Life hasn't been great in this dumpy apartment complex I've been living in for three years but it's been tolerable and even peaceful considering the drug deals going down, a crazy neighbor who used to walk out of his apartment and fall flat in a drunken stupor, another guy who liked to stand outside my window and watch me work, and a new neighbor who runs around squawking like a mother hen and who hates Blacks, Hispanics and Southerners.
My apartment manager has always been decent, friendly and fair and square. Then she hired Brunhilde who lives here and who began her weekend job as assistant with gusto. A real matron of the prison farm school. Even when she's not on duty she's on duty. "That's against the rules." "You're not allowed to do that." She's about as popular as a bucket of road apples.
The manager has always been tolerant of my 14-year-old 110 pound lab mix getting lose or simply lying out in front of my apartment and rolling in the grass. Unfortunately I live right across from the office. Nobody has ever complained about Lucky or me or any other dog who isn't on a leash. That is, until Brunhilde stormed in.
The Brun hates animals and is petrified of them. So why didn't she move into a pet-free apartment complex you ask? Who in hell knows.
For three weeks I've watched her eyes bulge every time Lucky went within 50 yards of her. "It's against the rules." "It's for safety." "Hasn't anyone complained?" No. But I knew the day would come when Brun would turn the screws in my back. Today the apartment manager told me to put him on a leash. There's a couple of Pit Bulls here and a Chiguagua that are bigger threats than my 110 pound wuss. I'd be delighted if they did me the favor of putting teeth marks in her ass.
Yes, yes I know there are major tragedies that are far more severe and devastating than the one I'm facing. The Gulf Oil Spill exceeds any man made disaster this country has ever experienced. The destruction of the marine life, the birds, the wetlands, the beaches, the fishing industry and other industries that are dependant on the Gulf for survival and the entire way of life of the region is being destroyed day by day, minute by minute for thousands of miles.
And polls are showing that people are blaming the government for not acting fast enough. Translated, that means our black president. You see, it's much easier to cast blame than to look a little deeper and to consider the realities of the problem. This is a tragedy that should bring the nation together, not rip it apart with dumb, petty, spiteful, ignorant as-hell politics.
The idiots at FoxNews aren't the only media outlets criticizing the government. But their irresponsibility is driven by ignorance and downright mean spiritedness. The Main Stream Media doesn't even have a decent excuse for their know-nothing, superficial coverage . Reporters have become lazy, cowardly, and slaves to the corporations and they can't be bothered with research or looking
below the surface.
Then there's the Texas State Board of Education which passed textbook guidelines that practically annihilates American history.
To the West is Arizona which has passed a law making it a state crime for an illegal immigrant to apply for a job or to solicit work publicly. But it's a-okay if an employer hires illegals. This is followed up with Ethnic Studies being banned in public schools. And Arizona Governor Jan Brewer hysterically claiming the state is under "terrorist attack." Arizona state treasurer Dean Martin has called for tent cities to house illegal immigrants, no doubt copying the idea from Maricopa County's notorious sheriff Joe Arpaio - and maybe because he might earn a few more votes in his run for governor.
Let's don't forget Republican Representative from South Carolina, Joe "you lie" Wilson or S.C. state senator Jake "raghead" Knotts, or his twin over in Mississippi Gov. Haley "Oil? What oil?" Barbour.
And then there's that adorable Sarah Palin, whose lies are only superseded by her ignorance of American history, the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, who doesn't read, who's an international whiz-kid because she can see Russia out her back window. I'm sure she'd fit right in as a Texas School Board member.
I can't finish without mentioning SCOTUS and it's rape of Miranda, its personalization of corporations and its ruling blocking Arizona from subsidizing state candidates facing privately funded foes.
So, between Brunhilde, the Neanderthals who are elected to uphold the laws of the land but don't, and the MSM which doesn't investigate but should, I have smoke coming out of my ears, I'm steaming and I'm swearing up a storm. In more succinct terms, I'm p****d as hell.
Me too and some things aren't as important as before.
ReplyDeleteThe gusher is an ocean killer if not stopped soon.
The earth is next in line.
I very much believe it's that bad.
Lucky is a member of your family even if he has four legs. Mess with Lucky and you mess with family. You have every right to be pissed as hell.
ReplyDeleteFuck Brunhilde and all those other republican wankers you mentioned also.
"a new neighbor who runs around squawking like a mother hen and who hates Blacks, Hispanics and Southerners."
ReplyDeleteHey, two out of three ain't bad.
Rolling Stone has a miserable article about the administration's response to the spill: Full of hindsight and devoid of political context. No wonder I quit reading it.
P.S. Just once, I'd like to read an article or see a report that recognizes what an impossible situation the spill has been from the get-go.
ReplyDeleteI also criticize the response, but not for the same reasons FOX "News" does.Truman would have known just what to do about this.
ReplyDeleteWe have to get corporatism out of Government. I don't know how, but somehow.
Having lived in the same townhouse in the same apartment complex for 25 years, I can sympathize and empathize with the way things change. The lease has gone from a single-page mimeographed sheet to a 27-page, single-spaced manifesto.
ReplyDeleteFor the first years I had five cats who shared my life, but they’ve all dead now. Now, there is a “no pets” rule among others.
When I moved here this was a verdant paradise, but the owners are now in the process of cutting down the last remaining trees. Oaks, pines, dogwoods, azaleas have all been lost.
Three things in life are certain: death, taxes and CHANGE.
As for the political horrors around us, it’s probably no comfort to say things could get worse. If that happens, let’s be sure to put ample blame on the critical left as well as the ignorant right.
BJ
Ranch Greeting's Ms.Leslie!
ReplyDeleteListening to your story at the complex, with the "new" efficiency expert on the job (or the "pain in the ass") .... I couldnt help to think of that ole Carole King classic (70/71?) called "You've got a friend" :) ..... cause Girl, when you got someone like that watchin you and your dog like a fox watches a hen house, it's just like a friend .... of course one you can do without. I live in an apartment complex too (their called condo's, so you can lease or buy them actually) .... I know all the neighborhood mut's,and they all know me. We have these patio's that are probably about 30'ft by 15/20'ft with approx 6 ft wooden fences around them, I have a large shade tree in mine, couple rose bushes and a small garden, no dog's, but my neighbor's have dog's (I think they all seem to), oh yeah ... a stray cat made his residence on my patio, who I give daily treat's to. The benefit of the dog's actually is they bark in the night as people come and go or any activity. But all the mut's know me .... I have little sound signal's I give if they cant see me that they all know by heart, and they stop barking, and along with my scent they can pick up, I reckon you can say they are friendly with me, but I dont have any pet's myself. Sorry to hear about your new "friend" who work's at the office .... hopefully after time she will adjust and mellow out, or perhap's find another job, I mean what else can you do beside's trying to avoid her as much as possible as well? In my bloody neighborhood I feel like I am dog's (and cat's even) best friend ... even though I dont have pet's ... everyone else's seem's to like me! :) (perhap's I smell like a mut or something, or just look like one myself)
Later Grrrlllll ......
IMO, BP should be fined up the gazoo, have to pay all costs and have lots of safeguards and restrictions put into place before they are allowed to drill anymore. Actually these restrictions should apply to all of them. I'm afraid that our dependence on oil makes it virtually impossible to stop drilling but we shouldn't be sending it to other countries. But I guess there's lots of big bucks to be had - and we know how that translates.
ReplyDeleteitm, of course, it's time to seek alternative energy solutions instead of just paying lip service to them.
Lucky has arthritis in his hips and back legs so badly that he can barely stand for any length of time or get up from a lying down position. So, forget jumping on anyone or thing - kids adore him and he loves them. He's never lifted his leg like most guy dogs and has always stretched out positioning his back end low to the ground - possibly so it wouldn't spatter. He's never growled or acted aggressively toward a person or animal (unless they are ugly to him first).
He's such a chicken he'll hide behind my legs when one of these yippie little shits comes running up to him. When we have storms he tries to climb in my lap while I'm on the computer. Until the last year or so he's been a first cousin to Marley. His antics are worth another blog. Too smart and oh so loving. I hate this girl with a cold passion.
Lucky sounds like a sweetheart, you are lucky to have him! As for the other tragic messes in the country and around the globe, we are the USA we will survive, but oh poor President Obama he has inherited the worst of the worse. I feel so bad for him...
ReplyDelete"Arizona state treasurer Dean Martin has called for tent cities to house illegal immigrants"
ReplyDeleteI see your point on how they go after the illegal immigrants but not the employers. So, where are the tent cities for the employers?
I will strongly disagree on the personalization of corporations matter, especially in regards to free speech. The Constitution does not give Congress free reign to censor individuals because they are associated with corporations.
As they say in D.C., I want to associate myself with J.R.'s excellent comment. I don't expect the president to go down there and plug the damned hole. I do expect him to tell BP to stop its lying denials, get some tankers in there and start drawing oil out of the Gulf waters. I can't come up with a good excuse for why Obama hasn't done this already.
ReplyDeleteL.P., you sound as though things are closing in on you. Maybe if you could arrange a change of scene, even for a day or two, it would help. In the meantime, I hope writing your post was cathartic.
Maybe you could get the manager to have a Dutch uncle talk with Brunhilde, to tell her there are dogs and there are dogs. Just as with people, some are good and some are bad, and it's wrong to lump them all together as an imminent threat. Also, no one appreciates or respects a Barney Fife type who lets a little power go to their head. Tell the manager that if having that talk doesn't improve the situation, maybe it's time to look for another assistant manager.
As much as this kitty hates coming to the defence of a dawg. I'm on your side. Encourage Brunhilde to become involved in GOP politics to give her an outlet for that hatred that isn't you.
ReplyDeleteFly: I really, really hope you're wrong but it's beginning to look preetty grim.
ReplyDeleteJC: One should never come between man and his dog.
K: I don't think you'll read it in the MSM but I have to confess that I never listen to or read them anymore.
BJ: We can almost gurantee change. Let's just hope it isn't the wrong kind but it ain't looking good.
RC: Yeah, I hope she gets another job like tomorrow. She was working somehwere else but apparently got laid off.
Sue: Lucky is more than a sweetheart and has stuck by me through thick and thin.
dmarks: Politics Plus (Tom Cat) posted this excellent article about it -
http://www.politicsplus.org/blog/?p=1761
JW: Venting is always healthy. My MO is a little different. I just figure my day will come but I have to wait for the emotions to settle. She's always adviding people to talk to the Lord. Well, she's going to want to talk to the Lord when I'm done.
ReplyDeleteThe manager would probably just tell me I should look for another apartment. : )
TC: I like four legged beasts better than the two legged variety. There are exceptions - like my blogging buddies.
Just don't use the word "malaise."
ReplyDeleteSince Mick, the Wonder Dog, also suffers from a whole bunch of arthritis in those back hips, and has lost his sense of hearing, it is very disheartening to see him frantically searching for Frodo, after a nap. Watching a Hobbit positioning himself within the visual arena of this old athlete at all times is worth admission. Let no Man (or Brunhilde) stand in the way.
Thanks, Frodo. She's a piece of work allright. It is hard to watch our best friends decline.
ReplyDelete