tidbits & half-wits

More Adventures on Metro
On last week's train ride, I am sitting across the aisle from a young man, probably in his teens. He's wearing a new hoodie that has a cream colored background with a pattern that looks like, on first glance, orange tickets or paper money. As he gets up to leave the train, I see that rectangles are food stamps. A food stamps hoodie. That's just badass.

Domestic Irritation
I spent last weekend sewing a sun dress, bloomers & matching hat for a baby shower we attended yesterday. Yes. I know. Tough, queer feminist making dainty stitches. Was tempted to hide my crafts light under a gigantic hand-woven bushel but brought the outfit to work to show a few trusted friends. [Underscoring the point that it's not just lavender closet doors I'm committed to ripping off the hinges.] I really enjoy the technical process of sewing. I'm a perfectionist and finish every damn seam. My daughter warned me against domestic hubris by innocently asking me "Who was Arachne again, Mom?" Athena be damned, I did a fab job.

Anyway, in the process of my quiet workplace coming out, an uninvited, socially-inept coworker minced over to examine the outfit and blurted out, "It took you all weekend to make that?" Speechless. I was momentarily speechless. "I can't believe you said that..." was all I managed to eke out. While my Inner Rosie Perez was planting her flashy Latina hand on her sassy Latina hip shouting, "Oh, NO, you DI-ent!"

Funeral, Wedding and Baby Shower
Those were our event options yesterday. Circle of Life, Circle of Life. Kind of wish we could have been invited to a confirmation or bris to round out the rites checklist. Didn't make the funeral because, as much as I really like the guy whose father passed away, we weren't close enough for me to attend this extremely sad service. The wedding was fine. I mean for being in a church and all. The preacher guy was likable. He obviously knew and liked the young bride and groom. My biggest beef with this and many church weddings was the insinuation that marriages must be Christian in order to succeed.

The baby shower for which the aforementioned sun dress was hand-cobbled together was lovely. Happy and promising. I look forward to watching the transition of two wonderful men with busy work/volunteer/social calendars to two wonderful dads with all that and playdates.

The Return of Prodigious Daughter
Our youngest will be coming home to live for the first time in five years...I think that is how long it's been since she lived at home. She'll be spending about three months regrouping here in Houston before returning to Brooklyn for the next leg of her journey...wherever that finally takes her. While there is a bit of trepidation about living with a grown child (and surely for her: living with her mothers as an adult) the overwhelming emotion is elation. For a few months our lives overlap and I get to spend some time with this incredible person.

Aside: No pressure on you, son. Really, just because your return would make your mothers' happiness [sniff] complete...

A Shining Moment for Cultural Diversity

Black lady: Listen, you camel jockey, I don't care what you say, you was wrong to do that!
Middle Eastern man: Oh, shut up, you stupid nigga! I'm tired of hearing your shit! Go fuck yourself!
Black woman passerby: Oh my god, who the hell are you to be talking to my beautiful black sister like that?! You ain't got no right to talk to anybody black like that!
Black lady: Bitch, who the shit are you? Don't be talkin' to my husband like that!

--W 4th St station

via oiny

I'll have to leave you with that, dear readers.