bleakness

hey, so that last post was a little bleak. just had to vent like an angry teenager for a minute.
on a lighter note, i think this is the best idea ever.

at first, i thought there seems to be a lot of taser usage by police these days, i wonder what that's about. but, now it seems each and every time i turn on the news, i see another video of an out of control cop using his "safe" taser to "control" someone who is "out of control".
this is getting ridiculous people, c'mon! i knew things were bad, but this just scares me.
being a person who suffers from fairly severe anxiety and panic attacks, and being closely related and friends with people who suffer from mental illness, and uncontrollable anxiety, as well as knowing quite of few children with autism, can i just say that all of these stories are horrifying and sickening to me. it just seems that every time someone starts acting the least bit erratic these days, the cops pull out the taser, no matter what their age, phyisical or mental health condition. then they yell at the person to 'calm down', or 'be still', before they taser them again and again. are these cops so stupid that they don't even know the biology of the human body?? the last thing i think my body would do if i were being shocked with mass amounts of electricity is 'be still', or 'calm down'.
i remember seeing a video once of cops being trained with pepper spray. each cop had to be sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray to let them know how it feels, and to try to convince them to use it sparingly. i think the same demonstration should definitely be in affect for ANY and ALL cops issued taser guns. they should be tasered, and then be told to 'be still' and then if they don't comply, they should be tasered again and again and again, until they can finally be still.

open letter to our housemate in our basement

dear basement chick,
why do you listen to such uninteresting, bad music? it amazes me on a daily basis that you never get sick of listening to that lionel richie album over and over again at top volume. yeah, i understand there may be some sort of 'hipster irony' to your listening to countless hours of lionel richie, michael macdonald, peter cetera, etc...but, every day??!
also, for there to be 'hipster irony' attached to the listening of these awful albums, you would also have to, at some point, listen to a few good albums, at least every now and then. but, you don't. i would even understand if you listened to these albums for sentimental reasons, or if maybe they were a 'guilty pleasure'...but, this is obviously the entire content of your music collection.
you are fashionably dressed usually, you lived in europe for a while, you work for an environmental non profit, you have a ridiculously french sounding name and probably speak fluent french as well...i don't get it, you look so good on paper. what is wrong with you, basement chick?

i don't need to understand you or your reasons, i just want to spend one day of my life without the melody to 'stuck on you' in my head. i feel like i'm walking around in a walmart at 2am, while i'm here in my own apartment!

in closing, you obviously need a serious reality TV style music collection makeover. if not for the sake of your neighbors, just think of your neighbors children...think of the children!!

with sincerest sincerity,
your upstairs housemates

i'm dreaming of a green christmas...

thanks to al gore, 'being green' is all the rage this year for the holidays. it is so chic to try to save the planet from global warming that i figured i should jump on this band wagon quick, before this fashion trend goes the way of the ugg boot.
so, here are my 'green goals for christmas' (also known as, the "we're quite broke this year from producing and caring for a small spawn, please accept these homemade or gently used gifts from us...we still love you" christmas goals).

1. do not purchase one roll of new wrapping paper (this one is a doozy, because i'm a giant capitalist sucker for pretty paper, it's even one of my favorite willie nelson christmas songs).
2. give at least 75% recycled gifts. (i.e. things from around the house that i'm tired of looking at...ooh, ooh, you could be one of the lucky ones!)
3. in lieu of sending tons of cards, call family and friends and sing them carols. (this one is also a doozy, because i LOVE sending mail...i can't even tell you how much i love to send mail...the usps loves me!)

i'm not sure how many of these i'll keep. but i thought i would post them here anyway, just to keep up with the trends.

harlan's favorite toy