Todd! Missed you. Glad you're back.

Shanie! GC, that's an adorable monkey you have there.

That's a wonderful story, Windsparrow.

Shir, I know it's difficult, but you're doing valuable work.

I wish Connie would post--if not here then in Beep me.

Shir, I do wish I could read Hebrew. It sounds like you're pioneering the issue of street harassment - and what you experienced is a lot more than harassment - and you're going to run into a lot of what you're experiencing. I know here, where the "hollaback" sites have been in existence for a while and the issue of street harassment has been discussed, there's still a fair amount of denial, minimizing, and so on. Not to discourage you - it's an issue that deserves to be addressed - but a lot of people see it from the point that it's always been this way and if you'd "just" (do whatever they suggest to eliminate the problem) it'd stop. But you know, no matter how you're dressed, how you act, many too many people see the fact of being a woman an open invitation to be harassed (although they don't see it as harassment). Case in point - at a previous job, I frequently worked quite late. Our office was near where there were prostitutes. I'd be bundled up in a winter coat, boots, hat, scarf, standing at a bus stop and I'd get men stopping to ask if I wanted to party ... then yelling obscenities at me when I wasn't for sale (or even rent). It got scary at times - you never know when someone's not going to take that "rejection" as incitement to physically attack you.

Dang GC, that weeble of yours is soooo cute! His dimples are so tasty I could eat them.

Plus the whole issue of religious based harassment/assault, to try an enforce a modesty code that is neither legally required nor part of the culture of a majority of Israeli's - in addition to "normal" harassment.

Heh, I sent my mom an email asking if she wants to go halvsies on a family membership to the OC museum of art. She hasn't written me back and I was just thinking it's odd so I emailed, "Are you alive? Is everything OK? Why haven't you written?"

Shir, I wrote you a supportive post and it got eaten. Suffice it to say that you are a star and don't worry about people who don't 'get' it. And The Girl says a Hollaback-type site has started in Egypt and wondered if you knew about it. And did I mention you are a star?

Congratulations Gar!

Sigh. Girl popped up on chat, and I couldnt' resist a 'hey', and got an "oh, sorry I haven't replied yet" and "I could maybe do dinner wednesday, but it has to be low key" blah blah blah. Yeah, yeah, I get it, you don't want to do anything. Sigh.

I'm sorry meara. Definitely her loss.

((((shir))))). You are awesome. You are a rock star! The Doctor would be smiling at your work. I'd say, remember, precious things do not come about easily. A diamond takes eons to form from carbon under high pressure. Then dug out of the ground. Then a skilled jeweler to cut it just right. You are the diamond. Or maybe the site. Either way, what you have undertaken is precious. It will take time and pressure to see the sparkles.

Any word from Connie?

ION- co-worker was telling me of conversation with another co-worker, German gal, who described me as "oozing with libido" (meant in a flattering way). And shocked to learn I was single. Um. What? Is there some kind of training to learn how to use this power (for good, of course). I never taught how to use this power. Never knew I had it.