I think our landlady is chemically dependent

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Either that, or she's just crazy.

Email to her:

My name is not Rachel; it is Rogi.

I took care of the sewage, not Rachel, so you can thank me.

Rachel already told you what we flush down the toilet, so I don't understand why you are mentioning that again, unless you believe WE have something to do with this plumbing problem of yours.

The sewage lines are FREEZING because somebody keeps removing the caps.

As I've already told you, OUR sewage lines are fine since I flushed out the bath tub with hot water.

This morning, however, I did find the cap removed from our sewage line again.

I assume Chris and Sasha are incapable of finding their sewage cap and putting it back on.

I will check our sewage line occasionally, to make sure the cap hasn't been removed again. I will NOT be responsible for Chris and Sasha's.

I'm also concerned that the WATER lines might begin freezing, as Chris and Sasha have no kithen door window now, and "replaced" the glass they broke with a too-small piece of cardboard. It's well below freezing at night, with winds. Pipes could freeze.

Since I received no acknowledgment from you of my email regarding the subject, I must assume that, like Sasha's assault on me, you think I'm lying, exaggerating or that I "created" this. Therefore, I took pictures today of the broken glass in their trash and the back door with the cardboard on it. I'm keeping these to prove myself, if that becomes necessary.

some issues

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I let my dog out this morning, before 6am. As it's Christmas morning and very cold, I decided I didn't want to walk her with leash across the street. I decided I could let her relieve herself in the yard, with the gate closed, so she can't get hurt.

Sasha told me she pushes the east side gate as hard as she can toward the juniper, so they can park their car on the lawn in front of their unit more easily. The ground was frozen and I had a great deal of difficulty, moving the gate.

Sasha also told me, and the police, that she slams the west side gate into the fence, so the gate latch will hook into the chain link of the fence. She does this so she won't have to be bothered with opening the gate all the way, if the wind blows it (which I've never seen happen.) By doing this, she has bent the fence wires to accomodate the gate latch.

After struggling with the east side gate, I had to pull on the west side gate. It wouldn't move. I then noticed a dark, very stiff wire, holding the gate to the fence. I got a tool and cut the wire, so I could close the gate to let my dog out. My pulling, though, has bent some of the fence and gate wire. I will straighten them at daylight. I can't see well enough in the dark, which is why I didn't see the restraining wire. Nobody told me it was there, either.

Having the use of the fenced yard on occasion (I don't use it often, nor for very long) and having access to the back yard are two, main reasons why I wanted to live here.

While my dog was out, I noticed her sniffing something on the ground by the east side of the building. One of the sewage caps to this property is completely missing; it's not lying on the ground somewhere. It's just gone. I don't think it goes to our apartment; I think ours is to the east and theirs is to the west. It's the latter that is missing.

When OUR sewage cap was missing is when our plumbing backed up, which I cured by running hot water into the tub.

If there's an issue with Chris and Sasha's plumbing, I suggest they check to see if they've thrown out that sewage cap.

If it's in their trash, they'll have to be careful, looking for it. Their trash is full of glass, from the window that got shattered Dec. 23, when Chris and his male guest had a horrible fight, banging into walls, screaming, breaking glass and scaring their daughter so bad she came out into the yard, alone in the cold, crying hysterically. They brought the fight into the street, screaming to disturb the entire block. Someone finally called the police.

They're damaging your property. They have NO consideration for the rights of other tenants, guests or neighbors on the street. I think they believe they're still living alone, on a farm in the country, where no neighbors affect their lives.

flush this

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The sewage discharge cap to our unit was unscreweed and laying on the ground outside the east side gate, so I screwed it back on. Our sewage pipes were frozen, as a result. Sewage was backing up in our toilet and bathtub. I ran hot water into the bath tub, and we've never had a plumbing problem, since. I noticed Roto Rooter came a few days later, apparantly for Chris &Sasha's place. I don't know about any other plumbing visits.

Kyoko, the neighbor to the east, has some Chinese elm saplings, growing near the sewage lines at this property. Tim, her neighbor and assistant, is planning to dig those out. Chinese elms are notorious for digging their roots into plumbing and clogging it.

We have no plumbing problems.

I should not hear sirens on xmas eve

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I'm not allowed to smoke in the house. For the first time in 21 years, I bought a bottle of Johnie Walker red tonight. I also, for the first time in three years (I only buy them on special occasions, IF I remember), I bought a pack of Benson & Hedges cigarettes....$5 a pack!!!

I was sitting on my front porch, smoking one of the B&H, drinking Johnie Walker red, soda and a twist (of orange peel; we didn't have lemons, and it's xmas eve, and no stores are open, but orange peel tastes good in scotch.)

Suddenly, a cop car zoomed by on our lazy, quiet street. And I thought, damn.

So, I came in the house and called 311.

Gary answered, African American, young, by the sound of him.

And I said,

Hi, Gary.

And I told him I'm not alllowed to smoke in my house and I was on the front porch when the cop car went by. And it made me think.

I said, I have some real issues with Albuqueruqe PD and FD.

But I wanted to wish them, and the 311 operators in the boiler room, happy holidays. And thank you.

I know they'd rather be home with their families right now.

But they're out here, trying to protect us.

And I have REAL issues with some of them.

So, Gary asked me my name (I only gave Rogi) and my phone #, which I gave him.

Cops, especially, are poisoned. Some come that way: they're cops cuz the get to carry a gun (penis substitute) and scare and intimidate people. Some came to it by noble reasons: they love their communities and want to protect them. Some came because their parents came, and they're carrying on family traditon. Some came because their options are limited: they have military backgrounds or grew up in neighborhoods where the only "good guys" were also cops or FD.

Cops and see crap I don't want to see: vomit, needles in dead arms, beaten hookers, drunk people of color, violated properties. I HAVE seen it, as a poor person. But it is a goal of my life NEVER to have to witness the nightmares of poverty and ignorance again.

Cops and FD choose to live in a world which almost killed me.

Aside from ego, mother issues, penis envy and machimso, I'd have to say a good portion of those people choose to live among the filth because they SINCERELY believe they make a difference and protect the innocent.

I'm not wise enough to know whether that's true or not.

All I know is that SOME of them TRY.

So I called 311 and spoke with Gary.

If we all stop terrorizing our own children, behaving like crazy people while under the influence of mind-altering chemicals, beating those we say we love, and liberating property from people we think can't manage it better than we can, cops and FD could be home tonight, snuggling with the people they love, living the biblical injunction of Peace on Earth.

Even as I was thinking that, outside on my porch, I heard sirens scream by, blocks from my house, hours from what's supposed to be the most sacred event in history: the birth of a Savior to humankind.

Yes, I've dealt with both cops and fire personnel who were dyed in the wool bastards and fascists. I won't sugar coat that. I don't know: do they have mysogynistic tendancies, father issues, poor toilet training, delusions of grandeur, sadistic fantasies? I don't know and I don't care. I only know I have to be careful, in their presence.

But a lot of young kids are patroling our streets tonight -- and the streets of Afganistan and Iraq -- who SINCERELY believe they're doing the right thing.

Whether I agree or not, I respect their commitment and concern.

Thank you, people, for trying to protect me and my goats, my cats, my goldfish, my chickens and ducks, my obstinate roommmate, my webtv, my computer, my collections of odd, handmade crap.

Thank you for letting me sleep in my warm house tonight, knowing you'll come if I really need you.

just another slum lord

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Date:
Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:36:36 -0700
From:
kirish
To:
"Rogi Riverstone"
Subject:
Re: Sasha intentionally drove her car at me yesterday

Rogi,
I have told Chris and Sasha nothing about you personally.

I am afraid Rogi that you have created this toxic situation. Things
were fine
before you moved in. Perhaps you can use as much energy to try to make
amends to
both myself and to your neighbors.

Katherine

Quoting Rogi Riverstone

Frequently, when Chris & Sasha are gone for the day, I
> let my dog out in the front yard to run. Since she's
> blind, she doesn't get to run very often, even though
> she's a herding dog, and needs the exercise. I close
> the front gate, so she won't run into the street. I
> let her out back, too, but not unless I'm there to
> watch, as the goats pester her and butt her.
>
> Chris knows I do this, and says it's fine with him.
> One day, he came home early, when the gates were
> closed. I opened them for him and apologized for the
> inconvenience. He said it was "no problem," and even
> offered that I could reclose them, if I wanted, as he
> had no plans to go out again that day. I declined. I
> don't leave my dog out when others are home, just to
> be safe.
>
> Yesterday, after Sasha -- the last one to leave --
> drove away, I closed the gates to let my dog run.
> She's usually out there for less than an hour. I
> always clean up any poop.
>
> Yesterday, Sasha came back in just a few minutes; she
> has never done this before. I was standing right
> there, and started calling my dog back to the house.
> But the dog heard Sasha yelling and cursing at me, and
> went to the sound.
>
> I went to the gate to fetch the dog. Sasha opened one
> side; I opened the other. Sasha was screaming at the
> top of her lungs, obscenities and crazy accusations.
> She was inconvenienced for about ten seconds.
>
> Most of her accusations were based things you must
> have told Chris and / or Sasha about Rachel's and my
> personal lives.
>
> 1) We had to move here because we couldn't get along
> with our neighbors. Not true.
>
> 2) The only reason I don't want people blocking our
> driveway is because I have no friends, and I am
> jealous that Chris and Sasha do. Not true.
>
> 3) I don't work; I sit around, collecting welfare. Not
> true.
>
> 4) You are afraid to come to the property because, "in
> ten years, she's never had tenants like you." That's a
> direct paraphrase of something you said to us in
> email.
>
> 5) We are making repairs to the property without
> contacting you. Not true.
>
> 6) We're not allowed to park in the driveway, ever.
> Not true.
>
> 7) We have NO RIGHT to access the common area on the
> east side of the house, and there's no need to move
> the trash barrel that blocks the gate there. Not true.
> It's a common area and, by New Mexico State law, it
> must not be obstructed. I've had to ask permission
> from the NEIGHBOR to the east to go through THEIR yard
> to bring things in and take things out of our
> backyard.
>
> 8) I can bring things like goats and bales of straw
> through our apartment. Not true. It's messy, dangerous
> and potentially distructive.
>
> 9) I deliberately hit their car, because I want to use
> the WHOLE driveway. Not true.
>
> 10) I refuse to pay for repairs to their car. Not
> true. They never got estimates. They never contacted
> their insurance company, if they even have one.
>
> 11) I left a "nasty note" on Sasha's mother's in law
> window when she blocked our part of the driveway. Not
> true. The note read: "You are blocking our driveway.
> Visitors must park on the street."
>
> 12) The mother in law is "afraid" to come here now,
> because I was rude. Not true. I found the note, wadded
> into a ball, thrown into our flowerbed. She's afraid
> I'll be angry that she did that, and feels guilty.
>
> 13) I'm outside, screaming at them, at least once a
> week. Not true. I raised my voice ONCE, when we were
> still moving in, and the Aztek was blocking both our
> front yard AND our parking space. I have APOLOGIZED
> for that, and was told, by both Chris and Sasha, that
> it was forgiven and forgotten.
>
> 14) Chris and Sasha only stare at us to make sure we
> don't hit their cars again. Not true. Chris has been
> staring, eavesdropping, and coming into our back yard
> since before we moved in. I have a gate in the back
> now. But he will BLATANTLY stare, even when we're just
> having a conversation with someone on the porch, and
> NO cars are involved
>
> Most of the accusations leveled at me, at full volume,
> and with much cursing, are based on things you MUST
> have told Chris and / or Sasha. Please refrain from
> gossiping about us to our neighbors. What you know
> about us is none of their business and is poor
> property management to divulge.
>
> Yesterday, I was standing in the driveway, when the
> first accusations were hurled, holding my dog by the
> collar. I demanded to know where Sasha was getting
> this misinformation. She refused to answer, so I asked
> again. Sasha entered her vehicle, put it in gear, and
> DROVE AT ME! She did not ask me to move; she just
> drove the car into me and my dog.
>
> You have created a very toxic situation here. Your
> need to gossip and play "divide and conguer" with the
> tenants at your rental units has created a living hell
> for ALL of us.
>
> I tried to set up a mediation with you with the City
> of Albuquerque's Legal Dept., and you never replied to
> their letter.
>
> This mess is your responsibility.
>
> These people are immature, impulsive, selfish,
> invasive, disrespectful and dangerous.
>
> Fix it.
>
> I have read this email to my roommate and she approves of
> my sending it.

http://www.aps.edu/aps/carlosrey/carlosreyelementaryschool/page7/page25/page25.html
http://www.placitasartists.com/k_henry/html/about_the_artist.html

I found his mother's email address

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Dear Mrs. Kalyan,

I want to thank you for your work as a mother. Your son is doing an excellent thing, with his role in "Aliens in America."

While there is some criticism, some legitimate, of his role, his accent, the writing and even his wardrobe, his character is a breath of fresh air on our commercial television scene.

My friend and I watch the show, every week. In almost every episode, we find ourselves saying, "Who IS this kid? Look at the intelligence, shining from his eyes!" So, I finally looked him up on the internet today. Then, I looked YOU up!

To read the criticism, and my response to it, please read: http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com/2007/12/aliens-in-america.html

I also want to thank you for your diligent work in the South African Parliament.

I wish your family a healthy future.

May South Africa shine as a beacon of tolerance, reconcilliation, intelligence and diversity in a wounded world.

Your son is a happy part of my life.

"Aliens in America"

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I was looking up info on the kid who plays Raja on AiA. I can't find much, darn it. I was hoping to find HIS website, but mostly I'm finding commercial crap.

But I came across an interesting page of criticism of the show: UltraBrown http://www.ultrabrown.com/posts/stereotyping-for-fun-and-profit#comment-6388

After reading it thoroughly, including the comments, I felt compelled to add my worthless opinion, too. Here it is:

Ok, look, I'm an old, white, American lady. I grew up in Los Angeles, among just about every race on the planet. And I loved it. And I miss it.

The ridiculous xenophobia, racism, fundamentalism I've seen in the past, 7 years makes me sick. I find it so silly, pointless and wasteful.

I ALMOST didn't watch the first episode of AiA, because I thought SURE it would be Amos & Andy.

Now, I can't fine tune accents, apparal, facial hair, etc.

WHAT'S FUNNY, TO ME is how the writers TOTALLY bust middle American ignorance. "Apu, where's my slushy?" is NOT funny because it's a racist stereotype of brown people. It's FUNNY because MANY complacent Americans, who actually BELIEVE commercial media, have NO OTHER EXPOSURE to brown people!

We can't be BOTHERED to learn about people against whom we've declared war, even! Correction: illegally invaded. The military recruits in schools like the one portrayed in AiA. And kids from schools like that go on to become CIA, FBI, etc. We sent our soldiers to Afganistan with an outdated and ignorant how-to-interface-with-the-locals handbook. We didn't SPEAK THE LANGUAGES of Afganistan, Iraq, etc.!

Yeah, the kid's over-the-top, a bit. But he's portrayed as sincere, enthusiastic, GENUINELY respectful & loving, and quite nerdy. He's not stupid, angry, suspicious, arrogant. In other words, he's a regular kid, a bit on the nice side, thrown in with a school full of potential predators. AND HE DISARMS THEM! For me, this show is rather a relief.

I was BEATEN, after 9/11, by a bunch of teens on a city bus. Why? It was a rainy day. I was wearing long sleeves, floor-length skirt and a scarf, tightly wound around my hair and neck. They thought I was a terrorist.

Can we afford to damn this show right now? CAN WE WRITE, PRODUCE, DIRECT, & PORTRAY SOMETHING BETTER? I think THAT's a reasonable solution!