Wednesday, April 02, 2008
4/2/08 Part 2
So now I get to keep an eye on him. I thought I was going to be able to focus on work. But he's still impulsive and doesn't make connections between things as well as I would like. I'll be distracted, but I gotta let him figure things out.
It was nice yesterday. Had a work meeting in my front yard. Tim Keller came over again and he's coming back on Friday. He even brought me a Sub. My sister brought me a pack of smokes, which I sorely needed. Got into an interesting exchange on CPTED with a neighborhood activist.
Rey Garduño called and checked in. Got calls and texts from different people. Loretta, Riti, Gigi, Rudy, etc. Even one of my daughter's elementary school teachers came and hung out. Thanks to Bob Anderson.
I did accomplish getting a few extra patrols in the neighborhood. Not a lot. The girls in question are still out running around and my daughter not feeling safe. My son thinks that the stuff is between the girls and it is OK to hang with his buddies. He turns 18 next week and it worries me that he still don't get it.
My workouts are shot this week, but we will be having a BBQ Saturday afternoon to claim the street. Hopefully it goes well. People have been great. I'm exhausted and it is kicking my butt pretty bad.
Then there's the people still wanting me to move. I didn't ask for support in moving, I asked support in keeping from being isolated. Well, at least my sister Val is helping with my daughter, I appreciate that tons. My pops is watching my mijita's car. I haven't heard from any of the rest of my brothers and sisters.
I've been in the situation where my family can't, won't, just plain aren't there for me before and I had to just create family with who I could count on. I guess if I was having a baseball game I could get them to show up. And they have been there in the past, just noticing the decline in the last couple of years. So I'll have to create new family. It usually works out.
# # #
I'm trying to make the argument that this, and the general issues in my neighborhood, are not just individual situations, but environmental. The current level people can go with is the above mentioned CPTED. That works on site specific - housing project - level. I think it is great, but it is not enough.
There are even bigger issues. Social equity, mixed income communities, open space, and quality of housing. Beyond that is the issue of power. Unions, ballot access, etc.
KEEP FIGHTING!!!
Labels: Crime, Hell In Handbasket
