state sponsored "prosperity doctrine?"

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com


The more I read, the sicker I feel. SOME QUOTES:

He points out that material success is necessary
because if you don't have it you'll be thinking about
it all the time. But it is just one ingredient in his
mantra for real success which includes the progressive
expansion of happiness, the ability to have love and
compassion, the capacity for innate joy and the
ability to spread it to others. It also includes a
sense of meaning and purpose in life, and the
progressive realization of worthy goals--and that
includes material acquisitions. If you make those the
criteria for success, then you'll be very successful
and you won't get hypertension and heart
attacks--these are modern epidemics of disease caused
by a very fragmented view of success.

Chopra observes, "There's only one kind of poverty and
that's spiritual poverty. If you have spiritual
poverty, then you'll be unsuccessful. You can be very
rich, but if all you think about is money then you are
very poor. Wealth and poverty are states of mind."
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2000/7-8/2000-7-09.shtml

Creating Affluence
Explore the full meaning of wealth consciousness and
follow a step-by-step plan for creating affluence and
fulfillment on all levels of your life.

• SynchroDestiny
Once you master the principles of SynchroDestiny,
you’ll be able to use your newfound power to manifest
abundance in every area of your life. Much like a
powerful magnet, you will begin to attract material
wealth, emotional well-being, spiritual fulfillment,
and a deep awareness of your life’s true meaning and
purpose.

• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams.
Deepak Chopra distills the essence of his teachings
into seven simple, yet powerful principles that can
easily be applied to create success in all areas of
your life.
http://www.allaboutprosperity.com/profiles/deepak-chopra.htm

John Hagee

"Poverty is a curse."(John Hagee, Praise-A-Thon,
Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), 4 Nov, 1992.
Christian Research Institute Article on John Hagee)

"Poverty is caused by sin and disobeying the Word of
God."(John Hagee, Praise-A-Thon, Trinity Broadcasting
Network (TBN), 16 April, 1993. Christian Research
Institute Article on John Hagee)

"Jesus was not poor...Jesus had a nice house! John
1:38 says that Jesus turned to those that were
following him and said, 'Come with me.' And they said,
'Where dwellest thou?' He said, 'Come and see.' And
Jesus took that whole crowd home with Him to stay in
His house. That meant it was a big house! Jesus wore
fine clothes! John 19:23 says, 'He had a seamless
robe.' Roman soldiers gambled for it at the foot of
the cross. It was a designer original! It was valuable
enough for them to want it!...And then there are
christians that have a poverty complex that says,
'Well, I feel guilty about having nice things.' Jesus
didn't!"(John Hagee, Praise-A-Thon, Trinity
Broadcasting Network (TBN), November 5, 2004)

Marilyn Hickey:

"What do you need? Start creating it. Start speaking
about it. Start speaking it into being. Speak to your
billfold. Say, "You big, thick billfold full of
money." Speak to your checkbook. Say, "You, checkbook,
you. You've never been so prosperous since I owned
you. You're just jammed full of money." (Marilyn
Hickey, "Claim Your Miracles" (Denver: Marilyn Hickey
Ministries, n.d., audiotape #186, side 2)

Benny Hinn:

"Poverty is from the devil and that God wants all
Christians prosperous." (Benny Hinn, TBN, 11/6/90)

"Say after me, all of you, everybody say it, 'The
wealth of the wicked is mine.' [The audience repeats.]
One more time, (The audience repeats) One more time.
(The audience repeats it again)" (Benny Hinn.
Praise-a-Thon, TBN, April 1990) (Its an old practice
that if you hear something said by your own voice long
enough you will believe it).

"The Lord giveth and NEVER taketh away. And just
because [Job] said, 'Blessed be the name of the Lord,'
don't mean that he's right. When he said, 'Blessed be
the name,' he was just being religious." (TBN, Nov.,
1990).

Juanita Bynum:

"You need to send a thousand dollars. If you can’t
send a thousand, send five hundred...if all you have
is a nickel, wrap it in tissue and put it in an
envelope. If all you have is your clothes, send
them." (TBN, Fall Praise-A-Thon, November 8, 2003)

"If all you have is $79.36, I double-dare you to empty
your bank account. Close your account." (TBN, Fall
Praise-A-Thon, November 8, 2003)

"If you want the power, you have to sow the seed."
(TBN, Fall Praise-A-Thon, November 8, 2003)

Bishop Neil Ellis

He will pastor a church “That has to be, has to be,
poverty free”. This “has to happen”. He added..
Because of the ‘anointing’, (His Emphasis).
“I am not supposed to be pastoring poor people”. (He
did add that God will send poor people to him but only
so they get a release from poverty).

Bishop Harold and Brenda Ray

Our goal is as simple as it is strategic: To create
wealth! And empower our people to steward that wealth
for the purposes of the kingdom, the strengthening of
their communities and for the economic well being of
their children's children! (Emphasis in red on their
official web site)

Fred Price

You can talk about me all you want while I'm driving
by in my Rolls Royce that's paid for, and I got the
pink slip on it. Talk all you want. Bad mouth all you
want. Don't hurt me in the least. Doesn't bother me.
It's a whole lot easier to be persecuted when I'm
riding in my car and I got the pink slip than it is
when I'm riding in a car and owe my soul to the
company store. Fred Price. (Ever Increasing Faith
program, TBN, March 29, 1992.)

“Yeah, God has pleasure in the prosperity. So he must
have displeasure in the poverty. So if he does, then
poverty couldn't be from God. Yeah, but Brother Price,
but God allows it. God lets it happen. You're right,
he does. He does, because you do. He can't do anything
about it” (Ever Increasing Faith 11/16/90).

http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_prosperity_doctrine.html

State sponsored religion?

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

Ok, I've kept my mouth shut about this too long.

Here are my questions:

When will we let Jim Bakker, Pat Roberston, an Islamist Imam (a la Taliban), high priest from the Church of Satan, etc. raise funds for KUNM?

Is not UNM funded by state taxes, as well as federal?

Is this not a state-endorsed religious event?

quote:
A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state.
end quote.
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_religion

Why aren't we holding a fundraiser at which an athiest, an agnostic, a SCIENTIST (who knows "Intelligent Design" is simply double speak for Creationism) will be speaking? I would think that, if the subject of quantuum physics is of interest to KUNM's listeners, the latter might be quite satisfying.

quote:
In August 2005, Chopra posted a series of articles on the blog The Huffington Post (to which he is a frequent contributor) in which he offers his solution to the creation-evolution controversy. In doing so he expressed support for Intelligent Design without the Bible, or the politics of religion. According to Chopra, Nature displays intelligence.[5]

In the article, Chopra states:

"To say that Nature displays intelligence doesn't make you a Christian fundamentalist. Einstein said as much, and a fascinating theory called the anthropic principle has been seriously considered by Stephen Hawking, among others."
"It’s time to rescue "intelligent design" from the politics of religion. There are too many riddles not yet answered by either biology or the Bible, and by asking them honestly, without foregone conclusions, science could take a huge leap forward."
Chopra also offers a series of questions about evolution he believes cannot be answered by science alone.[5] [6] Science writer Michael Shermer, founder of The Skeptics Society and long-time critic of Chopra, posted a response. [7]

Additionally, Chopra has strong beliefs that Jesus was thought of as having a higher knowledge than most, and that he may have studied Kabala.[8]
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepak_Chopra

In my opinion, Chopra is another fast talking snake oil salesman: if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull chips.

And the LAST thing our mind-muddled citizens need in the downside of an eight-year neoTheocracy is more lazy thinking! I'm sure this will make them "feel good," but at expense of the intellect, reason, and exercise of the right to REAL education!


--- Richard Towne wrote:

> Hello,
>
> As you may know, the World Wellness Weekend is
> coming to Albuquerque on
> March 8 and 9. This event looks great (Deepak
> Chopra, Marianne Williamson
> and Michael Franti among many others. The event
> will be a partial benefit
> to KUNM. Details on the event are available at
> www.worldwellness.org
>
> A weekend pass to all events costs $75. There are
> less expensive options
> but you can also volunteer with the World Wellness
> folks and earn a full
> pass for the weekend. They are asking for an 8-10
> hour commitment. Their
> volunteer opportunities and a .pdf application form
> are available here:
> Feel free to share this with anyone you know who
> might want to volunteer and
> attend the weekend.
>
> http://www.worldwellness.org/Page.asp?NavID=2179
>
> ---
>
> KUNM will have an exhibitor booth for both days of
> the weekend so we can
> meet our listeners or introduce ourselves to people
> who have never listened
> to our great programming. Mary Oishi is looking for
> volunteers to take four
> hour shifts in exchange for a day-pass at the World
> Wellness weekend. Mary
> also has some other upcoming public events where we
> will have a table or
> booth to meet listeners. Please contact Mary and
> let her know you would
> like to help.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Richard
>
>
> --
> <><><><>
> Richard S. Towne
> KUNM General Manager
> (505) 277-8009
> 89.9 FM and kunm.org
>

Where to vote in New Mexico TOMORROW!

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com



Rogi --

Tomorrow is Caucus Day in New Mexico, and I'm writing to you with an important reminder to vote and to make sure that your family, friends, and neighbors get out and vote too.

Use our online tool to find your polling location:

http://my.barackobama.com/NMlookup

When Michelle and I talked about my running for president, one of the core goals we both had for this campaign was to leave the political process better off than we found it.

You have challenged conventional thinking and built a grassroots movement for change that is sweeping this country.

I have no doubt that the election tomorrow will be close. It's vitally important that you vote and ensure that others who want change in this country vote too.

Our work here will have a lasting impact in New Mexico for a long time to come.

I believe that this movement for change can do more than just win an election. Together, we can transform this country.

Find your polling location and vote tomorrow:

http://my.barackobama.com/NMlookup

Thank you for being part of this,

Barack

P.S. -- Here are a few details and rules that will help make the voting process run smoothly. Make sure to share these with your friends:

Your polling location for this caucus may not be the same location where you have voted in the past. Be sure to find your polling place by clicking any link in this email or by calling 1-866-675-2008.

The polls are open on Tuesday between 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. If you are in line or in the process of voting at 7:00 p.m., the polls must remain open until you have an opportunity to vote.

If you requested an Absentee Ballot, but did not submit that ballot, you may still cast a provisional ballot at any polling location in New Mexico.

If anyone challenges your right to vote, or if your name does not appear on the voter rolls, you have the right to vote by provisional ballot.

Got Hope?

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com/

I just shook hands with the first Black US President!

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

Man, how times have changed: a white woman and a Black man, front runner nominees! What's a girl to do?

Well, Hillary was on the board of Wal*Mart of 6 years and NEVER spoke up in favor of employee unionization.

AND she voted for the invasion.

The end.

So, I never go to political rallies. Well, rarely. When Sonia Johnson ran for Prez, I was there. When Mohammed Ali's counsin, whatshisname ran for congress on the Rainbow Party ticket, I was there -- but really only cuz Jesse Jackson was gonna speak.

So, Bill Clinton was in town yesterday, but I passed. Apparantly, Teddy Kennedy was at the Hispanic Cultural center, for some reason. I thought he was Irish.

ANYway, Obama was having a thing at the MUCH too tiny for the crowd that showed convention center. Lotsa peeps said it shoulda been at the PIT! Steep & scarey, but holds a crowd.

So, they say doors open at 11:30. I was there 11:15. CCccccolder than hell on the windy street. the line OUTSIDE was a block long, and thousands (but I didn't know that at the time) were snaking their way through several other convention rooms inside!

So, we get in and I'm thinkin: Where are the metal detectors? the bomb sniffing dogs? the cops and other security with weapons and wands? nothing.

Well, they herd us into the HUGE room, with a line of over a thousand people, snaking around.

No concessions stands are open, anywhere. Oh! To have had a pot of hot water, instant cocoa and styrofoam cups, outside! I coulda sold cheap, nestle's quick for $2.00/cup and NOBODY would have given me grief! I coulda paid off all my credit cards! I ain't kiddin: it was COLD!

THere's two, huge tv screens in the room, so I'm thinking: overflow.

It took about an hour to get through that room and come out almost exactly where we came in.

They were hawking obama buttons for FIVE BUCKS EACH!!! Remember when campaign buttons were FREE???? They WANTED you to have them????

ANYWAY, now, we gotta climb the stairs. That took about 20 minutes.

Upstairs, I see metal detectors in the opposite direction of where we're herded. OH NO! Another snake room!

But, in THIS one, they say, turn on your electronics (I guess so they'll know they're not BOMBS!) They say, get metal out of your pockets. Ladies, get purses ready for inspection. I read the website: no bags.

We get around to the other side of the room and I look where we'd just been: NO PEOPLE!

On the staircase, I could see out a window. The line had stretched all the way around the convention center. THOUSANDS more were waiting to get in!

So, I'm thinking: they're turned away. WHY did they hand out SO MANY tickets???? Just to get contact info, I'm thinking.

We're maybe 10 feet from the exit to that room, which is just across the hall from the metal detectors.

Volunteers say we have to go BACK DOWN to the overflow room!

HELL! Two hours, standing on cold concrete, with my gimpy leg!

So, I go back down, thinking, I'll just leave. I wanted to see the first Black president of the United States of American IN PERSON! I can ALWAYS see him on a SCREEN in my own home, in my jammies, thanks.

I hear screaming from the overflow room. I'd have thought he'd visit AFTER his scheduled speech. He's gotta be in there!

I walk in and HUNDREDS of people are standing on ricketty convention tables & chairs, cell phones held high, to snap a photo.

People behind me push me out of the way to go stand in the herd and scream.

I walked AROUND them, behind the screens, with only the press and some cops standing there.

I asked a young cop if I could just poke my head around a huge, concrete pillar; I just wanted to see him.

The kid said ok.

I must say, coming from a generation that still remembers the fire hoses, the dogs, the whites only signs, I felt tears in my eyes, seeing him.

He's pretty tall. And he's REALLY thin! His suit trousers hung as though empty. I don't think he even has a butt!

The crowd was dangerously excited and it scared me. NONE of these people had been through metal detectors, remember.

I saw secret service agents, jaws locked, eyes scanning the crowd. Some actually looked worried. I also saw plainclothed somebodys in the crowd, some with ear pieces.

It looked dangerous to me.

And here he comes.

I feel the crazed fans -- not voters, fans -- pushing into me. There's a steel barracade and a camera tripod in front of me; there's no place for me to go! They're pressing into me and reaching their hands over me, hitting my ears and neck!

A flock of security began to slowly pass me. When I could catch an individual's eye, I thanked him, for they were all men. I said, take care of him. And take care of yourselves, too. Be careful.

The barracade bruised my belly and lowest ribs.

The crowd behind me sounded like a tornado: wild and ruthless, unpredictable and destructive.

I was scared, but I couldn't move.

And here he is, standing in front of me, letting secret service pass him so he can exit.

He looks so tired. He looks so young. He looks so determined. He looks so determined.

The hands stretched around and in front of me flap like wounded birds.

I put mine out, just to see what will happen. There are so many hands, what are the odds he'll shake mine.

And there it is: a long, bony grasp, warm, firm but gentle. And he lingered there long enough to squeeze almost affectionately.

The crowd is hysterical, mindless. He knows this. His smile is professional, meaningless, expected.

He passes, moving with a bubble of very lethal and concerned security.

The pushing subsides as the crowd shifts like iron filings before a magnet.

Right at the door, I hear them murmer, "aw!" as Obama picks up a grubby, snotty baby, holds it shoulder high, shows all his teeth -- is that a smile, or is he planning to EAT it? while the crowd brandishes its cell phones.

I'm free now. I leave while they glut on some mindless celebrity worship.

I'm heading for the doors where I came in.

Camera people rush past. One guy hits me with his boom mic.

Why are they running out? Isn't he about to speak? Did a wino blow up in Civic Plaza, across the street?

Oh, no! Is that crazy fool going OUT THERE?

By the time I get outside, a flock of the turned away is cheering.

On the stage stands Obama, with a faulty bull horn that screetches madly. I yell, hold the speaker away from the MIC! He's got the speaker right under his arm; the mic is in his other hand, less than a foot from the speaker!

He finally gives up on the bull horn and gives it to someone.

I've never heard a throng get so quiet before.

He spoke a few generic platitudes about togetherness, medical care for all, economic security and ending the war.

Sounded nice, but HOW?

I walked back to the sidewalk, now swathed in police tape. That was fast!

APD looked worried. Secret Service looked overwhelmed.

I sat and watched the direction he'd have to go to get back inside the Convention Center and thought, please let him get back alive.

When I saw he had crossed the street and disappeared, I ignored the police tape and walked back to my truck, parked blocks away -- but for FREE!

I saw a business on the next block with a huge Obama sign out front.

They make hand-carved furniture. I walked in. The tile floor was slippery with a fine dusting of sawdust. The place was saturated with farnish smell.

I could hear the song on KUNM I'd been listening to in the truck.

One bedraggled, bearded hippy dude appeared from the work shop.

He told me Obama headquarters is on 10th & Lomas, about 6 blocks away.

So, the truck now has a 10'x4' Obama sign on the driver's side.

And I shook hands with the first Black President of the United States.

Then, I went to the feed store, and life went back to normal, mostly.

Except, lotsa people honked happily at my giant sign. One guy yelled, I ain't votin for no nigger, which is about the best endorsement FOR Obama I've heard yet.

Quite a day.

What's "professional" got to do with it?

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

You can't talk to people like they're pigs and not expect them to become angry, not in the REAL world.

You called me a cheat. You called me a liar. You called me lazy. You said I was making excuses. You called me a victim. You threw information you had about my past at me as personal attacks, out of context and misconstrued. This is the "professional behavior" you choose to model?

Stop maligning my character. I requested REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS for an ABLE BODIED/ MINDED employee, let alone someone who's disabled employee, and you're furious!

YOU are the one whose behavior is unprofessional.

I'm a part time employee. You spy on me and expect to have access to me 24/7, whenever you get a whim. I had NO WAY of knowing this was some sort of job requirement, yet the first time I'm out of contact over night, you go ballistic?

You call ME emotional, yet you let your paranoia take over and will NOT talk to me as a peer and a professional, but as some sort of charity case, loser, inferior, servant. You assume your warped perceptions of me are correct, react accordingly, never give the benefit of the doubt (because, of course, your insights are brilliant and always correct, and never need to be examined.)

It was YOUR idea to hire me, not mine. And you complain. It was YOUR idea to pay me in advance every month, not mine. And you complain. It was YOUR idea not to assign me a reasonable work load, but to overwhelm me with unreasonable demands and assign tasks in the middle of the month, not mine. And you complain. WHO is acting like a victim?

It was YOUR idea to demand multiple meetings from me, per day, without pay, at your whim, not mine. It was YOUR idea to IM me and telephone me without asking, "can you talk now?" And you complain. It way YOUR idea to ignore the fact that I have another life besides working for you. And you complain. I had to beg to go to the bathroom, as you droned on and on about a stalker who persecuted you 20 years ago, even though I've heard this story half a dozen times, and it has no relevance to my employment.

I'm too emotional? I was under PERSONAL attack by someone who was calling herself an employer and friend! Turns out, all you are is judge and jury, alright.

It's $250.00 per month, apparantly $3.00/hr., according to what you've said. NO amount of money can get me to bend over and be anybody's bitch. I'd earn more, working at McDonald's than for you, anyway, AND get treated with more respect -- AS REQUIRED BY LAW. Look down your nose at pitiful Donna, working at McDonald's. Right now, she looks smarter than you do.

I didn't resort to personal attacks during this entire, paranoid witch hunt you set up, to put me in my place, terrorize me with irrational, unprofessional and unpredictable attacks and set up an hostile work environment for me. I SINCERELY tried to understand what you wanted, and for THAT you attacked me, as well. I was patient and considerate, and really tried to listen to you. You never granted me the same respect.

But you've earned hearing what I think of you, personally.

At least I have honest emotions. Yours are gone, destroyed in a cloud of THC. If you're so much more evolved than I, why do you have to change your brain chemistry with a mind (BRAIN) altering drug? From what are you hiding?

God, the years I've paid long distance bills to listen to you repeat your long stories, lose your train of thought, sit silently without responding or finishing what you were saying, or repeating "uh....uh......uh" and talk about how smart you are!

EXAMPLE: You didn't want my feedback on this game of yours. You completely ignored anything I said about it, as usual, to rhapsodize about what a wonderful idea you've had -- again. I'm just supposed to sit here and listen to your brilliance, without interruption, conversation, ideas of my own or feedback.

Unless people chant, "D...tte, you're awesome!" you have no use for us mere mortals, unsteeped in marijuana fumes.

You pissed away HALF AN HOUR in that ridiculous, pointless "Chat meeting" of yours, while people talked about reality television and emails! You made ME do it, too! But I wasn't allowed to speak, because I'm "unprofessional!" Uh, huh.

You complain when an employee comes to you with a PROFESSIONAL, REASONABLE request to inform her of her JOB DUTIES, because it's taking up too much of your precious time??? What about MY time?

WHO doesn't value whose time? WHO is acting like a victim? WHO is cheating whom? WHO is lying and stealing from whom? WHO is making excuses? This is complete and utter projection; everything of which you've accused me is your issue, not mine.

If you were ANYBODY else, I'd sue you under ADA rules.

I think you're suffering from paranoid, grandiose dementia -- possibly from DECADES of chronic marijuana abuse. I think that, if you start treating other employees and contractors the way you've treated me, you're flushing your business down the toilet.

I have been a loyal and dedicated employee, friend, advocate of your business, at considerable personal expense. Yes, I've been through HELL in my personal life. That's not fodder for your tyranical tantrums.

How many times have you been raped? How many of your babies have died? How many times have you been homeless -- NOT by choice. How many beatings have you survived? Is your brain damaged from it? How many times have you had to wipe torn genitals with something other than soft toilet paper, because you couldn't afford to buy some, and were too afraid of your neighbors to ask to borrow money?

"Walk a mile in my shoes" doesn't mean that you require ME to walk in YOURS. I can't. I'm honest about that.

I'm quitting because I told you to back off calling me a victim, and to apologize for it. I received no reply from you. I refuse to be treated this way. If that's acting like a victim in your warped, tyrannical universe, so be it. For those of us in the REAL world, there's not enough money in the universe for anybody to buy my dignity.

My work

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com


The situation between us is very confusing to me. I'm very unclear on what my duties are.

When we talked initially, you'd said you wanted me to write tutorials on HTML. That changed to that pbb or whatever it's called, even though I really don't know that very well. But I began studying it, so I'd be ready when you needed me. In the chat meeting yesterday, you said your "html geek" had bailed on you. I didn't say anything in the meeting, but I sure didn't understand that one.

Then, you wanted me to write an Advent calendar, even though Advent had already begun. We'd already decided I'd be working for you, back in midNovember. That would have been a good time for me to have started working on Advent, to get several days ahead. Right in the middle of me writing for Advent, you wanted me to write a tutorial on something; I forget what, but I wrote it.

At the end of December, you said you wanted me to write on literature, beginning in January. So, on my own, I began researching online novels and libraries, criticism, etc. But in January, you said you now want me to write frugal living articles.

I must bring up another point. Back in late November, you mentioned you want me to work 20 hrs. per week. That's $3.12 per hour. I assumed it was a slip of the tongue, but I know I easily put in 20 hrs. on the Advent pieces, and you would have liked to have me write 25 days' worth. I believe I wrote close to 10 articles last month, definately more than 5.

Yesterday, I waited all day for you to assign me something. As agreed, I contacted you by IM in the morning. You told me to reconnect after 12:30. When I did, you said I was early and said I should contact you after 3pm. When I did, you wanted me to go through an elaborate set up procedure for a chat to which I already had access by another means. You told me to attend the chat, but to only observe, not speak. When I did that, you private messaged me because I wasn't talking. When I explained why, you said, "You know what I mean." No, I didn't. I sat here, observing this meeting, for over an hour. The first half hour was small talk and chat, not business, as far as I could see.

Yes, I played Civilization during the first chat. It was slow and boring, sitting here, waiting for someone to type something. So I played a game at the same time. And I mentioned that in the meeting. I had no idea I'd violated anything. Others spoke of what was going on in their lives; I was just doing the same. I played Civilization during chat last night, too.

I'm trying very hard to be available to work for you. The many meetings yesterday ate up my whole day. I couldn't edit; I need hours of uninterrupted time to do audio work. I couldn't take a nap. I couldn't work in the yard or wash dishes. Finally, my dog pooped on my bedroom floor, because she's used to being walked around 6:30, but I couldn't leave the computer. Nothing in that meeting pertained to me, as near as I can tell, and I'm not sure why I was there.

The last thing you IMed me was that you would be telephoning me on your skype thing this morning. I was here all morning, until 10:30. I have no phone messages, emails, IMs or anything else from you. I got back around 12:30; your IM thing was off. I did chores and waited around.

You know I can work. You know I'm smart, resourceful and honest. In one of our IM sessions yesterday, you said I need to earn my keep, by taking some of the burden off you (I'm paraphrasing; I don't remember exactly what you'd said, but you put a "$" in one of the words. I felt like you believe I'm not trying to work, but was afraid to say anything.

I need you to sit down with Bxxxx, or someone, and write out a detailed list of my monthly tasks, estimate the hours it might take, and email them to me, so I can refer back to what my duties are.

I'm trying so hard to get out of this victimized living and financial situation I'm in. It's very stressful and I never know, from day to day, what kind of shit is going to hit the fan next.

I need my work life to be dependable, respectful, efficient, calm and supportive.

If I've pissed you off by writing this, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do about that. I have to be honest. If you want your $500 back, I'll just have to make payments.

But I can't keep doing this.

to B

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

My girlfriend bought a huge, Ryder moving van. It's got a 15 foot box on the back. We slept in it in the dead of winter, on a cross-country trip along the Santa Fe Trail, all the way to Kansas City and back. She was producing a video about the Santa Fe trail, based on a radio production we'd done for the station. It was quite a trip! Thing is, that old truck gets 10mpg, even on the highway, not fully loaded. So, I'll be saving my nickels & dimes to drive down there. About how many miles is it, so I can start planning?

My girlfriend & I are splitting up in the summer. She lost her mind and punched me in the head. I said, that's it. As soon as I can afford to get you out of here, you're moving out. She's planning to move in July. The end.

My lease will be up right around then, too. This place is overpriced, for one thing. For another thing, the landlady is loco. I mean she's really nuts. I think she's high most of the time, and writes emails while drunk. It's a duplex. The neighbors in front LITERALLY spy on us, complain about us constantly, and block my access to the driveway and the passageway to the back yard. Since I have 2 goats, it's rather inconvenient to be hauling feed and goats through the KITCHEN! LOL.

So, I hope not to be living here for another year.

And I've been thinking. My income, beyond my $700.00 disability crumbs, is all based on internet, pretty much.

I work for Laura, the lady who published the dumpster piece and most of the other stuff you found on the web page with that. She pays me $250/month to write for her website.

With some MINOR modifications, I could do telephone interviews for radio from my home computer. I can always drive in to the station, too, like I did with you guys. That's an extra $650, after taxes, every 3 months.
Basically, my monthly income is about $1250.00 now, plus or minus.

I hate Albuquerque. It's a town full of butt sniffing gossips. It has a long tradition of persecuting anybody perceived as "different." Basically, the hillbillies in rurual Kentucky treated me better than I'm treated here.

Anybody supposedly "liberal" and "progressive" belongs to an elitest clicque of smart assed academics, who look down on anybody who doesn't know their jargon, lives working class, smokes, doesn't talk politically correct speech, etc. Hence, my constant marginalization at KUNM (which is why I do most of my work from home, by the way; the less they see me, the less they can look down on me.)

So, I've been thinking, as you've probably figured out by now, it might not be stupid to pull up stakes and leave. But where?

Well, you're working on an old motel, which is one of my persistant visions. You've got 2 girls and a bunch of critters that need tending. Nobody down there will think I'm crazy for having goats as pets, 'though I'm pretty sure they'll find a lot of OTHER stuff to think I'm crazy about.

You see where I'm going with this?

That's why I'd like to come down. I want to see if we could cohabitate and work together on some of these projects, without killing each other.

I will never be a Christian, the way you think of it. Well, I'm probably more YOUR kind of Christian than what I usually see. I won't pretend about my personal background; I'm not a conventional heterosexual. I'm also not a child molester. I'm also not a slut. I'm also not a bit interested in any romantic or sexual adventures at this point of my life. But I won't lie or pretend I'm something I'm not.

So, I wanted to come down there to see if I could squeeze in to that mayhem you're running, as it seems a far sight more like what I'm about than other options I've seen in quite some time.

That's as honest as I know how to be.

If you're willing to discuss it, let's talk.

I think our landlady is chemically dependent

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

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

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com/


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

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

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!

Satan Day on Craigslist

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com/

Now, look. I've needed help from people. But I went about it in a sane and rational way.

Free Stuff on Craig's List SPECIFICALLY tells posters we are NOT to BEG for free stuff! We're only to post FREE STUFF! Not complicated, you say? Well, it's almost Jebus' birthday, and the frauds are out, begging for stuff on Craig's list.

THERE'S FREE STUFF, ALL OVER TOWN! And, if you're not TOO lazy, just keep looking at free stuff on Craig's List, and you'll find EVERYTHING! Today, I saw a commercial chicken roaster! Like in the grocery stores!

So, I posted the following. Of course, it'll get flagged, but I just needed to VENT! The pictures were included. That's Jenna Bush, worshipping Satan, right in front of daddy.

BUMS! grrrrr.... 'tis the season....

==================

Satan's Day
Reply to: see below

Date: 2007-11-28, 4:51PM MST

Please, I'm so poor and I really need goodies for my spawn! Satan's Day is coming and I have nobody to burn on the altar! Pity me! Send me worthy sacrifices! Boo hoo! Now, where did I put that bottle of thunderbird? And Hail Satan!

Go to the charities, leach and leave us alone!

(505) 666-0000
Location: Albq.
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

===========

CREDITS

jesus/satan: http://www.frenblog.com/illusion/jesus-vs-satan-illusion/

jenna/satan: http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic-jennasatan.htm

============

Original Post

christmas
Reply to: xxxx@craigslist.org

Date: 2007-11-28, 4:04PM MST

please if you have anything extra for christmas that i can give my children i can do yardwork or housekeeping they would be thankful and grateful for anything thank you and god bless
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Nov. Peace Talks

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I transcribe these for Paul Ingles, http://paulingles.com every month. Usually, if there's a noteable one, I'll put it in my radio blog.

But this one pertains to poverty.

=======
KHAMISA: At that stage, I was angry, but I wasn’t angry with the kids. I think I was angry at American society. I felt we had failed our responsibility to our kids, because they join gangs to get respect, protection and belonging. We must do more so those kids do not have to join gangs. I wrote several articles. I’ve also written a book. I have voiced my anger, not to the kid who actually took my son’s life, but to society, as a whole.

BOSS: I read an article you wrote, a couple of months after your son’s death, on your foundation’s website [ http://www.tkf.org ]. You drove to Mammoth Mountain in Southern California. You’d gone to spend a few days in solitude and reflection. Can you tell us what came of that experience?

KHAMISA: According to the Sufi tradition – I’m a practicing Muslim of the Sufi tradition, which is a metaphysical interpretation if Islam – we have prayers for the dead at the funeral and ten days, thirteen days, forty days and prayers every year and prayers every year afterward. The most significant are the forty days prayers. At the forty-day prayers, my spiritual mentor counseled me. According to the Sufi tradition, it ends the grieving period. I was told that the spirit, or the soul, of the departed person stays in close proximity for the forty days, which are allocated for grieving. After the forty days, the soul moves on to a new consciousness, in preparation for the forward journey. Because souls do not die. I like to think of my son as not dead, but at home, or in a different dimension. I was counseled that excessive grieving after the forty days, by friends and family members, would impede the soul’s journey. I was counseled that, instead of grieving, I should do good deeds. Good deeds, done in the name of the departed, are spiritual currency, high-octane fuel, for the soul of the departed for the forward journey.

It was in Mammoth, about three and a half months after my son’s death, that I got the inspiration to start the foundation. I thought that the enemy here was not the killer of my son. Rather, it was the societal forces that forced a young, African American man into a gang at the age of eleven. To prove himself to the gang, he killed my son. If I was able to solve that problem – so kids would not have to join gangs to gain respect, protection or belonging – then, we would improve society.

The foundation just celebrated its twelfth anniversary. It amazes me, how well the foundation has done.

BOSS: Let’s talk about some of the programs. On the web for the TKF Foundation, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, it reads, “Empowering kids, saving lives, teaching peace.” There are several school-based, violence-prevention education programs. Talk to us about one of them, “Violence Impact Forum.” I know it’s for students from fourth to ninth grade.

KHAMISA: Violence Impact Forum is a live assembly. We have a video, which we have developed, where the murder scene has been reenacted. The kids first look at the video and then we are introduced. We are on stage, live, Ples [Felix] and I, as, “This man’s grandson killed this man’s son. Here they are, as brothers.” Then, I give my testimony. Ples gives his testimony. We then have panel members, male and female, both ex-gang members. They have powerful stories. Then, we engage the kids into a Q & A. It’s a very intensive, emersive, hard-hitting, reality-based encounter. It always amazes me. There’s on fidgeting. There’s pin-drop silence. Very often, I’ll ask the audience, “How many of you have lost family members, as a result of violence?” It breaks my heart when three quarters of the hands go up. We have six, key messages which we try to impart in these live assemblies.

BOSS: One of them is, “You can make good and nonviolent choices.” In this era of violent, media images, which are so pervasive in this culture, and so attractive to youth, how is this message presented in a way appeals to young students?

KHAMISA: You’re right. The violence is extremely pervasive. We are, by far, the most violent, first world nation in the world. I started with a simple premise: violence is a learned behavior. Nobody was born violent. None of our children was born violent. If you accept that violence is a learned behavior, then nonviolence can also be a learned behavior. Who teaches it? At TKF, we teach it. Let me answer your question by an example.

After the Violence Impact Forum, we plant a garden. It’s a very healing thing. We plant a tree in memory of my son. For all the family members the kids have lost, they plant flowering plants. This becomes an alter for them to visit. It also becomes a very visible presence of our program on campus. It reminds them of the key messages we taught.

After that, we have another program called, “Ending the Cycle of Violence.” We’ve created six, multimedia vignettes, around our six, key messages. One example would be that we have a lesson on empathy. It’s a big word in many of these schools. We usually have a theme, “I don’t know you until I walk a mile in your shoes. You don’t know me until you’ve walked a mile in mine.”

It was a seventh grader. His name was Alex. He had all the signs: the swear, the encounter, the colors. You could see the gang member, written all over this kid. Somehow, this lesson on empathy got to him. The homework is that they have to practice empathy for the whole week. The week after, before they get their lesson on compassion, they’re asked to share their homework on empathy. When the teacher asked, “Who wants to share the lesson on empathy,” it was Alex. Remember, this was the most disruptive kid in the class. What he shared was very powerful.

He said, “I was walking in my ‘hood last weekend. This kid gave me a dirty, angry look. The rules of the ‘hood are, if a kid looks at you like that, you go beat him up. Because you taught me, ‘You don’t know me until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes, and I don’t know YOU until I walk a mile in YOURS,’ I walked up to this kid and said, ‘Why are you giving me a dirty look?’

“The kid said to me, ‘I’m not giving YOU a dirty look. I’m angry. My brother was shot and killed last night.’”

We asked, “What did you do, Alex?”

He said, “I held his hand. We cried together. I gave him a hug. I told him, ‘I know how you feel, because I lost my uncle six months ago.’”

One lesson! When you think that this kid walks the ‘hood, every weekend. Tell me you can’t teach nonviolence. There’s more power in this. What could have become a fight became a compassionate action.

One of the key messages we teach is that, from conflict, love and unity are possible. I talk about the fact that I would never have met Ples, if his grandson had not taken the life of my son. Ples is African American. My roots are Eastern. Azim is Persian/East Indian name. I’m a Muslim. Ples grew up as a Christian. And he’s as close to me as my own brother. We hang. In fact, I’m having dinner with him tonight. He has met my entire family; I’ve met his. We have this love for each other. I cannot even put it in words. I always tell him that he helps me carry my load; I help him carry his. We are water bearers for each other.

I always tell people, “I want you to notice something here. This is not Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., meeting Gandhi. This is an investment banker, meeting a green beret. Ples was a green beret. The point I’m trying to make is that, if he and I can do it, we can all do it. I think that is very teachable.”

The President of the Foundation, Mark Fackler, always says, “If TKF is successful in meeting its mandate, the only outcome can be world peace.” Kids are our future leaders. If we can teach them, now, that from conflict you create your brother or sister, you create love and unity – if you apply the principles of nonviolent peace making and forgiveness – maybe, someday, we’ll have world peace.

BOSS: Let me ask you about Tony Hicks, the fourteen-year-old who killed your son. From what I understand, he’s still in prison. You met him in prison. Could you describe that experience?

KHAMISA: It was five years after the tragedy. It took me many hours of meditation. I’d met his grandfather and guardian at nine months. It’s a whole, new equation, to come eyeball to eyeball with the person who actually pulled the trigger on your son. I could tell, when I first met him when he was nineteen years old. I was thinking, as I was walking up the steps of the prison to meet him, that I was not going to like this kid who took the life of my one and only son. When I met him, I was quite surprised. He did not portray typical attitudes of a nineteen-year-old in our culture. On the contrary, he was remorseful, well mannered, and soft-spoken. I could see that my forgiveness of him had also transformed him. Quite frankly, when I looked deeply in his eyes, I did not see a murderer there. I saw another soul, just like me.

He was eleven, when he joined the gang. He ran away at fourteen. The same day he left his house – where his grandfather loved him – he joined his homeboys. They drank a lot of alcohol. They smoked a lot of drugs – a lot of pot. When they got hungry, they wanted to jack the pizza deliveryman. Somebody put a gun in Tony’s hand. Take a fourteen-year-old, in our society, who is angry, who has run away, who is now high on alcohol and drugs, and give him a gun. Is that a recipe for disaster, or what? Then think: how often does that happen? It happens a lot!

Not only did I forgive him, I went the extra step by telling him, “Tony, when you come out of prison, you have a job at the Khamisa Foundation. You can come work with your grandfather and me.” I gave him an opportunity to redeem himself.

What’s amazing about this story is that he has exactly done that. He just turned twenty-seven; his birthday is September 22. Two years ago, he aced his G.E.D. in prison at the sixty percentile, self-taught. He’s now doing counseling courses, learning Spanish (because we work with a lot of Hispanics here). He reads five books a month, and this kid used to hate to read. He knows that he can’t be about gangbanging, drugs and violence, if he’s going to work with the Foundation, teaching kids about the principles of peace making and nonviolence.

I’ve written a letter to our governor in California, to see if he would consider commuting Tony’s sentence, because I would hire him. I think he would serve society a lot better, working with the Foundation, trying to keep kids away from making the same, fatal mistakes he did – rather than just serving time in an adult prison.

I'm so scared

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Ma is completely irrational now. I can tell, when I'm speaking to her, that she doesn't comprehend what I'm saying, that it's getting all twisted and garbled in her mind. What little feedback she gives tells me this.

In addition to her inability to: hear, understand or remember what I'm saying, she's expressing some SERIOUS paranoid delusions about me.

She thinks that, because I've gone to some friends about my concerns, I'm bad mouthing her, embarrassing her and sabbotaging her. Actually, I'm seeking impartial feedback from them. Is it over-reaction, for instance, that I'm afraid of Ma because she said, "Contact my lawyer?" She won't let me speak to her when she's in her room, so I've sent email, which she hasn't read. When I asked her, repeatedly, how I can communicate with her when she's in her room, she refused to answer and finally said, "contact my lawyer."

She said she was joking. The tone of voice was threatening. How was that funny? Frightening me, threatening me with a lawyer is FUNNY? Am I over reacting? My friends say I am not.

She has violated her contract, again, about when she will move out. Now, she wants to move out in spring.

First, it was 3 years; then, it was 1 year. Now this.

She has upped the date because I went to my friends for counsel.

She's accusing me of other things, too. If she were CORRECT about my motives, I would have to be a violent, irresponsible sociopath to behave as she's accusing me. The smallest mistake -- such as putting a can of soda over the lattice across her bedroom door, which popped open when it landed on the floor -- is "evidence" of how destructive and dangerous I am!

If I protest, if I raise my voice in absolute panic and distress over these accusations, she sees it as further proof of what a "crazy bitch," "obstinate bitch," "stupid bitch" I am.

If I can get her to follow a train of logic long enough for her to begin to be aware of how ludicrous, outlandish and irrational her delusions are, she either gets right in my face, if I don't grant her easy escape, or RUNS to her room to shut the door on me! She WILL NOT acknowledge that her accusations are unfair. She WILL NOT acknowledge that I'm perfectly rational to feel upset and frightened by them.

If she really believes I'm such an irresponsible, violent, criminal (yes, she calls me that, too, and a "bad neighbor and citizen:), sociopathic person, might she not "defend" herself against me, physically, if she feels threatened?

I'm beginning to suspect neurotoxins. She takes MASSIVE quantities of vitamins and herbal suppliments.

I'm also wondering if she's developing alzheimers.

Far worse, and more dangerous for me, her siblings posthumously diagnosed her very violent and abusive father with bipolar disease. I don't know whether he really was or not. But he abused, molested and terrified ALL of them, throughout their childhoods.

Ma has had one "manic" episode, in the past. It sounds like it was quite severe, and that she was quite irrational and disfunctional.

I'm afraid she could hurt me. She's bigger and stronger than I. She's a black belt in several martial arts. She has access to weapons.

If I had the financial resources, I'd throw her out of here right now.

Ethical Slut in ViriDiana blog

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http://viridianariverstone.blogspot.com/

recycling bathroom

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

I'm not allowed to speak to her, when she's in her bedroom. I have to email her from elsewhere in the house. This, and the following, post are examples.

Frankly, I'd prefer not to have to speak to her.

As I drove her to work today, she refused to speak to me because she has a sore throat. She said I should email her. I told her I've sent more than five emails this morning alone and hadn't received replies to any of them. I still haven't.

She refuses to flush toilet paper, presumably for environmental reasons. But she'll throw recycleables into the trash, with her soiled toilet paper?

I see you've put an empty sunblock container in the
bathroom trash, along with your shitty toilet paper.
I'll have to fetch it out, to put it in recycling. I'd
appreciate it if you didn't put bathroom recycleables
in that trash. I don't wany your shit on my hands.

listening

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Last night, I told you I wanted you to dump the
bathroom trash into the farthest container on the
street, in front of our neighbor's house. I then said
that there is a piece of chicken wire, next to the
trash barrel there. I wanted you to cover the bathroom
trash with that chicken wire, to prevent shitty toilet
paper from flying all over the street, when they pick
up the container today.

It's a good thing I needed to put some old food from
the refrigerator in the trash this morning. I saw the
chicken wire, on the sidewalk in front of our
neighbor's place, and put it in the container. I don't
want bad feelings with my neighbors, and would
appreciate your cooperation in that effort.

When you agree to do something and then don't follow
through, I feel very distrustful of you. It's very
stressful to have to follow you around to see that
you've kept your commitments. I don't need the extra
work or emotional stress

to a group of significant others of transexuals

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I've been with Ma 3 yrs. Knew she was a mtf when we got involved.
Actually, she was intersexed, designated male by family. Her story is
further unique in that she castrated herself when she was 13, all
alone. She's closeted, so I can't talk to anybody, really, about
what's going on.

She has systematically excluded me from her life over the past, 3
years. After 1 year, we were no longer intimate. I tolerated that, as
I love her. I don't know if I'd hoped things would improve in time,
or if I was just willing to settle.

But things have deteriorated. I honestly believe she sees me as
second class and that I'm not a priority in her life, emotionally,
socially, etc.

I helped her finish her bachelors degree. I wasn't allowed to talk to
her while she was studying or doing anything work related. I did most
of the household chores, including her laundry, meals, etc. I was her
volunteer research assistant, editor, etc. for school.

Last summer, she said she didn't want to live with me anymore. This
was less than a month after her graduation.

I said that I've put up with her special requirements for three
years, in order that she complete her degree. Her needs have been the
primary focus of the household. I said I deserved three years, back,
in order that we might improve our relationship/friendship/whatever.
She agreed.

I got sick and couldn't do the outside chores fast enough to suit the
landlady. We got an eviction notice in August, with a move out date
of Oct. 31, today. I've packed, moved and unpacked almost every item
from the house and cleaned the property, sick.

During the move, she announce she will only live with me long enough
for me to establish the household. Then, she'll move out and I'll
need a roommate. This will happen in about ONE year, she said. I was
completely floored.

She resents every bit of work she has done, related to the move, that
was NOT about her personal items, directly. She takes it out on me in
very passive aggressive and indirect way. For some event, totally
unrelated to the move, she'll behave shabbily toward me. I'll ask why
she's treating me this way and she'll reply with something oblique
like, "you're high maintanance." Compared to her, I certainly am not.
So, I'll ask her to elaborate, and she'll voice her resentment at
packing my stuff!

We just moved to a new place.

Last night, she announced that she will move out if she
feels "unhappy." She feels unhappy, most of the time. She's a
compulsive overeater. She has body dysmorphia. She's emotionally
repressed. She's chronically depressed. I suggested she look for a
therapist, but she says that's not a priority right now.

Mostly, she's unhappy when she treats me like I'm second class, and I
have the nerve to call her on it and expect to be treated as an equal.

I am disabled and low income. I'm neither as strong nor as
economically secure as she. Now, any time I dare to ask her to do
such things as: not leave used toilet paper on the bathroom floor,
listen to what I'm saying, consult with me before she makes major
decisions that affect me, do her chores..... she threatens to move
out because she's not happy.

She's becoming VERY verbally abusive. She does and says things she
KNOWS provoke me, to try to get me angry enough so she can threaten
to move out. She ignores me when I speak. She makes lots of noise
when I'm sleeping. She won't grant me access to her bedroom, even
though the internet connections and other, vital things are hoarded
there. I'm not allowed to speak to her when she's in her bedroom and
must EMAIL HER from elsewhere in the house!

Basically: she's ACTING LIKE A MAN and I'm sick of it!

Finally moved in!

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Well, I guess I can say we’re officially moved in to our new place: a 2-bedroom duplex near Kirtland Air Force Base. It’s a quiet street. We have a pretty large yard, with concrete walls.

Our neighbors in the front pester us constantly: staring at us, calling the landlady to complain about nonexistent problems, parking in our yard and driveway… creepy stuff. They’re trying to get out of paying their own rent, and are constantly citing reasons, as unsubstantiated as they are. We ignore them, whenever possible.

I have to make one, more trip back to the old place. I have to get my outdoor plants, some cans of paint nobody from Freecycle would take, some tools & cleaning supplies. I need to rake, clean the floor and clean the refrigerator.

After three years and an accumulated $18,000 rent, the landlady there couldn’t let me clean the yards at my own speed. I’ve told her I’m running a constant fever, that my teeth have caused a systemic infection, that I require oral surgery to remove dead teeth from my mouth. I was cleaning, but it wasn’t fast enough for her.

It’s not like it’s an upper middle class neighborhood, dwelling, etc. There’s so MUCH wrong with that house, I wouldn’t know where to start. Basically, repairs are all half assed and slap dash and there are NO right angles: floors, walls, and ceilings…. Ma and I can’t figure out WHY she thinks this place is so la-dee-dah.

I’ve built 2 sheds in the back of this place, for my chickens (apx. 6 of them, but they run so fast, who can count?), ducks (one pekin, one muskovie, both males – less quacky) and the goats, of course.

Tall bamboo surrounds most of the yard. I need to trim it, as much is over 15 ft. tall and tangling in power lines.

I’m building a 10 x 16 ft. patio enclosure off the kitchen door, so I can smoke outside without freezing, grow some plants, and store some kitchen stuff I don’t use often.

I’m investigating the possibility of keeping a colony of honeybees, too. This whole colony collapse thing has me worried. Maybe I can help by raising some healthy bees?

I haven’t written here consistently since I was volunteering regularly at KUNM, three years ago. The main reason is that a staff member, whom I knew pretty well, backslid into her cocaine addiction, began harassing me and was reading this blog CONSTANTLY, so she could email threats to me! She wasn’t just threatening me; she was threatening Ma, so I stopped writing. I ran into her at a grocery the other day; her mom is still paying for her, to keep her from hitting bottom and recovering. She has HUGE, dark circles under her eyes.

She asked me, “are you still afraid of me?”

I answered, “Yes.”

She said, “but that was YEARS ago!”

I said, “And I never got an apology.” As far as I know, she’s still out to get me and needs to be avoided.

But I think I should start writing again, anyway.

The move has been pretty exhausting. We bought an old Penske rental truck with a 10 ft. box on the back. That REALLY helped! It has a ramp and everything. Still moving is painful and I am really sick. I can’t wait to give our old neighbors, the Sernas, the keys to that place and drive away for the last time!

Now I’m off to find coffee; I got up at 4am today: not too unusual, but still…

Freecycling is not Wal*Mart shopping

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To all participants in Albuquerque Freecycle http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleABQ/

I'm a private citizen, not a big box store. Respect my privacy.

If you agree to pick up an item, arrive on time. If you can't make the appointment, email me. Otherwise, I'll be sitting outside, in the heat or cold, waiting for you. My time and health are more valuable than that. You don't get to just stroll in, at your leasure.

Don't ask about other: items, animals, vehicles, people, structures on my property. My contract with you is for specific items. There's no window shopping. You can ask me if I have something specific you need, but I probably don't, if you didn't see it posted in Freecycle.

Other items you may see, sitting out, are my business. They may be for other Freecyclers. They may be junk. They may be my idea of exterior decorating. It doesn't matter to you. Don't ask if you can have them.

My personal history isn't your concern. I don't have to answer questions about my personal life. It's not your busines to question me. I don't know you. You are a stranger, and a guest at my home. Behave yourself accordingly. I don't need to worry that you're "casing the joint."

You CANNOT use my restroom. Plan your bathroom trips before you arrive. You may drink water from my garden hose; I will not invite you into my house. NEVER wander around my property without my permission and personal escort. I will call the police.

Do NOT spam my email in box with half a dozen or more messages. Think about the questions you want to ask me, before you hit "siend." DO NOT demand that I send you a reminder email or make a phone call because you can't keep a persoal calendar to remember our appointment. Keep the directions to my house & our appointment time; do not delete them. I don't like giving out my phone number, usually; I only do so on a case-by-case basis. You don't need to know who I am.

I give clear directions to my house. If you don't understand west from east, left from right, etc, you need to use an online mapping service, or a friend, to help you get here.

Bring whatever containers, tools, gloves, transportation, tie-downs, help you need. I cannot provide them, unless I've specifically stated that in my Freecycle ad.

Play nice and I will do the same. Otherwise, you'll go on my "list," and I'll never respond to your requests again.

more freecycle posts

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OFFER: Corrugated metal OLD TOWN
2' sheets, apx. 10' long. 5 of them. These were used, when I got them.They have some minor tears and minor rust. They're screwed onto my shedwall. I have a cordless drill with attachments which you can borrow.I need the taker to remove them. Each is held on with less than 10 hex.screws. Not a difficult job, but I MUST save my strength for this move!You should probably come EARLY (6-8am) in the morning, or late in theevening. This steel is exposed to sun, most of the day, and gets hotenough to fry meat on.Bring: gloves, pick up truck. These aren't heavy. Most people can carryat least 1 sheet; I can carry 3 at a time. Close to the street, so nota long walk with them.

TAKEN, PPU: Sewing machine
For somebody's granddaughter, who wants to learn to sew. If she can learn on THIS machine, she'll be able to sew on ANY machine!

Things I'm giving away on Freecycle

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If you don't know about freecycle, it's a yahoo group, all over the country, dedicated to keeping stuff out of the landfills by recycling it to others who need it. It's sorted by geographical location. The albuquerque group has about FOUR THOUSAND subscribers. If you need something, or want to get rid of something without throwing it away, this is the place for you.

OH, by the way, PPU means Pending Pick Up.

OFFER: Books Old Town
Fiction & non. How to's, literature, social sciences. Many feminist orlocal or historical or queer or....ecclectic interests.They'll be available starting Friday, as it'll take a coupla days toget them out to the storage shed.

OFFER: 2 unsightly, double-burner hot plates OLD TOWN
Great designs: hot pans, hanging over burners, cracked the knobs onone. The other one has been cleaned so many times, I've rubbed thepaint off. Obviously designed by people who'd never use them. They workGREAT. They're just ugly.

OFFER: World's ugliest drier --electric OLD TOWN
It's kinda scab red. Some kid hung on the door, so you have to keep itshut with a strong magnet. It needs the "pigtail" wire, which you canfind at any hardware store for about fifteen bucks. Got it from aneighbor who swears it works great.

OFFER: Ugly, little chickens OLD TOWN
I don't yet know if they're roosters or hens. They're a motley crew ofhalf breed muts. If you can catch em, you can have em.

OFFER: vinyl LPs OLD TOWN
No collector's items here: cats scratched the backs, so they won't sellfor much. Jazz, '70s rock, classical. Obscure artists like DeniseWilliams, who was discovered by Stevie Wonder. One Donna Summer, to myunending embarrassment.If you lay them over flower pots in the sun, they melt into a pot-shapefor house plants.Crappy frisbees; tend to crack.Good for leveling crooked table legs.

OFFER: Mystery microwave: Does it or doesn't it? OLD TOWN
Work, that is. I think it blew a fuse. I know the turntable motor isdead, but can be replaced. I blew up a bowl of chili inside, so it'sdecorated with chili jerky.Inside is barely large enough for a small chicken (no, not the ugly,little ones, I'm giving away.)Any obsessive compulsive tinkerers out there?

OFFER: unfinished needlework kits. OLD TOWN
Some cross stitch, lotsa needlepoint, a few of those what are theycalled? crewel? things: embroidering with yarn.When I was 20 yrs. younger, I had a horrible job. It was either doneedle work, or become a mass murderer. Unfortunately, I bore easily,so I seldom finished any. I have a filing cabinet full. gag.

OFFER: Billyuns & billyuns of glass jars OLD TOWN
They're salsa, pnut butter, etc. jars, with lids. I used them for myhomemade salsa. If nobody takes em, I'll haul them to the recyclingplace, so the Chinese can melt them down and resell them to us at wallyworld, or something. Free, dead spiders included in some jars.

OFFER: decent potting soil OLD TOWN
I'm moving with my containers, but not the dirt. I probably have acoupla hundred lbs. And, if you'd like, I'll throw in some goat- andchicken-poopy straw, for extra nitrogen. Yummy! Has some shreddedpaper, rocks and styrofoam peanuts mixed in, but that's good for theroots. I just can't lug my dirt across town again for this next move.I'll make more when I get there. Plants died in this hideous heat,anyway. sigh

OFFER: Inflatable snowman with busted fan OLD TOWN
Ripstop nylon, lighted, almost as tall as I am, and slightly fatter.Fan's busted, but here's what I did when my Halloween "Tigger" had thesame disease: I stuffed it with those packing pillows and bubble wrap.The light shines thru just fine and, frankly, the extra weight of thepacking materials keeps it from flying to Texas on windy days.So, if you need an inflatable snowman that doesn't inflate, I'm yourgal.

OFFER: Pallets OLD TOWN
I made goat fences outta em. Some are 6' long. Most are 5x5 or less.Great for alienating the Neighborhood Association.

OFFER: lotsa pens & pencils OLD TOWN
I don't know how I got so many of the lil stinkers, but if you knowsomeone who needs to write stuff a lot, I got yer back.

TAKEN, PPU: unfinished needlework kits. OLD TOWN
Going to a nursing home, to keep old people off the streets. THANKS!

OFFER: color tv OLD TOWN
Has a rabbit ear antenna hook up. You can buy one of those adapters tocoax cable, though, to attach it to a vcr, etc. That way, you can use aremote to change channels. Otherwise, you might ACTUALLY have to getsome exercise, get off the couch, walk to the TV and change the channel(gasp) by hand.Worked, last time I plugged it in. Has a pretty big screen, for an oldfart. Don't know dimensions, off hand.It's on top of a fridge I'm giving away, so the sooner you get it, thehappier I'll be.

OFFER: Dog House, in pieces OLD TOWN
It's huge. The base is about 8x4'. It's white press board, chip boardand 2x4s. We got it off another freecycler. Had to take apart, to fitin my big truck!Was hoping to reassemble for my goats, but, now that we're having tomove, I ain't takin it with me.It's a jigsaw puzzle, but, if you fix it up, it'll CERTAINLY keepanimals warm! Big enuff for the KIDS!!!

OFFER: Roll of roofing tar OLD TOWN
Got this off another freecycler. Was gonna reroof the huge dog house.Since that's going, this has got to go. White gravel, black tar paper,new roll.

OFFER: very orange, plastic construction fencing OLD TOWN
Good for keeping chickens out of stuff or in something. Very durableand doesn't rot in the sun. Had it for years, don't need it any more.It's about 4' tall and I have enough to pretty much wrap around mywhole, front yard.

TAKEN: tv, jars, spiders, pens & pencils, needlework, LPs, roofing,
And thanks to those of you who simply sent fan mail, because I made youlaugh. There will be more dead spiders, soon.

TAKEN: orange construction fence
Man, you guys'll take anything....

TAKEN, PPU: inflatable snowman
Well, THAT's a relief!

OFFER: incredibly worthless comforters/blankets OLD TOWN
They have thick, kapok batting that would be great for quilters whoaren't fussy. Or, just sew 2 sheets together to make a duvet cover. Ifyall don't take em, I'm throwing em at homeless people under the bridge.I also have some polyester blankets, kinda fuzzy.Don't ask what sizes; I have no idea.

OFFER: foam futon thingy that folds into chair/spiderman print OLD T
Incredibly ugly, but worked as futon pad. Several blocks of thick foamrubber, with a round "pillow/backrest" piece at the top.

OFFER: weird assortment of dishes & mugs OLD TOWN
Mostly, I have a stack of glass plates, but I have several, largerdinner plates, too. I have about 6 coffee mugs. I also have atremendously-unnecessary collection of plastic camping dishes and mugsand those tall Coke drink containers, like you get at the takeoutplaces.

OFFER: foam couch cushions, OLD TOWN
USed em as the back to my futon couch. about 3" thick. No covers, justfoam.

OFFER: 2 black, "iron" looking metal futon frames OLD TOWN
One has some screws loose, but who doesn't, really? It was obviouslyused by a VERY heavy person, or a bed jumper, as it's a little bendy inthe middle. The other one is just fine. I've slept & sat on both andlived to tell. When covered with padding, who cares, anyway?

OFFER: Useless bicycles, 2 adult, 2 itsy bitsy OLD TOWN
The little ones are pink & purple huffys, with white tires.The bigger ones are so-called, "Mountain" bikes, with screwed up brakeand/or gear levers. Frames ok, but.... great for tinkerers.

OFFER: stumps & logs OLD TOWN
I used them for cat scratching posts and decorations in my yard. Hardto split for wood. None over 2' tall. Good decorations, but I'mevicted, so they gotta go

TAKEN, PPU: spiderman futon, foam cushions, stumps & logs
Now, it's a challenge: what weird stuff can I find around this housethat yall will want? WHEW!I think I'm gonna let yall take most of my stuff & just get more onfreecycle, after we move. Why haul it around town?

TAKEN, PPU: itsy bitsy bikes
But the adult bikes still haunt me.

TAKEN, PPU: not bendy in the middle futon frame
Who's up for the bendy one? I swear: you CAN sleep on it! We've slept on it while camping.

TAKEN, PPU: Adult BIkes YIPPEEEEEEE!!
Apparantly, people in the east mtns. read and tinker a lot.

OFFER: Sliding windows & Glass Door OLD TOWN
This one breaks my heart. These are nice windows, got em off other freecyclers. The sliding glass door is attached easily to my porch and you'll have to help me get it down and apart.
The other 2 windows are about 5' tall. one's black and about five feet wide the other one's a lot wider and it's plexiglass.
I was going to use them to "greenhouse" my goat & chicken shed this winter. Dang.
I HATE getting evicted! Trying to find a cheap house that'll take 2 goats is a real job.
I'd throw in the landlord for free, if I could, but I don't think you'd like it.

TAKEN, PPU: worthless blankets & comforters
You're a very sporting crowd.

OFFER: Pekin Ducks, OLD TOWN
I posted this on craigslist, as I wanted to require a small adoption fee, as I DON'T want these ducks eaten or abused. They can't live with dogs. They need a small pool, no more than about 4" tall, without bricks to step up on.
I have 3 females: PeeWee, Molly and Dolly
I have 3 males: Lucky, Plucky and Herman
Your choice.
They're shy of people, but fun to watch. The females quack loudest. Lucky's 3 years old, but the others are under 1 year.
They eat duck, dog, people, cat, dog, chicken food. They're quite fond of melons and mushy fruits. They'll need a dog house or some protection. They do fine in cold winters, even swimming in icy water.
These are my friends and I'll miss them very much. So, please, don't reply unless you're willing to commit some effort into some very lovely creatures. You need a fenced yard that dogs can't enter. DON'T try to keep them inside; they poop compulsively! No cages!

OFFER: apx. 1 doz. quart bottles of "Sno Bowl" toilet cleaner OLD TOWN
I found these in a dumpster, outside a dollar store. They smell kinda perfumy and they turn the water blue. They're good for disolving mineral deposits. Never used em much, but a whole case? in a DUMPSTER??? so, take as many as you need. the bottles are a little dirty, as they've been stored outside. They even have some ancient chicken poopies on some of them. We can haul them into the front yard and spray em with the garden hose.

OFFER: odd assortment of 1 gal. cans, house paints OLD TOWN
Most are latex, some are oil. indoor, outdoor. Got them from Rinchem, the place you take toxic chemicals. They let people take em on Fris and Sats, in the afternoon. Was gonna paint my truck & the dog house.
Some cans incomplete, most have been opened. LOTS of colors. More than 2 doz cans

TAKEN, PPU: toilet cleaner
You'd think our toilet would be a lot cleaner than it is, considering how much of this I had laying around! Guess you actually have to USE it, though.

TAKEN, PPU: my house paint collection
a couple of you are coming to pick thru it. If anything is left, I'll repost after the weekend.

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Classism and ablism rear their heads in a so-called "inclusive" university environment.