oh no not again

Between the time I came in and the time cattitude did, a new memo had gone up.

Tomorrow, they're turning our power off at 8 a.m., early enough to inconvenience many people with office jobs, not just the freelancers, unemployed, and retired. And they "may" do it again on Thursday, depending on how things go. I spoke to the husband of the woman who more or less is the Tenants' Association--he says that Con Ed was in on Friday and did their part, and today the landlord sent two guys with a beat-up van, who didn't quite sit down on the job but didn't look quick or dedicated.

<rant>He lowered his voice partway through this, and then he didn't say "guys", he referred to them by ethnicity. Slowly and carefully, so he wouldn't be overheard. He can say "two Dominicans" to us, or thinks he can--we're Anglo. I'd have said "two schlumps" or "two layabouts" or something actually meaningful. But I don't assume that ethnicity implies work habits, good or bad. Why do people do this? It wasn't the sort of deep prejudice that slips out in a moment of anger: you don't stop and lower your voice without knowing what you're going to say, and that it could get you in trouble. If he was thinking calmly enough to make sure he wasn't overheard, he should have been thinking calmly enough not to utter casual ethnic slurs.

I'm not sure if it makes it worse that he took my complicity for granted--do most anglo New Yorkers share his prejudices, or are his friends just tired of pointing out that he's a bigot and an idiot? It wasn't something where I could really have called him on it, even if I hadn't been too annoyed at the landlord at that point to pursue the other issue. And it's not a great idea to start a fight with the guy across the hall over a moral issue, even if I'm right.

<rant, part 2>The note from the landlord ends with "We appreciate your cooperation." Not with any kind of apology for the inconvenience. They appreciate our cooperation. What else am I going to do, gather my neighbors to go out to Queens with pitchforks and burn their office?
</rants>

oh no not again

Between the time I came in and the time cattitude did, a new memo had gone up.

Tomorrow, they're turning our power off at 8 a.m., early enough to inconvenience many people with office jobs, not just the freelancers, unemployed, and retired. And they "may" do it again on Thursday, depending on how things go. I spoke to the husband of the woman who more or less is the Tenants' Association--he says that Con Ed was in on Friday and did their part, and today the landlord sent two guys with a beat-up van, who didn't quite sit down on the job but didn't look quick or dedicated.

<rant>He lowered his voice partway through this, and then he didn't say "guys", he referred to them by ethnicity. Slowly and carefully, so he wouldn't be overheard. He can say "two Dominicans" to us, or thinks he can--we're Anglo. I'd have said "two schlumps" or "two layabouts" or something actually meaningful. But I don't assume that ethnicity implies work habits, good or bad. Why do people do this? It wasn't the sort of deep prejudice that slips out in a moment of anger: you don't stop and lower your voice without knowing what you're going to say, and that it could get you in trouble. If he was thinking calmly enough to make sure he wasn't overheard, he should have been thinking calmly enough not to utter casual ethnic slurs.

I'm not sure if it makes it worse that he took my complicity for granted--do most anglo New Yorkers share his prejudices, or are his friends just tired of pointing out that he's a bigot and an idiot? It wasn't something where I could really have called him on it, even if I hadn't been too annoyed at the landlord at that point to pursue the other issue. And it's not a great idea to start a fight with the guy across the hall over a moral issue, even if I'm right.

<rant, part 2>The note from the landlord ends with "We appreciate your cooperation." Not with any kind of apology for the inconvenience. They appreciate our cooperation. What else am I going to do, gather my neighbors to go out to Queens with pitchforks and burn their office?
</rants>

On the positive side

We saw an eagle soaring over the hills this afternoon. Junior is growing into a fine young swan, gender still unknown to anyone not a swan. Andy got some nice pictures of warblers, and it really was a fine afternoon to sit outside and read Pat Murphy's Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell.

And when Andy told a friend over the phone that he had to "baste the cards and sell the bird", I offered five cents and a kiss for "that ugly bird that doesn't even have any feathers", and he accepted, before anyone else could grab it. (I was afraid he would demand a sonnet.) He continues to baste it and otherwise handle matters, and it's our dinner. (I wonder if having bought it means I have to do something with the leftovers. Curry is often nice.)

On the positive side

We saw an eagle soaring over the hills this afternoon. Junior is growing into a fine young swan, gender still unknown to anyone not a swan. Andy got some nice pictures of warblers, and it really was a fine afternoon to sit outside and read Pat Murphy's Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell.

And when Andy told a friend over the phone that he had to "baste the cards and sell the bird", I offered five cents and a kiss for "that ugly bird that doesn't even have any feathers", and he accepted, before anyone else could grab it. (I was afraid he would demand a sonnet.) He continues to baste it and otherwise handle matters, and it's our dinner. (I wonder if having bought it means I have to do something with the leftovers. Curry is often nice.)