Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Superstition

1. What are you superstitious about? Airplane travel.

2. What’s the story behind one of your scars? One Good Friday when I was about 10, I was jumping on my bed, all excited about the prospect of coloring eggs, and somehow missed, cracking my chin on my dresser. At the Emergency Room, they didn't believe my parents that I missed my entire bed Maybe it was because my dad was both covered in my blood and seemed royally pissed that this was how he was spending his day off, but the nurse wanted to give me the opportunity to reveal any abuse I'd suffered at their hands. She asked my parents to leave the room for a moment, and I vaguely remember her saying, "We're alone here." I completely didn't understand and thought, like, "Duh. I may be a kid but I can count to two. I know we're alone." I just thought she was an idiot. I was worried about stitches and wanted to get them over with.

3. What are three things that you would rather be doing right now? Making love, having sex, doing "it."

4. What do you do when you're bored? Farting around on the internet.

5. What's your favorite thing to do? Why? See #3. It's been so long, I'm not sure I even remember why. Just a primal urge, I guess.

6. What do you do when you're lonely? I don't get lonely very often. But when I do, I drink and cry. Or go the movies. They're both good.

7. How do you measure the passing of time in life? I don't understand the question. Calendar?

8. What would constitute "the perfectly lived day" for you? If I go to sleep happy and think I've learned something.

9. If you knew you were going to die in a year, what would you do in your final days? See #3.

August Happiness Challenge 2010 -- Day 13

I accidentally discovered that my blog has made a difference in someone's life, and it makes me happy.

Every now and again I check my statcounter to see who visits here and where they're from. I have received an unusual number of hits today from The Daily Kos. Huh? What? How on earth did I get referenced on The Daily Kos?

Well, one of the regular blogs on The Daily Kos is called Sistah Speak. The author is discussing race, racism and the impact on black women. A mention was made of the coverage of violent crime against women of color, and how it isn't covered as extensively as offenses against white women. Someone calling herself Amazinggrace commented, linking back to this blog:

Mitrice [Richardson] was an exception in reporting, as was my cousin Nailah Franklin here in Chicago. Their disappearances received continuous coverage because of the diligence of their families in pressing the issue.

Up until today, I had no idea that any of my posts about Nailah Franklin was actually seen, obviously appreciated and even remembered by her family! I hope they got some comfort from knowing how deeply Nailah's story touched the heart of this stranger.

P.S. There is some news about this case. The suspect is still in jail, awaiting trial, and has been charged for assaulting a corrections officer. Sounds like a terrific guy, doesn't he? But, since today's post is about happiness, and since all of my Nailah Franklin posts have been more about her life than her death, I will say no more about him.

I may not be sleeping, but BOY, am I ever dreaming!

My slumber this week has been fitful at best. I wish there was a fascinating reason behind this, but I suspect it's just because with this ungodly heat, my bedroom air conditioner has been running longer, higher and louder than usual and it's been disrupting my sleep.

While the reason behind my altered sleep patterns may be ho-hum, my dreams have been very interesting. They all have to do with bathing. Publicly.

In one, I am bathing in my tub and suddenly people appear in the doorway. I slide down under water to cover myself. I am not frightened or even surprised, simply annoyed by this interruption, so I think I'm only recalling a fraction of a longer dreamland saga.

In the second one, my bathroom is somehow out of commission and I am reduced to showering in a public stall on the el platform. The fact that there are no public shower stalls on el platforms is irrelevant -- this is a dream. Mostly I am concerned with how dirty the floor is.

According to Dreammoods.com, this is what's going on:

To dream that you are taking a shower or are in a bathtub suggests a need for self-renewal and escape from everyday problems. You need to rid yourself of the burdens that you have been carrying. Alternatively, it indicates your mood for love and pursuit of pleasure and relaxation, or the dream may be a metaphor for "showering" someone with gifts or love.

Interestingly, Dream Moods makes no mention of my noisy air conditioning unit.

Oh, and by the way, where's this famous cold weather that makes people shun Chicagoland. I'd like some of that NOW, please!