Recently, one of my neighbors passed away. Her name was Lynne, and she had been battling cancer for some time, and finally succumbed to it. It's very sad, and what's even more sad is the sweet man she left behind named Howard. Howard (at least from what I've seen since we moved in 2 months ago) is a kind soul who gave a good part of his life to caring for his sick girlfriend and their blind dog. Howard was the first to welcome us into our new home, and has always had a kind word and a sweet smile for us every time we pass each other while walking our dogs.
When Lynne passed away a few weeks ago, he lit a candle for her outside of their door, and has lit it every night since. He has been collecting the flowers people have been sending him and displaying them outside of their apartment door as well. It's been a constant reminder of how quickly life can change. Dan and I get sad every time we pass, but we also cling more tightly to each other, grateful for the love we have for each other.
Last night, when we came home...
When Lynne passed away a few weeks ago, he lit a candle for her outside of their door, and has lit it every night since. He has been collecting the flowers people have been sending him and displaying them outside of their apartment door as well. It's been a constant reminder of how quickly life can change. Dan and I get sad every time we pass, but we also cling more tightly to each other, grateful for the love we have for each other.
Last night, when we came home...
...a bright and lively little invitation was posted on the gate leading up to the apartments from our garage. This note had also been posted in several other areas; near the mailboxes, on the inside of the door as you go out onto the street, and on the other side of the garage door. Whoever was planning this party really wanted to give everyone in the building the opportunity to see the invitation. The note said, " Let's all meet! for a Pot-luck casual dinner and pool party...on the deck :) Celebrating the life of our neighbor Lynne and supporting our friend and neighbor Howard! Sunday Oct 7 @6pm."
One of our lovely neighbors had decided it was time to acknowledge the shrine that had been set up to celebrate Lynne's life, and support Howard during this hard time by coming together as a community and getting to know one another. I had a feeling I knew who posted this sign. There is a very sweet woman who lives downstairs, who was also extremely welcoming to us when we moved in. She has a doormat with the word "Blessings" written across it, and sometimes through her window you can see other Christian type decorations with positive expressions of love written on them. I thought the gathering was a great idea, and had been wanting to do something similar after we moved in, just because I hate passing people in the halls every single day and not really knowing who they are.
One of our lovely neighbors had decided it was time to acknowledge the shrine that had been set up to celebrate Lynne's life, and support Howard during this hard time by coming together as a community and getting to know one another. I had a feeling I knew who posted this sign. There is a very sweet woman who lives downstairs, who was also extremely welcoming to us when we moved in. She has a doormat with the word "Blessings" written across it, and sometimes through her window you can see other Christian type decorations with positive expressions of love written on them. I thought the gathering was a great idea, and had been wanting to do something similar after we moved in, just because I hate passing people in the halls every single day and not really knowing who they are.
This morning, the asshole who, OF COURSE, lives right next door to us, had gone around the building and posted THIS rude note right next to ALL of the invitations. totally negating the point of the neighborly welcome and addressing his own selfish agenda. I thought "What kind of jerk doesn't know how dickish he's being? Who posts this selfish of a note RIGHT NEXT TO ALL of the nice invitations, completely undermining the attempt at celebrating the life of our recently deceased neighbor but focusing on his his petty little complaints about people...having FUN in their own home?" He also displayed a ridiculous ignorance regarding STD's and well...I just couldn't leave it alone. I tried. I really did!
It infuriated me that he made such a stupid ignorant statement about catching STD's in the pool. SEXUALLY Transmitted Diseases are pretty self explanatory. The way you contract them is right there in their name. I'm sure doctors and scientists would have made a point of calling them SPTD's -Sexually and/or Poolly Transmitted Diseases- if in fact we were at risk of catching them through Sex and/or a Pool. But we're not, so they didn't, and this makes me want to burn this guy's house down. It's so reminiscent of all the loony statements flying out of old men's mouths about women's bodies being able to self-abort a legitimate rape fetus. I choose not to open my mouth, unless I know what I'm talking about, or am putting a delicious piece of pizza into it. I wish more people would abide by this rule as well.
It infuriated me that he made such a stupid ignorant statement about catching STD's in the pool. SEXUALLY Transmitted Diseases are pretty self explanatory. The way you contract them is right there in their name. I'm sure doctors and scientists would have made a point of calling them SPTD's -Sexually and/or Poolly Transmitted Diseases- if in fact we were at risk of catching them through Sex and/or a Pool. But we're not, so they didn't, and this makes me want to burn this guy's house down. It's so reminiscent of all the loony statements flying out of old men's mouths about women's bodies being able to self-abort a legitimate rape fetus. I choose not to open my mouth, unless I know what I'm talking about, or am putting a delicious piece of pizza into it. I wish more people would abide by this rule as well.
Click to enlarge. Sorry about the rotation.
I tried to leave it alone, but the Aquarius in me wouldn't forget it. So I typed up a little note, saying "Just a friendly reminder, if you have a complaint about one of your fellow neighbors, the appropriate response is to email Resident Relations at xx@xxxproperties.com. Below is some accurate information regarding STD's. Have a great day!"
Then I posted some info from the American Health Association and highlighted the area where it states that you can NOT get an STD from a pool. And I ripped down one of his 7 notes.
Two hours later, he had written on my note, "There has to be chlorine in a pool for this to be true." Again, proving his absolute ignorance to common sense. I almost wrote back, "Last time I checked, we don't have a salt water pool, or a giant sludge filled bacteria hole, so there obviously IS Chlorine in this pool." But then I came to my senses and realized that I was fighting a battle with the mental equivalent of a Tea Partier, so I saved the ink in my printer for more important projects. Like saving the world, one sketch at a time.
Then I posted some info from the American Health Association and highlighted the area where it states that you can NOT get an STD from a pool. And I ripped down one of his 7 notes.
Two hours later, he had written on my note, "There has to be chlorine in a pool for this to be true." Again, proving his absolute ignorance to common sense. I almost wrote back, "Last time I checked, we don't have a salt water pool, or a giant sludge filled bacteria hole, so there obviously IS Chlorine in this pool." But then I came to my senses and realized that I was fighting a battle with the mental equivalent of a Tea Partier, so I saved the ink in my printer for more important projects. Like saving the world, one sketch at a time.
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