i've got a word or two to say about the things that you do

i'm not a very political person, and i think that i have managed to pretty much keep politics out of this blog up until now. but with chaos taking the middle east by storm, i think it is time for me to come right out and say it: i think all the revolutions are insane, and not in a good way. (yes, i realize i may be making quite a few enemies by saying this.)

granted, i'm not currently living in any of the countries revolting, so there may be some really, really good reason for going completely crazy that i am just missing, but from where i'm standing, i think everyone needs to just calm down. in my opinion, there are very few situations that would warrant an extreme revolution. if you are afraid to go to sleep at night because you don't know that you'll be alive to wake up in the morning, then by all means revolt. hit the streets and start all kinds of trouble. if you have a safe house to live in, food to eat, a car to drive, money to go watch a movie... then what exactly are you rebelling against? sure, you may not like the government, but i honestly think that violent revolutions are one of the stupidest ways to show your dissent. how is burning down restaurants going to help you? breaking into banks and stores? setting yourself on fire? destroying mummies? last time i checked, people who have been dead for centuries were not your enemy. thing is, a lot of the people seem to think that the result of a revolution will be instantaneous utopia. um, it won't. and all these things you're taking for granted in times of stability? yeah, you'll probably be missing them pretty soon. you know what comes after a revolution? rocky times as the country tries to stand on its feet again. and sure, there are times when that is better than what there was before and when hope for a better tomorrow will make the misery of today worthwhile, but i don't think this is one of these times. so while you're lounging by your pool responding to facebook invitations to the revolution on your thousand dollar computer, you may want to think about that.

there are no words to describe how desperately i hope saudis grasp onto their individuality and refrain from jumping on the revolution bandwagon. with the flooding from the rains, people are upset, and i just hope that their disgruntledness does not affect their senses. i see no reason for a saudi revolution. destroying a country is not the only way to make changes. yes, they are not a democratic nation. so what? who decided that democracy was the only right way to run a government? yes, it works great for america, but that does not mean that it is a one size fits all solution for world peace. it isn't. saudi arabia follows an islamic regime. i can't see how a democracy will be able to stick as completely to islamic law as it does now, which i believe it should.

that brings me to another point. being the islamic capital of the world, saudi arabia really has no right to stop muslims who want to go to mecca or madinah from going. even ousted government officials have a right to get in touch with their islamic roots, and the saudi government really has no right to stop them. i mean, sure, if the guy is an actual threat to people, then of course they wouldn't let him in, but an ex-leader on the run is pretty much powerless so why shouldn't they let them in? especially when they never really had anything against him in the first place. (this is a general him encompassing every ex-leader who has fled to saudi arabia, which they have been doing for quite a while.)

let me just stop right here before this gets really long, but remember what i was saying before about society being sheep? the arabs have obviously been perfecting their baa's.

agree? disagree? either way, i'd love to hear your thoughts. there's an amazing little box you can write comments in that a bunch of you seem to have missed. it even lets you comment anonymously! try it out, and let me know what you think.

*Think For Yourself - The Beatles

i'll be your best friend

i am a salesman's best friend. really. if they could change every single person in the world into a copy of me, they'd do it in a heart beat - and not just because a world full of me would be the epitome of awesome.

you see, i have this problem with saying no. i've always had it... for as long as i can remember. my friend wanted a stopwatch that i had won from soccer, so i gave it to her. this kid proposed a trade in which i would give him my most favoritest ever batman toy and he would give my sister a little pig figure... of course i agreed. my cousin wanted me to spend a million hours of agonizing boredom with her while she went to beauty school or worked at a beauty salon or whatever it was she did... i went every single day.

i got better as i got older, but the word still sticks to my tongue, downright refusing to be said at times.

so, keeping that in mind, you can just imagine my helplessness with salespeople. for example, we went to this store the other day. a friend asked me to get a camel for her from here. so i go in, get the camel, and go to pay. the cashier immediately pulls out a book about saudi arabia. "wouldn't this be awesome? why don't you get this too?" and what do i say? "umm okay fine" of course. encouraged by my answer, he pulls out something else. i get that too. i keep getting until my sister comes to my rescue. i came out of the store with five things i didnt want, each one a little more expensive than the thing before. if i was alone, i would have probably bought the entire store. my feeble protests are of absolutely no use to anyone - especially not me - although i think they amuse the salespeople.

before you try and go all dr. phil on me, i do not avoid saying no because i want people to like me. and the no's only hide when someone is asking me for something. if anyone is offering anything, the hidden no's come back with a vengence. a lot of the time i just go/give whatever because, to be honest, i don't care about whatever it is. so if you obviously care enough to want something, and i couldn't possibly care any less and still be human, why not give it to you?? except in the case of my batman... that was just me being taken advantage of.

the point is, if you ever find yourself selling anything, be sure to let me know. i'm super good for business.

*Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie