Urbanite Crime Edition

Did anyone else read that article on the horrific beating and murder of Zach Sowers? I have followed the crime since it happened and checked on the website for Zach's progress. It was such a sad story- it hit home because we live about 5+ blocks away on the south side of Eastern Avenue.

I remember when we first heard about it, I scolded my BF for walking home from the bars at night. "You never know what can happen" I told him. And I was right, unfortunately. It took a spill the beans conversation with his Dad to get him to stop walking home by himself on a weekend night. We were out at dinner and I complained to his Dad that "it scares me to death when he walks home at night by himself from the bars". His Dad got so upset and made him promise to call a cab. I know that was not a nice thing to do, but I will do what it takes to keep my loved ones safe.

What really surprised me though, about the article, was not the Zach Sowers story. But the Eric Price story. The story of one of the kids that was involved in that horrific crime. One of the biggest surprises was that he lived right up the street from us. He could have been one of the many children that I see throwing a football around or chasing each other up and down the street. He could have crossed paths with me and I would have thought nothing of it. His mother was a server at the Hippodrome, she could have waited on us when we went to see "A Christmas Carol". These kids aren't monsters, just violent children acting like monsters.

Anna Sowers doesn't want to get involved in any of the crime prevention causes, just the prosecution end of the Judicial system, and who could blame her. She has been through enough. Her life as she knew it was ripped to shreds and she did absolutely nothing to receive such a strong stroke of bad luck.

Sunday Night Blues

A house around the corner is selling for $248,000, partially rehabbed. It looks to be in good condition, the first floor is really nice. When is the last time you saw a Brewer's Hill rowhouse go for $248,000 with exposed brick and new kitchen? It was spacious and nice. The prices of homes are dropping in the way that they went up. It sneaks up on you over a period of months. Homes in this area were 110 then 150 then 200 then 250 then 300 then 350! Now they are going down in the same increments. And they are at 250- maybe they will go back to 110.

That would be great considering there is only but a specific group that would want to live over here anyways. It is no place for kids, for starters. Inner city school and small living spaces in comparison to something out in the suburbs. The crime is always a problem, some months are better then others but there is always that concern that something will happen when you least expect it.

I feel a little annoyed when people say times are tough... how are they tough? Did you overspend? Laptops and cable are not necessities. Restaurants and fast foods are expensive. Gym memberships can be replaced by walks or running, eating out can be replaced with home cooking, cable TV can be downgraded or replace with books and books can be taken out at the local library for free. We live on a very small amount of money and don't have any troubles. We live in a small rental, own 10+year old vehicles, long ago paid for and rarely shop unless it is for groceries. Our food isn't expensive- I mean rice went up a $1.00 a bag.

Now, I know that there are families out there that live off of less than what we have and they struggle with kids and house payments. But I know in the group of complainers about tough times are people with gym memberships, car payments, cell phone bills, shopping debt and too much house. Those people can kiss my frugal ass.

Volunteer

I went to a volunteer project for work this morning. Normally these types of functions are very positive and upbeat. But the prevailing attitude of the corporate culture interfered with any positive moments. " I have been here since 6am", "I did my part", "She needs to get dirty, she didnt do anything". This negative crap follows them away from the office into the woods to a beautiful setting on the Chesapeake Bay. I mean really! Pathetic.

Anyways, it is a beautiful day and I feel good about volunteering. I need to spend more time away from the city in a more natural surrounding- it really is peaceful (well, for me and not my jaded co-workers) .

My supervisor wasn't there today- I think he was at another site. We have bonded a little bit, I cant decide what i really think of him. Sometimes I think he is a pretty cool guy but sometimes, like my earlier posts, I think he is just full of it. Maybe he is a little both. Maybe he is in a bad situation and I have seen an unflattering side of him. I know that I am not the most gracious of human beings when I am under pressure. Who knows, maybe he is just growing on me.

The horses run today- gotta check out the race at 6pm while I work on some homework. Remind me again, why do I really want my MBA?

What happened to my speech?

Sloppy English. That should be the term to describe the dilect of Baltimoreans. Garbled words.

"Poh Lease"- What comes to get you when you break the law
"Wadder"- What's in the Patterson Park Pool in the summer
"Cow Knee"- Where property taxes are cut in half
"Marr"- Lady in charge of the city
"Bald E More" - Where we live
"Wad-you-do-en" - What you ask to see what is going on
"axing a fool"- when you make a fool out of yourself
"Sha-er"- gets you clean
"Man tal aty"- state of Baltimoreans mind
"Sto"- where to shop
"Dawg"- enemy to the cat
"Far"- what firefighters battle with water
"Acts somebody" - what you have to do when you are lost.......

Stress

I wonder what organ is decaying inside me today due to stress. Maybe my liver, or my cardio system. I kept finding myself breathing shallow during the day because my "supervisor" was breathing down my neck. He is like a fruit fly, no matter what you do, it keeps getting in your face.

Today, I tried talking to him directly and asking him if we can start working together as a team, and I think that he went for it. But he is a smarmy bastard and could just being saying that to catch me off guard. I work for a company with a bad reputation of mismanagement and well, that doesn't happen because things are running smoothly on the inside. If it is bad from the outside, good chance it will be bad on the inside.

Anyways, I took it upon myself to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's and watch a few episodes Sopranos' on demand. I will do anything legal to raise the serotonin level.

The Job, the job, the job

Why does working have to take up so much of life? It is only going to get worse, I am afraid. I don't mean just for me, but for Americans in general. We are working harder, longer, and I don't see a reversal of that trend anytime soon. The economy is grinding to a slower pace, the price increases of all products and services are adding up, the spending is decreasing while outstanding debts increase. Americans are in debt- whether it is car payments, furniture payments, gym payments, mortgage, BGE, phone, internet! Does it end? Can we stop?



My job is stressful- bad numbers in, bad numbers out. No one wants to stop and clean up the process- just linking one dysfunction spreadsheet to another. Link to Link to Link- nothing getting updated. It wears on me like a bad headache does- I have only been there for 3 months and I am at "oh well, what can i do to make this better realistically? This is not going to change just by one person making a stink". I just ignore my instincts, and try to make it to 5pm without being asked to do anything extra. I have found that speaking up evokes severe resistance. I don't want to be the "bad guy" here- so it is better not to make waves when I am the only one that is going to be whacked in the face with a bucket of water.

Anyways, I drove down S.Kresson street today. Why? I don't know. Because I do things like that- just to see what is there. I have read about the horrors of S. Kresson street on the Southeastern crime blog and I thought that something bad and dangerous was going to happen if I drove down the street. Well, I got a few stares, but it nothing happened. Who would buy a house over there that didn't mind a little crime, or rowdy neighbors? I have read about homeowners that have bought rowhouses over there and have a terrible time with crime on that street. Well, did you drive up and down the street before you bought a home on that road?! The crime doesnt conceal itself over there!