Random
Some random things have happened recently while my post-vacation brain is still half-fried from being sick. So, instead of offering you something insightful, I share with you these snippets:
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The other night, I was sitting in a group setting. A person was telling a story about this guy in the neighborhood walking a small dog. She suggested that guys with small dogs are either walking their girlfriends’/wives’ dogs or they’re gay. She said she saw him for months and couldn’t figure him out. Until one day, he was walking with his girlfriend. She said, THANK GOD … implying it would’ve been the end of the world if he was gay. This person knows my brother is gay. This person also has acted gay-friendly in the past. The most surprising part of that moment? I was stunned into silence. I had no voice to question her intentions. Shame on me.
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Sweets and I took a long walk with the dog the other afternoon. He wanted to stop in a mobile phone store to get some accessories for his new phone, so I waited outside with the dog. I looked up to see a childhood friend from St. Louis waiting at the bus stop. We said hello and confirmed plans for this weekend (plans we made weeks ago). She got on her bus to head home. Not two minutes later, another bus was passing and I saw someone waving from the windows. It was one of our neighbors, so I waved back. After Sweets left the store, we began walking down the block when some random dude looked at us like he knew us and emphatically said HI. Sweets and I looked at each other and looked back at him. Neither of us knew him. We both laughed. But, I’ve decided that’s a happy block (i.e., my happy place), where I’ll return if I’m ever feeling down. ha.
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The other day, my brother mentioned he was hoping some of us in the family would pool our resources together and get him an iPad for his birthday, which is today (Happy Birthday, bro!). I emailed Sweets, my parents and my brother’s boyfriend to see if everyone was on-board. We determined who was willing to spend what and a strategy for getting my brother his gift (via a gift certificate, so he could choose the exact model he wanted). Later that day, my brother emailed me to say he’s so excited that we’re getting him an iPad. And by the next morning, he had it in his hands. No waiting for the actual gift certificate. Talk about a gadget boy.
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Our neighbors have decided to put their condo up for sale. Other than Sweets and me, every other unit is still owned by the original owners (the building was a gut rehab about a year or two before we moved in). I totally get why they’re moving (they need better public services for their son and Chicago Public Schools is not able to offer them what they need), but am equally sad to see them go. I caught myself asking another neighbor, “What are we going to do to ensure whomever buys their place keeps the integrity of our building?!” Wouldn’t it be nice if we could interview potential buyers?!?
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Speaking of units for sale, I have noticed a marked increase in For Sale signs lately. The other day, I finally went on a lunchtime run with SoMi. There are a few For Sale signs on multi-unit buildings that have been sitting there since last fall (some since last summer). But, in the last week or two, 1-2 more For Sale signs have gone up on those exact same buildings. This is either good news (real estate is rebounding, so people feel confident about putting their homes on the market) or bad news (even if the real estate market is rebounding, there is now a flood of homes on the market, which essentially dilutes the value of each of those homes). Time will tell. Good things Sweets and I have no immediate plans to put our condo on the market.
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Despite our best efforts to go to the Roller Derby when I was in Madison last month, we were foiled when we learned they were SOLD OUT. Thankfully, Chicago has its own Roller Derby team. So, today, I am buying tickets to the Windy City Rollers next match on May 1. Do you know how excited this makes me? You know what else excites me? Knowing I’m going to sign up for Madison’s Half Marathon in August and will be running it with a wonderful gal pal of mine. It’s the little things that make me happy.
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So tell me, if you had a choice and could only choose one, what would you choose: an iPad, tickets to the roller derby or entry to a destination race?
April 15th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Definitely the destination race. This is the second year of the Madison half, right?
I am not sure I would want to be friends with the woman who makes assumptions about people based on their dogs. Yikes.
I wish we had control over who lived around us. It is awful to say, but since our home is one of the last built, we are the only owners and the others around us are renters and do not care about the neighborhood.
April 15th, 2010 at 7:34 am
I always get so annoyed with the small dog=gay thing. I am also frustrated that it matters at all anyway. My brother was a professional ballet dancer for a few years and people always assumed he was gay. He’s not, but so what if he was? I don’t walk around announcing “Hi, I’m Tori and I’m straight” so why should anyone have to declare gender prefrences to each other? Hopefully some day soon this will be something people look back on with shock and horror that people were so judgey of others like this.
As for the choice, I would choose a destination race for sure.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I’m glad that you have a happy block. Thats what its like living in a small town. We have a few houses for sale on our street and I really, really wish we could interview the the potential buyers. Both homes have been on the market for a few years now (no one wants to live on our hill and the houses havent been updated in ages, long story). A very happy birthday to your brother!
I would choose roller derby tickets!
April 15th, 2010 at 8:29 am
I would choose the tickets to the Roller Derby because I’ve never experienced anything like it! I think it would be fun!
April 15th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Probably the roller derby :) I don’t own anything Apple (not even an iPod; I do have an MP3 player but it’s Sony’s version of one).
I’ve noticed a lot more homes for sale lately as well in all of areas of StL. I suppose this could be good for me if I can find something I would like in the next six months, but who knows.
Happy Birthday to your brother!!!!
April 15th, 2010 at 8:46 am
I’d go to the roller derby. I don’t have the need or desire for an ipad.
I could totally see myself saying something similar about the dog and gay men. I tend to talk in social settings and not worry about what is PC or what someone might take personally. And I am not homophobic -- as I am sure your friend isn’t -- but I guess I am also not super sensitive to other people’s personal situations.
April 15th, 2010 at 9:03 am
iPad, definitely.
And you should totally be allowed to interview your neighbors. Miranda did it on Sex and the City. And isn’t SATC real life?! :-)
April 15th, 2010 at 9:04 am
iPad! I’d be like Phil Dunphy: “Touch it. Don’t touch it. Touch it. Don’t touch it.”
April 15th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Haha. None of the above. I loved Roller Derby for awhile because my co-worker’s sister, niece AND daughter were all in it -- so the excitement was pretty stellar, but after they moved on to other things, I just couldn’t get into it anymore. But I bet you’ll have an awesome time!
April 15th, 2010 at 9:20 am
DERBY!
I have gone here in Seattle and it is so much fun.
April 15th, 2010 at 10:41 am
Hands down the iPad. What can I say, I’m a gizmo whore. True story.
Sometimes people will say something to stun us and it’s hard to find the words to reply back to what they said until way after the fact. It’s frustrating, but at the same time at least you know what her train of thought is and I’m guessing you probably won’t associate with this person much at all.
April 15th, 2010 at 10:41 am
that’s unfortunate what that person said about the dogwalker. and i know you look back and regret not saying anything…but i’d be the same way. i’d be angry inside and probably not say anything and then regret it. you’re not the only one.
and as far as those 3 choices go? i vote NONE lol
April 15th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Erm, iPad. For sure.
April 15th, 2010 at 11:40 am
I would choose the iPad. And several houses on our street are for sale for well. I do not think it’s a good sign. But we aren’t planning to sell our house for many years so it doesn’t affect us personally.
Maybe the woman thinks the guy is cute, and thinks (quite accurately) that it will be easier to get him to break up with his girlfriend than to get him to start liking women?
April 15th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Roller derby! It sounds so fun :)
The dog-walking story is so gross. Don’t beat yourself up for not saying anything -- when you’re surprised by someone it can be difficult to come up with anything articulate or intelligent. I was in a situation recently where someone said something racist and it shocked me into silence (seriously -- I had no idea that this person was such an idiot and it made me speechless.) I felt so guilty later for not saying anything but then I realized that in the heat of the moment I couldn’t come up with an appropriate response and that’s okay. Now you know where this woman stands and you can act accordingly (by coming up with a wicked response for the next time she spouts her ignorant drivel.)
April 15th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Maybe- and I’m not trying to justify what the woman said- she said THANK GOD as in, after seeing that guy walk the small dog all the time, she finally was able to categorize him. In college I took a class in which the professor discussed the fact that as a society, we get very upset when we are not able to figure out a person’s gender. We get mad when a baby is not dressed in blue or pink to tell us what sex they are, we try to figure out the gender of people like SNL’s “Pat” character. Maybe this was something similar? As in, after so many months she finally knew the person’s sexual orientation. Especially if this woman has been gay-friendly in the past, maybe the comment was made because she was relieved that she no longer had to wonder what the guy’s story was. *shrugs*
April 15th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
It always disappoints me when people turn out to be homophobic. :-(
April 15th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
I think I’d choose the destination race.
Is your neighbor who’s moving the one with the sick baby? I hope someone nice moves in. You want me and Mr. W to buy the place as our summer home? ;)
You should definitely watch “Whip It” after you go to the Roller Derby. It’s cute. I’m jealous you’re going -- I’d love to see one of those live. Have a great time!
April 15th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
One of the earlier comments reminded me of a conversation my hairdresser and I were having. We both think it’s weird that gay people are expected to “come out.” Why do we feel that anyone needs to announce their sexuality?
Oh, and I’d go with destination race.
April 15th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
do you think that the girl maybe was “censoring” herself before when she was making her gay-friendly comments and this one, you caught her in a moment of really being her?
i would choose the entry to the race, but only because its’ in august and plenty of time to train!
April 15th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
An entry to a destination race. I have been thinking about that lately.
April 15th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Definitely an entry to a destination race!! If it could be in Hawaii and include a round trip ticket, that would be super. ;) My marathon this fall will be a destination race (portland, OR). I have only run local races so it will be fun to travel for this one.
How random to encounter a couple of different people you know in one block. Love it when stuff like that happens. Makes a big city feel smaller.
I get nervous when I see units for sale in my condo building. I stupidly go & see what they are listed for, which makes me sick to my stomach since the values have tanked since i bought it 5 years ago… But then I get nervous that since the price point is now so low, we are going to get hoodlums or something! As much as I joke about my crazy senior citizen neighbors, they really are great. It’s a quiet building and it’s super safe. I’d like it to stay that way! too bad it’s not like a co-op where people have to go through a rigorous application process!!
April 15th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
I totally understand how you feel about the interviewing new neighbors. I would feel the same way. Having someone that meshs with the building well is SO important. I hope you get a good one!
April 16th, 2010 at 1:16 am
It still stuns me that people are not accepting of gays. I literally cannot comprehend it.
Also, I have been sharing Andrew’s iPad, but…yeah, I want one of my own :)
April 16th, 2010 at 6:50 am
Somebody I used to do business with is on the Rollers. At least I think she still is. I’ll have to check into that.
April 16th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Sounds like you’d loving living in an NYC co-op!
April 16th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Damn typo. ;)
April 17th, 2010 at 11:27 am
I always clam up when people are insensitive too, but I’m not sure what would have been the appropriate response in your situation. I’m not sure confrontation actually works with people like that. Maybe you inadvertently took the high road.
I think I’d take the iPad, but I might use the funds for some other gadget in the end. :)