"How you doin' today, Sister?"

I don't know why I feel compelled to blog about this, but it affected me very deeply. On a lunch trip to a local resturaunt yesterday I saw a woman sitting on the sidewalk. She was dressed in old clothes and had what looked like a blanket and a backpack. "How you doin' today, Sister?" she asked. I knew the routine, she was going to ask me if I had a dollar and hold out her hand. I've met this woman before, but I'm not sure if she remembered me. Maybe she did. Maybe she remembered that I've given her money before and thats why she asked me again. In all honesty, I'm usually very suspicious of people who ask for money. Unsure of their intentions, I usually try to give them food or water. So I asked her if I could get her anything in the resturaunt and she said "A large diet Pepsi." So after I ordered and picked up my food I got her a drink and a bag of chips. When I walked outside I handed her the cup and for a brief moment our hands touched. Her skin was dry and I could see her skin was blotchy. She had a contemporary version of the Bible. Maybe its because I'm a very empathatic person bordering on the extreme. Maybe it's because I'm about to start my period. But after this moment that I CONNECTED with this woman it hit me. It was if I had felt this woman's pain with her. Had experienced the same grief and loss she had. It wasn't a flash of images or anything. I didn't see clips of the movie Precious (based on the novel Push by Sapphire). And all of a sudden my eyes were watering and I felt this incredible urge to throw up. By the time I had gotten back to my car I was crying. At this point it was uncontrollable. And I wasn't crying for her because she was in a different place in her life than I was. I completely see this woman as my equal. In fact, I could be in her present situation at sometime in my life. And so could you. I don't know why I thought this, but I thought what if this woman had children somewhere? What if she had been abused? What if someone she loved had put her in that spot. I felt bad that all she had was a scared, lonely white girl helping her and the sidewalk.

Before you tell me that I shouldn't feel sorry for her and that she probably put herself in this situation I want to leave you with this:

•61% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

•There is no city or county anywhere in the United States where a worker making the minimum wage can afford a fair market rate one-bedroom apartment.

•People who are released from hospital, prison, residential institution or leave the armed forces and have not place to live.

•One out of 50—or about 1.5 million—American children are homeless each year.

•Over 92% of homeless mothers have experienced severe physical and/or sexual abuse during their lifetime.

•Among all homeless women, 60% have children under age 18, and 65% of them live with at least one of their children.

•Among all homeless men, 41% have children under age 18, but only 7% live with at least one of their children.

Hope you're having a good day, Sister.

Women Who Make the World Worse

While on a trip to Naples my friend Sarah picked up a book from a thrift store called "Women Who Make the World Worse" by Kate O'Beirne. I couldn't read a single paragraph in it without yelling profanities directed towards the author's ignorant and blatantly biased views. This woman and others like her are the reason why women get paid less for doing the same job as a man and are more likely to live in poverty. So, here is MY list of women who are truly making the world worse!

5. Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Taylor Momsen, Myley Ray Cyrus, et al.


As if young teenage women (and men) weren't impressionable enough the only "strong" female role models they are given are vapid, ignorant, and completely mindless human beings who really have no apparent talent. Okay, Lady Gaga does have talent, but the music she peddles doesn't have a trace of it anymore. And in case you didn't know, Taylor Momsen (the girl on the cover of Revolver) is 17. It just sends the message, you don't have to be smart and talented. You just have to be a thin, mindless, half-dressed bumbling idiot to be succesful. You don't need to write intelligent and inspiring works, just let catchy made-up words fall out of your mouth and make a shiny pointless music video. Oh, and dress like a heroine addict and shake your ass.

4. Stephenie Meyer.
In case you didn't already know, Stephenie Meyer is the woman who (poorly) wrote the Twilight novels. This woman who has pretty much set the current trend in vampires has NEVER seen a vampire movie except for parts of The Lost Boys which she thought was too "creepy". Vampires are vampires for a reason. They aren't supposed to be seductive in a sparkle in the sunlight kind of way. They aren't vegetarians (except in the case of Anne Rice's Louis, but she actually developed that character beyond whispered sentences and sullen facial expressions). Unfortunately these books have become a phenomenon of epic and nauseating proportions and Bella has become the epitome of an ideal teenage girl.

3. Nancy Grace.
Oh. My. Gee-yad. This woman annoys the shit out of me. I don't understand how people can watch her show for more than a few seconds without beginning to convulse and/or have minor brain damage by the end of her show. Can anyone tell me, is she still on the air?


2. Nicole Polizzi a.k.a. Snookie

I really don't have to say much for this burnt, mentally challenged, alchoholic sperm dumpster so I'll just let her say it for herself. Ooops, did I say too much?

"Vinny's like my big brother, I love him.. but usually you don't have sex with your big brother." (not usually. . . .)
"Word of the day: sympathetic. That’s a big word."
"I don’t go tanning tanning anymore because Obama put a 10% tax on tanning. I feel like he did that intentionally for us, like McCain would never put a 10% tax on tanning.. because he is pale and he would probably wanna be tanned."


1. Sarah Palin

I really don't care which side of our two party system of democracy you plant your flag. It really may seem otherwise, but I truly don't. But I absolutely despise this woman. Anyone who supports the aerial hunting of any animal for sport is an absolute crude and vile human being. Enough said.

Driven Like the Snow - A Soundtrack for Winter

So, after a suggestion from a friend and a little bit of procrastination on my part, here is my blog. I'm still attempting to arrange my thoughts in to blog format (as oppose to the crazy ramblings and half-finished sentences that usually come out of my mouth) and for my first blog I'll take the easy/ lazy way out and create a list. And what theme better fitting for a hopelessly despondent pseudo-goth girl like me than a Winter themed play list accompanied by the wondrous magic of YouTube music videos!  So here it is, my soundtrack for the upcoming Winter season!

Sisters of Mercy-1959
Zola Jesus- Trust Me
Bjork- All is Full of Love
Leonard Cohen- A Thousand Kisses Deep
Interpol- Leif Erikson
Bat for Lashes- Daniel
Echo and the Bunnymen- The Killing Moon
Sisters of Mercy-Driven like the Snow