Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Yay for today

What a glorious day! Or am I just high off Boston?

What is it about this city that just makes me giddy? Why is it that so often when I walk home in the afternoon, I get a sudden rush of endorphins that make me want to smile ear to ear?

Today is one of those gorgeous almost autumn days. The sun is bright. The weather is warm. The puffy white clouds look like cotton candy against the backdrop of the bright blue sky. And the cool breeze just makes you want to sigh – one of those relaxed, content sighs. You know?

After a full day of classes, I was a little eager to get home but my walk to the T stop seemed to pass much too quickly and I didn't like the idea of wasting this beautiful day inside my room. So, on my way home, I made a little detour and headed up to the reservoir. Unfortunately, I took my camera out of my bag this morning or else I would have snapped a pix for you all to see. But it is so soothing to just sit here – typing, listening to my ipod. I feel like I should be doing yoga or something.

Its almost fall/autumn. I know you Californians think you rock with your great weather but there's so much to be said for seasons. I'm looking out now across the water and I see countless green trees. But in a few short weeks, those green trees will be wonderfully colorful. As I was walking home today, I noticed that the colors are slowly starting to change – its only a few leaves right now – not very noticeable but soon. I hope my mom and sister get to see it when they get here.

Speaking of which, my mom and sister are coming to BEANTOWN. Wootwoot. Did I mention that already?

My sister is driving across country – across the south and up the east coast. My mom decided she'd meet my sister in New Orleans and they'd drive up to Boston together. I'd like to mention – my mom has not been on a plane since 1978 (I don't think) and she's never left CA (except Nevada – Vegas/Laughlin). Wow. I know. I hope she loves this city as much as I do but I'm not sure she will. Hopefully I can be a good tour guide.

Oh yes – and they have a third family member with them – TOBY! Yay. Boston peeps, I'll bring him to school hopefully. Yay. I miss him so much – he's my cuddle buddy – and let me tell you, he is an AWESOME little spoon.

So back to Boston – the other day I was walking down Aspinwall (did I spell that right)/School St/Cypress (yes, because in 3 blocks the street changes names 3 times – okay, more like 5 blocks) – and I was in my typical giddy mood. Cute houses, tree lined streets, Quaint. Is that a good word for it? I guess quaint sounds too cottage town-ish but still. I love walking around Brookline and Boston – um, I can't say the same for Alston.

And btw, to all my fellow hs x-country runners, the HS kids here get to run their laps around the reservoir and Jamaica pond. I'm so jealous. Although, I don't know how motivating it'd be to run here – I'd probably zone out and run in a complete daze at a slow jogging pace – and Bailey would probably laugh at me and call me "cloudy" for "cloud gazing" (we once lay out on the field trying to find shapes/animals/objects in the clouds – and for some reason, I was the only one who was made fun of for it – for the rest of my "track/x-country" career – short lived as it was).

Anyway, I should probably head home already. Its Lev's bday today – we're going to Match. If you haven't been there – go! They have awesome burgers. (I am salivating thinking about the lobster burger right now!)

Where is the Human Outrage

Not a long article - and a good read. I agree.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/12/martin/index.html

By Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor
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(CNN) -- When federal prosecutors in Virginia released details of the dogfighting charges against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, all hell broke loose.

Folks were protesting, calling for him to be immediately kicked out of the league, and demanding long jail sentences for Vick and his co-defendants.

Many lawyers went on television and admitted that had Vick beat a girlfriend, shot or even murdered someone, he wouldn't have been slammed as hard as he was for the vicious acts committed against dogs.

I suppose those lawyers are right.

Just look at the case of Megan Williams. The 20-year-old West Virginia woman, Megan Williams, was kidnapped by six sadistic individuals and held in a mobile home.

They raped her, forced her to eat rat and dog feces, made her drink from a toilet, stabbed her multiple times, and called the black woman a "nigger" every time they beat her.

Thank God she lived, and may be released from the hospital in a few days.

But it still raises the question: What causes such outrage and fervor in one case involving dogs and not another?
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The same thing was said about the shocking details surrounding the deaths of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. The two University of Tennessee students were on a date when they were carjacked by several men. They were taken to a house where they were held. Christopher was raped, doused with gasoline, shot and his body dumped on the side of a road.

Channon? She had a household cleaner poured down her throat and was later raped. She, too, was murdered.

Although the two were white and their alleged attackers black, police say race was not an element in this case.

These two cases are heinous and despicable. But why do we respond with speed to one case and not another? Is it celebrity? Or do we not have the same compassion for human beings as we do for dogs? Was the Vick case that more important?

Take, for example, the U.S. Senate floor speech of Robert Byrd, the senior senator from West Virginia.

Calling the allegations sadistic, Byrd thundered: "Barbaric! Let that word resound from hill to hill, and from mountain to mountain, from valley to valley, across this broad land. Barbaric! Barbaric! May God help those poor souls who'd be so cruel. Barbaric! Hear me! Barbaric!"

He later added: "I am confident the hottest places in hell are reserved for the souls of sick and brutal people who hold God's creatures in such brutal and cruel contempt."

So, Sen. Byrd, where is the floor speech for a woman from your own home state? Where is the outrage when a woman is viciously attacked?

This is when the media gets slammed. We've determined that Vick, Paris Hilton and the shenanigans of Lindsey Lohan are far more important than the viciousness of what took place in West Virginia and Tennessee.

But maybe the problem isn't just the media. Maybe the problem is you. The reader. The viewer. Maybe you've decided that you care more about discussing a celebrity than nobodies like Megan Williams, Channon Christian or Christopher Newsom.