So, I've been reading a lot of articles on the Gaza pullout...

And I understand why the Palestinian refugees are celebrating. Really, I do. You left your home with nothing, you've been stuck in camps for how long, and now you get to go home, it's great.

But.

Celebrating while people are still being dragged from their homes? Bad idea. And not because it's tactless, either, but because this is yet another one of those things which is counterproductive. When all is said and done, and the dust clears, the last thing you want is for people to point at every Palestinian, even the ones who were somber, and say "See? They were happy to see us kicked out, they rejoiced to see us torn from our homes, they're heartless and callous, and that's just the way it is".

That would be bad, for reasons I hope I never have to explain.

Even if deep down, you're sure you're not the better person, you sit and pretend like you are, because people believe liars sometimes. And if you're so confident that you are the wronged party, then you really have to act like the better person, because the people in power already think you're all of you, every one of you, likely to bomb them.

One would really have thought all this was self-evident, but apparently not. Maybe I downplay my social skills too much? Or possibly other people exaggerate their own?

On today...

What a tragedy of errors it was. First, I leave the house - forgetting my phone, my books, and the bag with more than one diaper in it. Luckily (or not), Ana pooped when we'd just gotten on the bus, so I realized my error by the time we reached the boat. Had to buy new diapers. This made us late for the toddler program at the museum, so I just went "screw it" and we wandered around. (Tangent - Wednesday, I met an Australian who was going to volunteer at the Children's museum, and she said they had nothing like it in Australia, not a single children's museum in the entire country. This can't be true, can it?)

Edit: Actually, missing the toddler program isn't that bad a thing. It's always loud, and there's all those people (not just short ones, which would be preferable, as they don't expect much of you), and I never know how to talk to them or to politely not talk to them. And they're all so chatty with their kids, and it annoys me. I didn't like that sort of attitude towards me when I was a kid, and I don't like it now. Sometimes, you just want to play with the toy kitchen without having a running narrative from your partner. And then, sometimes, Ana will do something she's not supposed to, like snatch a toy, and I'll give it back to get an "that's all right". No, it's not all right, she can't snatch toys, and you know it, so why lie? Or another kid will snatch a toy and be told "isn't it nice to share? Don't you want to share?" I don't get it. The kid clearly doesn't want to share, so why not just say "She had it first, give it back?" and leave it at that? That's easier than the sugar-sweet "let's share!" talk.

I have a whole 'nother rant on this one. End edit.

Then, it was rainy, so we didn't get to eat outside, we just left. This was probably just as well, as Ana fell asleep as soon as she got home. However, since we'd gone to her home instead of 'dul's, this lead to another problem - how to get Ana home when I don't have a metrocard? I didn't feel like taking a half-hour walk in the rain with her. And I fought with my mom. She has the worst timing. Who calls right when you're pouring pasta from the pot into the strainer? And no drums tonight, because of the rain and the bad moods.

*sighs*

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Watching BSG... Laptop on my... um... lap.

I'm going to try typing up my thoughts as I think them.

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