't be in this country, I'd be dead; that's what they want.' He thought I was being dramatic, but we all know it's true. Take away our rights, tell us we're not welcome here, what's next, boxcars?
5. I really like babies. Rachel's baby, Will, is the most adorable thing. Ever. He and I have officially bonded over running around at Jay & Emily's wedding, looking at flowers, growling, and pretending we're taller than everyone. I like him a lot. I want to spoil him now. This is what it feels like to be an uncle, I think. Uncle Matt. I like that.
6. There is a lot of sky here, and it's really, really quiet. Having been in the city for almost a year non-stop, I've come to realize how New York has changed me subtlely. I look up when I'm home and see so much...sky, it's crazy. I guess that's what they mean by the sky is bigger... weird. Also, it's so quiet here that when I hear any noise at all, it makes me jump.
7. I'm worried about my sister Stephanie. She does things that a 17 year old shouldn't do and I'm worried that it might keep her from doing the things she's ultimately going to want to do. I don't like her friends, I don't like the people she dates and I know she's smarter than all of the dumb shit she's doing. Why do people lower themselves to the lowest common denominator? Is it just because they are afraid of being rejected by anyone they actually respect?
8. My parents can no longer bitch to me about money. My mother owns 2 minivans (one so big it can hardly be called a 'mini' anything) , like 3 horses or something, and enough riding and horse apparel that when I take the smaller minivan (which is used now exclusively for horse or garden-related moving-around stuff) she tells me to lock up the car because it's got a $3,000 saddle in it. I don't have a $3,000 ANYTHING. The next time she bitches to me about money, I'm going to remind her that I don't have health insurance (thank you, GWB.)
9. I'm really, really hoping that we can get our boys and girls out of the middle east. I'm feeling like there's something really horrible coming soon. I don't know what, but it terrifies me.
10. Where I'm from is beautiful, but I still would never live here. There are beautiful rolling hills, grape fields, corn fields, hay fields, cow pastures, horse pastures. There are also rednecks and bigots of all sizes and shapes--well, actually they're mostly fat. I'm glad I come from such a different place than where I live, because it gives me a different perspective on the city. I'm not ever going to live in a place like this permanently, though. There is just no access to real intellectual conversation. I'm really happy to have come back so much this summer, but I'm really, REALLY glad that I won't have to again for a while.
Peace Out.
Things I've noticed in two trips home in 3 weeks:
1. It's colder here. Really. In new york I would never have to bring a sweatshirt with me wherever I go unless I'm with a girl who will eventually whine about being cold in the 75 degree weather at night and need . Here, I have to bring two sweatshirts: one for me, and one for said girl.
2. Weddings are weird and generally uncomfortable. I've been to 3 weddings this year, if you count a performance of Tony & Tina's wedding (which really might as well be a wedding). The participants, generally are nervous, and the attendants, if they've known the bride, groom or both for very long are also nervous. Everyone is confused as to what to do all the time, even if there is a rehearsal. The reception is crazy, because we've all been to so many of them that we're not sure the exact protocol (even if there is a program). Eventually, we all get tired of trying to figure out what we're supposed to do and just get drunk. This is the part of the wedding that I like. The rest, excluding the ceremony, of course, is unnecessary theatrics.
3. I don't like the confederate flag, especially when I see it up north. I've seen it now twice this weekend alone--on cars with clearly NORTHERN license plates (NY, CT) . I think if you're a northerner, putting that kind of symbol on your vehicle begs other drivers to ask themselves "if I pass this redneck motherfucker, am I going to be killed by his filthy shotgun and then dragged behind his pickup until I'm an unrecognizable stump?" My mother tried telling me that people who put those symbols on their cars aren't racists, they just want states to have rights. My response to that was "mother, if you said 'federalism' to any of those people, do you expect them to know what that means?" she couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer, so I won that argument. In my humble (ha) opinion, the fact that people will still make and market that kind of out-0f-date, hateful paraphernalia proves how far we have NOT come as a country.
4. I have some home organizing to do. My mother's on board for the Defeat Bush again in '04 campaign, but my step-father is not convinced. I tried to use the 'do you want me to be a marginalized, disenfranchised citizen?' tactic, but his response to that was 'you're not the only person in the country' . Evan said I should have replied 'neither are you,' but I said 'if it was up to the republicans, I wouldn't be in this country, I'd be dead; that's what they want.' He thought I was being dramatic, but we all know it's true. Take away our rights, tell us we're not welcome here, what's next, boxcars?
5. I really like babies. Rachel's baby, Will, is the most adorable thing. Ever. He and I have officially bonded over running around at Jay & Emily's wedding, looking at flowers, growling, and pretending we're taller than everyone. I like him a lot. I want to spoil him now. This is what it feels like to be an uncle, I think. Uncle Matt. I like that.
6. There is a lot of sky here, and it's really, really quiet. Having been in the city for almost a year non-stop, I've come to realize how New York has changed me subtlely. I look up when I'm home and see so much...sky, it's crazy. I guess that's what they mean by the sky is bigger... weird. Also, it's so quiet here that when I hear any noise at all, it makes me jump.
7. I'm worried about my sister Stephanie. She does things that a 17 year old shouldn't do and I'm worried that it might keep her from doing the things she's ultimately going to want to do. I don't like her friends, I don't like the people she dates and I know she's smarter than all of the dumb shit she's doing. Why do people lower themselves to the lowest common denominator? Is it just because they are afraid of being rejected by anyone they actually respect?
8. My parents can no longer bitch to me about money. My mother owns 2 minivans (one so big it can hardly be called a 'mini' anything) , like 3 horses or something, and enough riding and horse apparel that when I take the smaller minivan (which is used now exclusively for horse or garden-related moving-around stuff) she tells me to lock up the car because it's got a $3,000 saddle in it. I don't have a $3,000 ANYTHING. The next time she bitches to me about money, I'm going to remind her that I don't have health insurance (thank you, GWB.)
9. I'm really, really hoping that we can get our boys and girls out of the middle east. I'm feeling like there's something really horrible coming soon. I don't know what, but it terrifies me.
10. Where I'm from is beautiful, but I still would never live here. There are beautiful rolling hills, grape fields, corn fields, hay fields, cow pastures, horse pastures. There are also rednecks and bigots of all sizes and shapes--well, actually they're mostly fat. I'm glad I come from such a different place than where I live, because it gives me a different perspective on the city. I'm not ever going to live in a place like this permanently, though. There is just no access to real intellectual conversation. I'm really happy to have come back so much this summer, but I'm really, REALLY glad that I won't have to again for a while.
Peace Out.
