Kathleen France

To Mosque, Or Not To Mosque…

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:22:00 +0000

Every American, and especially every New Yorker, remembers that fateful day and the events that happened on September 11, 2001. Our world as we know it changed that day, as 3,000 lives were lost and the World Trade Center Towers came crashing down. Now, nearly ten years later, we are still debating how to rebuild this sacred ground. How do we best honor those that died? How do we create a memorial for those who lost loved ones that day to have a place to come for remembrance? Numerous plans were submitted, a building proposal was selected, and we still discuss if these plans will be executed in a way pleasing enough to honor those lost lives. It is continuously scrutinized. Our city, the neighborhoods surrounding the site, and the countless emergency rescue workers suffering breathing and health issues, still not being adequately addressed and not being taken care of for their service, have been greatly affected.

Most recently, this debate has shifted to plans submitted to the city by a group of Muslims who would like to build a mosque and cultural center near Ground Zero. Here is a map where the desired mosque is to be built:

As you can imagine, this has created a media frenzy and upset countless people on both sides of this issue. Supporters on both sides have very strong arguments, and although I can see the opposing viewpoints, after weighing both sides of this issue, I would have to agree with the 68% of the people that do not want this mosque to be built at this location. Let me tell you why.

The number one argument from people who want to build the mosque is Freedom Of Religion. They say that denying them the right to build is a violation of their First Amendment Rights. In fact, in years past, many religions were denied the right to practice their faith. Jews, Quakers, and Catholics were turned down in the past to build places of worship here in the city to practice their faith. New York has an incredible history, and was founded, and is still made up of thousands of immigrants. Our city reflects our world. And because we are made up of so many ethnicities, and just walking down the street we are exposed to multiple languages and viewpoints, we are more tolerant of many world and personal issues. I believe this is why our city is predominantly more liberal in its’ belief systems as we accept a wider range of thought processes and ways of life. I like this. Do I believe in Freedom Of Religion? Yes! Please, practice whichever faith you choose, as much as you choose. Our freedoms are what make America great, and Freedom Of Religion is what this country was founded on as our ancestors came here to break away from Protestant Rule. Mayor Bloomberg recently made a speech of his support of building the mosque. http://www.aish.com/ci/s/100865704.html

President Obama also gave his support for the mosque, and was highly scrutinized. Republicans opposing the mosque had a field day with this, of course. But WHAT ELSE could our President possibly say? He’s the President – he must uphold our Constitutional and First Amendment Rights. There is no other option. Plus, he’s a minority, so he knows what it is like to be a victim of prejudice and hatred. It is perfectly legal for these Muslims to build this mosque. As long as the rules are followed and everything is “by the book,” the building of this mosque will happen. There was nothing else he could have said. http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/the-muslims-are-building-a-mosque/

I watch NY1. NY1 is a cable television channel that keeps me up to date with things that happen in my city, and they recently went around interviewing people about this issue. One woman in particular, who was Muslim, stood out in my mind. She spoke of her Muslim son, who on 9/11, rushed in to save as many lives as he could, not caring about their belief systems as a rescue worker, but about their humanity and their need for help in a desperate situation. She said he would have loved a place to pray, and shouldn’t we stop hating others and allow the mosque to be built to begin a time of peace and show tolerance? My heart went out to this woman and her son, who lost his life that day.

The mosque, if built, is planned to be called The Great Mosque of Cordoba. Cordoba is a Spanish City where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in peace. People argue, why not make this new development a worship center for many types of faiths, to further symbolize this bond? The funding of the new mosque will cost $100 million and the opposition really wants to know where this money is coming from. If people can prove that the money is coming from people with extremist ties, of course they will try to sabotage these plans. So, where is this money coming from? Somehow, I have the feeling that with that much money, it can’t be coming from some place completely good. In addition, many construction workers have refused to work on the mosque if it is built. So, why oppose this?

I was raised Catholic. In high school, I joined a group called Young Life that allows students who believe in God to hold positive get-togethers without the bad influences of peer pressure. My best friend at the time, Patti, drove me home one night and we got into a conversation about our religious beliefs. Being Catholic, I was baptized shortly after I was born. Being a Born-Again Christian, Patti was baptized after she, as an adolescent, made the conscious decision to accept God into her life. She asked me if I was planning on getting baptized again (cause obviously, my baptism didn’t count), and I had said no, as in my religion there was no need. She said if I felt that way, that she could no longer be my friend, and from that day on chose not to speak to me. I was, needless to say, very upset by this. My younger sister was good friends with a young Mormon girl. Being from Colorado, with Utah as our next door neighbor, this is no surprise. One day her friend brought her a present – a Book Of Mormon, with every passage condemning Catholicism highlighted in fluorescent pen. In the 80′s, there was Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, who obtained the rights to use PTL (Praise The Lord) for their television evangelist theme park and television network organization. Proceeds from the “offering plate” were said to exceed $1 million a week. Bakker kept $3.4 million in bonus monies for himself (that which was recorded anyway) and paid Jessica Hahn $279,000 after she alleged that he had raped her. After Jim Bakker was charged for mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy, he went off to prison and Jerry Falwell took his place. In the early 90′s, we had the Waco Siege, where David Koresh and his Branch Davidians were participating in sexual misconduct with under aged girls and stockpiling illegal weapons. Seventy-six people died in a fire at the compound. There are crazy freaks associated with every religion.

Am I still Catholic? No. I had premarital sex years ago, and have been on birth control pills ever since. I somehow think they would frown upon that. I haven’t been to church since…probably high school when I went to my Goddaughter’s baptism. Do I believe in God? Yes. Am I religious? No. Am I spiritual? Yes. Do I say a prayer every now and again? Of course. But I do not believe in organized religion, and I cannot stand it when people try to “convert” me. It is one of my biggest pet peeves. Religion is something so ingrained in us, from the time we are born, and it is a belief driven by fear. Fear of the unknown of what happens when we die. Fear of going to hell. Fear of being tortured for all eternity. I do not believe in a God that is vengeful, I believe in a God that is full of love. I believe in being the best person I can be. I believe in being kind towards others. I believe in right and wrong. I believe that people ruin religion. Man, with his hatred, will mold these pure and loving ideas of goodness into reasons to judge other peoples’ differences or life experiences. Church is way to brainwash the flock into a common belief that tells them it is OK to judge others who believe differently than they do, and hate certain groups of people in the “Name of God.” More wars have been fought and more people killed in the Name of God, that it causes me to think that I want nothing to do that type of faith. And the “Born-Agains” are some of the craziest of the bunch…and they are all Republicans…which is enough to turn me off to anything Jesus-y OR Republican.

Here’s another thing – many Americans are stupid. I let out a pathetic laugh while watching the first episode of The Big C on Showtime. Laura Linney, who has just found out she has terminal cancer, plays a teacher who is completely over her job after learning of her new circumstances. To teach the class a history lesson, she tells them that today, they will be watching The Patriot, which is about 20% accurate in its depiction of history and the American Revolution, but if they watch and understand it, they will know more about that period of American History than the majority of Americans do today. How pathetic. Our school systems are crumbling, but we refuse to fund them. We care more about materialistic objects and fame and stupid reality shows where people act like complete morons, while sitting on our fat behinds in front of the TV, or lazily playing video games shooting people, and we’re more interested in what drug Lindsay Lohan is doing this week, than actually using our brain for the power of good. Our politicians spend so much time fighting over meaningless drivel, rather than actually getting things done, while China is quickly surpassing us as the next superpower. We are such whiny babies, that everything has to be PC. Everyone is overly sensitive about everything. We have to be politically correct. Wouldn’t want to tick anyone off. We make up “diseases” so we don’t have to take responsibility for our own actions, and medicate with prescription drugs. It is this naivety and wussiness that will ultimately lead to our downfall and force us into being the laughingstock of every Muslim extremist organization around the globe.

Do I know a lot about being a Muslim? No. And in all fairness, the things I do know about being Muslim are seemingly negative. So we need to educate ourselves about what this belief system is and what it stands for. One thing I do know is that I do not like the way they devalue women. I don’t like that muslim women are taught to be submissive, I don’t like that they must completely cover themselves with clothing, and are treated like personal property whose sole purpose is to bear children. I hear stories of men throwing acid on women’s faces as punishment in Afghanistan and Pakistan – it is called vitriolage. The men are not punished for this offense because the juries find that these women have brought this punishment upon themselves by wearing too revealing of clothing or from being disobedient. Then, I heard another thing. That Islam wants dominance over all other religions, and that the building of mosques symbolizes muslim triumphs. http://www.hudson-ny.org/1200/mosque-at-ground-zero-equals-victory

I have read many blogs and articles on this subject and am still gathering information. I read one blog, by a Muslim woman here, that accused the opposition of being prejudice. She argued that there was already a mosque in existence within walking distance of the proposed site. My argument is, if there is already a mosque in that location, why the need for another so close by? If the argument is Freedom of Religion and the right to worship, there is already a place for them to worship there. I was a real estate agent for the past six years, I know there are many different locations where this can be built, and if they need additional mosques for worship, why not build in another location where there is a greater need? In fact, I have heard that other sites were offered to them to build on, but have been refused, saying the mosque must be built there. If it is not true that mosques are erected as a symbol of victory over the infidel, I would think that if this sanctuary was truly being built by good Muslims, that they would take into account the sensitivity of this situation, and be more understanding as to consider alternate locations. Please, build your mosque, just build it in a different area. http://polipundit.com/?p=25538

My opposing viewpoint of building this mosque has to do with SYMBOLISM. Building a mosque near the World Trade Center site will symbolize another victory for Muslim extremists everywhere, showing them that their behavior and the events that day have somehow been rewarded and that Allah has granted them another victory. They will be dancing in the streets. We are at war. Our naivety and tolerance will only add fuel to their fire. I feel it is insensitive to those families who had loved ones die, and is inappropriate. I will continue to gather information. Maybe my opinion will change. Maybe I will meet a new and amazing Muslim friend who can educate me on the goodness of the religion. Who knows what incorrect reports are being pumped out by our disappointing media, and political agendas. But for now, in my gut, my decision is not affected by my personal feelings towards the practice of religion, but rather moved by my emotional response to what happened on that day, and makes me think this is wrong. Trust me, I never thought I’d agree with a Republican…I guess there is a first time for everything. More than likely, the mosque will be built, and I hope that we are incorrect in thinking that it will be infiltrated by any sort of extremist organization.

http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/john-farrell/2010/08/03/Opposition-to-Ground-Zero-Mosque-Is-a-Victory-for-Al-Qaeda

The Gulf: Ways You Can Help

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:34:00 +0000

Multimedia – The Gulf: Ways You Can Help

I recently added a box on the lower right hand side of my blog that allows anyone to click on it and help a charity called The Nature Conservancy. This organization is really working hard to support efforts to help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. You can click to help out for free, or you can submit a donation. I wanted to be able to do something to help this important cause.

It’s A Thin Line…

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:44:00 +0000

Sometimes I can be a bit behind the times when it comes to news, but a friend of mine posted this on her Facebook page and I thought this was so funny, I just had to write about it. Improv Everywhere, a group of people here in New York who perform missions “creating scenes of chaos and joy in public places” came up with the fabulous idea of expediting sidewalk traffic by dividing our walkways into two lanes: the “New Yorkers” lane for speedy Manhattan residents, and the “Tourists” lane for the slow, pointing, picture-taking crowd. The majority of New Yorkers do not drive or even own a car. It is very costly, and there is simply no place to park. We take a taxi or use public transportation – the buses and subways, and then walk to our destination.

How many New Yorkers have thought of this brilliant idea before, but just never seen it put into motion? I love it! I work in Times Square, the number one visited tourist destination in all of New York City. Every New Yorker knows that if they want to get to their desired location quickly, they should avoid Broadway at all costs – especially at the pre-theatre hour. It is just jam packed with people. We can spot a tourist a mile away. Instead of looking straight ahead and walking with a purpose, they look up, usually with their eyes wide and mouths open, in awe of viewing our great city and its massive skyscrapers. They walk slowly. They take thousands of photos. They stop abruptly when they see something exciting. Simple maneuvering on our sidewalks can get to be quite a challenge. When you’re behind huddled masses of people moving at a snails pace, it can get quite frustrating getting to and from work.

It is also a matter of personal space. New York City is composed of 5 boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. According to the US Census Bureau, the population in 2008 was 8,363,710. That number grew in 2009 to 8,391,881. In the borough of Manhattan alone, there were 1,634,795 people who lived here in 2008. In 2009, that number dropped slightly to 1,629,054. This slight decrease in Manhattan residents was due primarily to the recession and to Wall Street’s failing economy. On the 22.96 square miles that is Manhattan, that means there are over 71,000 residents per square mile. We have skyscrapers because we have no room to spread out! New Yorkers are used to living in smaller spaces, cramped apartments, we have a much closer distance of personal space. If you are visiting from Texas for example, where they have tons of wide open space, your comfortable distance of personal space is much further away. You can spread out. You walk and talk with your friends at a further distance than we do. I’ve whizzed closely past slow walkers and startled them because I entered their uncomfortable area of personal space, where a New Yorker would think nothing of it.

Tourism is a huge industry here, and keeps our economy booming. We love the fact that we are a global city and have people from all over the world visiting here. Statistics show that in 2008, New York City had 47 million people visiting us from international and domestic locations. In 2009, the number dropped slightly, again due to economic impact, to 45.6 million. There are a lot of tourists here, there are a lot of New Yorkers here. We love having all of you visit, we just wish you were more conscientious of the others around you while you’re here. What a fun way to solve this issue, even if it only lasted a few days!

http://improveverywhere.com/2010/06/08/the-tourist-lane/

The Classics 001

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:48:00 +0000

I read a recent blog that expressed concerns of theatre students not knowing who came before them.

http://answersforactors.wordpress.com/?s=knowing+old+actors

Part of getting older is the agonizing experience of having a conversation later in life with a younger person, and having that younger person not even remotely recognize the person’s name that you have just mentioned. Inspirational, incredibly talented icons, whom you’ve worshiped for years, suddenly fall by the wayside and it is devastating that other people much younger than yourself could not have known these amazing performers. And now, with the hideous creation of reality tv, we follow brainless morons with no talent whatsoever, who acquire their 15 minutes of fame, and because of this have opportunities granted to them (like starring in a Broadway Show for example) without any training or actual knowledge of the craft, and obtain jobs that real performers who have studied and molded their talent for years, would die at the chance to be in their shoes. Reflecting back, I was not given much knowledge of other actors who came before me. I learned of musical theatre composers, lyricists, and choreographers when I was in school, but when it came to the actual actors and actresses in shows or plays, I was pretty clueless as to who they were unless I watched old movies and really paid attention to who each character was portrayed by. I couldn’t tell you the names of many of the actors today, because I simply do not get out much, nor do I pay attention to these things. But now is a different time, with thousands of shows and cable channels and actors to access, and there are not enough hours in the day to keep up with everything. Back in the day, before cable, our viewing was more restricted and it was much easier to keep up to date on everything. We had real entertainment, with people who were really talented – variety shows, comedians, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, reporters who cared more about what was broadcast, unlike the mindless drivel that we see on air today – things like eating bugs, projectile vomiting, acting like a stupid trashy whore, and getting into either physical or verbal brawls. When I sit down and really think of what we’re becoming – sitting around watching this idiotic nonsense, getting fat, it genuinely disgusts me and makes me want to promote change. So, because of this blog and it’s sentiment, I have decided to not only educate myself, but also educate others on some of the classics. They make you think!

My first entry? A movie review of:

Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner

Starring:

Spencer Tracy as Matt Drayton

Katharine Hepburn as Christine Drayton

Katharine Houghton as JoAnna (Joey) Drayton

Sidney Poitier as Dr. John Prentice

Beah Richards as Mrs. Prentice

Roy E. Glenn Sr as Mr. Prentice

Cecil Kellaway as Monsignor Ryan

Isabell Sanford as Tillie

This movie is about race relations in the 1960s. It was very controversial at the time, and sadly is still a touchy situation in some places today. At the beginning of the movie we learn that Joey, the pretty young white girl, has very quickly fallen in love (in a matter of weeks) in Hawaii with Dr. John Prentice, an older “negro” man. John is a doctor who is incredibly smart, well spoken and fabulous. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this man other than his “pigmentation problem”. Joey brings him to her enormous California home to meet her liberal parents, whom she is positive will just love her new beau. Her father, Mr. Drayton, owns a liberal paper and has spoken out about issues he believes in, like the fact that people should not be prejudice. His own views are challenged when he meets his daughter’s fiance. He has taught her not to be prejudice, but has issues concerning this marriage, and his own daughter or grandchildren experiencing the hardship of being part of an inter-racial family. John tells Mr. Drayton that if he disagrees with the marriage that he will walk away from Joey. Mr. Drayton can see that his daughter is completely in love with John, and that by his disapproval, he will risk losing his daughter forever. He has no idea what to do. He and his wife talk to the Monsignor about it. The Monsignor has married many inter-racial couples and though he acknowledges they are difficult, he believes that their bond is even stronger than “normal” couples because they have to fight for their love so much more. Even the maid Tillie has her own reservations about it. She says to John that she thinks he’s just another black man trying to “marry up”, and that she has raised that child since she was a baby, and if he ever hurts her, she is going to let him know what Black Power really is! To stir things up even more, suddenly we find that John’s parents want to come see him and his new girl. They decide to fly down to meet them. Suddenly EVERYONE is coming to dinner. John and Joey pick up John’s parents at the airport. They are also incredibly shocked at this strange new romance. We learn that the fathers are against the marriage, while the mothers are for it. One great moment in the film is when John is speaking to his father about is old beliefs. He says:

“Dad…you’re my father. I’m your son. I love you! I always have and I always will. But you think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man.” (I love me some Sidney Poitier!)

The turning point of the entire movie is when John’s mother, Mrs. Prentice, has her pivotal monologue, speaking to Mr. Drayton privately about the situation, trying to convince him not to oppose their children’s union:

“What happens to men when they grow old? Why do they forget everything? I believe those two young people need each other. Anybody can see that just by looking at them. But you and my husband are…you might as well be blind men! You can only see that they have a problem. But do you really know what’s happened to them? How they feel about each other? I believe that men grow old and when sexual things no longer matter to them, they forget it all, forget what true passion is. If you’ve ever felt what my son feels for your daughter…you’ve forgot everything about it – my husband too. You knew once, but that was a long time ago. Now you don’t know. And the strange thing for your wife and me is that you don’t even remember. If you did, how could you do what you are doing?”

It turns out that after thinking about what Mrs. Prentice has said, that Mr. Drayton can and does remember the passion he feels for his wife, and this sways his opinion so he agrees to give his blessing to the happy couple. The decision is made, and they can finally have dinner.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER was directed Stanley Kramer, and in 1967, it was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. Katharine Hepburn won for her performance, and William Rose won for his screenplay. It’s sad to me that we haven’t come further in our beliefs and still harbor hatred towards groups of people different than ourselves. Maybe one day we can all be educated enough to really believe what is said in the Declaration Of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” All these years later, this movie still has the power to make you think about these issues. What a provocative movie!

The theme song for the movie is “The Glory Of Love”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ShkYcemgU&feature=related

Happy World Ocean Day!

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Or is it?

http://www.theoceanproject.org/wod/

http://www.worldoceannetwork.org/EN/page-AGIR_ENSEMBLE-Journ__e_Mondiale_de_l_Oc__an-5-20.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-de-rothschild/planet-ocean_b_604546.html

June 8th is World Oceans Day and this year seems to be so much more important than previous years due to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. World Oceans Day was established by the United Nations and officially began last year in 2009. The BP Oil Spill seems to be the only thing being covered on the news right now. Everywhere you turn, more disturbing information is released. So much speculation is going back and forth as to who’s at fault. My opinion is that we all need to refocus, get it together, and fix it – period. This is an environmental catastrophe.

I’ve heard a few other disturbing things the past few days. The first being that Dick Cheney’s company (we thought we were done with them) Halliburton supplied parts for BP and Cheney, during his time in the White House, held secret meetings with oil companies and received a large payout from them before leaving office. Due to the deregulation of companies by the Bush administration, this made it possible for the checks and balances to be overlooked and for BP ‘s irresponsible behavior.

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/62899,business,dick-cheney-halliburton-implicated-in-bp-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/chris-matthews-wants-dick-cheney-under-the-lights-and-under-oath-over-bp-oil-spill/

To make matters worse, this may not be the only offshore drill site experiencing leaks in the ocean. Satellite imagery proves that possibly 2 more stations have oil leaking into the ocean, but it is being overshadowed by the BP scandal. Maybe they only worry about these things when a certain percentage is polluting our oceans. A sad circumstance, and right now, I am ready to switch to Green Technology! Set it in motion and save our ocean, Obama!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/08/are-there-more-oil-spills_n_604360.html

http://www.green-technology.org/

I don’t get it…

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:56:00 +0000

OK! Ummmmm…I live in New York. There are all kinds of people here. Normal people, freaky people, crazy people, smart people. All different kinds of people. I’m pretty liberal. In fact, I want to get a tattoo, and I watch LA Ink with Kat Von D and think she is so talented, I love her artwork, and I think she is beautiful!

But there are certain things I don’t get. Certain things that gross me out, and one of these things is this body modification piercing stuff. Not only is it disgusting to look at, and the people who do it obviously have to have some psychological issue to want to maim themselves, but it is also a breeding ground for infection and has lifelong consequences. We all do stupid stuff when we’re young, but this stuff takes the cake. Take purple nose ring guy above here – I’m sure it is easier for him to breathe, but he must continuously have snot pouring right out of his nose all the time because there is nothing to stop it from coming out. No chance hiding any boogers here!

And these ear plugs! All I can think of is – what happens when you’re 80 years old and your ear loops are hanging down to your knees? You’re definitely going to have to have surgery to cut those things off and sew them back together. It is just nasty. You may think it is cool and hip now, but I guarantee you that later in life you are going to be kicking yourself!

Another thing is this “music” – I know these guys are going for the “Demonic/Satanic Animal Growl” here, but to me it just sounds like one very long belch – or someone vomiting, which is what I feel like doing when I actually watch these things.

In fact, this is not one of the grossest videos on YouTube to choose from. There are countless others for your painful, hideous viewing pleasure. All I can say is…I just don’t get it.

That’s BS, BP!

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:37:00 +0000

Click on this link to see the extent of the BP Oil Spill:

If It Was My Home – Visualizing the BP Oil Disaster

DVR has changed my life! With a few clicks of my remote, I can program my digital cable box to record my favorite shows whenever they come on. They are all just magically there, waiting for me. I can watch a 2-hour show like “Dancing With The Stars” in 45 minutes by whizzing through all of the commercial breaks and unnecessary chatter. Not only do I never miss anything, but also it frees up my schedule because I can watch things when I want to in less than half the time. I don’t know how I survived, or got anything accomplished before, without it!

I have this “HOT-Norwegian-X-Boyfriend” (who I still speak to on a regular basis and desperately wish I could remove the “X” factor from that equation!). We used to work on a cruise ship together. After working on the ships, he got a job on an oil rig in Norway with the same company that drills for BP. I don’t watch the news on a regular basis, and I had heard about the oil spill in the Gulf but didn’t think much of it at the time. Life keeps you busy focusing on different things. But after I spoke with my Hot-Norwegian-X-Boyfriend last week about his job, I suddenly became more curious about this whole BP thing that I kept hearing about.

There is this show called “Dateline” that is an investigative news report that talks about different things happening in our world. Most of the time it features serial killers or mysterious crime cases, and I record it. Sometimes it covers things like the City of Detroit and the economic impact of GM Motors and other car factories that have had to shut down from the economy, the lives of people it has affected. Well, I finally watched last week’s episode and it was all about the BP oil disaster. I had no idea what I was in for.

I am completely ignorant in the workings of the oil industry. I know they drill, I know they make tons of money, and that is the extent of my knowledge. This show was an eye opening experience. Apparently what happens is, they build this oil rig somewhere in the ocean and start to drill down into the ocean floor until they hit oil. Oil is surrounded by pockets of methane gas, which makes things very dangerous because the gas can escape and cause various problems…like explosions! This is basically what happened in the BP disaster. The gas traveled up the big pipe thingy and instead of getting cut off at certain checkpoints in the mechanical system, it continued up to the surface. They believe the gas hit a spark somewhere, causing the explosion and shooting fire into the air, the likes of which members of the coast guard and rig workers said was nothing like they had ever seen. The entire rig was engulfed in flames and would burn for a day and a half before crumbling into the ocean.

Luckily, there was a ship docked at the rig with 13 crewmembers aboard. The ship was attached to the rig by a big rope. Suddenly, the Captain heard the explosion and saw mud had sprayed all over the windows on the bridge. He called for all hands on deck to separate the ship from the rig. They had to sail a far enough distance from the rig to keep the ship safe if they were going to be able to rescue anyone. They got to a safe location, and sent out smaller boats to collect the rig workers. The men began jumping from 70 feet in the air, off the rig and into the water – which was ON FIRE, by the way – cause everything exploded and was burning and oozing all over the ocean, and these guys were jumping in and trying to swim for their lives under it all to get to other boats and to safety. This was the point of the broadcast that I decided I no longer liked my Hot-Norwegian-X-Boyfriend’s job. Too dangerous! Eleven men died, but thanks to the 13-crewmembers on the ship, the remaining rig workers were saved.

But that’s just the beginning of the story. The tip of the iceberg. Now we had an oil spill, but we had no idea how incredibly bad it was. James Cameron, who filmed the movie “Titanic”, was actually called upon because of his knowledge of underwater cameras. When we finally did see how bad it was, that’s when the shit started to hit the fan. The oil was spewing out of the pipe like a volcano erupting – huge amounts pouring into the sea. And they couldn’t stop it. Scientists were called upon for their knowledge, methods were tried to plug it up, to no avail. Finally, a cap was lowered into the sea that would fit over the broken pipe. The pipe was cut, the cap put in place, and like attaching a faucet, the cap was supposed to fit over the pipe and filter all of the oil into a big ship on the surface, which would collect everything. But they have another problem – the cap is on crooked, allowing only a portion of the oil (less than half!) to be collected and the rest is still pouring into the sea. Oil has been spewing into the sea for almost 2 months now, and will continue to do so until they build 2 more rigs, drill down and across to the original pipe, and are able to plug it with mud and cement. These will not be completed until at least August, three more months of contamination and pollution for our waters, our ecosystems, our fish, our wildlife, and the ruination of people’s livelihoods.

Even worse, the main spot being affected is where??? – Louisiana!!! – where a few short years ago they had Hurricane Katrina. Can’t these poor people catch a break? Most survive off of fishing and tourism. Now they can’t fish for food or income, they can’t swim at their beaches, the clean up is virtually impossible. This kills me. We’ve heard about oil spills throughout the years, but this is the worst. And it makes me reflect back to our past election when the Republicans would chant “Drill, Drill, Drill!” and Obama would speak of green technology and not being so dependent on oil. And now he is being criticized for not doing enough when he has to rely on the oil people to fix the mess. Where do we go from here? This could be a huge turning point in our society – a larger motivation to create cars and machines and products that don’t rely on this exhaustible resource and motivate foreign wars. But do I see this possibility happening? No. I don’t because there is too much greed, too many people influencing our politicians, and too much laziness of being satisfied with the status quo. This sickens me. It is during times like this, that I wish I were rich. I would use my powers of influence to do something good, to create change, to make things better. I wish I could walk away from my job and go help clean tar babies off of beaches, something, anything, to help. We need to grow some balls, and instead of pointing the finger of blame as to whose fault it is, we need to fix the problem. The health of our environment and our people are at stake. Living in New York, we don’t drive, but if I did, I would not be pulling into a BP to “fill her up!”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/29/interactive.spill.tracker/index.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/caught_in_the_oil.html

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-454727 (this last video shows thousands of dead fish washing ashore in Alabama. Birds are swooping down to eat them out of the water, and people are fishing on the dock…SERIOUSLY??? How stupid can you be to even think about eating those fish?)

To Serve 002

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:59:00 +0000

I find it incredibly interesting that it seems the only time I am inspired to write here is when something in particular really ticks me off. I’ve been keeping a list. This blog, in actuality, is more like my own personal therapy to rid myself of my angst and release my own feelings of hatred towards others that I have to deal with on a regular basis. Thank God I have something!

It is no surprise, being a waitress here in New York City, that I see a wide variety of people from all walks of life on a daily basis and have the “joy” of serving them. I would say, on average, about one-third of the people that I wait on have no idea how to behave properly when they go out. This blog is dedicated to greeting the table, and how to order a drink.

What A Greeting:

It is important for us, as wait staff to establish a good rapport with the guest. We want to provide all of our guests with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, a home away from home, where they can enjoy the comforts of enjoying a great bottle of wine and fabulous food. This feeling should begin the second you enter a restaurant. The hosts will give you a welcoming smile upon your entrance and seat you at a great table, which has been made to look lovely by our staff, the lights are low, the music creates the perfect ambiance, a beautiful night where you can be happy, relaxing and enjoying and appreciating that others will be cooking and cleaning up after your family tonight. Sheer bliss!

Your friendly waiter approaches the table, ready to explain in detail the scrumptious selections of specials the chef has prepared just for you that evening, that will make your mouth water, but first takes a moment to say hello to you:

Me: “Hello everyone. Welcome. How are you tonight?”

Response: “What’s in the Chicken Marsala?”

(sound of needle scratching across the record) To which I respond:

Me: “Let me try this again. HELLO everyone! How are you tonight?”

Seriously, can you just have enough common courtesy for one second to be polite enough to respond with a pleasant, “Hi, we’re fine, thank you”. All I ask is to be treated nicely, like a real person, before you start shouting orders at me. Or is that asking too much?

The Black Widow:

Last week I had a table of three lovely ladies dressed up for a fabulous night on the town. They looked just beautiful in their semi-formal, black attire. I immediately thought this was going to be a great table. (Sometimes, I can be wrong) These ladies looked ready to enjoy their evening and I was excited to get them some really nice food and drinks to start their night off.

For some reason, our owners have decided to use white as their signature color for the restaurant. The tablecloths and napkins are white, the waiters shirts and aprons are white. I always joke that they have obviously never had to do any laundry in their lives, or they would not have chosen this color – especially taking into account that their staff works with marinara sauce, balsamic vinegar, and red wine all day, and accidents are bound to occur to make a mess that cannot be camouflaged, and that only huge amounts of bleach can attempt to take away. Nevertheless, white is a signature, authentic Italian restaurant color that looks clean and crisp and professional, so we use it.

I greet the ladies:

Me: “Hello, Ladies. Welcome. How are you tonight.”

Response: “Hi. Do you have any black napkins?”

I smile, thinking this is the first time I’ve gotten this strange request, and make a joke out of it, by saying that we are normally not in the habit of matching our linens to our patron’s wardrobes. The woman is not amused by this.

Response: “Well, this isn’t going to pill is it?”

Me: “No, Ma’am, it will not pill all over your outfit. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

Seriously?…

Water Matters:

We have these people called “Secret Shoppers” in our restaurant. The owners hire these companies that send normal people, who are NOT in the food industry, out to dinner and then write up reports on their waiter. These are highly detailed accounts of their experience at the restaurant and the owners take these very seriously. We can be suspended or even fired if these reports are not good. It is like a grading system of our job performance, and we never know when these people are coming, how they look, it could be anyone. Everyone is accounted for and these people are required to do certain things. They are supposed to make a reservation and note the host’s responses and if they sound friendly on the phone. They are required to then call back and switch their reservation in some way and note the host’s response. They arrive early for their reservation and go to the bar. Everything is timed and accounted for down to minutes and seconds. They note how long it takes for the bartender to acknowledge their presence and get them their drink, how long it takes for them to be seated. The cleanliness of the restrooms, if a manager greeted them or was present on the floor. They write about their waiter in depth. We as wait staff are required to hit certain points of service, and if we do not hit every point that is required, it counts against us. We are SALES people. That is our job. First, I need to greet you in a friendly way. Then I must try to sell you the following:

Bottled water. I must mention that we have Sangria and Bellinis as our Specialty Cocktails, and mention a Specific Wine on the wine list. I must mention a Specific Appetizer, like our Calamari, I cannot just say, “Would you like an appetizer?”. I must tell you the Specials (of which we have many), I must mention Specific Sides of Vegetables (as everything is ala carte at our restaurant). I must later mention Specific Desserts, such as Tiramisu, I must mention types of Coffees, and I must mention Specific After-Dinner Drinks, such as Sambuca. As you can imagine, this is a lot of talking, but we are there to get our check average as high as possible. If we do this, the restaurant is happy because they make money, and hopefully you will have a higher check average and do the right thing, so we will make more money in tips, so it is a win-win situation.

Lately, I have been getting this response quite a bit:

Me: “Would you prefer bottled water today? Sparkling? Still? Or would you just like regular New York tap?”

(Our owners prefer we not even mention the word TAP, however, I have found such a large number of people are ignorant, or foreign, that they just cannot comprehend this, so to make everything clear, I mention it.)

Response: “It doesn’t matter.”

OH REALLY??? It doesn’t matter? So, I’ll just charge you $6.50 for the bottle of water and add that to your check. Better for me. But I already know that since you’re stupid, when you get the check, you’ll complain, saying you didn’t know that you actually had to pay for the bottle of water on the table, then I’ll have to get a manager, then they’ll take it off the check, then you’ll be embarrassed and that will tick you off, so to take out your frustrations, you’ll give me a crappy tip, because it was obviously MY fault that I didn’t explain it to you. And by the way, soda refills are not free here either! So, I take a deep breath…..and say:

Me: “Well, do you want to pay for your water today? Or do you want free water?”

How To Properly Order A Martini:

After we finally get your water order correct, it is time for adult beverages (of which, you can guess, I am highly in need of at this point). As you know, I have already given the customer the vast rundown of limitless selections at their disposal, so I ask them what they would like to drink. The gentleman responds:

“I’d like a martini.”

And…..I take another deep breath because I know that if that is all you’re going to say to me, that you are obviously NOT a professional drinker. I also already know that you will NOT be ordering another, as you will be completely inebriated after consuming this one drink, because you obviously so rarely order them that you do not know how to do it properly.

Nowadays, a martini is anything that is served in a martini glass, so there are limitless kinds of martinis available. Vodka martinis, Gin Martinis, Cosmos, French Martinis, Apple Martinis, Pomegranite Martinis, Chocolate Martinis, Espresso Martinis…the list is endless, so if you just say to me, “I’d like a martini”, I already know that you can’t handle it. And if you are ordering a Vodka or Gin martini, here are the rules:

1. Tell me if you like vodka or gin and which brand you prefer.

2. Tell me if you’d like it up or on the rocks

3. Tell me if you’d like it dry (which let’s the bartender know how much vermouth you’d like)

4. Tell me what garnish you prefer (olives, lemon twist, etc)

When I go out and order a martini, I know that I enjoy a Grey Goose Martini, up, with olives, and I like it dirty! I’m a professional…

Time Out!

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:04:00 +0000

Wow, Blog World!!! Well, as you can tell, I’ve taken quite a big hiatus from having a Life In The Big City! Where was I, you ask? I wrote and produced my own one woman cabaret show. Let me fill you in!

Living in New York, it is very easy to get wrapped up in the crazy hustle and bustle of the city. Everything here is so expensive that everyone puts in long hours at the office. For the past six and a half years, I have had three jobs. The first was being a realtor for the Manhattan division of Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy. I went to school at the New York Real Estate Institute, and the schools around here pump out over 150,000 realtors per year. Because there are so many of us it is very competitive and people usually only last 3 months and then quit. It is extremely easy to become a realtor and only cost me $310. I took two weeks of classes, and BAM! I was a realtor. I got a job with the help of a friend and with NO training was thrown into the trenches. We were pretty much left to fend for ourselves. About three years after I started, they finally began a training program for new people. I learned from eavesdropping on other people in the office, asking questions, and later, after my friend’s business partner committed suicide (long story), I started working with him. Being a realtor is all about networking. You have to know people with money. I unfortunately, only know poor actors and waiters, and not a lot of them can afford to purchase an apartment here in the city where prices range about $1000/sqft. Also, they don’t hang out with people who have money – double whammie! So, no rich people. Plus, we have these little things called coops, which make up about 70% of the market, and although they are cheaper per square foot, they require 25% down, plus an additional 2 years worth of mortgage and maintenance payments left over in the bank after closing, so you need about $105,000 to financially qualify for a closet sized $300,000 studio apartment here. It is insane. Also, the seller side gets 3% and the buyer side gets 3% of the commission, which is always paid by the seller. However, that 3%, really equals 1% – Coldwell Banker kept 6% of that 3% for desk fees, then some was taken out for insurance just in case I got sued, and then I made 55% of what was left. So, for every $1,000,000 of sales, I made about $10,000. The most money I ever made in one year of doing real estate was a little over $30,000. Being a realtor is just like acting and takes the same mentality. You put yourself out there, talk a lot, every day you try to show as many apartments as possible or go to as many auditions as possible, for that one big break, or that one big sale. ONE transaction or ONE casting could change your life – kind of like winning the lottery. But I never cashed in on either of those prizes. So – $30,000 – hardly enough to cover my rent alone, so I had to have another job – waiting tables, where I made more money working four days a week than spending countless HOURS of doing real estate. No one likes waiting tables, which is probably why I stayed with real estate for so long, praying that I’d end up super successful and could leave waiting tables forever. So for six and a half years, I worked between 60-80 hrs a week for practically no money, I am still single, because I have no social life, and have no health insurance – how depressing. I was miserable. Then after the mortgage crisis, New York was hit hard, and the end of May 2009 the Manhattan division of Coldwell Banker went out of business. So, I lost my job, then my real estate license expired the end of July. I haven’t had the energy to renew it, especially with the market at record lows. So, suddenly, I had more free time and thought I should do something to bring me joy…singing!

So I started going to cabaret shows to see what they were like. I saw everything. Cabaret has its own little niche here in New York. The shows usually last an hour and tell a story through song. Sometimes they have themes, sometimes they pay tribute to certain artists or composers. They are a great way to hear new composers as well and are a great creative outlet. Not all cabaret shows are good, since anyone can do one, but most are really amazing…the artist pays for the show themselves, buys the music, pays their music director/pianist, their show director, their musicians, their backup singers, books the venue, does the publicity and advertisement…there is a long list of things to do and the artist never really makes any money from it – it is a labor of love. So, I wrote a show called The Book Of Love, in which I talk about my tragic love life. In the show I discuss past boyfriends, what I learned from those relationships, how hard it is to date in New York since there are over 210,820 more single women than men here, online dating sagas, etc. I sang songs by Queen, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, and others from the Great American Songbook. I had a full band and back up singers who made me feel like a rockstar! And along the way, something happened. I found something else that made me happy. And I met an entire new group of friends that are incredibly nice and super talented! What a thing to be thankful for. I have told people, out of all of that heartache – getting dumped by guys, losing my job, all of that yuckiness – something great came out of it – new friends and the joy of finding my voice again after all these years.

To Serve 001

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:03:00 +0000

I work at a busy Times Square Family Style Italian restaurant here in New York. It is my personal belief that every single person should be required to wait on people in a crappy diner as one of their first jobs in life, where they work their tail off and receive a quarter, or handful of pennies for their service. If this work experience were required, no one would ever be rude to their waiter again. In terms of waiting tables, which is never anyone’s dream job, my restaurant is far better than others I’ve worked for, and being in the theatre district, we are much busier than other neighborhood restaurants, which pays the bills. However, in addition to the hours and hours of running around and constantly being on your feet all day which is physically draining (and the cause of my horrible varicose veins), the appallingly rude behavior of certain people you encounter on a daily basis is not only shocking, but mentally draining as well.

I grew up in Colorado. My father was in the Air Force. Growing up in my household we were taught to be respectful of others, things were either right or wrong, and we possessed a little thing called manners. This attribute may seem small, but it does wonders for a person’s character, and is completely forgotten in the world today. When I was growing up, my mother would read to us from the newspaper. Some of her favorite articles to read were “Dear Abby” and “Miss Manners”. These women were experts on etiquette and would offer advice on how their subject could properly deal with situations or relationships that were difficult in life, and come through with aplomb. Waiting tables in Times Square, and dealing with every culture imaginable, daily reminds me just how lacking on a global basis, we as a human race are in terms of manners. Being polite is so easy and so appreciated. A simple “please” or “thank you” or even a smile can brighten a person’s day.

This is why I have made it my personal quest to teach others how to conduct themselves while going out to a restaurant. Observing people’s behavior, most people were taught either the wrong way to behave going out, or they were not taught at all how to behave going out. These are easy fixes, and will assure you a much better dining experience when going out to your favorite establishment. In the coming months, whenever I notice some odd form of behavior, I will make note of it and explain the proper procedure of how to correct the situation. Let’s start off with the basics.

Entering The Restaurant:

Let’s start at the very beginning, because it is a very good place to start. When your party enters the restaurant, the first thing you do is approach the host desk. It is always best to have a reservation if they are accepted. Be accurate in terms of your reservation. Many people do not think of this. Subtracting people from your party is usually much easier than adding them. Calling ahead ensures that the restaurant can have your table ready and that they actually have space for you. Our restaurant is so busy before the Broadway shows begin, that we have NO EXTRA CHAIRS. If we are at capacity, we simply have absolutely no means of seating you if your party grows unexpectedly. Also, every single restaurant always overbooks their reservations. This is because there is always a certain percentage of customers that will rudely not call to cancel their reservation and just not show up. In order to make the highest profit, these slots are always overbooked. Also, establishments that have good staff can turn the tables faster, making more spaces available more quickly than the allotted time given for each average table to sit. If the patrons are waiting, the restaurant can have an additional seating, or “turn” of that table.

When you arrive, please be polite to the host at the front desk. Their jobs are very difficult and they usually get paid very little money to hear people scream at them all day long, because they had to wait an additional 15 minutes to be seated for their reservation. In our restaurant and in many others, parties are not seated until they are complete. This means everyone in your party must be accounted for before being seated. Make sure the people in your party arrive on time for your reservation or you may have to wait even longer, because another party who arrived sooner sits in the spot you were designated for. We have had patrons arrive an HOUR late for their reservation and still expect to be seated. This is ridiculous. Have the common courtesy to call and let the host know to ensure that we can accommodate you, as we release your reservation after a certain period of time if you are late. When the hostess seats you, please – SIT WHERE THEY SEAT YOU – if you complain about your table and want to be moved, we automatically immediately know that you are an asshole. Hostesses seat you in specific places for a reason. Each server has a designated section. Each section is seated in a particular order so as not to “slam” the waiter, which allows them to provide you with better service. Also, when the reservations are full, even though you may see an open table that you like better, there is usually another reservation slotted for that space, or it is being held to be built into a larger table. Things change very quickly, also, due to who is finished first. It is impossible to perfectly plan any seating arrangement of reservations. Some tables finish more quickly than others, making more space available so the entire floor shifts. It is a high stress job, please make it as easy on the host as you possibly can. “Thank you” works wonders in this situation. If you do have a specific request, most restaurants will try to honor it. Let them know at the time you make the reservation if you would like to be seated in the front or back, upstairs or downstairs, away from children, etc. They will always do their best to try to accommodate you.

Sitting In Your Chair:

Something so simple can make such a difference, and you would not believe how many people do not know how to properly sit in a chair. When sitting in a chair, make sure to place your rear towards the back of the seat, so your back can rest comfortably on the backrest. This makes you more compact. Restaurants are busy places and to make the most of profits, the maximum amount of tables are crammed into the smallest of spaces. Waiters are carrying trays filled with cocktails, food runners are carrying very heavy, hot platters filled with food, glasses break, things can burn you or land on your head, and it is imperative that we be able to get by you. Many people sit incorrectly in their chair. Most culprits are women and children. They will sit with their derriere propped on the front edge of the seat, so when eating, the entire back half of the chair juts out into the isle, making it impossible to get around you, and when serving, we have to lift hot platters of food over your head and place them in the center of the table. Our arms are only so long to do this. When your chair is jutted out into the furthest possible position, it makes it impossible for us to get the food on the table for you.

Body Positioning:

“Mabel, Mabel, If You’re Able, Keep Your Elbows Off The Table”…

Listen, most people are exhausted after a hard days work, they’re hungry and cranky, we get it. Honestly, just the elbows or a forearm on the table does not offend me; however, some people take this way too far. Some people shortly after they are seated, will shove their entire setting – glasses, silverware, bread plate and all forward towards the middle of the table, so they can rest their entire upper body across the table. This behavior tells us that you are a lazy, inconsiderate bastard, not to mention the fact that the busboy will be arriving any second to put bread in the exact same space you just shoved your entire setting into, and your waiter will not be able to reach your water glass to fill it, and when any of your food comes (us being a family style restaurant, we bring the food on platters to share and set it in the middle of the table instead of directly in front of you) we will have no space to fit it on the table. Also, when the waiter is moving around to serve you, be aware of them. If you are leaning on the table after your appetizer plates have been cleared and the waiter is trying to give you your dinner plate, lean back in your chair so they can put it front of you. Some people are completely oblivious to their waiter, or they just don’t care. When we are coming in with hot food, be aware, lean a little so we can maneuver around you to get everything in a good position for you. It’s simple awareness and common courtesy.

I’ve had people take their shoes off in the restaurant under the table on many occassions, primarily during the summer months. THIS IS NOT YOUR LIVING ROOM!!! It is a public dining establishment. This behavior is disgusting and dangerous. I’ve smelled people’s nasty feet because they take their shoes off…how this can be appetizing to the others that are eating around you is beyond me. Also, things break all the time in restaurants. There is ALWAYS broken glass on the floors of restaurants. Carpets get swept with a broom, not vacuumed during the day, and unless one of the bus boys crawls under the table to get at every inch of floor with the broom, there is bound to be something under there that can lodge itself into your foot – not to mention, hideous parents that don’t discipline their children (this is another blog all together) and let them run around like maniacs, crawling around under tables like they are a huge playtime fort or jungle-gym at the neighborhood McDonald’s, their children can get glass in their hands, knees, feet, etc. Teach your children how to behave in a restaurant.

One last thing…YOUR NAPKIN GOES IN YOUR LAP!!! Be polite, put your napkin in your lap. When going out, it is a special occassion, have some respect. All it takes are simple manners.