Enough Already!

Will someone please tell me why the ass-hats who insist on shooting fireworks until well past midnight every god damned night of the week for the past two weeks can't have the common decency to pick up the garbage they create? Saturday, I was weeding my flowerbeds, and pulled god knows how many firecrackers out. Bottle rockets, twirley noisey thingys, you name it, they've landed in my yard. I don't even shoot fireworks, so it's particularly annoying to me. I remind you, am the gal who campaigned to start a litter pick up crew in my neighborhood, so leaving trash in my yard is hardly a way to make friends. In the first place, fireworks are for the Fourth of July, which has yet to arrive. Secondly, They are meant to be enjoyed in a setting in which trained professionals produce a grand showing, not where people such as myself are unable to walk into their own front yards to water flowers because stray, exploding projectiles are being launched at one's head. And finally, there is a courtesy issue here. Many people actually work for a living. Paying mortgages, utilities, taxes, you know, being responsible adults. Of this section of the population, a great big percentage of us have to get up EARLY in the mornings. We don't necessarily like it either. We do it because we have to. We do it because it pays the bills. We do it so that we can live the lifestyle that we want to live. I'm just asking for some peace and quiet after, let's say 10 pm on weeknights and Sunday nights. That's not too much to ask, is it? Really, am I being unreasonable here?

Blogging from my death bed

I'm not really sure what virus, bacteria, or otherwise evil enchantment was the culprit, but something has rendered me virtually useless today. I have vomited until there is no more fluid left in my body. I know you wanted to hear all about that. Why am I risking certain death to be out of bed and upright? To tell you that my litter removal idea has taken off locally. I was not getting anywhere with you guys ;) (nudge, nudge) so I ventured over to the This is LaVergne blog... you've probably seen her link over on my blog-roll. It just so happened that the day I strolled there, she had an open-thread going, asking whats on our minds. Me, being the person that I am, spoke up and said that the garbage on the sides of the streets has been on my mind, and bam! The response has been tremendous. Now I'm getting emails, we're organizing a committee, setting up dates to clean up LaVergne, and networking. One person even chimed in with tips on how we can recycle the trash we pick up and then donate the proceeds to the local chapter of the Humane Society. AWESOME! Community in action. Just what I like to see. Oh, and guess who's been nominated as Chairperson of the Beautification Committee? Your very own, Fortune Cookies! Ok, so it's a made up committee, and a nomination made in jest, but hey, I take positive reinforcements anywhere I can get them ;) Here's the link to the thread, if you're interested.
And now, I'm going back to bed, hopefully I'll live to see my city litter free.

Becoming the change

I was watching the news the other night, and there's a segment called ask the mayor, in which Nashvillians are granted a chance to voice questions and concerns to Mayor Karl Dean. One of the questions asked of Mayor Dean was when is he going to do something about the growing litter problem in Nashville, and why can't we get some nicely landscaped streets. The response was as to be expected, we already have regularly scheduled litter pick up in place, there really aren't funds to schedule extra pick ups, and that the city hopes to have citizens' input and assistance to get the issue under control.
As far as the nicely landscaped streets? There was never any response to that, but if you ask me, We need to get the litter under controll before anyone even considers some landscaping. Why would they spend the money on that if all we're going to do is throw trash on it and cover it up?
I say, if we want to get the litter problem under control, STOP LITTERING! Go out and PICK UP the litter. This is not an issue like, say, the increasing crime problem where police intervention is required. This is not like the issue of having some of the worst scores on aptitude tests in the nation, where better educational standards, put in place by the Metro School Board would help to correct the issue. No, this is completely in our hands. If we want our home to be litter free and clean, we need to get out there and pick up the trash.

Gandhi said that we should be the change we want to see in this world. For me that means take action.
I've made my commitment; begining this week, I will take a walk each week, garbage bag in tote. Starting with my own neighborhood, I'll pick up litter from the sides of the streets and sidewalks. I'm tired of riding through my neighborhood and seeing fast food bags, coke bottles, beer bottles, empty cigarette packs tossed out to litter what should be a pretty and scenic drive.
In the process of my litter removal, I'll get some sun and some much needed exercise. It's a win, win, win operation.
We can write letters all day long to our mayors about litter problems in our neighborhoods, but honestly, people, this one is on us and us alone.

Who wants to join me? Anyone up for a Sunday stroll and some garbage extraction? We can post photos of our efforts here like a meme to keep eachother motivated. Can you dig it?