Okay, so I live in an affluent neighborhood; don't mistake me for one of the affluent, but from where I live in my quaint little rent-controlled apartment, you can throw a rock in any direction and it would hit a home priced at three-quarters of a million or up. Head south down my street and cross Ventura and you are in the area that we locals know as "South of the Boulevard" which translates roughly as "where people who are sitting on piles of money live." Because this area is hilly (and provides access to fire roads and hiking trails), Owen and I walk the neighborhood daily. When I walk with my friend and neighbor Syd, we like to play the "original owner" game. This game consists of us identifying homes that are still occupied by the original owners. Judgement is usually based on things like paint color and landscaping (an inordinately large number of birds of paradise, juniper hedges, pyracanthas, or a proliferation of ivy are good inidcators).
Because I like a good makeover story, Iwhen these dated homes change hands I enjoy watching the progress as they are renovated, and admiring (or questioning) the aesthetic decisions made. On one of the hillier roads, a home recently underwent such a transformation. I was really impressed. They updated the home nicely, without making it ostentatious, and filled the sloping front "yard" (is it still a yard if it's almost vertical?) with drought-resistant plants - a wise choice considering that Southern California is still feeling the effects of an ongoing drought to the point that our mayor is considering mandating water-rationing.
Now, back to the house - so it's been renovated and landscaped and goes up for sale; it's clearly a "flip" (and a well-done flip at that, if you ask me). I see a "sold" sign go up and come down no less than two times before the home finally sells. It seems the new owners are in, because I've seen a flurry of work lately. The other day, Owen and I were walking by and saw gardeners hard at work on the slope. The next day, we passed by again and what do you know - all those drought-resistant plants? Gone. Replaced with sod. Consider that for a moment, will you? The new owners replaced perfectly good plants (with minimal water needs) with a brand-new water-hogging lawn.
Oy.
Now, I could understand if they had children and wanted a place for them to play, but, as I previously stated, this lawn is almost vertical. One false move and a child would find themselves rolling down said lawn, bouncing off the retaining wall and landing in the street. So it seems that this was done merely for aesthetics. You just have to trust me when I say that the previous non-thirsty landscape was very tastefully done, was in keeping with the overall look of the house and was, dare I say, more visually appealing than the bright green atrocity that's taken its place.
Way to go Einstein(s).
Friday, May 9, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Inaugural Blog
I wish I could christen this site with something more profound, more earth-shattering in its revelations, but oh well... this subject is well within the theme of my URL, so here goes....
I often take my dog to the dog park; while it is all good and well to assume there is something noble and altruistic about being a pet owner and sacrificing one's own free time to take one's dog to said dog park, I must ask you to recall that trite little adage about what happens when one "assumes" because, contrary to what one might think, even assholes take their dogs to the dog park.
Yesterday, I took Owen to the dog park, and saw a few of the regulars - mostly people whose company I enjoy. In speaking with Emma's mom (you don't learn people's names at the dog park, so much as you learn a dog's name and identify which person goes with said dog), I heard a story that appalled (but sadly did not shock) me, and served - if no other purpose - to reinforce my reasons for selecting my blogspot address.
Within the context of this story, it is important to note that in the dog park, there are rules. Two of the most important rules are that no unaltered dogs are allowed in any of the parks and owners are not allowed to bring food of any kind (meaning for themselves or their pets) so as to minimize potential acts of aggression. Makes sense, right? Yeah, you'd think...
A woman and her teenage (early 20s?) son came into the dog park before I arrived and brought with them food from Der Weinerschnitzel. Emma's mom politely informed them that no food was allowed. The woman looked at her and said "Who are you? The fuckin' dog park police?" Emma's mom then went on to say that no, she was not an employee of the dog park, but she just wanted them to be aware of the rules. "But other people have Starbucks" the woman's son responded. Emma's mom (who miraculously still had patience) explained that dogs will not become aggressive at the scent of a latte, nor will they fight over it - the same couldn't be said of a hot dog. "Don't listen to her" the enlightened mother told her son and promptly turned her back on Emma's mom and walked away. She and her son sat down and did at least take the time to hide their food in her purse so as not to blatantly flaunt their rule-breaking behavior.
Naturally, they attracted a lot of attention from the other dogs who no doubt picked up on the whiff of beef and beef by-products. At some point their dog became aggressive with one of the dogs that approached; instead of pulling their dog back (as most common-sense folk would do), the son said "that's right - get 'im" at which point the owner of the other dog came and removed it to (relative) safety. The kid just laughed; it's funny when dogs fight, apparently.
Now, I completely understand the concept of surly teenagers testing boundaries, thumbing their noses at authority and their "you're not the boss of me" attitudes, but it horrifies, disgusts and angers me to see that sort of blatant disrespect supported and encouraged by their parents! The message this mother is communicating to her son seems to be "you don't have to follow rules if you don't like them and if you're called on it, don't back down."
Way to go "mom." GREAT EXAMPLE. Thanks for your work in molding a model citizen; I'll be tipping my hat to you on Mothers Day (oh... wait... maybe not).
Congratulations. You are in the running to be the poster child for the Norplant Gun.
I often take my dog to the dog park; while it is all good and well to assume there is something noble and altruistic about being a pet owner and sacrificing one's own free time to take one's dog to said dog park, I must ask you to recall that trite little adage about what happens when one "assumes" because, contrary to what one might think, even assholes take their dogs to the dog park.
Yesterday, I took Owen to the dog park, and saw a few of the regulars - mostly people whose company I enjoy. In speaking with Emma's mom (you don't learn people's names at the dog park, so much as you learn a dog's name and identify which person goes with said dog), I heard a story that appalled (but sadly did not shock) me, and served - if no other purpose - to reinforce my reasons for selecting my blogspot address.
Within the context of this story, it is important to note that in the dog park, there are rules. Two of the most important rules are that no unaltered dogs are allowed in any of the parks and owners are not allowed to bring food of any kind (meaning for themselves or their pets) so as to minimize potential acts of aggression. Makes sense, right? Yeah, you'd think...
A woman and her teenage (early 20s?) son came into the dog park before I arrived and brought with them food from Der Weinerschnitzel. Emma's mom politely informed them that no food was allowed. The woman looked at her and said "Who are you? The fuckin' dog park police?" Emma's mom then went on to say that no, she was not an employee of the dog park, but she just wanted them to be aware of the rules. "But other people have Starbucks" the woman's son responded. Emma's mom (who miraculously still had patience) explained that dogs will not become aggressive at the scent of a latte, nor will they fight over it - the same couldn't be said of a hot dog. "Don't listen to her" the enlightened mother told her son and promptly turned her back on Emma's mom and walked away. She and her son sat down and did at least take the time to hide their food in her purse so as not to blatantly flaunt their rule-breaking behavior.
Naturally, they attracted a lot of attention from the other dogs who no doubt picked up on the whiff of beef and beef by-products. At some point their dog became aggressive with one of the dogs that approached; instead of pulling their dog back (as most common-sense folk would do), the son said "that's right - get 'im" at which point the owner of the other dog came and removed it to (relative) safety. The kid just laughed; it's funny when dogs fight, apparently.
Now, I completely understand the concept of surly teenagers testing boundaries, thumbing their noses at authority and their "you're not the boss of me" attitudes, but it horrifies, disgusts and angers me to see that sort of blatant disrespect supported and encouraged by their parents! The message this mother is communicating to her son seems to be "you don't have to follow rules if you don't like them and if you're called on it, don't back down."
Way to go "mom." GREAT EXAMPLE. Thanks for your work in molding a model citizen; I'll be tipping my hat to you on Mothers Day (oh... wait... maybe not).
Congratulations. You are in the running to be the poster child for the Norplant Gun.
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