New Neighbors...and Thoughts on Women

So apparently we're getting new neighbors. This is the apartment we originally wanted to move into so that the apartment complex could fix everything in our current apartment, so I will admit, at first, I was a bit pissed at these people for taking the apartment we wanted. But I decided to get over that AND to take it a step further. I introduced myself.

Now, for anyone who knows me, will understand what a huge leap that is for me. I am NOT a social creature. I do NOT do well with strangers. But what the hey, the self-defense class is rubbing off on me. Not only do I have the confidence to approach the mother and child on neutral ground (the parking lot), but R.A.D. encourages you to befriend your neighbors so that you can look out for each other down the road. So I figured here was a great opportunity to try out this new theory I'd learned in class.

But it amazes me how much the woman (don't remember her name...I'm terrible with names) shared with me right off the bat. Now granted, I doubt she would have been so forthcoming if I were a male (or at least, I hope to GOD she wouldn't be). Seriously, she pretty much shared her life story with me. I know she's a bilingual middleschool teacher in south Dallas, but is originally from Houston. This is where she still owns a home, where her daughter that's attending the University of Houston is staying, who allowed her first husband to move into, even though the mother told her daughter not to. The first husband, she met while teaching in Guatemala. The woman is just 6 years away from retiring. And I can tell you what apartment complex they lived in prior to moving to this apartment complex. I can tell you that her mother is barely 5 feet tall and had a dog similar to Holly (our rottie/lab mix), but her dog was golden in color. This may not seem like much, but I learned all of this in less than 10 minutes from my initial, "Hello, my name is K----- and I'm your neighbor".

But I've noticed that women have a serious tendency to do this...to over-share. This woman barely knows me and yet, I know so much about her now. All I need to learn is what the husband does for a living and what his hours are and I would know the perfect time to break into their apartment and steal their crap...because she made it a point to tell me she's a traditional school teacher, so I know what hours that entails...and then went on to tell me WHERE she works and that it's a hour drive from the apartment. That gives me a perfect window of opportunity and she doesn't even know me or realizes how the information she spewed at me can be easily used against her and her family. I need to recommend she attend some R.A.D. training asap.

I do intend to nurture this as a potential friendship and if it goes well, in the summer (when I know she'll be off of school), I might suggest taking her to some R.A.D. classes. And if I can get her to go, then I know when her daughter is old enough, mom will take her daughter to these classes too.

While, ultimately, I would love to live in a world in which women wouldn't have to worry about these types of things.....right now I'll settle for women who can identify and assess the risks and kick ass should the need arise.