Thursday, January 26, 2012
Clucking Hens
So, this morning I went on Facebook to check the Baby and Kids items and Furniture For Sale groups in the area. Having twins, I'm always looking for a bargain. I also hate my couch and loveseat, but that's a whole other talk show...
Immediately I notice there is a common subject in the posts - and it's not cribs or couches. It was regarding a supposed child abduction on post yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I take child abduction very seriously. However, I wasn't alarmed because someone is claiming their child was 'almost' abducted almost daily here. My guess is the crazies see someone stopped on the curb (probably checking directions or making a phone call) close to where their children are playing and spaz out, especially if the person in the car is black.
Let me get a little off track and explain something here before I continue so you know why race is important. The base itself, and the surrounding area is predominantly black. You get these poor little white girls shipped here from Kentucky, and they are terrified. Seriously. Before I moved here all I got told was how the black people at Stewart hated white people and treated them like crap, blah, blah, blah. I paid it no mind because race matters not to me. I can fit in just about anywhere, with just about anyone when it comes to race. Many of my good friends are black and I am more than aware that stereotypes based on race are just that, stereotypes. So, the idea of living in a predominantly black area does not concern me. I would like to note that I've never had anyone treat me differently because I'm white since I've been here. There are rude people everywhere, but my theory is the feeling of being treated differently by black people more than likely stems from a subconscious attitude they put off around people of color.
Anyway, when you get Bobbi Mae out of the white 'hood and throw her into an area like this with her nonexistent cultural exposure, she gets scared. She thinks every black person is going to rob her, rape her, carjack her.... Ugh. You think I'm joking, I'm not. I've seen the ignorant fear in these people. I just laugh.
Ok, back to my original rant.
So here's the first post I saw:
Ok. Stop. At this point I pretty much assumed it's all gossip, and probably not even true. Especially considering I had read about 10 other posts with different stories. Of course they were all black drivers, but they couldn't seem to decide whether they were in an Orange Monte Carlo or tan Ford Taurus. Cause, you know, they look SO similar. It was probably a white woman, in a green El Camino who side swiped another vehicle or something.
This car, the Monte Carlo mentioned, is a pretty obvious vehicle. I see it quite often - you can't miss it. The guy who drives it is a soldier, not that it makes him incapable of crime, but I'm sure he lives in the area due to the frequency in which I see it.
What kind of child abductor would come on a military base as a frequent visitor in a bright orange Monte Carlo with 26" rims, (That chick must have amazing vision to have been able to measure them from a distance, come to think of it!) stop in the middle of the road, pop the trunk, grab a knife and try to force a kid into it? Yep, sounds reasonable to me.
Poor guy. Now every time the crazies see him they're going to panic and call 911 because they think he's a kidnapper. He probably either a) Had nothing to do with anything or b) knowing the mindset of the white people here stopped or slowed down a little too close to their white children and they freaked. Unfortunately, you can't reason with these hens.
I would love to post the resulting thread after I politely commented on both stating this was obviously gossip and while I appreciated their concern for the kiddies, it wasn't right to post a picture of someones car and accusations like that without knowing the facts. I also told them I was sure if an attempted abduction had occurred there probably would have been an official announcement post wide.
They in turn told me that it wasn't gossip (No? I'm pretty sure repeating things you've heard but can't confirm, is gossip. Maybe it's just me.) and that on a military base things are hush hush, so there would have been no alert. What the hell do they think we are, the Mafia?! Oh no! Another attempted abduction (there's at least 5 claims a week), we better keep it on the DL. Wouldn't want people to keep their children safe.
Here's an idea. You want to protect the children of these neighborhoods from being kidnapped? Watch your own first. The first step towards avoiding child abduction is supervising your kids. I bet while this chick was typing up her frantic story to alert the masses, her child was off doing God knows what.
Also, as a side note. Stop being scared of black people. Race against race crime is pretty rare in reality, especially when it comes to kidnappings and sex crimes. Those are typically race on race crimes. So, my dear white friends, that black man standing over there is probably not going to rape you or steal your child. However, you may want to be wary of the white dude over there scoping you out.
Have a nice day!
Immediately I notice there is a common subject in the posts - and it's not cribs or couches. It was regarding a supposed child abduction on post yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I take child abduction very seriously. However, I wasn't alarmed because someone is claiming their child was 'almost' abducted almost daily here. My guess is the crazies see someone stopped on the curb (probably checking directions or making a phone call) close to where their children are playing and spaz out, especially if the person in the car is black.
Let me get a little off track and explain something here before I continue so you know why race is important. The base itself, and the surrounding area is predominantly black. You get these poor little white girls shipped here from Kentucky, and they are terrified. Seriously. Before I moved here all I got told was how the black people at Stewart hated white people and treated them like crap, blah, blah, blah. I paid it no mind because race matters not to me. I can fit in just about anywhere, with just about anyone when it comes to race. Many of my good friends are black and I am more than aware that stereotypes based on race are just that, stereotypes. So, the idea of living in a predominantly black area does not concern me. I would like to note that I've never had anyone treat me differently because I'm white since I've been here. There are rude people everywhere, but my theory is the feeling of being treated differently by black people more than likely stems from a subconscious attitude they put off around people of color.
Anyway, when you get Bobbi Mae out of the white 'hood and throw her into an area like this with her nonexistent cultural exposure, she gets scared. She thinks every black person is going to rob her, rape her, carjack her.... Ugh. You think I'm joking, I'm not. I've seen the ignorant fear in these people. I just laugh.
Ok, back to my original rant.
So here's the first post I saw:
This post is for all the families thats in the Ft.Stewart/Hinesville area but mainly on post. Please be on the look out for an orange Monte Carlo on 26" rims. Its 2blk guys in the veh. They have tried on 2 different times to snatch lil kids up today in Southern Oaks. If u know r see this car pls call 911 or the MPs. Pls repost if u n the area. Thank uSeems harmless enough, right? Well then I read this:
I got an email from a 911 operator... this is what it said.There was another one that detailed how he tried to force a child into his trunk with a knife. It's since been deleted. Too bad, it was pretty intense. I would have like to have shared.
"I am working at the Fort Stewart 911 Center. There is no truth to the claim of the driver of this car trying to pick up kids. He is wanted for something else. Please post this as a clarification or delete the post. Thank you."
Please remove all posts about this!
Ok. Stop. At this point I pretty much assumed it's all gossip, and probably not even true. Especially considering I had read about 10 other posts with different stories. Of course they were all black drivers, but they couldn't seem to decide whether they were in an Orange Monte Carlo or tan Ford Taurus. Cause, you know, they look SO similar. It was probably a white woman, in a green El Camino who side swiped another vehicle or something.
This car, the Monte Carlo mentioned, is a pretty obvious vehicle. I see it quite often - you can't miss it. The guy who drives it is a soldier, not that it makes him incapable of crime, but I'm sure he lives in the area due to the frequency in which I see it.
What kind of child abductor would come on a military base as a frequent visitor in a bright orange Monte Carlo with 26" rims, (That chick must have amazing vision to have been able to measure them from a distance, come to think of it!) stop in the middle of the road, pop the trunk, grab a knife and try to force a kid into it? Yep, sounds reasonable to me.
Poor guy. Now every time the crazies see him they're going to panic and call 911 because they think he's a kidnapper. He probably either a) Had nothing to do with anything or b) knowing the mindset of the white people here stopped or slowed down a little too close to their white children and they freaked. Unfortunately, you can't reason with these hens.
I would love to post the resulting thread after I politely commented on both stating this was obviously gossip and while I appreciated their concern for the kiddies, it wasn't right to post a picture of someones car and accusations like that without knowing the facts. I also told them I was sure if an attempted abduction had occurred there probably would have been an official announcement post wide.
They in turn told me that it wasn't gossip (No? I'm pretty sure repeating things you've heard but can't confirm, is gossip. Maybe it's just me.) and that on a military base things are hush hush, so there would have been no alert. What the hell do they think we are, the Mafia?! Oh no! Another attempted abduction (there's at least 5 claims a week), we better keep it on the DL. Wouldn't want people to keep their children safe.
Here's an idea. You want to protect the children of these neighborhoods from being kidnapped? Watch your own first. The first step towards avoiding child abduction is supervising your kids. I bet while this chick was typing up her frantic story to alert the masses, her child was off doing God knows what.
Also, as a side note. Stop being scared of black people. Race against race crime is pretty rare in reality, especially when it comes to kidnappings and sex crimes. Those are typically race on race crimes. So, my dear white friends, that black man standing over there is probably not going to rape you or steal your child. However, you may want to be wary of the white dude over there scoping you out.
Have a nice day!
Random Morning Rant
Here on post pedestrians always have the right-of-way. Always. They don't have to be in a crosswalk or wait for oncoming traffic. Basically, if you hit them, you're at fault.
I get it, I do. After all, we have a lot of foot traffic around here.
BUT, is it too much to ask for someone to use a little common sense? I think it's stupid to cross anywhere besides a crosswalk just for the principle of personal safety, but that's just me.
I almost hit 3 soldiers this morning driving my husband to work. Well, I almost hit one personally, then I almost slammed into a car that slammed on its brakes to avoid two soldier who decided it was best to run across the road with close oncoming traffic.
Ummm, hello?! It's 0530, pitch black, and there's dense fog. We can barely see the road markings let alone your digi-cam clad rear end with no reflective gear on running across the road. I don't appreciate you putting mine and those around me at a risk because you don't care about your own safety.
When you walk across the road at noon without looking, it annoys me. When you do it while it's dark and almost cause accidents and jeopardize your own safety, you're just being plain stupid.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Living on a military base is like living on WHA?!
There's an old saying that suggests "Living on a military base is like living in Peyton Place". It's a reference to an old book about a gossipy town from what I gather, although I've never read it myself.
I have to disagree with that analogy. I find it more like living in a therapists office where I'm the therapist.
I am all about listening to my friends issues. I will listen to their issues for hours on end if need be. After all, I know them and care about them.
My problem lies with the people, usually wives, who decide to tell me their entire life story (usually the goriest, most horrific portions) within the first 5 minutes of meeting me. Then of course, I get the detailed updates every time I don't run and lock myself in my car/house/whichever is closest fast enough to avoid them. These are all based on real-life run ins I've had on post.
I don't care. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. You're a nut job.
I don't care about your 10 ex-husbands or your lack of child support, OR how nasty your divorce was after you caught the idiot sleeping with his NCO. I've spoken to you 5 times in my life, so I'm not sure why you think we're BFF's.
I don't care that you are going to your husbands chain of command tomorrow to exert your non-existent HH6 (Household Six) authority because he wasn't able to make the monthly PTA meeting at your kids school. That bastard, out supporting your family... how dare he?! How dare they?! I mean, don't get me wrong - I feel bad for him. He has THAT wife. The career-ender. It's the Army. Get over it. If you ever want him to see past E-4, don't even look at the Company building as you drive by. Lord, what will you do if he ever deploys? I would give you this advice, but I won't because you're STILL rambling and I can't do anything but nod and look at my phone like something important is coming up. You wouldn't listen to me anyway if I tried to help.
I REALLY don't care about your childhood issues. They're none of my business, even if they do explain all that crazy.
I don't care about your imaginary illnesses, or all of the unnecessary tests you're going to have to go through to prove you're an attention seeker.
I don't care that your dead baby daddy tried to kill you and your unborn child from the grave through dreams. I don't care, because it's PSYCHOTIC and I've only known you for 5 minutes. I think I'll leave your house now, psycho. (Based on a true story - turns out she was doped up on pills)
I don't care about your financial situation. I don't know you, I'm not giving you money. Plus, my husband doesn't make much if any more than yours... Well, I don't know if you qualify for welfare, why don't you go ask someone who knows? Like maybe the welfare office for starters... No, I don't know where it is. Sorry.
I don't care that your neighbor reported your dog. It's loud, obnoxious and craps everywhere. You don't take care of it anyway.
I don't care that you don't see any ghosts in my house. Although, I think you should reevaluate your opinion because some crazy stuff happens here.
I don't care that your mom hates you (you're a hard pill to swallow).
Nor, do I care how fat you think you are.
I don't care about your husbands rank. My husbands rank is none of your business because we are in a grocery store parking lot. Actually, my husbands rank would NEVER be any of YOUR business; you're not in the Army. I don't care how you raise your kids. I don't care that your neighbor is a gossip. I don't care that she's sleeping with a General. I just don't care. Also, all of these stupid questions you've been asking me between breaths from your complaints are going to go unanswered.
I don't care. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. You're a nut job.
Nice to meet you though, I suppose.
I have to disagree with that analogy. I find it more like living in a therapists office where I'm the therapist.
I am all about listening to my friends issues. I will listen to their issues for hours on end if need be. After all, I know them and care about them.
My problem lies with the people, usually wives, who decide to tell me their entire life story (usually the goriest, most horrific portions) within the first 5 minutes of meeting me. Then of course, I get the detailed updates every time I don't run and lock myself in my car/house/whichever is closest fast enough to avoid them. These are all based on real-life run ins I've had on post.
I don't care. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. You're a nut job.
I don't care about your 10 ex-husbands or your lack of child support, OR how nasty your divorce was after you caught the idiot sleeping with his NCO. I've spoken to you 5 times in my life, so I'm not sure why you think we're BFF's.
I don't care that you are going to your husbands chain of command tomorrow to exert your non-existent HH6 (Household Six) authority because he wasn't able to make the monthly PTA meeting at your kids school. That bastard, out supporting your family... how dare he?! How dare they?! I mean, don't get me wrong - I feel bad for him. He has THAT wife. The career-ender. It's the Army. Get over it. If you ever want him to see past E-4, don't even look at the Company building as you drive by. Lord, what will you do if he ever deploys? I would give you this advice, but I won't because you're STILL rambling and I can't do anything but nod and look at my phone like something important is coming up. You wouldn't listen to me anyway if I tried to help.
I REALLY don't care about your childhood issues. They're none of my business, even if they do explain all that crazy.
I don't care about your imaginary illnesses, or all of the unnecessary tests you're going to have to go through to prove you're an attention seeker.
I don't care that your dead baby daddy tried to kill you and your unborn child from the grave through dreams. I don't care, because it's PSYCHOTIC and I've only known you for 5 minutes. I think I'll leave your house now, psycho. (Based on a true story - turns out she was doped up on pills)
I don't care about your financial situation. I don't know you, I'm not giving you money. Plus, my husband doesn't make much if any more than yours... Well, I don't know if you qualify for welfare, why don't you go ask someone who knows? Like maybe the welfare office for starters... No, I don't know where it is. Sorry.
I don't care that your neighbor reported your dog. It's loud, obnoxious and craps everywhere. You don't take care of it anyway.
I don't care that you don't see any ghosts in my house. Although, I think you should reevaluate your opinion because some crazy stuff happens here.
I don't care that your mom hates you (you're a hard pill to swallow).
Nor, do I care how fat you think you are.
I don't care about your husbands rank. My husbands rank is none of your business because we are in a grocery store parking lot. Actually, my husbands rank would NEVER be any of YOUR business; you're not in the Army. I don't care how you raise your kids. I don't care that your neighbor is a gossip. I don't care that she's sleeping with a General. I just don't care. Also, all of these stupid questions you've been asking me between breaths from your complaints are going to go unanswered.
I don't care. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. You're a nut job.
Nice to meet you though, I suppose.
I thought due to the fact Facebook ignited this blogging idea, it would be a good first topic.
Oh, Facebook.
The magical world of drama where lifelong friendships can end, we all give out way TMI, and stalkers can fulfill they're wildest dreams without violating a restraining order. It's the place where everyone thinks they're an expert, and their opinions really matter; where it's determined whether you will be successful or doomed to a life of loserdom for eternity. It's where you meet the love of your life - or lose them - depending on the circumstance. It's the place you go to air your dirty laundry, and read everyone elses so you can go gossip to your girlfriends or buddies later in the day (We all do it, let's not pretend we don't). Hell, you can even find out about life altering events on Facebook, like the death of a loved one. That's always nice.
The majority of what we hear nowadays stems from Facebook, what's worse is we believe it...
People truly believe they can know someone based off of what they read on Facebook. That's always been a thought process that has annoyed me. I have several "friends" on Facebook I've never met in person, however I cannot say that I know everything about them, or even assume I know who they truly are. I am not discounting the possibility of getting to truly know or care for someone based on Internet interactions, I'm speaking more of judging people based on a post, or 100. You can be whoever you want on the Internet. If I wanted to, I could tell people I was a doctor and probably pull it off for quite awhile if not forever. A drama queen can act cool as a cucumber, and a mellow person can come off as a spaz.
Facebook is taken very personally. I am guilty of that myself. I find myself annoyed with having to have forced interactions with friends who are mutual friends with people I don't care for. It's much easier in person when you don't have to see the mutual friends interactions with the disliked party. This can lead to irrational thought processes and unnecessary drama and hurt feelings, even though it's none of anyone's business.
Any time a hot button issue is presented, it always explodes. Politics, religion, circumcision, war, welfare... I'm pretty sure none of us know what the hell we're talking about, so perhaps we should all just stop discussing these topics altogether...
I've grown a bit uncomfortable with the lack of discretion Facebook has allowed in recent times. All these lists, groups and notifications has made it difficult to control what people see. If you like my photo, everyone on your friends list knows you liked it. Same with comments... why do I need to know what you have commented on some random page? I know there are ways to control this, but it's just become too much effort.
It's too easy to vent on Facebook. Those of us in the military life know you often find yourself in a new place, with no real life local friends. Hell, even if you're not military, we all feel alone sometimes when we can't get anyone to answer the phone, or come over. Facebook, in a way has cured loneliness for many, sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad. When one has no one to talk to, they often turn to Facebook for companionship. I have friends that have mastered using it for this purpose while avoiding possible social consequences; but some haven't. At all. Once it's online, it's there. That is something my dad has always drilled into my head. You can't take it back. So, for instance, if you are angry at your best friend and you post all the dirty details for 500 people to read, some of those people are going to remember that, and probably talk about it.
I hate random friend requests. I don't mind being added by someone who wants to get to know me, or is looking for a friend; but it seems that once one adds you (this is especially common when I join a Group) you end up receiving 20 requests in two days. I'm not adding those people. All that does is create more useless crap on my news feed. I care about my friends, and what they're up to. Random girl who hates her husband, kids, and life... not so much.
Stalkers. There are a lot of them. They often log into other peoples profiles to spy, or force others to tag you. This annoys me. If I wanted you to know what I was doing. I would be friends with YOU. If I don't want to talk to you in real life, it's probably safe to assume I don't want you in my shit. I'd love to say the "block" feature works, but it only works when you catch them and they aren't spying from a friends profile. You should be able to block by IP address.
Groups drive me nuts. They are just catty drama fests. It doesn't matter if it's a pregnancy group, a For Sale group, a political group... it's nothing but drama. Much like the comments on websites... can't we all just get along? Why is Facebook a popularity contest? Here's the deal : I'm not going to think you're cool, smart, superior, stupid, uneducated, etc. based off a Facebook comment regardless of what it says. Likewise, I don't expect you to make rash assumptions about me, either. Oh, but in the world of Facebook, that's how it goes...
I intended for Facebook to keep me connected with distant friends and family through my travels, but it's turned into much more. Too much in fact. I am taking a step back to avoid losing my mind.
Oh, Facebook.
The magical world of drama where lifelong friendships can end, we all give out way TMI, and stalkers can fulfill they're wildest dreams without violating a restraining order. It's the place where everyone thinks they're an expert, and their opinions really matter; where it's determined whether you will be successful or doomed to a life of loserdom for eternity. It's where you meet the love of your life - or lose them - depending on the circumstance. It's the place you go to air your dirty laundry, and read everyone elses so you can go gossip to your girlfriends or buddies later in the day (We all do it, let's not pretend we don't). Hell, you can even find out about life altering events on Facebook, like the death of a loved one. That's always nice.
The majority of what we hear nowadays stems from Facebook, what's worse is we believe it...
People truly believe they can know someone based off of what they read on Facebook. That's always been a thought process that has annoyed me. I have several "friends" on Facebook I've never met in person, however I cannot say that I know everything about them, or even assume I know who they truly are. I am not discounting the possibility of getting to truly know or care for someone based on Internet interactions, I'm speaking more of judging people based on a post, or 100. You can be whoever you want on the Internet. If I wanted to, I could tell people I was a doctor and probably pull it off for quite awhile if not forever. A drama queen can act cool as a cucumber, and a mellow person can come off as a spaz.
Facebook is taken very personally. I am guilty of that myself. I find myself annoyed with having to have forced interactions with friends who are mutual friends with people I don't care for. It's much easier in person when you don't have to see the mutual friends interactions with the disliked party. This can lead to irrational thought processes and unnecessary drama and hurt feelings, even though it's none of anyone's business.
Any time a hot button issue is presented, it always explodes. Politics, religion, circumcision, war, welfare... I'm pretty sure none of us know what the hell we're talking about, so perhaps we should all just stop discussing these topics altogether...
I've grown a bit uncomfortable with the lack of discretion Facebook has allowed in recent times. All these lists, groups and notifications has made it difficult to control what people see. If you like my photo, everyone on your friends list knows you liked it. Same with comments... why do I need to know what you have commented on some random page? I know there are ways to control this, but it's just become too much effort.
It's too easy to vent on Facebook. Those of us in the military life know you often find yourself in a new place, with no real life local friends. Hell, even if you're not military, we all feel alone sometimes when we can't get anyone to answer the phone, or come over. Facebook, in a way has cured loneliness for many, sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad. When one has no one to talk to, they often turn to Facebook for companionship. I have friends that have mastered using it for this purpose while avoiding possible social consequences; but some haven't. At all. Once it's online, it's there. That is something my dad has always drilled into my head. You can't take it back. So, for instance, if you are angry at your best friend and you post all the dirty details for 500 people to read, some of those people are going to remember that, and probably talk about it.
I hate random friend requests. I don't mind being added by someone who wants to get to know me, or is looking for a friend; but it seems that once one adds you (this is especially common when I join a Group) you end up receiving 20 requests in two days. I'm not adding those people. All that does is create more useless crap on my news feed. I care about my friends, and what they're up to. Random girl who hates her husband, kids, and life... not so much.
Stalkers. There are a lot of them. They often log into other peoples profiles to spy, or force others to tag you. This annoys me. If I wanted you to know what I was doing. I would be friends with YOU. If I don't want to talk to you in real life, it's probably safe to assume I don't want you in my shit. I'd love to say the "block" feature works, but it only works when you catch them and they aren't spying from a friends profile. You should be able to block by IP address.
Groups drive me nuts. They are just catty drama fests. It doesn't matter if it's a pregnancy group, a For Sale group, a political group... it's nothing but drama. Much like the comments on websites... can't we all just get along? Why is Facebook a popularity contest? Here's the deal : I'm not going to think you're cool, smart, superior, stupid, uneducated, etc. based off a Facebook comment regardless of what it says. Likewise, I don't expect you to make rash assumptions about me, either. Oh, but in the world of Facebook, that's how it goes...
I intended for Facebook to keep me connected with distant friends and family through my travels, but it's turned into much more. Too much in fact. I am taking a step back to avoid losing my mind.
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog! I have chosen to go the blog route mainly because Facebook has become exceptionally annoying.
I cannot post an opinion on that site, especially in the groups, without having to receive a million comments telling you why I'm wrong, and frankly I'm over it. I decided it would be best if I vented and expressed my against the grain opinions here, in my own space. I am really the type to state my opinion and be done with the subject. You're not going to change my mind, and I'm not going to change yours; so what's the point of debating or arguing? Most people can't debate civilly, especially on hot button issues. I don't mind civil discourse, but it's hard to find that on Facebook.
So, I will vent here. People can take it or leave it. You can think I'm an idiot or a genius, I don't have a preference.
I cannot post an opinion on that site, especially in the groups, without having to receive a million comments telling you why I'm wrong, and frankly I'm over it. I decided it would be best if I vented and expressed my against the grain opinions here, in my own space. I am really the type to state my opinion and be done with the subject. You're not going to change my mind, and I'm not going to change yours; so what's the point of debating or arguing? Most people can't debate civilly, especially on hot button issues. I don't mind civil discourse, but it's hard to find that on Facebook.
So, I will vent here. People can take it or leave it. You can think I'm an idiot or a genius, I don't have a preference.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)