noloween
So one of the funnest things of living in America was getting to do a proper Halloween. I'm really not big on dressing up for any occasion, but you just can't go past the glorious secular tackiness of the season. It's freakin awesome. Even though it's not celebrated in Australia, i've brought a little bit back and make sure every year i put some decorations around the house, buy some American candy and so forth. I even watch It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown when i remember.
This year i didn't :-( In fact, my Season Tree has still got Christmas stuff on it from last year. I never re-decorated it with Easter stuff like i normally do, and i never re-decorated it with Halloween stuff either. It's close enough to Christmas i can kinda get away with it again. I fucking love decorations. I could care less about the Jesus or the family or the food or whatever, i just love sparkly lights and tinsel and snowy windows and glitter and baubles and the works. Halloween in America is kinda like Christmas without the Jesus, so even better. But hmm. Not this time.
I think even though right now i'm feeling really good about my life, there are bits and pieces that are leaving me stressed and frustrated. I am digging having more responsibility at work, but the pressure's on. J is currently out of work due to visa requirements and boy do i know how it feels to be living on the other side of the world looking for work and living off your partner's dime. So tough on both of you. And fuck, i could be in her shoes in six months. I hope not, though, because she wears Pumas. Y'all know i'm an Adidas girl.
But you know it's things like basketball that chill me out these days. That's become one of my most favorite things, and i only wish i had a reliably good court close by so i could play more often. This morning we headed out around 9:45 - which admittedly is a little late - one of the hoops was already taken and by 10 i was sharing the other hoop. The two kids who came in were those shy types who hang back and take the odd 3 when they see a space so that doesn't bother me. But about 20 minutes later in come 3 or 4 guys and they just stand there. In the key. With no ball. WHAT THE FUCK. Apparently they figure waiting for their buddies right in the key is appropriate because i'm practicing free throws and the other kids are still shooting 3s. Once i hit my 10 and moved on to lay-ups they still didn't move.
Now don't get me wrong, i have no problem sharing the court - there's only one in the whole freakin suburb and it's in a public park, so really, it's only fair. But what's not fair is coming in and blocking the court - not even playing - just to intimidate everyone else into leaving. It's such fucking bullshit. In the past we've comfortably had a bunch of different groups playing, up to 3 balls going at the same hoop, and it works because everyone leaves space for each other and helps each other out. I've even played street ball with guys when you get a particularly outgoing group. But standing around acting like you're owed the hoop just by virtue of having more friends there? What a load of crap. And this isn't the first time.
I'm not very confrontational. I don't raise shit with anyone - i usually don't even respond to other people raising shit with me unless i am extremely pissed. I just expect everyone to be respectful and tolerant because that's how society fucking works. I don't feel it's my place to tell them to fuck off because it's a public court, so technically they have every right to stand wherever they want. I just think it's selfish, rude and altogether fucking retarded.
So that made my morning. I also rolled my ankle, which hurt like a bitch. I need to wear my mid-tops to the outdoor courts as well as the games i guess. Been trying to keep them clean. I did however eat Frosted Flakes and play Monkey Ball with my girl, which made me happy. Now the past few hours i was supposed to be catching up on shows but i just got sidetracked into listening to music and miscellaneous web browsing. So it's actually turned out a pretty good Saturday. I'm needing these low-stress, do-nothing times, and loving them.
This year i didn't :-( In fact, my Season Tree has still got Christmas stuff on it from last year. I never re-decorated it with Easter stuff like i normally do, and i never re-decorated it with Halloween stuff either. It's close enough to Christmas i can kinda get away with it again. I fucking love decorations. I could care less about the Jesus or the family or the food or whatever, i just love sparkly lights and tinsel and snowy windows and glitter and baubles and the works. Halloween in America is kinda like Christmas without the Jesus, so even better. But hmm. Not this time.
I think even though right now i'm feeling really good about my life, there are bits and pieces that are leaving me stressed and frustrated. I am digging having more responsibility at work, but the pressure's on. J is currently out of work due to visa requirements and boy do i know how it feels to be living on the other side of the world looking for work and living off your partner's dime. So tough on both of you. And fuck, i could be in her shoes in six months. I hope not, though, because she wears Pumas. Y'all know i'm an Adidas girl.
But you know it's things like basketball that chill me out these days. That's become one of my most favorite things, and i only wish i had a reliably good court close by so i could play more often. This morning we headed out around 9:45 - which admittedly is a little late - one of the hoops was already taken and by 10 i was sharing the other hoop. The two kids who came in were those shy types who hang back and take the odd 3 when they see a space so that doesn't bother me. But about 20 minutes later in come 3 or 4 guys and they just stand there. In the key. With no ball. WHAT THE FUCK. Apparently they figure waiting for their buddies right in the key is appropriate because i'm practicing free throws and the other kids are still shooting 3s. Once i hit my 10 and moved on to lay-ups they still didn't move.
Now don't get me wrong, i have no problem sharing the court - there's only one in the whole freakin suburb and it's in a public park, so really, it's only fair. But what's not fair is coming in and blocking the court - not even playing - just to intimidate everyone else into leaving. It's such fucking bullshit. In the past we've comfortably had a bunch of different groups playing, up to 3 balls going at the same hoop, and it works because everyone leaves space for each other and helps each other out. I've even played street ball with guys when you get a particularly outgoing group. But standing around acting like you're owed the hoop just by virtue of having more friends there? What a load of crap. And this isn't the first time.
I'm not very confrontational. I don't raise shit with anyone - i usually don't even respond to other people raising shit with me unless i am extremely pissed. I just expect everyone to be respectful and tolerant because that's how society fucking works. I don't feel it's my place to tell them to fuck off because it's a public court, so technically they have every right to stand wherever they want. I just think it's selfish, rude and altogether fucking retarded.
So that made my morning. I also rolled my ankle, which hurt like a bitch. I need to wear my mid-tops to the outdoor courts as well as the games i guess. Been trying to keep them clean. I did however eat Frosted Flakes and play Monkey Ball with my girl, which made me happy. Now the past few hours i was supposed to be catching up on shows but i just got sidetracked into listening to music and miscellaneous web browsing. So it's actually turned out a pretty good Saturday. I'm needing these low-stress, do-nothing times, and loving them.