I live in a somewhat affluent suburban neighborhood. My house is the biggest floorplan in this master-planned community. We have newer cars in the driveway. Our children wear $70 skate shoes and want for nothing. I work from home, barbeque on the weekends and just learned how to use a sewing machine. He pulls weeds, taught the youngest boy to ride a bike and is the breadwinner and king of our household. We’re about as normal as it gets don’t you think?

So imagine my surprise when I found out that one of the mothers on our block started taking her kids to the bus-stop 3 blocks over rather than have them wait with my children. With me? Since the day we moved into this neighborhood it seems that the other parents have gone out of their way to make us feel unwelcome and I’m grasping at straws to figure out what terrible atrocity we’ve committed to deserve such stonewall treatment. Did I offend them because I don’t have the rear of a woman whose had a few children? Does it bother them that my children speak their mind? Do they have such a hard time accepting “strangers” in their little cookie-cutter paradise that they’d rather just run away? I want to know what conditioning this species of suburban housewife has undergone to make them so skiddish and reclusive. And since I’m not willing to change bus-stops just to talk to the other mothers, I’ve decided to share a few general tips on how to welcome a new neighbor into your community.

1. Introduce yourself. Yes you, the woman who has a child in the same kindergarten class as mine. The woman I’ve seen every morning for 4 months now as you sit in your car at the bus-stop and never get out. It’s ok… I won’t bite.
2. Stop by just to chat. Again, there will be no biting. I saw the Nascar posters in your garage. I love racing. It’s a conversation starter.
3. When I ask how’s it going, I really want to know how it’s going. “Fine” isn’t a real answer. Tell me you had a great weekend. Tell me your baby won’t stop crying. Tell me you’ve got family visiting. Fluff conversations suck and they do nothing but waste breath.
4. Live a little… schedule a playdate.
5. Ask for advice. Offer advice. You’ve lived here a while and I just barely found the grocery store. Find a reason to be helpful.

And no matter what, don’t ostracize the new neighbors. You never know if they’ll be the only one home when you’re banging on doors looking for refuge in a zombie attack!

Sundance Film Festival, is a yearly event many look forward to. On January 17th-27th 2008 you might find Park City, UT a little more crowded than usual.

The Sundance Film Festival was named by Robert Redford after his character The Sundance Kid from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, probably because this is his favorite character among those he played

“Sundance began in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival in an effort to attract more filmmakers to Utah. Founded by Sterling Van Wagenen and Charles Gary Allison with Chairperson Robert Redford, the goal of the festival was to showcase what the potential of independent film could be. At the time, the main focus of the event was to present a series of retrospective films and filmmaker panel discussions; however it also included a small program of films made outside the Hollywood system, commonly known as independent films.”

Between the films, parties, and people you might run into stars such as: 50 Cent, Jessica Alba, U2, Paris Hilton, and Entourage’s Adrian Grenier to name just a few.

Robert Redford, meanwhile, spoke out against Paris Hilton’s appearance, telling a press conference: “Paris Hilton and so forth doesn’t have anything to do with anything.”

Sundance Film Festival Information

• Festival Info
• Box Office
• Film & Events
• Press & Industry

I had the chance to stop by the Queer Lounge last Saturday night, and the lines were huge! Not only to this particular place, but everywhere. Police had to put up metal gates to get people to walk on the side walks instead of the streets. It was absolute madness, but that’s exactly why I love going. You’ve got people from all over who come and visit for the Sundance Film Festival, and have always had an amazing time. I tried to get tickets this year to go to some of the films, but of course just like last year, it’s almost impossible. That still wasn’t an excuse for me not to go though. After getting into the Queer Lounge, I was immediately put to work. Among the long list of things to do for an event, I was in charge of stacking all 250 VIP gift bags (around $1,400 each) neatly next to the VIP room to hand out at the end. I was able to get done in time to go up to the 3rd floor to watch The Donnas perform. The whole night was a blast, and the event I attended was sponsored by Absolut, so I was in heaven. I have a few more days to recuperate till I head up again before it ends. Just make sure to have a warm jacket, gloves, ID , money, chap stick, camera, and last but not least, if you’re lucky enough to meet someone of significance, a pen.

~Honeybee