As some of you may already know I work the night shift as a Museum Security Guard. Even though there are no visitors after hours my workplace has security staff 24/7/365.
Evening/Night Shifts attract an interesting group of people. The dynamic at my museum workplace brought to mind that old TV Comedy show Night Court which aired from 1984 to 1992. Degrees of weirdness that you can only experience after dark. There is a lot of truth to the Whodini song “The Freaks come out at Night.”
I am the only Woman Security Officer on the Shift.
The Nosy Parker
The Didactic Historian expert on every political and social event that has happened since mankind came out of the caves.
The Whiner/Complainer Elitist as in I should be in a better paying more glamorous job
The Guy who thinks he is Super Guard and constantly brings up his past military service and officer training aka Mr. Know-It-All
The Lost Cause aka Mr. Timid.
Then there are several co-workers who serve as comic relief. I suppose I fall into this category as sometimes I feel like the Narrator to a Drama/Comedy.
The Allegory of the Cave came to mind this morning as I was thinking about people’s responses to my calls to our elected officials. The compliments made it seem as though I was doing something out of the ordinary. Something exceptional. Something Amazing. Yet what I do for my brother is not. Not only what I do for him but for my friends and co-workers in the fight against abuse and bullying. I am not brave nor do I possess courage or any outstanding qualities. I am Not extraordinary. I am Not remarkable.
Then again most Americans are caught up in apathy. They feed off the Kardashians and other Reality shows. Or they are a prison of Shondaland. If you live in the U.S. you know which TV programs of which I speak.
You know something? In the final analysis it won’t be #45 aka Agent Orange, the Republicans or the Conservatives who bring about the destruction of America or its imminent collapse. It will be the apathy of people who refused to get involved. Also the stupidity of people who refuse to face or believe the truth even though it’s right in front of their faces. Those who watched others suffer and said to themselves, My little world is okay. It’s not my problem. Yes they will say that until the day tragedy strikes them or their loved ones. But then it will be too late.
It won’t be Nero who fiddled while Rome burned it will be Americans mesmerized by the Idiot Box aka TV, Reality Stars, Sports figures, Entertainers, etc….. The media, false morals, and society are doing a good job of keeping many transfixed on mirages. Worshiping people whom none of us will ever be like and you certainly won’t have their money or fame.
The way I figure things are going I’m gonna go down fighting. Owning nothing. I am nothing. Therefore I have nothing to lose. Those who leave and step out of the Matrix risk death. As for me I made my peace with God months ago.
I am Not a hero. A hero is just a sandwich. Now chew on that.
Mature Grown Folks Relationship Observations for those 45+
I’ve had the opportunity to explore every wing of my museum. I especially look for depictions of women in various societies and time periods. There is nothing more beautiful than the female nude. In every culture, Africa, Greek & Roman, European: 13-18 centuries and in 19th Century Art nearly every beautiful woman painted or sculpted has a small belly, a roundness in the tummy area.
Rubenesque as defined by the Urban Dictionary: Applied to a woman who has similar proportions to those in paintings by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Ruben; attractively plump; a woman who is alluring or pretty but without the waif-like body or athletic build presently common in media.
Every magazine, every newspaper, TV, the movies and of course the Internet screams at women to have that perfect body at any age. No you must have that movie star body so all the men will fall at your feet, regardless of the fact that most TV and Film stars have more failed relationships than anyone else.Before the exercise craze of the 20th Century it was okay for a woman to have a slight belly bulge. In fact not only were curves a sign of beauty but a sign you were getting enough to eat! Now the competition is on about who can have the flattest stomach or that infamous 6-pack. When I was growing up in the 60s a six-pack was a beer. Sure if you drank too many of them you took the risk of looking like you were about to give birth to a Budweiser but most folks drank on weekends. However I digress.
So much for exercise helping the “Beautiful People” stay married! This fixation with bodily perfection also has fat, balding middle-aged men, who probably need Viagra to get the job done searching desperately for Victoria’s Secret models. Like most women my weight fluctuates. Now I’ll never be very big because my mother was a small woman, (Jada Pinkett in size not looks) but yes I do have that middle-age gut. Why? I don’t really know. Maybe having an expanding middle was or is an outcome of menopause. At first it really bothered me. I’m no exercise freak but I do my walking and sometimes I’ll do sit-ups but truthfully I hate sit-ups! I can honestly say I look pretty good for my age. I’m well preserved but I’m not a card-carrying member of the fitness craze. Went through all that while I was in the Army and since I no longer have a Drill Sgt breathing down my neck I no longer fear those 6 am 6 mile runs in full gear.
To paraphrase the Holy Bible, the grass withers and the flower fades but a Woman of God endures forever. Now I can cook and clean with the best of them but I’m never going to look the way I did in my 20s, 30s or 40s. So guys if you’re looking for a Proverbs 31:10-31 Woman I’m here. If you’re looking for Bay Watch babes, well keep looking and let me know how that works out for you. Peace.
Espiritu en Fuego/A Fiery Spirit 