I'm not quite sure what to say about this explosion of an issue that I didn't know that I was starting. What I do believe is that we all care about this city and that we want to see that it does better. I don't know as much as I would like to know about Buffalo. Most of you know more than I about its history and architecture. This site is great because we all have each other as a source of information. I'm always impressed about how much I have learned from the people on (e:strip).

One thing I would like to say is that Utica and Norwood would be a fine place to live for los Chicos. Norwood is another favorite of mine. Utica is like a block away from me and I may have been a bit too alarmist. Utica is still not my favorite choice for me personally, but I would consider it if it was the price I wanted and had all that I needed in an apartment.

Another thing I want to talk about is my experience on Main Street. If it were not for Main Street I probably never would have moved to Buffalo. I think I was destined to live here. My birthday was yesterday and my mother was just telling me how I was supposed to be born at Sisters Hospital, but because I was a brat and demanded to get out of my mother's womb rather than give ample notice that I wanted out, I was born in Lewiston at Mount St. Mary's, the closest hospital to my parent's apartment. It's funny how despite my family living in two different places in New Jersey, Long Island and Rochester that I would end right back up where I started. Anyways, I moved to Buffalo because it had more affordable housing and I didn't need a car because public transportation in Buffalo is way better than Rochester's system. My friends Mary and Adam lived on Amherst and Main. When I found out that there was a subway that would take me downtown to ECC (Erie Community College) I decided to take up their offer to live with them. If I had stayed in Rochester, I probably would not have been able to support myself while going to school. Indirectly it was Main St. that allowed me to get my education.

I got a job working at Sisters Hospital at Aroma's coffee stand where I worked for two or three years. (I'm not so great at measures of time) For a while I would walk down Main Street to get to work on Saturday morning because the subway wasn't running early enough to get me in on time. I didn't know that there was a number 8 bus that would take me instead of walking. It's not that I minded walking, because it was just something that I had to do. It would be so creepy walking from Amherst St station to Humboldt Hospital station when there were hardly any souls to be seen so early in the morning. (I believe it's the farthest distance between any two stations) Nothing bad happened to me any of these times, but it was a popular hour for prostitution. You wouldn't think Main Street was a place to pick up a nice hooker, but it is.

Eventually I met Kenyatti via AOL (classic) and we started dating. He worked at UB North Campus so I would take the train to South Campus and a shuttle to UB North. My first years in Buffalo were somewhat sheltered. I would only travel Main St. up and down, up and down. It was really cool actually to be able to get places by train; I loved it and would do homework on the way to school. I loved school, it was so diverse at ECC and I got a great foundation to my education. Still, I didn't really know any other part of Buffalo because I was perpetually stuck on a dividing line between white and black. I was on the white side and the blacks were on theirs. It was so strange living like that for so long; so close to "them", but so far at the same time. Occasionally I would cross to the other side. I befriended a girl named Aisha who was like 13 or 14 and had a child. She lived in some apartments over on her side. The apartment she lived in near the Central Park Plaza with her mother, brother and child was not so nice. It was sad, it was depressing and in many ways seemed so hopeless. She would come over to "our" side with the baby and we would hang out. Her situation was so unlike my own that the Main Street's dividing line couldn't be more real or painful. I'm not sure whatever happened to Aisha, but I would imagine she is still on her side as I am on mine.

There were other times that I would cross over to their side. I used to think that I could walk wherever I wanted to during the day. It's almost like I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't a racist and I would walk over on "their" side to prove to myself that I was not afraid. I was afraid though, but it really made me uncomfortable to think that maybe I was biased, so I ignored my fears. So it was during the day walking back from the Quality at Central Park Plaza that I was violently mugged while cars passed me by. It was the first (but not last) time that I would be victimized by a stranger. I did not go to buy groceries at the Quality anymore, but I could not escape the violence, which was on my side as well.

I lived beneath a white teenager and his crack-head mother. It was really such an awful experience, because I would hear him beating his black girl friend on a regular basis. One time I woke up terrified as plaster was falling all around me because he was beating her so bad. The police were always called, but they never could do anything. Violence was all around me, not just contained to "their" side. Still the contrast between "their" side and "our" side is so sharp. One time while walking to Eckerd I heard all these gunshots coming from the "other" side and had to turn back home empty handed. In the subway tunnel, gang activity was high. People were occasionally beaten in the stations and on the moving trains. Another time I was coming dangerously close to being attacked by a group of thugs, but a group of girls saved me by scolding them for giving black people a bad name. It was such a relief and I was glad to let the girls know that the majority of the blacks I knew would never do such a thing. I was punched in the face once while just sitting minding my business on the train. Sometimes at Utica station I would hold my breath because I was scared that kids with guns would one day start shooting at each other and I would be struck by a stray bullet. This really was not an irrational fear that I had, but one that came about after countless episodes telling me that it was not safe.

Now I live on Elmwood and the violence has not stopped. Yet I don't feel like I'm going to be hit by a stray bullet and don't walk around with my keys protruding from my fingers so I could quickly gouge someone's eyes out. (Maybe I still should) To me it doesn't matter what race you are if you sincerely are concerned about safety than it might be a better choice not to live in certain areas. However! Nowhere is safe, as I very well know.

So if you have read this much, thanks for listening. There are not any quick fixes to these problems that I am aware of, but I would imagine that poverty plays a very strong role.

I just saw this commercial that took me by surprise. Not sure if you have all seen the Volkswagen Passat Low-Ego Emissions ad. Genius!

We now order bulk Ox Bow Timothy Hay for Coco. We showed him the bin of it and he went loco for it. He jumped in to graze, but I wouldn't let him stay in it because they naturally use it as a litter.

Off to better news...who cares about the last post. I'm so over sadness! Anyways, it sounds like my summertime employment demands are going to be met. I'm doing a couple of weeks worth of work at $9/hr in a summer home in Canada. I wonder if this will make me a house boy? Originally I was offered $8/hr, but I was thinking $10 and he agreed to meet me in the middle. Nice, I like bargaining. For something more permanent, I want to work for the New York State Smokers Quit Line at Roswell. I'm pretty sure that I would be perfect for the job and it would be great to do something meaningful rather than something robotic and meaningless.

Sometimes it's hard not to be sad, not because your depressed, but because there are lots of reasons to be sad. There are many people that have depression that may at one time or another need medication (hopefully not forever). I wonder how many people are using medication because they are suffering from real problems or distress and not for some physiological reason? We need medication, but how often is it being used for real and natural sadness?
Occasionally I find myself overwhelmed by sadness. I know, however, that there isn't any pill to cure it. I mean, how can we not be sad from time to time? Crying seems to be healthy (not all the time), I wish I could do it more.

Yesterday my friend Julie took me out to eat for my birthday at Brodo. As we were walking to the restaurant two men were coming our way and stared at us as we walked passed them. The first guy had real dark sun glasses and it freaked us out, cause we had no idea where he was staring, but we knew he was. When we walked by the second guy he was clearly staring down at my shoes or my crotch. It was weird cause afterwards we both agreed that we had never felt so violated by the way someone had looked at us before. It was as if we were visually raped we agreed.

We continue on now only to have a group of teenage boys on bikes coming towards us. One of them (I didn't know this at the time) punched Julie in the arm as he rode passed her. The other spit directly into my face at the same time. Of course they are on bikes because they are cowards and they ride away. I shout "You are not going to get away with that!" Another teenager on a bike pedals by racing to get to the group and I yell "I hope those aren't your friends!" Of course I was angry, and I had violent thoughts (I'm not a Saint), but now I am just filled with sadness over the boys lives and how horrible it must be. They must really be suffering to behave with such disregard and disrespect for others.

So I am just sad, but I can't take a pill to make it go away. I'm sad that some people no matter how much you might want them to, just don't care about anything. Not that we all have to care about the same things, but shouldn't we all at least care about something? It is the people who do not care, the people whose only concern is their image, their status or their class that make me the saddest. On that note, here are some visuals that make me sad.


Hardcore Polluter!!! YEAH!



ENVUS

---

YES! I THINK SO. How else to explain it?

ENVY-Painful or resentful awareness of anther's advantages.




Here is an image that made me happy yesterday after I went home, took a shower and went back down Elmwood to enjoy our meal.

In front of Unitarian Church on Elmwood. I love religious organizations that are concerned with peace.

We have to make ourselves heard. We have to speak out for what we believe in. When we, the people, boldly state our true convictions--never losing our optimism or sense of humor--the times will change. When it comes to speaking out for justice, there isn't any need for restraint. On the contrary, to be reserved or hesitant under such circumstances is wrong.

-Soka Gakkai International (Buddhist Organization) President Daisaku Ikeda

I thought I would share this quote with you all. I deeply admire Daisaku Ikeda for many reasons. He is always warning us to speak out against corruption, and to always be vigilant in that our religious and political leaders do not abuse their power. Ikeda has many great words of wisdom.

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.

Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!

Thanks to (e:ladycroft) and her post 'Hell for Chickens", the guy in the devil costume standing in front of KFC on 666 and (e:paul) for making (e:strip), I have decided to give up eating animals. Actually, I started to do a little research on KFC and came upon meat.org After watching the great video they had on the site as well as some of the ones posted on kentuckyfriedcruelty.com I made up my mind.

So I made the very personal decision to stop contributing to the problem of animal abuse. At this time, I will give up all meat excluding fish. I think that for me personally this is better than going all the way. Yes, the dairy industry is part of the problem, but I am not willing to change my diet that drastically. They say that each person eats up to a 100 animals annually. Many issues seem so distant and I often wonder what can I do, but this one is so obviously within my control.

I'm a bit nervous about this, because meat is really part of our culture. For many of us, meat is part of family holidays and a regular part of our social gatherings. Despite my fears about living without eating animals, I'm kind of excited to do this. I know that there are some of you out there ((e:leetee)) that are veggies or have done it in the past so if you know of any good hints or websites let me know.

(e:hodown) these pics are for you.








And finally here is a News Release I found on PETA's website regarding our devil friend.

'SATAN' TO VISIT BUFFALO KFC ON 6/6/06


'Prince of Darkness' Takes KFC's Side in Dispute With PETA, Celebrates KFC's Creation of 'Hell on Earth' for Chickens

For Immediate Release:
June 5, 2006

Contact:
Chris Link 757-622-7382

Buffalo, N.Y. - Holding signs that read, "KFC: Hell for Chickens," PETA members, including an activist dressed as Satan, will "celebrate" KFC's Satanic treatment of the more than 850 million chickens raised and killed for KFC every year. The demonstration will take place at a KFC in Buffalo on Tuesday:

Date: Tuesday, June 6
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: KFC, 448 Elmwood Ave.

Why does PETA think that Colonel Sanders is the devil? KFC's suppliers drug and breed chickens to grow so large that many become crippled from the weight of their massive upper bodies. Chickens in KFC's slaughterhouses often have their throats slit while they are still conscious, and many are scalded to death in defeathering tanks. So far, KFC has turned a deaf ear to pleas to improve its animal welfare standards from high-profile PETA supporters, including Pamela Anderson, Sir Paul McCartney, and The Rev. Al Sharpton. KFC has even ignored the advice of its own animal welfare advisors, including five who have since resigned out of frustration.

"The way that KFC treats chickens is truly sadistic," says PETA Manager of Factory Farming Campaigns Matt Prescott. "If KFC employees abused cats or dogs the way they abuse chickens, they could be thrown into prison on felony charges of cruelty to animals."

PETA has been turning up the heat on KFC, holding more than 10,000 protests outside KFC restaurants around the globe.

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.

So (e:mike) and I went to see The Omen. I never saw the original because I never really was allowed to see ANYTHING when I was younger, so i missed out on years of horror flicks. It even seemed worth the $9, which normally I think is a bit excessive. Movie makers need to know that blood and gore don't necessarily make a great film, it's all about the story. The Omen is a great story, they make it believable and don't buy the audience with cheap scares.

Anyways, when I'm at movies I love the way people react to it and love listening to the things they say. Some people went to the opening night of the Omen, 666, completely fucked up and laughed rather hard at weird moments, which eventually made the entire theater join in. But maybe I am the fucked up one, cause I laughed when others didn't laugh at all.

The one thing I would ask for is a different Damien, he just wasn't evil enough.


Do you think it's damaging to a child to play a demonic role in a movie? What about to let them attend the movie itself? Is that damaging? The truth was that the movie scared me in the way I like to be scared. Not in the sick and disgusting way that Hostel scared me.

The Beautiful Colors of Pride

On Sunday, June 4, 2006 I marched for the fourth consecutive year with The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) a worldwide Buddhist group striving for peace and happiness. The Buffalo chapter of the SGI is admired throughout the organization including New York City and San Francisco for their amazing ability to unite and show the community the values we stand for. Every year we have faced adversity and been shown signs of resistance and hate. I'm happy to say that this year was the best, in that messages of hate were at a minimum. The first year that we marched was 2003 and a much larger group seething with hatred immediately bombarded us. They were taken by surprise by an overwhelming opposing message of happiness and respect for others. In Buddhism we make our lives more aware of the nature of cause and effect and I truly believe that our organization has had a positive affect on this city. That first year we took all of Buffalo by surprise, as we were the largest contingent in the parade! This year we were awarded best walking contingent!

Today, June 5, 2006, I was deeply saddened to hear the president address the people of our country with his own message of hate. He is using the GLBT community for political purposes. Recently, it has become a crime to protest at US military funerals. I think that is great, people should have the right to grieve in peace, but shouldn't the same right be awarded to those grieving at a GLBT funeral? He packed the room where the address took place with supporters of his agenda to make a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages, not allowing for the many who disagree with such a ban for their voices to be heard. In the front row, two black men sat applauding the president's speech. The president claimed that the majority of the country's people supported defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Since we live in a 'free' society congress should ratify the amendment to the Constitution. Would those black men sit there and applaud the President if he were asking for an amendment to the Constitution denying citizenship and freedom to black men because the majority of the people wanted to enslave them? Is that freedom?

For next year's Pride Parade, I would like to propose that Pride Buffalo open up the march to all who would like to participate regardless of whether they associate with a group or not. We need everyone who supports the GLBT community to march especially the members of that community. We still have not reached equality and the Pride Movement is still as important as the day it began. It's time for all of us to unite together at the parade and demand our freedom.

Libertad

Enjoy the photos!

Thanks for marching with us (e:ladycroft) and Dan!

This is a bad pic of Jennifer. She didn't march with us, but I think she supports our group



Wendy

Maimi




Isabel

Jane

Andrew

Mike

Jeanette and Mike

Jeanette's mother

Steve

Beauty Queens

Supporter



Buddhist Messages

Colors of Diversity

Beautiful Day

United

Marching Band



Steve made his shirt

SGI member representing Canada

Jay



Beat to a different drum

Lisa

Blue is from 2003, yellow 2004 and Red 2005. The three colors are the colors of the SGI

Star Power

What a smile!

Michael

Christina

Families supporting

Kim, Moonjung, and Wendy

Mitzi

Jennifer

Bidwell

Lisa







We won!

Love

Performance

Estrip Models