Three6ix5ive's Blog
Three-hundred sixty-five days. One at a time.Archive for Lists
Day 236: That’s Not My Name!
20.04.2010 at 11:21 · Filed under Uncategorized and tagged: Lists, respect
“Heeey…you…” I don’t mind so much when people forget my name. And I don’t mind so much to admit to someone when I have forgotten his name. It can be a sign of carelessness or disrespect if one is constantly needing to be reminded of another’s name, but for the first time at least I think it’s just natural human absent-mindedness. Forgotten names don’t bother me so much, but made-up names do. Lemme elaborate…
I’ve tried to explain to friends how much it irks me to be given little unauthorized nicknames. I appreciate and enjoy an endearing moniker from time to time, but what I can’t stand is the pejorative names I inevitably attract because of my sex and stature (yerp, feminism). I know some people mean well, but there have been enough people who didn’t. That, along with my disposition, has lead me to the point that I hate it 90% of the time if someone calls me one of those little names that’s supposed to sound nice but doesn’t.
Here at the outreach I’ve had a lot of outreach members (95% of which were male) call me by terms of endearment that I just can’t stand. Some people are from an older generation where it’s more appropriate. Some people are just aloof to my discomfort with it. Others come off just as condescending as their words sound.
Names that are not my name, but people have decided to call me:
- sweetheart – and all sweetheart derivatives
- honey
- froggy
- the black girl
- dear
- baby girl – and all combinations of baby+noun
- Glor – and all abbreviations of the name Gloria
- Glo Glo
Of course there are exceptions and special circumstances, but more often than not, a stranger calling me sweetheart (especially after I’ve introduced myself and am calling them by their proper name) is completely offensive to me. I can’t help but find it condescending. I’ve had this debate several of my male friends and I’m not budging. I think most people who hold my opinion that terms of endearment like this can be offensive understand that many people don’t actually think they are being offensive and in fact may think this makes them come off as friendlier. Unintentional disrespect is still disrespect.
That’s all. Call me by my name. Or make sure we’re tight enough that you can handle the jab coming to you if you ever call me sweetheart and I am not your sweetheart.
Peace
G
Day 124: Baby talk
19.12.2009 at 23:59 · Filed under Uncategorized and tagged: Aging, Lists, Musings
So, I’ve been taking care of an infant for a while now. And besides making me redefine my idea of “clean” and depriving me of sleep, it’s made me think a little bit about the things you can do as a baby that you really don’t appreciate. Once you realize what a sweet deal you’ve got, boom! it’s over. So feast on the inner workings of my most sage thoughts.
Things you can only do before your 3rd birthday:
- wake up and just yell until someone tends to your needs
- eat and poop at the same time
- put your foot in your mouth… and elicit ooohs and aaahh and awwws
- not wear any pants
- sleep 13 hours a day
Things you cannot do before your 80th birthday:
- wake up and just yell until someone tends to your needs
- eat and poop at the same time
- put your foot in your mouth… and offer absolutely no apology
- shoplift (bc who’s gonna arrest their grandma??)
- sleep 13 hours a day
Things you should do before your 40th birthday:
- keep a journal
- live with roommates
- go to an all-day, outdoor concert (SXSW, Lollapalooza, Warped Tour etc..)
- use your student discount
- learn how your money works
Things you should never do again after your 30th birthday:
- say you “like like” someone
- pretend to be a student to get discounts
- agonize about what your parents would think if…
- Laundry at mom’s (regularly that is. I mean if you’re visiting it’s just downright thrifty of you. Hurrah!)
- Eat poorly/not eat your vegetables!!
Things you are never too old to do:
- learn a new language
- start flossing
- complain about those right-wing nut-jobs/left-wing idiots
- fight city hall
- fall in love (awwww yes yes I know. I just threw up in my mouth a little too… but seriously…)
Things you are never too young to do:
- like art
- take care of your body/eat your vegetables
- fight city hall
- root for the Fighting Irish!
- forget where you put your keys
And there you have it… those are my lists I guess. With that said, I want to leave a sentiment that I have shared with several:
No matter what happens throughout the story of my life I hope I am “never too dignified to climb a tree or too mature to crash on a friend’s couch or too sophisticated to lay in the grass or too cool to speak in a made-up language”
The End.
