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A Celebration... And A Rant

Journal Entry: Tue Jul 1, 2008, 9:17 PM
I've had two almost opposite things on my mind lately, and I thought that, in my typical fashion, I would go off about them. I'm spouting off here because - gasp! - neither one is TF-related.

First of all, I invite you all to celebrate with me! Seriously, this is the best unexpected thing to happen in... ages. I NEVER would have thought it possible.

WE GOT A PIANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (+ more)

So, most of you probably know because of my constant and annoying whining, that we're not rolling in any kind of dough around here. A piano, even a junker used one, was so completely out of our reach financially that I never even gave buying one a real thought. BUT. Check out these remarkably coinciding circumstances. Ironhide went on a long, unplanned bike-ride to an area to which we seldom go. He happened to pass by and notice the going-out-of-business sign on a piano store. He decided to go in. For that one glorious time of the year, we had some money saved, because of our tax return. So if this had happened at any other time, we'd have been broke, as usual. We have a friend who is a piano teacher, who has studied, along with her dad, the fine art of piano tuning. She checked the innards of all the pianos in the store, and found one that she really recommended as sound and good quality. So We Bought It! We sacrificed a couple summer camping/LARPing trips to do so, but those will come again, dang it. This chance never would. And the store guys moved it to our house For Free, and the owner will come tune it For Free in a month, after it's settled in here.

I have learned - and forgoten - how to play the piano twice before. Very frustrating. But this time I am determined. I will have a piano there in the living room every day, and my love of playing it will draw me in to practicing...
See, I can plink things out by ear, and LOVE doing so. But I have the hardest time remembering which specific note on the keyboard those little dots refer to. I'm hoping that, if I keep at it, I won't forget again.

Guys, I LOVE playing music. In the absence of a piano, I'd play those little $1 recorders, just to be able to make some music - of sorts. I am SOOOOO GRATEFUL that this came to be. It is such a blessing. I am very happy. I practiced well today. And the boys are interested in learning along with me. And my baby daughter LOVES the piano, and comes as close to playing pretty music as her little fingers let her, dancing up and down in excitement.



Now, For The Ranting Portion...

This will be about PREJUDUCE...
Specifically, about my upstairs neighbors. I can't even spew too loudly in my own house, because it's summer, and all the windows are open, and they'll hear. I don't hate them, I just feel sorry for them, wonder how they can live as they do, and hate that they are teaching their children to follow in their footsteps.
So, here's where I come from: Honest-to-Primus, every Latino person that I have ever had for a neighbor or otherwise known, was literally a much braver, more generous, loving, and caring person that I will ever be. I admire my friends and neighbors who came from south of the border. I'm not naive; I do know that there are people that are not so stellar out there. But they come in all colors and from all heritages; not just "from Mexico." I just can't subscribe to the "They should all go back where they came from, Us vs. Them philosophies I hear shouted, after some of the things I've heard. These are PEOPLE, people, just like you and me!!!!! Try and remember that, OK?
I have tried as long as I was aware of the concept to avoid being prejudiced myself, and sometimes wondered if I was doing a poor job of it. I was telling one of my black friends about my frustration when I noticed myself becoming painfully careful whenever I was around anybody who was black, and how I wished we'd just drop all of this racial stuff since the world is so mixed and varied anyway (But of course that'll never happen - it's too hard for us all to forget. Shame.)
But when new people moved in upstairs (they have no internet, so I doubt they'll ever see this...), I realized just how well I'd been doing in comparison. The first time I saw how they felt was one evening when my children and I were outside, and ran into them out in the backyard. Across the way, a Latino family had put together a really fun outdoor dinner with music. I was watching them, thinking how they seemed so much better at the whole family activities and outdoor party kind of thing than I was, and also liking their music - I don't like a lot of that style of music, but I liked what they had on a lot, and was interested. Into the middle of my contemplation, the two new little girls from upstairs started commenting. They hated that music, and wished they'd turn it off. They hated Spanish. Their mom piped in with something about why did they have to be outside. I was taken aback; I said something about how I wished I'd learned Spanish because it would come in so handy now, and their mom replied stuffily, "I'M teaching my girls FRENCH." Seeing those innocent little girls parroting their parents unreasoning hatred really angered me.
A few days later, the parents were angrily blaming the 12-ish year-old boy next door for breaking off the hood ornament from their old van. Since he has always seemed to me to be the most kind and decent boy of his age that I have ever met, I stood up for him firmly. They had no idea who'd done it; they just assumed it was him, because he was Latino. They blame "Mexicans" for doing the husband out of a bunch of jobs. I don't know the circumstances, but isn't it the employer who fired him and his motivations that they should be complaining about, not the person who took his place?
Ironhide and I may be dysfunctional in our own ways - unmotivated and such - but AT LEAST WE DON'T BLAME OUR PROBLEMS ON OTHER PEOPLE!!! And at least We Are HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never met people who lived more deeply cowering in fear than these new neighbors of mine do. It hurts my heart to watch them. Along with the blaming of everyone else for their problems, they seem constantly to worry that people and life in general are waiting to spring more terrible problems on them. Both the husband and wife seem, from things they've said, to have had very hard childhoods, and I assume that much of their fear and hatred comes from that. But the energy they expend in fearing! I cannot fathom living at that level of stress. (Granted, I'm one of the least-stressing people I've known, but still!) They told me I shouldn't let my children or myself go barefoot, for fear of parasites. (I'll take me chances. Doctors can fix parasites; not wearing shoes is WORTH IT!!!) They are always telling me about people and places to watch out for or avoid, because they suspect child molesters there. They worry that "The State" is out to get their children. They are homeschooling for all the wrong reasons - fear, fear, and fear. I was homeschooled up until college, and I am familiar with the fear, and the deleterious effect it has on the children involved, so I Hate watching them cower, and pass it on... (I came out OK -*twitch*- honest! I'll homeschool my children if any of them need it. Second-generation is easier - you know you can avoid the fanaticism!)

Anyway... It's hard for me to watch parents making mistakes. I KNOW Ironhide and I make mistakes, all the time; all parents do. But some are more serious than others. I comfort myself with comparing how much better we are at parenting - and "spousing," for that matter - than we were a few years ago. I hope that the same sort of peace and content and calm can come to our neighbors. I really do.

Thanks for reading.

Prime Out.

  • Mood: Content

Devious Information

  • Current Age: 30
  • Current Residence: Earth, with occasional trips to Cybertron
  • deviantWEAR sizing preference: Human sizes don't work for transformers
  • Interests: Transformers, art, music, reading, learning...
  • Favourite genre of music: There's something great in every genre.
  • Favourite poet or writer: Terry Pratchett, Michael Chabon, J.R.R. Tolkein... too many to list!
  • Wallpaper of choice: Optimus Prime art that expresses current mood
  • Favourite game: Settlers of Catan, The Great Dalmuti...
  • Favourite cartoon character: Myself, Optimus Prime, of course!
  • Personal Quote: I have fought the good fight; I have finished my course.
  • Tools of the Trade: Eyes, ears, hands, brain

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Devious Comments

~botmaster2005:iconbotmaster2005: 4 hours 42 minutes ago Mood: Sociable
Thanks for faving TF: Vacation :D
~shiribot:iconshiribot: 7 hours 33 minutes ago
Thank you for the fave! :)

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~Rees3:iconRees3: 9 hours 19 minutes ago
Thanks for the kind words and all the favs..
Keep up the nice work buddy!
~Ha-HeePrime:iconHa-HeePrime: 1 day 5 hours ago
Thanks pal!
I went to check out your gallery, and faved a bunch of other stuff. Really nice stuff.

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I'm Optimus Prime
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~Rees3:iconRees3: 1 day 7 hours ago
Thanks for faving WW Prime!
You've got here very nice gallery :)
~Armored-dogg2:iconArmored-dogg2: 1 day 8 hours ago
thanks for the fav on DJ Prime
~Silverrose14:iconSilverrose14: 1 day 9 hours ago
Thanks for the fave!

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Forum: The Con Stronghold! [link] Hail Mighty Megatron!

:rose:
~Ha-HeePrime:iconHa-HeePrime: Jul 14, 2008, 9:31:48 AM
Thanks very much.

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"As long as any power flows through any of my circuits, I will fight you, Megatron."

I'm Optimus Prime
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*Lord-Naraku:iconLord-Naraku: Jul 14, 2008, 5:29:13 AM
Thanks for the :+fav:

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~KakyoinLee:iconKakyoinLee: Jul 14, 2008, 5:17:35 AM
Thanks for the :+fav:!
You have so great gallery!:D

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~The-Flip-Side:iconThe-Flip-Side: Jul 14, 2008, 3:23:00 AM
Thanks for the :+fav:!

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~Ha-HeePrime:iconHa-HeePrime: Jul 12, 2008, 1:55:11 PM
Yup! That's me.
And you're welcome.

--
"As long as any power flows through any of my circuits, I will fight you, Megatron."

I'm Optimus Prime
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~Ha-HeePrime:iconHa-HeePrime: Jul 8, 2008, 1:05:14 PM
Thanks pal. I just color great stuff that other people draw and are willing to let me have a go at.

--
"As long as any power flows through any of my circuits, I will fight you, Megatron."

I'm Optimus Prime
in the Transformers-Crew!
~AviatorCid:iconAviatorCid: Jul 8, 2008, 11:20:40 AM
Thanks for the fav ^^ I love your art

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~Ha-HeePrime:iconHa-HeePrime: Jul 8, 2008, 9:10:42 AM
Thanks for the compliment, pal!
I'm tryin' ta learn...

--
"As long as any power flows through any of my circuits, I will fight you, Megatron."

I'm Optimus Prime
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*Scream01:iconScream01: Jul 7, 2008, 10:56:14 AM
Thanks for the fave and very nice art ^^

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*GwenithCoy:iconGwenithCoy: Jul 6, 2008, 9:36:01 AM
Thanks for the collection add!! :D

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~Maude-chan:iconMaude-chan: Jul 4, 2008, 11:59:12 PM
Thank you so much for the fav! ^^

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~Thedragonalchemist:iconThedragonalchemist: Jul 3, 2008, 12:59:24 PM
thanks for the fave on starscream

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~solarafoxwell:iconsolarafoxwell: Jun 23, 2008, 8:49:30 PM
Thanks for the :+fav:, Prime! :D

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~EquinoxDemon:iconEquinoxDemon: Jun 16, 2008, 5:26:25 AM
Thankyou for the :+fav: :D

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~wordmongerer:iconwordmongerer: Jun 6, 2008, 3:34:51 AM
Thanks for the fave on my Transformer Cover Colours [link] ;)

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~O-O-P:iconO-O-P: May 27, 2008, 6:23:51 PM
*Prime, rather. Evil typo...

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~O-O-P:iconO-O-P: May 27, 2008, 6:23:24 PM
Thank you for the "2oo7 Optimus Prima and Me" favorite, HHP! :-)

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