Oh Idaho, sometimes.... sometimes

I never thought I'd grow up to be somebody that had visited a bunch of different countries. It more just happened, it was not really something I ever actively pursued.
But I am glad it happened. For many reasons of course, but one being that it really humbles you.
Gives you perspective.
When (especially white and straight) people in Idaho talk about their rights and needs and values.... it's very obvious that that slice of humble pie was left untouched.
So many people seem to think that they have the right to do certain things, or better yet deserve them, have earned them even.... just by being born in a certain place, looking a certain way.

God bless America, but he sure as hell doesn't bless any other countries.
If you're bilingual, it means you speak English and Spanish. (why, those are the only two languages, right?)
Any foreign person living in the States is a) extremely lucky to be living here and b) wants nothing more than to become a citizen.
And finally (although I could of course go on and on...) all foreign people constantly think of themselves and their home countries, values and cultures as foreign and exotic.
America is the norm, to everybody everywhere. For always.
Amen.

And just like that...

I come home from work today and BAM!
A recycling bin, right there, next to our dumpster.
I had to walk up and touch it, peek inside, to make sure it was real.
And it seems like it is.
Just like that, we now have recycling right outside our door.
Good job Coeur d'Alene, you're officially only about two decades behind the rest of the first world.

Embarrassing, really

The only good news is that we live really close to the recycling station and can take our stuff there without much hassle.
But the bad news is that I sincerely doubt anyone else in our apartment complex does it. And that the city won't give us a recycling bin with the argument that "we can't force anyone to recycle".
Like the blue bin would come alive and attack people if they threw their cans and empty cartons in the regular dumpster (which would be totally awesome, but they have yet to invent bins with this feature).
I don't see how I am currently forced to throw my garbage in the big dumpster right outside, either.
I feel totally free to haul it off someplace else if I felt like it. But I don't, since it's way easier to just toss it right here. And if we had the option to recycle right here too.... yeah, I think a few more people would.
But the city disagrees and I have less than a little faith in the manager here who acted like we asked her for a golden jacuzzi complete with seahorses when we asked about recycling on the property.  
It is so stupid.
And embarrassing, really.

Drop and give me a million burpees

I knew very well I couldn't do a pull up. No surprises there.
I thought however, that I could do a few push-ups.
Cross Fit told me no. Nope, those are not push-ups.
Bitch.
So yeah, after a lot of first-Saturday-of-the-months coming and going without me making it to the bring-a-friend day, I finally made it today.
I drank the kool-aid. And didn't spit it out. But I also don't know that I'll be coming back for seconds.
I might just keep doing my push ups the way I'm used to.
Elbows out and wrists all flimsy.