I hate stereotypes…
But every now and then they ring true! Last night I went to watch the Rangers’ game at some friends’ apartment, and I ended up falling asleep on the couch. When I looked for breakfast this morning, do you know what I found in the guys’ fridge?
A lot of beer.
And not much else! They also have a pinball machine in their living room. As Chandler Bing might say, “Could it be more of a bachelor pad?” (Although I must admit… I kinda want a pinball machine for my new place now.)
The moving process is going along well. I think we’re finally done with the boring part of unpacking boxes, which means we get to focus on more fun things, like decorating. It’s always difficult for me to imagine how “big” decorations—wallpaper, furniture, curtains, etc.—will look in a room, but I love adding little touches of flair.
For the kitchen, I’m bringing back all the red pepper stuff I bought the last time I lived on my own. My roommate says that as long as I continue to make desserts and give her samples, she couldn’t care less what I do to decorate the kitchen!
Foodie Decorating:
Later today, I get to put my decorating skills to another use. My friend is a kindergarten teacher, and she asked if I’d like to make a special treat for her kids’ Halloween party. She still raves about last year’s Funfetti Blondies. I’m not sure what I want to make. Cupcakes? Cookies? Definitely something with chocolate.
Maybe Chocolate-Chip Banana Bites.
But the banana part probably wouldn’t hold up very well, so I’m trying to brainstorm something else to put in the middle of the mini cookies. Ideally, I’d like to tie the dessert in to Halloween, too. Maybe spider cookies? With pretzel legs… Or maybe I should abandon the cookie idea and just go with cupcakes. Kids seem to love cupcakes above all else.
Do you think stereotypes are sometimes true?
I think that some are based on truth. Like Asians being smart? I’ve been blessed to know many amazing Asian friends, especially when I lived in China, and they are all very smart. My one friend—who ended up at MIT and now works for the government—actually fell asleep during the English AP test and still got a 5! (EDIT: Please read my responses to some of the comments below. Your comments made me realize that my words above–although meant as a compliment–were misguided.)
However, I don’t understand other stereotypes at all. I think the “Mexicans are lazy” stereotype is the most ridiculous and offensive one out there, because I have never met a more hard-working ethnic group. And I would like to go back in time and clock the person who first uttered the phrase, “You hit/throw/run like a girl.”
And now, since I know you’ve all been wondering only one thing throughout this entire post, I’ll answer the important question: No, I did not have beer for breakfast 
. I managed to find an apple hiding in my friends’ kitchen, to tide me over until I drove home.
Then I threw together my favorite Pumpkin Breakfast Cereal.
How lovely to see a well-stocked fridge!
Since I am a vegan in Paris I can tell you that the stereotype of French loving their meet and butter is absolutely true! A vegan’s nightmare but the city makes up for it!
The beer wouldn’t have been a complete breakfast without cold leftover pizza. Hehe
I don’t get that stereotype about Mexicans, either!! That makes no sense whatsoever. Every Mexican I know works very, very hard. I can’t say the same about every American I know, though… :/ not to encourage stereotyping, but every Chinese person I have known works very hard, too. I think far too many Americans are spoiled and lazy and addicted to entitlements of all kinds! There. I said it. 🙂
Falling asleep in the middle of a test and still getting a 5? That is wild! haha. So many guys have tons of beer in the fridge. Nothing too surprising 😉
I think stereotypes stem from a place of truth. I think the “Mexicans are lazy” is because of the siesta. As Americans we just can’t seem to understand that there is a time to just chill and still be able to get your work done. We are so go, go, go I just don’t think we can fathom it! Even though people in other countries tend to get way more done than we do because they aren’t so darn stressed all the time.
No, the “Mexicans are lazy” stereotype stems from a place of racism, not from observation that some people take a break in the middle of the day.
Because of “the siesta”? Really??? Are you being serious with this comment right now?
I hate stereotypes and I hate when people perpetuate them. I’m Mexican and I’m always too busy to be lazy.
I don’t understand how anyone eats breakfast on the go every morning! Stereotype or not I find it way more common for young professional men to do! So many of them throw pop-tarts in the toaster at work and all I can think about is how much they are missing out on a bowl of delcious pumpkin oats in the morning 😉
Good luck with the decorating – always challenging BUT exciting too!
I totally fall into the missing-out category X< Even though I'm a firm believer in Katie's Delicious Breakfasts, I usually don't have time to make one around getting my run in before work (ergo, I am trying to up my running speed). So I end up having an onigiri (Japanese-style rice ball, wrapped in nori seaweed, with fillings) at my desk at work. I tried bringing my oatmeal to work, but that didn't go over well with my boss X_x
I have to agree about with the general consensus that stereotypes, while based on a grain of truth, do more harm than good. BUT, I can tell you that stereotypes here in Japan are MUCH more strongly embedded, practically official "common knowledge", in society. Like, "Foreigners can't speak Japanese." You wouldn't believe the reactions I get when I start speaking Japanese. It's like people are trying to figure out how I'm trying to punk them. Lulz.
Oh gosh I’m terrible at decorating!! I still barely have anything in my room and I’ve lived in it for 6 months.
I hate the idea of stereotypes, especially as a vegan because I know people stereotype ME and I hate it! I do love the Chandler reference, he was always my favorite 🙂
I vote for cupcakes for the kids!
I do not believe in stereotypes at all. There are always going to be exceptions to the rule. But boys left to their own devises, never seem to have well stocked fridges (except my college friend who always had enough to make a home cooked meal that would rival my mom’s cooking – see there’s the exception!)
Have fun decorating! Moving into a new place and decorating it is the most rewarding part of moving for me, for sure! Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
And how sweet that you want to help your kindergarten teacher friend and her little students out. They’ll love whatever you make 🙂
(Comment deleted by commenter’s request)
No. That’s called “different personalities” NOT related to race.
What is possibly related to is cultural things, socioeconomic statuses and social mores.
Your comment was really quite insensitive and offensive, IMO.
There are POC who are jerks, snotty, rude or dress or act certain ways. There are white folks who do the same. Individuals with certain traits that are not due merely to their race.
I’ll bet if you did a look around certain neighborhoods where the races were mixed but the median income, education and resources were comparable, you’d find very similar sorts of issues. It’s not a race issue, it’s a social one. There is a definite culture that evolves in places where education is less available, people have less resources and the struggle to survive is harder. That crosses all racial boundaries.
Apologies to fellow readers if I’m muddling something and inadvertently sounding classist. I just feel like a lot of things pinned on POC as being race related are actually related to education and a lack of resources available in certain communities.
(Comment deleted by commenter’s request.)
From the context, I’m guessing the acronym stands for people of color. And again, although my attempts at pointing out fallacies littering these blogs comments are most likely futile and bordering on obsessive, I think the issue at hand is the simplistic correlation attributing cultural affectations to racial categories. Of course there are commonalities among in-groups. I don’t think this is a point anyone would argue. There is a strong correlation between lower socioeconomic status and race, which stems from a government built on a constitution of racist and gendered exclusion. The slow progress we have made as a country has in no way ameliorated this fact, or disembedded social discrimination that very much so still exists today. It is backwards to place blame on individuals that “fulfill their own damn stereotype” without fully understanding the intricate historical context within which these stereotypes are created. Again, basing your analysis of race and class issues on your “observation so far” is a reductionist trajectory that I hope you will reconsider. I suspect you are still in high school, and I will leave with the benefit of the doubt that as you mature, your thoughts will continue to develop.
I agree with everything Emily said. I see from your blog that you are 15 years old, so I just want to let you know that comments like that are extremely offensive and actually assist in perpetuating the stereotypes like the ones you speak of. Again, you’re young, so you will likely (& hopefully) see the error in your reasoning as you age & become more experienced.
Frankly, you’re perpetuating some stereotypes with your non-apology, your rush to mention that you do have a (emphasis on the singular here) black friend or family member, and misguided use of the word “ghetto” and adjective for poor people’s behavior. Really, how do you define that word? I’m curious.
I hope you can begin to see how your observations can be truly limited. If you really do want to become “more worldly” I’d read through the rest of this comment thread are there are some people who have much more intelligent thoughts on the topic of stereotypes.
I’m really sorry to everyone I upset with this comment. It really was not intended to offend anyone. I’m not quite sure how my non-apology (do white people not apologize?) perpetuates a stereotype. I do realize mentioning I have a black family member can sort of perpetuate a stereotype though. I mentioned it only to emphasize that I’m really not racist (As everyone is making me out to be.)
I still don’t believe you fully understood what I was trying to say (to my own fault.) It’s the select few people who fulfill the stereotype that perpetuate it. Perhaps choosing “POC” as an example was a poor choice. Would you have been less offended if I had said the blondes who act stupid are the ones who perpetuate the “dumb blonde” stereotype?
I don’t think that uneducated people are ghetto, or anything else people out there are throwing out.
Again, I’m really sorry I offended anyone. It wasn’t my intent. My intent was only to share my opinion, which, under the amendments, I am allowed to have 🙂
Katie, I think you are awesome! I totally agree with you. I’m sure there are lots of people who feel the same way you do, but don’t have the balls to say it!
Miranda, I don’t think it takes balls to make a racist comment… with a little short-sightedness & prejudice it’s easy for anyone.