I'm not feeling very Christmas spirited this year. I have a bunch of presents in the garage that need wrapping we didn't get a tree this year and I didn't even send out a Christmas card this year. My two younger children said they didn't want to put up a tree if their bother wasn't going to be here and I agreed. My oldest is spending Christmas with his father in North Carolina this year which will make the second year in a row and my other kids are pretty bummed about it, as am I. I didn't think it would be such a big deal since he went last year so I said yes when his father asked me if he could go without paying attention to my gut, and now I guess were all paying the price.
I suppose my kids and I can make some Christmas crafts and get in the spirit today. There a others with far less and we have been blessed this year which is what I really want all of my children to understand. What are some of the things you all do when your not feeling the holiday spirit?
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sticking with your own kind and other things "American"
Is ignorance bliss or is ignorance just plain ole ignorance.... this past month I have witnessed quite a few ignorant comments and or statements I thought I should share...
If we are facebook "friends" you may recall an incident I had at my local library. I was trying to get my little cousin ( who has come to live with me and my family)a library card. There was a nice young lady helping me when I spotted another librarian eyeing me she walked over and said to me you need your drivers licence I said that's fine then she said you also need his guardianship papers I said that's fine I dont normally carry those with me to the library and as were were walking away she says to the lady who was helping me "look at them they cant be related"......Well long story short I cussed her out.... not my most shining moment I was just super upset that she would give us such a hard time over a library card but i was even more upset that she could conclude with just one look that my cousin and I were not related when we in fact are by blood.
A few weeks ago while on a transport on of the youth i work with was teasing a co worker of mine and said"you probably need to date a white guy" to which my co worker replied "No way I stick with my own kind". I was shocked that I worked along side someone who would say something so ignorant seemingly with out a second thought, but my first thought was wow that's ignorant...I don't know why I didn't say something to her right then and there when her comment obviously annoyed me. I use laughter to get through things that piss me off most times and while we were enjoying the long commute back to the facility I thought to myself a comment like that coming from some one ignorant enough to tattoo their very chola like eyebrows on wasn't that shocking.
While in a doctors office waiting on yet another one of the youth from work I overheard one side of a phone conversation . long story short they were looking for help in the office and prefered Spanish speaking no problem but the next comment kind of annoyed me because she said well as a matter of fact if they don't speak Spanish could you please not send them? My immediate thought was gosh that's gotta be against the law but my second thought was why isn't English enough in this country. Dont get me wrong I know and believe being bilingual is a plus and a plus is good but it should not be a requirement so long as you can speak the native language.
Ignorance happens in all shapes and sizes....I wish I reacted better at the library and I wish I would have told my co worker how ignorant her comment was and it made me uncomfortable. I think whats more important in these situations is how we react to the ignorance and remember we can use every ignorant moment we come across as a teaching experience
How would you respond?
If we are facebook "friends" you may recall an incident I had at my local library. I was trying to get my little cousin ( who has come to live with me and my family)a library card. There was a nice young lady helping me when I spotted another librarian eyeing me she walked over and said to me you need your drivers licence I said that's fine then she said you also need his guardianship papers I said that's fine I dont normally carry those with me to the library and as were were walking away she says to the lady who was helping me "look at them they cant be related"......Well long story short I cussed her out.... not my most shining moment I was just super upset that she would give us such a hard time over a library card but i was even more upset that she could conclude with just one look that my cousin and I were not related when we in fact are by blood.
A few weeks ago while on a transport on of the youth i work with was teasing a co worker of mine and said"you probably need to date a white guy" to which my co worker replied "No way I stick with my own kind". I was shocked that I worked along side someone who would say something so ignorant seemingly with out a second thought, but my first thought was wow that's ignorant...I don't know why I didn't say something to her right then and there when her comment obviously annoyed me. I use laughter to get through things that piss me off most times and while we were enjoying the long commute back to the facility I thought to myself a comment like that coming from some one ignorant enough to tattoo their very chola like eyebrows on wasn't that shocking.
While in a doctors office waiting on yet another one of the youth from work I overheard one side of a phone conversation . long story short they were looking for help in the office and prefered Spanish speaking no problem but the next comment kind of annoyed me because she said well as a matter of fact if they don't speak Spanish could you please not send them? My immediate thought was gosh that's gotta be against the law but my second thought was why isn't English enough in this country. Dont get me wrong I know and believe being bilingual is a plus and a plus is good but it should not be a requirement so long as you can speak the native language.
Ignorance happens in all shapes and sizes....I wish I reacted better at the library and I wish I would have told my co worker how ignorant her comment was and it made me uncomfortable. I think whats more important in these situations is how we react to the ignorance and remember we can use every ignorant moment we come across as a teaching experience
How would you respond?
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