Saturday, July 20, 2013

Plotting My Own Extinction

One of the backyards which abuts mine is having a party today, an exceedingly loud and incredibly annoying one. It started around 11:00 am with a boom box at a volume loud enough to rattle my windows. I went outside and yelled through the fence for the owner to turn it down but unsurprisingly, he didn't hear me. There are at least forty people in a small backyard already packed with party equipment.

The owner moved in recently. He has the largest gas barbecue grill I've ever seen plus several smaller, Weber-type ones, a smoker, a large concrete charcoal pit, giant heat lamp, picnic tables and benches, and has apparently cornered the market on beer. Since I thought I couldn't make a nuisance call to the police until 10:00 pm, I decided to calm my frazzled and offended nerves with a walk on the beach.

When I got there, the beach was closed, cyclone fencing separating it from the parking lots. Apparently it will remain closed until the end of September because of the America's Cup. Are they serious? Who closes a public beach for July, August and September? I am sensing a trend. A few very wealthy people are sailing their luxury boats in San Francisco Bay, so the beaches are off-limits to the plebeians. The logic escapes me. I wouldn't mind if they had closed it to protect an endangered species, but the super-wealthy are not threatened. Everyone else is.



 
While next door, we have over-privileged people growing increasingly loud as they imbibe more and more beer, without regard for the misery they are causing their neighbors. They are making the construction workers seem almost quiet by comparison, or at least sober. I think the Dodo had the right idea when it became extinct.

22 comments:

Middle Girl said...

How awful.

Cro Magnon said...

I commiserate. I live next door (150 metres away) from an ex-aspiring-pop-star. He would practice OUTDOORS almost every day. He couldn't play his guitar, his 'singing' was totally off, and he thought he was brilliant. Luckily he's now stopped, only to be replaced by other noise and annoyances.

As for those stupid signs; just get everyone to take them all down, and vote with your feet. Who's bloody beach is it anyway!

e said...

Dreadful...Did you call the police?

Paula said...

Susan, I'm so sorry you can't have the peace and relaxation that you need and deserve.

Cro Magnon said...

I forgot to mention; it is now 8am and there's been a boom boom boom party going on ALL BLOODY NIGHT somewhere nearby.

molly said...

Glad to know you're still alive and kicking Susan! Just sorry it has to be under such miserable conditions.
What possible harm could people enjoying a walk on the beach do to the sailing pleasures of the filthy rich and entitled? You pay taxes too. Who makes these decisions?

Lee said...

I think you should've jumped both fences!

People all too often are far too thoughtless and inconsiderate of those around them. I'd be cranky, too!

English Rider said...

I have had some success with accidental (read strategic)redirection of garden sprinklers. Effusive apologies required, of course, once you've dampened their spirits:)The beach closure probably isn't even legal. Isn't there some rule about public access?

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Cro Magnon,

That sounds like utter misery. You can only mutter "Tune up or die" so many times before you want to escalate the situation in an unhealthy way.

e,

Oh yes. Twice. The second time, they closed down the party after 8 hours of revelry.

Paula,

Peace seems so little to ask, doesn't it? And yet it's so hard to find.

CM,

My sympathies.

Molly,

I suspect that all decisions are made by a very small minority of over-privileged folks who have gone too far in every sphere, but no one can or will stop them.

Lee,

The fence in my backyard is a very tall sapling fence with splinters and no toe holds, even if I wanted to be even closer to that party, which I didn't. The one at the beach is tall cyclone fencing guarded by park security types.

ER,

I came very close to hosing down the festivities, actually, but realized that my grudge is with the owner of the house, not his guests, loud as they were. Plus, I prefer not to be arrested. I'm funny that way.

Lee said...

I didn't mean to make light of it, Susan. The ignorance of others is very frustrating and anger-making.

I had cause for such emotions not long ago myself...from a situation not dissimilar to the one you describe. I said my piece at the time in no uncertain terms!

Secret Agent Woman said...

I don't understand people being that inconsiderate of their neighbors. And the beach thing seems brutally unfair - why should a public beach be allowed to be closed for something like that?

Maria said...

Wow. A double whammy of annoyance. You know...you should invite Mr. Party Pants over for tea. Be your sparkly self and then ask him if perhaps he would refrain from the loud parties, that you have an alter ego named Bertha and she tends to come out in Hulk fashion when you are angered. And that she has this darn shot gun but hides it from you so you fear what she'll do if you are mad and she emerges. And because he will have eaten one of the brownies you baked by then, tell him that she made them and left a note that they were especially for him. Smile winningly.

mischief said...

It's sometimes so difficult to share the planet with the rest of the humans. I don't like most of them very much.

the walking man said...

Susan the more you tell of the way your neighborhood is changing the more similarities i see in my own, except for construction we have destruction.


Yet the neighbors who ignore the desire of those around them to not want to watch them frolic and hear their music from across the street that was so loud it made windows at THE BACK of my house pulsate.

I see the same disregard everywhere, in traffic, the store, and even among family members.

We are losing the true definition of respect (taking into account how your actions affect others) and replacing it with the new (It's best you say or do nothing about how i act less you'd like to be brought into the middle of how big an ass i really can be.)

the walking man said...

Oh yeah the music thing went from 12 AM until 0530. 4 calls from 4 different neighbors to the police and they showed up at 7 to find there was no trouble.

Anonymous said...

Susan, it's Pam, am headed to San Francisco, touching base to say will be there this Wed 28th until Sunday the 1st Sept. Am on my new laptop so your email isn't coming up automatically. Headed up to SF from Carlsbad. G'day and much love and will keep checking here, (your blog) in case you drop back in. xx

Unknown said...

If it's any consolation, the America's Cup race in SF has been a big flop. The winner of each race gets to choose the location of the next race. Some big moneyed buffoon won it last year and decided to bring it home. He sold the idea to the city saying that it would bring in a lot of money because people would pay to watch it which they haven't. To make matters worse, there isn't enough wind there for a proper race and only a handful of ships are competing as a result. On top of that, the city has gotten a of flack from people who want to use their own beaches. Everybody hates it.

Anonymous said...

Susan, San Francisco is sooo beautiful. What an incredible city. (Pam)

heartinsanfrancisco said...

PAM, I emailed you at "credulous," which was the last address I had for you. Mine is on the profile page of this blog. xo

Shirley said...

You still out there? Long time, no post. Shirley (RhunarbWhine)

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Hi Shirley,

So nice to hear from you. I'm still here, thanks. I want to start posting again but haven't been inspired since losing Flip. I miss many of my delightful blog friends and hope you're well.

Angeltea7 said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Flip. I've been away from my old blog friends for too long., I was kind of going through something myself. How are you?