Real Life Intrudes

So… you’ll notice my posts haven’t been going up at the “normal” time. This plague/infection thing is still kicking my butt. And now I’m pup sitting, which is a lot of fun, but time consuming. Plus you know, the boring real life stuff. I did just think of it though – what time do you prefer posts go up? When do you check and what would be best for you? Do you care? Originally I’d scheduled all my posts to go live at 12:03 AM EST or EDT. I asked twitter, then realized many most of them don’t read my posts 😛 Which is why I love all of you best 😀

One thing many people know about already but is worth highlighting again, is Operation Auction, and here’s a direct link to the ebay store – many things are closing tonight, I believe, so grab what you want quick! It’s an awesome cause, and the support for Fatin and her girls has been amazing.

Next… has the internet become “nicer”? Many people know about the complete author meltdown of one Jacqueline Howett, and it was nice to see Al closed his comments. Of course there was a… just outpouring of attention to it yesterday – as the internet is all about hype, yes? We all can’t help ourselves and look… but I noticed early on there were calls for Al to close the comments, and commenters berating other commentors for their “meanness” – it could have devolved into much worse name calling, etc. I was almost surprised by how relatively civil it all was. Well, aside from JH’s last few messages…

Has the internet gotten nicer? Is it the reading/writing community? Or… have I just become too cynical?

And… to the meat of my post.

I saw the story on my [local] news last week, and wondered if anyone else had heard about it. I asked a general “anyone know who the oldest person alive is?” And… I mean it’s not something we all think about. I wasn’t really paying attention to the newscast/story either, until I heard why she’s not going in the record books.

On the one hand, I get that a birth certificate, or some sort of proof is needed. I get that. I’m sure there are a lot of hoaxes and attempts to break world records just for the attention and fame. But… if there is proof, you know? There’s some question- there’s a Social Security Administration letter that proves her age, but the organization doesn’t itself verify age. So… the hoop jumping, to my mind, can’t be met. I get the requirements. I really do.

I’m just… disappointed it seems nothing else can be done in this case. No exceptions – I mean really. How many more people do you expect to turn one hundred and nineteen? I… that’s incredible. And… so sad. By rights, Rebecca Lanier should be recognized as the oldest person alive. (Possibly ever?) But… she can’t, because she has the misfortune of being black, and being born to slave parents. Yes, slavery had ended in 1892, but I think we can all agree small town Mississippi didn’t so much care for the births of black children at the time.

It just.. it makes me sad, and really made me think. This sort of stuff matters you know? It’s why social justice should be a concern. Yes, Civil Rights, and all that. The movement was in the 50s+. Slavery ended with the Civil War. But… repercussions do still exist and happen. I had a roommate in law school tell me that dog fighting was “just as bad, if not worse than slavery.” I… I really still have no response to that. She was an upper middle class white girl who grew up in a relatively small town in the Midwest. I just…

This matters. This sort of stuff matters to me a lot. We’re doing The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in Street Law Junior now, and it’s been fascinating watching my kids’ reaction to the film and the times. Their outrage encourages me, and gives me hope. Some things, they’re totally clueless about. And some things they can’t understand or comprehend because thankfully, things are different today.

But obviously, that doesn’t mean we can just forget about it. Am I going too far? To my mind, it really does tie together, and such an example shows the impact of how history isn’t a one time deal, or one off. Am I thinking too much?

Thoughts? Examples? Have you heard of any of that?

*ETA: Oops – in my “!!!” I forgot to include links to the article for Rebecca Lanier. What also made me kinda sad was how difficult it was to find them. I mean, I’m even going to accept she might not be 119. The point of my personal “outrage” is… I guess not viewing it on a case by case basis, you know? It’s not as if she’s refusing to produce a birth certificate… she can’t.

Articles I found: here, here, and here.

0 thoughts on “Real Life Intrudes

    1. Limecello Post author

      Jessica – Agree, sometimes it’s gone past beating a dead horse, to after it’s buried, getting up some black magic, reviving it, and beating it to death again.

      … if that makes sense. It is after midnight and I’m still sick. But closer to 100%! Am at like 75%, which is like 50% more than I was! Wow. Numbers.

      Feel like I should throw out some fractions now too. But I won’t.

      Reply
  1. Farrah Rochon

    I had a roommate in law school tell me that dog fighting was “just as bad, if not worse than slavery.”

    There is so much more to comment on in this post, but this one left me completely gobsmacked. Like completely!

    I find it both sad and frustrating that Rebecca Lanier is not being recognized, too. 🙁

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Farrah – I know, right? I KNOW. I just… every time I think about that I’m speechless. And to make it worse everyone thought she was the nicest person and was like “What would JW do?” And she had “Jesus Loves You” scrolling across her computer as her screen saver and I just wanted to be like “you’re an evil, ignorant bitch!!!”

      Obviously I’m much more in touch with my ranty side :X

      Reply
  2. Kimberly F

    Lime,
    Its sad….all of it! I was watching the news today and saw that the Menonites were STILL in Louisiana building new homes for people affected by Katrina. When the Amish community has a tragedy, say a barn fire, they all pitch in and build another barn for the family. It made me think about how things used to be. We all used to be much kinder to each other, much more considerate of one another. Heck, we used to wave to complete strangers driving by in their car.

    There is a lot of animosity out there. It hurts everybody who comes in contact with it; it doesn’t matter how old you are, 1 year or 119 years.

    I’m with you. We have become a nation, a world, of looking out only for ourselves, not being friendly with neighbors, and just all out being rude to each other.

    I’m not sure if I went off on a tangent here but it hurts me to know that people can be so negative and hateful to one another. There were other ways to handle the review issue, on the author’s part, IMO.

    There were even some terrible typo’s and grammatical errors in her rants on the blog. I know things get out of hand when you’re angry and heated but I would think that when you’re trying to make a point of “my writing is fine” that it be FINE!

    It saddens me that people feel the need to lash out at one another be it on the web, the phone, a text message or in person.

    I don’t mean to sound like I am in any way, shape or form someone who never gets upset, angry or downright hurt by something or someone. It would just be worth our time and our blood pressure to stop and think before we hurt others, and in doing so hurt ourselves.

    So, in the end, we should look at people (such as the Menonites, the Amish, and others who do things just because its the right thing to do – I am not suggesting we all change our religion….I’m not even talking about religion so please don’t take this post as a religious ranting…..).

    Sorry for the length of this post. Your words and thoughts just inspired me.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Kimberly – loved this comment, thanks for sharing! And I’m glad the post really got you thinking and talking 😀
      I do agree, that “being neighborly” is almost out the window. Definitely things aren’t how they used to be in the “good old days” – and going off what you said, there’s a reason they’re the *good* old days, not just “the old days” you know?
      It should matter when something terrible is happening in your neighborhood. And it shouldn’t be “just another story/ fodder for news.”
      I love human interest stories, but wish they weren’t such a novelty.

      Reply
  3. Sasha Devlin

    I wish the author had had the insight to just be quiet. I really wish the other posters had not all jumped on the bandwagon and turn it into a moment of bullying. I do not condone what she did, and I certainly think she owes the reviewer an apology, but all the additional snarky comments by ppl who had no dog in that race just really upset me.

    *sigh* It’s a damn shame Rebecca Lanier won’t be recognized. Like you said it’s not that she WON’T produce the certificate, but CAN’T. That’s something that a lot of people today can’t fathom, but it was a fact of life back then. I think it’s shoddy of them not to consider how the history of this country can affect things like this. It saddens me. The fact that it’s being discounted makes my stomach hurt.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Sasha – I agree about the author. I will say, however, what with all the other internet ABB and in general craziness, she’ll probably luckily be quickly forgotten. Such is the way of the internet. Although yes, someone out there will remember. At least she’s self pubbed, right? So changing her name wouldn’t be too difficult, and personally it’s something I’d consider.

      And I’m with you about RL too – there are some people who don’t believe the Holocaust happened… and a lot of the kids today can’t even comprehend what happened or why. To some degree, I’m glad their lives and world are so different. On the other hand, it’s so important to not forget past tragedies, and especially not allow for the potential of a repeat!

      Obviously it’s something I feel extremely passionately about.

      Reply
  4. Bella F.

    On posting: I don’t have a set time frame of when I check a blog, or even expectations that a blogger post by a set schedule unless it’s a blog by a big company like a publisher where people are paid to do so as part of their job, because otherwise I dont think many bloggers really have the time to not let life get in the way at least once in a while. Hope you feel better soon! and dont rush on my account lol 😀

    I only just saw the JH incident yesterday and I was completely shocked. I didn’t expect it to be so…so obvious I guess. I was expecting more of a comment by an author that said something that could be misconstrued, not a crazy attack rant on a guy who,IMO, didn’t even really give her a completely bad review. But Idk, I admit I’m not good at reading between lines either so maybe I missed something. In any case JH was just mean and that sat poorly with me. I’m glad comments were turned off too but I have no idea how to do that on blogger…anybody know? How to turn off/stop comments on one post on blogger? Hopefully I never get in a situation where it’s necessary but it’s probably good to know.

    I agree with you about Lanier’s situation. It’s a shame that someone in her state (a congressman or something) hasn’t stepped forward to help her at least have a birth certificate. It’s not uncommon for people of even generations later than hers to have slipped through the cracks and she was born in a time when racism, Jim Crow, and sorts of other crappy things were alive and well here in the South. It’s a shame it gets tip-toed around and that so many fear discussing it in polite company or whatever. I have a German friend who says it’s the same way in Germany about anything related to the Holocaust. I guess it’s just hard for societies to face their own demons. I just wish we could realize that helping out people like Ms Lanier would help our own selves just as much as her, because we’re all a society bound together as a community.
    *sigh* Oh well, I’ve rambled too much so I’ll stop here.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Bella – JH’s “Fuck You” comments really got to me. Although a random Gawker link made me remember the other batshit crazy authors who have gone so far as to hunt down and post personal information of reviewers- home and work numbers and addresses, children’s names, etc. The one author who went after the kids really went too far. Beyond.

      Interesting take on the societies finding it hard to face their demons. I always think Germany has done at least better than Japan, as Germany has issued a formal apology but Japan hasn’t right? (Although maybe it’s more a comparison of being shot in the leg versus shot in the head?) All the same, a few weeks ago, someone said to me “Japan got what they deserved for bombing Pearl Harbor” and – well I reeled. How … what?!?!?
      This goes in with your – helping not hurting thing.
      Helping others helps us too. Sounds so corny, but it’s true.

      Reply
  5. Dana

    On posting…nothing ticks me worse that to see the spineless creatures that post and change their nics every other comment.

    Either believe in what you are saying enough to SAY it, or shuddup!

    Unfortunately the internet is a cesspool of rudeness because the anonymity of it, leaves those forgetting about something called ‘feelings’.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Dana – ah, yes, the use of socks. Gotta love those. Not.
      The anonymity of the internet can be a wonderful thing, but I agree too often it’s abused. And badly so.

      Reply
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