The Homeless: Questioned?

I feel pity for the thousands of homeless people who are scattered all over Baltimore. Sure, but only for so much. It’s sad to see how people use suffering as a way to get their hands on things that only bring them further suffering (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc.) Would I give money to those who beg? Absolutely not. They will not get a penny from me, not at all.

My last experience trying to help a stranger happened during summer 2005. I was on my way home from work in Washington, DC when a lady asked me for a favor. She started asking me about the parking lot across the metro station, particularly about the time they re-open. This lady’s clothing was quite raggidy, but at the time, it didn’t appear as worth suspecting. She was and seemingly frail, and apparently she was having trouble going back home because her car is stuck in the parking lot which is already closed. She asked for my name, and I gave it too her, not my real name of course. This conversation went from okay to worse. This stranger started asking me for money, about $50 she said. Quickly I realized just what situation I’ve gotten myself to. I stepped back, gained my common sense and told her that I was unable to help her. She went ballistic on me! In the middle of public she started screaming that I am “one careless person who wouldn’t want to help a helpless old lady.” Well I walked away right away of course, leaving the scene and leaving the lady in distress. That was the last time I tried helping a stranger.

If you really need help, wouldn’t you go for more reasonable ways? Maybe call the cops if you really don’t know where you are, I’m sure they will direct you to some social services somewhere along the way; they will certainly help you find whatever it is you’re looking for. Asking favors from people rushing through the streets is not an idea. Plus, how would I know that you really need help. Am I right?

If you are helpless, jobless and couldn’t figure out what to do, there are programs out there reaching out for you trying their best to get you back to life. For those refugees who’ve lost their homes to the hurricane, for those who are kicked out of their homes because they couldn’t get out of debt… I wish I could help them directly, but mixing between the I-lost-all-my-money-to-cocaine crowd does not make the job easier.

From the way I see it, there is almost no way that you could find no job; no way of making a living. If you have a social security, you are basically given a list of jobs that you could work for. And that list could only go on and on and on. We hear it all the time, people who started out as the trash collector, ended working for the company for a long time and joined the management team. There is always a way to work up the hierarchy. Only if you have the willpower, which unfortunately a lot of people in the U.S. do not have.

Haven’t they realized just how many immigrants fight their way into this country because of the job opportunities around? Haven’t they realized that people actually row boats and swim across borders to get their feet here in the U.S., the land of opportunity. They fought to get a working permit, to be allowed to work, to be allowed to make a living. Yet here many who are given the opportunity choose to waste it to drains.

If I have my way of helping these individuals, I would rather help through programs that I believe in. I’m sure there are programs out there to help these homeless people to get back on their feet and use the opportunity that they are given out there in the working world. I’m sure there are such programs. I just don’t believe in simply giving. I believe in training those people. Train them to be able to realize what they have, and train them to able to battle it out there out in real world.

Maybe I went from feeling pity for them, to feeling how they are pathetic. Sad, huh?
*Note the grammar on this sentence, if someone would fix it for me, I’d be glad to fix it *

Fools and Horses

It was around 11:00pm when Fools and Horses took over the stage on Friday night at the Records Theater. Considered as the “weapon band” from Baltimore, I would say they sure got some weapon under their sleeves. They started rocking the stage with upbeat tempos and licking solos. A music that immediately stirred the audience.

The music was considered to be alternative/powerpop. I guess I could agree, although there are some mainstream pop playing during coverage of other song that aren’t their original. Their own original music though, stunning. I didn’t expect this band to really be able to come out original, original. But they did, which impressed me just so.

The drums are quite simple, although sometimes he would slip in some odd-beats which is always interesting to hear. Nevertheless, his playing is absolutely powerful which I think is always essential when it comes to drum playing. Weak drummers = Lame drummers (I think). Then the bassist, a left-handed mogul whose definitely got some skills. His melodic playing stands out in between verses and choruses, making his role as a bassist a little more than just a bassist. Thumbs up for that.

Then we come to the vocalist and the guitarist who are the two front-melody players. The vocals? Stunning. Simply stunning. He has got a real raspy voice, strong distortion but still sounded absolutely clean. Amazing. I still find it impressive for a vocalist to be able to keep their voice clean for a whole night of a performance. And even better, he plays solos too – which a lot of front-man don’t do very often anymore. The guitars? Clean. That’s all I could say. I was jawdropped at how clean and flawless the sounds were. Some of his solos swirled around the usual around-the-main-melody type. But when he gets down and dirty (as in steps off the track), and have a go with the front-man, things got really interesting. Four thumbs up for that.

Overall, it was really quite an entertainment! Fools and Horses is truly a band that is seeing a bright future (quite near too apparently). As long as they keep to the original, then I would keep listening to their music. How do I judge whether it’s good music/not? I would buy the CD. Simple as that. If it’s good enough for me to actually be willing to buy the CD, then that’s good music. To be honest with you, I’m very picky when it comes to buying CD’s. Thanks to today’s technology, it really isn’t necessary to buy them anymore. But of course, it’s just nice to have a collection. Therefore I only buy really good music’s CD’s.

So, great entertainment, great music. And I’m looking forward to more developments from this growing superstar.

Life at Towson, so far.

Let’s start with the complaints first haha:

There is not very many public transportations such as subways and buses. When there is one, it doesn’t pass my route, and it’s expensive! (it’s $1.60/ride here compared to the $1.25 in the DC-Metro area.) The routes are rare and the hours (schedule) are weird too. I guess I’m just used to the convenience of having buses everywhere and it being not so expensive. Plus, some of the buses are just so nice it feels like a luxury.

This leads to me having to bike everywhere. Which is not a bad thing I suppose, I mean, I am constantly exercising, right? My cavs are huge now, considering going up and down the hills in Towson! Yea, I don’t know what’s the deal with the hills around here, it’s maddening. Anyhow, it isn’t save for me to ride my bike at night or really early in the morning (considering Starbucks openers must come in to work at 4:45am!) So that sucks. Oh and the rain/snow/extreme heat doesn’t help neither.

The good things about living in Towson? The fact that I have my own apartment that I am fully paying on my own which is nice. I guess it’s about time that I actually have a lease in hand. I have been paying rent since high school, it’s just that this time the place is officially MINE, instead of my mom’s

Another thing is that the Starbucks here got a drive-thru which is super cool for us baristas who had never touched a drive-thru before. I had always wondered what it’s like, considering one my friends, Ovan, works at a drive-thru store as well. Now I know, and it’s nice to be able to understand better haha.

The people here are so welcoming! Yes, everywhere I go, I feel like I could just talk to someone and they’ll talk back and be nice to me. That feels good. DC people are so busy with their own stuff all the time I feel like I have to catch up consistently. But here, I made more friends that I had expected considering that I had only been here a little more than a month. I appreciate everyone for making my stay here much better than ever and I will cherish all the new friendships I am making.

Well that’s life at Towson so far. I am hoping to get a car soon, so hopefully that will make life easier here. Oh, gotta get my license for that first shouldn’t I – which I should do very soon!

Well, have a great day everyone!