Sunday, February 1, 2015

small mindedness, casual racism, and incorrect weather predictions


I woke up with a headache this morning. That's usually when I get them, I wake up with them although when I went to bed last night I could feel it coming on and I should have taken some ibuprofen then but I didn't. I always have this unrealistic hope that it will go away before morning. My morning headaches are always on the left side and when they are really bad, they throb. I haven't had a real pounder though in many many years. These days they just make me feel nauseated and achey besides the pain in my head. Sometimes I'll try and wait it out til after breakfast because I don't like taking pain meds on an empty stomach but this morning I caved and took some between my two cups of coffee. The good thing though is, once I take some ibuprofen, it generally goes away within about half an hour. I'm already feeling better.

So I did something last night I don't do very often. I went out and socialized. Well, we went out and socialized since I made Marc come with me. There's a couple here who bought the building next to the antique store and they have been working on repairing and restoring the old building for the last three years with an eye to opening a little cafe but they aren't getting any support from most of the other people on the square or the business council. There's a lot of small town small-mindedness involved. Their ideas for the place have been fluid. The original idea of a restaurant (the building used to contain a restaurant but all the kitchen equipment needs to be replaced besides all the general repairs) has morphed into a wine bar and bistro/cafe, something this town really needs. They've already refurbished both bathrooms and rebuilt the front exterior wall with two new gorgeous 9' doors. They built a stage in the back Garden Room for the music venue and they are renting out the space for parties and events towards getting the new kitchen equipment. Last night they had a little party for their supporters with musical entertainment and dinner and wine. Caroline and Wesley have been swimming upstream for three years so I wanted to show my support for them. They are really nice down to earth people who have been facing a smear campaign almost from the get go. It pisses me off and I don't let comments I hear in the antique store or elsewhere go by unchallenged.

Speaking of small town small-mindedness I had two women in the store yesterday, sisters who live in different towns having a day out together and 'away from the husbands' as they put it. At one point they were bashing some members of their family as being worthless lazy takers who were bleeding their aunt dry and then realized I was hearing their conversation and remarked that they probably shouldn't be saying those things. I just shrugged and said true is true. “Well, they're half-Mexican” she says to me as if that explains it. That's another thing I can't let slide...casual racism. I told her that I had to argue with her there, that being Mexican didn't have anything to do with it, that Mexicans were some of the hardest working people I knew and that there were lazy people across the board. She agreed and went on to say that their (white) mother hadn't demanded much of their children either. The white mother was just as poor a parent as the Mexican father but it was the Mexican part that they attributed the bad behavior to. I don't know these women and I don't know if they are truly racist, surely they must know or interact with lots of latinos and they may not have realized how that sounded. Maybe since I pointed it out they will be a little more thoughtful.


So the cold rainy weekend the weather predictors had predicted did not materialize. It didn't rain and it's not cold. It's feeling like spring and I have noticed new growth beginning to emerge. I'm wanting to get out there and start cutting back dead foliage but it's still only February 1st and February can go either way. My grandson was going to come out and help me with an outdoor project this weekend but because of the bad weather predicted I postponed it til next weekend which is my regular Saturday off. Just as well, I guess since his mom told me yesterday that he was sick and I wouldn't have wanted him out here anyway. She's right about that. Although I believe I have a strong immune system, I try to stay away from sick people.

Well, my headache is well and truly gone now and the sunny day is beckoning and my wonderful husband is cooking breakfast. If anyone needs me later, I'll be outside.







11 comments:

  1. I hate those headaches that wake me up in the morning - they're the worst. Fortunately they're pretty rare for me, & like you, ibuprofen is effective.

    We're sad/not sad about our supposed "blizzard" that wasn't. As I said in church this morning - the 5 year old inside of me is sad, but the 50 year old is happy I don't have to drive down to Cincinnati tomorrow in a mess :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. i sometimes have those 'slight' headaches before bed and refuse to take aspirin, then regret it in the morning. sinus, usually. glad yours is better.

    sad that these sisters were so 'happy' to speak poorly of their relatives - well, 'the other side' of those family members, anyway. good for you for calling them on it.

    and i hope the restaurant/bar refurbishment can finally get some support and work for that couple.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We should all speak out against racism, especially if it's right in front of us. You did right.
    Now- next time- take the ibuprofen before the headache takes hold.
    Okay?
    Love your Buddha. Same weather here although it is raining a bit tonight.
    Very odd winter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad that headache disappeared during the course of your blog post. I know that kind of racist remark. What always gets me is how it's said in a way that would expect everyone listening to nod and agree. It's as if there's some secret rule that states since you're not a member of the group being bashed, you'll join in the bashing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am still surprised at how racist people can be when we all have opportunities for education and have the Internet. But the hatred of our President must be racist because there is not much validity to the things said.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love Buddha's little lizard.
    I am sorry for your young entrepreneurs. I wonder if there are pleasant and supportive small towns in America. I doubt it. I once asked a younger woman who is an accountant in town why she did not speak up about a wrong that needed righted. She responded because she had to live and work in town. The bottom line is selling out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hear the racism here a lot, except most of the Latinos are from Central America, not Mexico.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad you're feeling better. Enjoy the outside.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Darling lady, I would hope that all of the folks I know and love here in the blogosphere would speak up and not let causal racism go unchecked. Sometimes I feel like folks just are ignorant of how they sound to others and then, I think why would anyone speak ill of another and not expect that they would be spoken of the same way. But thanks for being someone I admire for your upstanding character. You are a goodie. I hope you enjoy the day and that your headache is completely gone. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Any sort of "ism" requires addressing on the spot, just as you have done, kudos!

    ReplyDelete
  11. It always amazes me how careless some people are when they get a real ding-dong of bad-mouthing going. Good for you to have pulled them up short.

    And the poor couple trying to open a place in the teeth of local opposition deserves a booster too.

    You are a good person, I hope you get your just reward. (Don’t hold your breath though, sometimes a warm glow of having done the right thing is all you can expect.)

    ReplyDelete

I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.