Sunday morning musings

I am sitting in my kitchen, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.  I should never be asked to do anything until properly caffeinated.  I see that I am a day behind in writing something, but Friday's unexpected early morning call from a friend in far-away England used the time I had set aside to write and I didn't get home from the baseball game until after midnight , so that was that.  I figure I can just write a long bit of what I am thinking about today to make up for it-;)

It's Sunday morning and quiet here at Casa Myers.  I am easing into the day,but there is a lot on my plate.  I am waiting for it to be 8 o'clock, so I can get my laundry into the machine.  Living in an apartment complex is different than living in a house.  When I had a house, I could do laundry at 10 at night- and sometimes did.  Now there is a time constraint, and some of the neighbors don't share the machines.  There are only two of each.  I usually have a lot of laundry, but if I see a neighbor is waiting I only use one machine.  There is one unit, I don't know which of the three people living there does this, but they take up ALL the machines for hours.  It's rude. These people act as if they are the only ones with dirty clothes.  I cut the ones with little kids more slack.  I remember what it was like when the baby has NO clean clothes because she has made some kind of mess on every outfit she owned. I work a forty hour week.  My commute is one hour each way Monday through Friday.  By the time I get home, if I hurry AND if I make all the lights, I MIGHT be able to get one load in before the time to use the laundry room is up.  There is a time limit, as the room shares wall and ceiling with two units ( Isn't there a song by Paul Simon called "Apartment House Blues"?  "One man's ceiling is another man's floor')    Most of my neighbors are pretty nice and I am luck to count a few of them as friends.

We went to a baseball game Friday night.  I know that people who know my husband are shocked that he went to a ball game, but I LOVE baseball AND someone gave me seats, so why not?  There is nothing better than sitting in Dodger Stadium on a warm early autumn evening, enjoying a Dodger dog and watching some well-played baseball.   Both teams managed to keep it exciting, even if the Rockies are in last place,both teamed managed to turn a few double plays and the Rockies outfielder made a leaping catch on the bleacher walls to deny the Dodgers a run.  The score was a pretty lopsided 8-0 but the club was celebrating Tommy's birthday ( for those of you who are not Dodger fans, that would be long-time manager and all around nice guy Tommy Lasorda)  Tony Orlando lead the crowd in a rousing "Happy Birthday" to Tommy.  In true Tommy form he waved to the crowd and wiped away tears.  The thing I always loved about Lasorda was that you could really see his big heart.  Love him or hate him, there was no pretence with Tommy.  What you see is what you get.  At the end of the game, fans were let out onto the field to watch an extended fireworks show, celebrating Tommy.  It was outstanding!

Brian Wilson

I meant to post my thoughts about Brian Wilson getting "fired" from the Beach Boys, by his cousin, Mike Love.  Really?  How can you claim that you are protecting the "brand" by firing the person who is, at least in the public view, RESPONSIBLE for the brand?  Mike has no clue that the tide of public opinion will probably turn against him.  Brian's return to the stage was a much anticipated and much celebrated event among fans The song "Like a brother" sung on Beckley, Lamm ,Wilson by the late Carl Wilson, pleaded with Brian to return to performing "the crowd still roars, the cheers are yours"  Everyone knows that Beach Boy music IS Brian Wilson.  It reminds me of what happened to John Foggerty when Saul Zaents got control of the CCR catalog and SUED John for writing a song that sounded like... John Foggerty wrote it. THAT one got laughed out of court.  Greed makes people do funny things.

Someone suggested that Brian and the other two members who were fired band together and record an album called "Loveless"  I think people should stay away from a Wilson-less Beach Boy tour in DROVES.  I am sorry for the other fine musicians who play in the Beach Boys, but maybe they should go with Brian and let Mike tour all on his own.  He's got the band name, but he fired the talent.

I am a City Employee ( mini rant)

I am a City of Los Angeles Employee.  I work hard for my employer- The people of my City.  Yeah.  That's how I feel about it.  I am sick and tired of being categorized as a lazy person who just sits around all day doing nothing and collecting a fat paycheck and a fat retirement is promised.  I have been paying into the retirement system for 36 years, much like most people in the public sector have been paying into Social Security.  How do YOU feel when the Government says the Social Security system needs to be changed and you  need to keep working at least another ten years past what you had planned because they didn't manage the assets properly; that your retirement is going to cost too much, so we are going to slash it, eliminate the benefits that were promised.   Looks like "retirement" is a joke, as far as I am concerned. I realize that they are saying the changes to the pension structure will not impact current employees.  If you believe THAT I have a bridge in Brooklyn for you.   The Police and Fire Departments will not be touched.  Now, I KNOW that those are dangerous jobs and I am not saying that they should not be compensated, but is the work I do any less valuable to the City?  It must be.  My Union is preparing to go back to negotiations in the Spring.  The way it seems to work, every time, is that as we are "first out of the box" the City gets to use us as an example to other City Unions and gives us a lousy contract.  This year, for instance, I took a pay cut.  Never mind that everyone else got a raise, and I seem to be doing more work as my responsibilities  grow with changes in my department, but a PAY CUT?  I don't mind hard work.  I will do just about any job they throw at me, it's what I signed on to do.  Most of my  colleagues feel the same way.  Sure, like in any industry, there are slackers and goof offs, but the majority of us are hard working people who earn our daily wages.  I resent having to take a cut while others get more.  Don't EVEN get me started about what someone who does my job in DWP gets paid. It's a HECK of a lot more money for the same type of work.  Makes me feel great when I have to pay an increase in fees to DWP, that's for sure.  (Bitter, party of one)

I love what I do.  I think the help I provide the people out there in branches who are the face of our Department, is important stuff.  I try my best to get it all done, sometimes I just can't.  I am only one lowly Management Analyst, working my tail off to provide the best service I can give.

Transit

I live in the Foothills of Los Angeles, in Tujunga not far from the Angeles Crest Forest and work at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles.  On a good day, my commute can be as little as 30 minutes.  On a more typical day, it takes me an hour to get to LA.

Sometimes, if I am running late or have somewhere to go after work, I drive in.  The things I see on  the road ( mostly antics of fellow commuters) never cease to amaze me.  When I started driving as a teenager, my mother gave me this strange bit of advice.  She said "Drive like every other drive has just been released from the Mental Hospital" ( She may have said "Insane Asylum" but you get the idea)  I think of that when I see people like the woman I saw yesterday putting on eyeliner.  She was holding an eyeliner pencil to her eye while looking in a small hand held mirror.  SHE was driving.  Now, I may be math challenged but  let's count, shall we?  She had a pencil in one hand and a mirror in the other.  Unless she is some kind of mutant, that left NO hands left to be on the wheel of the car.  Women are not the only people doing their morning grooming ritual in the car.  I have seen men shaving while driving as well.  I am also afraid my fellow commuters were absent the day they taught "Merge" in Driver's Ed.  Where does it say that if traffic backs up, you should use the freeway entrance merge lane to speed past everyone and cut in to the front of the line?  If I SEE someone do that, I must admit I do not let them in.  Bad, I know but c'mon!

Taking the subway is a whole other experience.  Mostly you see the same folks everyday, getting on the same train.  The thing that drives me crazy is this.  We are all standing in some sort of "line" to get on and someone comes from behind and stands in front of everyone who is already there waiting.  I find myself thinking "Why NO, I am not waiting for the train., I am just enjoying the Subway Ambiance.  Universal Station is so lovely this time of day."  I also get a little peeved when some clearly able-bodied twenty-something shoves their way in front of everyone and grabs a seat, causing someone who is older to try to stand and balance.  Don't get me started about people who spread out their bags on the seat next to them on a crowded commuter train.  I give them "the Hairy eyeball" until they move the bag and sweetly say "thank you"   I used to take the Metrolink train and there were people there who would NOT move their bags.  I wanted to say to them "Gee, I hope your BAG enjoyed the ride!"

I have been commuting to downtown LA for almost thirty years and unless I win Lotto or buy a helicopter, I  will be doing this for another 10-15 years.  I just have to shake my head and watch out for the crazies!

Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie was at Central Library yesterday.  I work there.  I never got downstairs during the event, or it's preliminaries or the aftermath, but it went off without a hitch.  Some people we just freaking out.  "Why does he have to come HERE?"  One person complained " He doesn't write for children, so what is he doing here?"

I have tried to read "the Satanic Verses" the book that put Mr. Rushdie under the threat of death ( fatwa) from certain Islamic extremists.  Couldn't do it, but maybe now I will try it again.  It has been a long time and certainly, my mindset is different than it was 23 years ago when the book came out.  I remember a co-worker saying that the book wasn't all that great, but that we needed to buy it because people would want to read it.  That's what libraries do.  We provide books and information.  Censorship is not part of the Mission Statement.   When someone tries to censor what you read, you must not let them.  Intellectual Freedom , the right to read what you want without fear of punishment, the right to advance ideas, to begin discussions; that is what libraries are about.

I cannot imagine what life must be like for Salman Rushdie and his family, living under a daily threat of death simply because words committed to a page were seen as an insult.  I understand that his current book addresses this issue and that he is on a book tour promoting it.  I am proud that he chose our library as one of his stops.  

Election Rant

I will try not to get TOO political, but this election is really wearing me out- and I'm not even involved!  The polarization is FAR greater than I can ever remember; I have voted in every election since I turned 18 and was a pretty politically aware child.  As a woman, I have always felt it was important to vote since we have only had the right to do so since 1920. Some say they only gave us that right because they thought we wouldn't use it or we would vote the way our husbands told us to.  Women are a major force in every election and this one is no different.  Women's health and reproductive rights have surged to the forefront in this election in a way I find disturbing.    I am concerned that my daughter and future generations of women will be negatively impacted by the decisions made if we as women don't speak up.   No, birth control is NOT about abortion, contraception is PREVENTION, but some people seem to think it's not right.  If contraception is not something YOU believe in then you have the right not to use it.  When do your beliefs become more correct than mine?  Why do you get to decide for me?

This campaign is getting downright nasty and it worries me when I read things like that minister in Kansas who was praying for Barack Obama's death?  EXCUSE ME?  How is that a Christian value?  He may not have noticed, but that would only result in Joe Biden becoming president, it would NOT accomplish any goal that I can think of.  Why are people so afraid of the election results that they are willing to change the rules of the game- like trying to get Obama off the ballot, claiming he wasn't born here.  He has provided all the documentation and STILL people grumble. Get over it.   The change in voter ID rules is crazy too.  Sure, you should provide some identification to vote, but to have to have a Government issued voter ID card?  I have worked the polls. That is going to be just insane and many people will be prevented form exercising their right to vote, because they don't have two forms of ID.  This is wrong in so many ways. 

That being said, I urge you to look at the PLATFORMS being presented by each party and see which one is closest to your vision.  What can you live with for the next four years.  Don't vote for the Black guy (or against the Black Guy) or for the Mormon (or against the Mormon either).  Vote the ideas.  Don't vote from fear, vote with hope.

Writing. Day One

Like a lot of people, I guess, I always wanted to be a writer.  Turns out , it's harder than it looks!  Recently, two successful authors passed on a bit of advice that I suppose everyone hears "If you want to be a writer- WRITE"  I haven't been writing and frankly I miss it. So ( takes deep breath) here goes.

I will try to post something, every single day, even if it's only a few sentences.  I invite you to follow along on my journey back to being a writer- not becoming one, because I already am; I have just forgotten how to BE one.  I hope to make you think or make you laugh and I might, on occasion, make you angry.  Comment away, I will try to take your comments in the spirit intended.


Robyn