# You need to git up, git out and get somethin! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 2, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890 "2002-05-02T17:01:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/1 "2002-05-02T17:01:53Z")
This is a melancholy rant in three parts, inspired by Outkast: I’ve got a friend with a 17 year old son. He’s a smart, charming and likable young man, but he’s going down the wrong path and is causing his mom all kinds of anguish. You see he’s decided that a hardcore life is the only way to “be real” in this world (and to cut off anybody who wants to piss me off by mentioning race, he’s Irish). Me and him sat down the other night and had a long talk. I found out a few things that when --not if, when-- his mother finds out, it will be the death of her. [ul][li]He’s not graduating from high school. He has absolutely no plans to even try to finish. School is for suckas and nerds. You don’t need a diploma on the streets. [_]He got his mother a very nice pair of shoes for Mother’s Day. He boosted them from Baker’s. When I asked him if he thought his mother would appreciate a pair of stolen shoes as a gift he answered, “They don’t look stolen, they look good.” [_]He is snorting cocaine.[/ul][/li] The real scary thing about this kid is that he can’t see beyond today. How are you going to take care of yourself? I asked him. What are you going to do with your time? How are you planning to pay for the Sketchers and all those CDs and the drugs? You gonna boost them all? According to him everything will be fine so long as he “keeps it real” and continues to “roll with his people.” He puts a whole lot of faith in "his people.’ > [@](#): > > \*I know you know but I’m gon say this to you I… > Get high but I don’t get too high > So what’s the limit 'posed to be? > That must be why you can’t get your ass up out the bed before three > You need to git up, git out, cut that bullshit out > Ain’t you sick and tired of having to do without? - I love my step-sisters. They are good people who will do all they can to help. But I just don’t understand their mindset. Just like they don’t understand mine. When I got ill with a chronic health problem the advice they both gave me was that I should quit my job so that I could get Medicaid. WTF? I had health insurance with my job. Good insurance. About one hundred times better than Medicaid. Plus my job paid me good money. And I was perfectly able to work. When I asked them what the hell I was supposed to do all day long, sitting in my apartment they said “Get better. Clean your house!” (Did you know that keeping a clean house means you’re smart? I didn’t know that until my sisters told me!). Now, they both work. They like to go clubbing and partying and since they seem to have gotten over their criminally-minded stage (or so I hope!) , this is the only way they can pay for the party. They will stay at a job long enough to collect 3 or 4 paychecks, but when the job interferes with the partying-- guess which one’s gotta give. Did I mention that these women are pushing 40? > [@](#): > > \*And what up with all these questions? > As act as though you know somethin I don’t. Do you have any suggestions? > Cuz every job I get is cruel and demeanin > Sick of takin trash out and toilet bowl cleanin > But I’m also sick and tired of strugglin > I never ever thought I’d have resort to drug smugglin - I know so many people just drifting around cluelessly-- floating about and letting chance and the wind blow them through life. They seem to think that they have no choice or that everybody else is stupid for expecting better things for themselves. It fustrates me, but mostly it makes me sad. > [@](#): > > \*Nigga, you need to git up, git out and git somethin > Don’t let the days of your life pass by > You need to git up, git out and git somethin > Don’t spend all your time tryin to get high > You need git up, git out and git somethin > How will you make it if you never even try > You need to git up, git out and git somethin > Cuz you and I got to do for you and I - ---
**Author:** ![Yondan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/278dde/32.png) [@Yondan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yondan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/2 "2002-05-02T17:10:30Z")
Best wishes. My own family has its own drama; sometimes it feels like I’m drowning in it, other times I want to live as though they never drew breath. Be strong. Stay wise. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/3 "2002-05-02T18:23:13Z")
Biggirl, I’m here if you need someone to talk to. Or rant to. Or just want to shoot the shit with. Really. I feel for you. I do. I’ve been there. So I know whereof you speak. Corny, yes, I know, but {{{{Biggirl}}}} ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/4 "2002-05-03T00:05:02Z")
:🤗: I know how you feel; my ex is getting to be the same way, and it’s killing me. Good luck with those close to you. ---
**Author:** ![HairyPotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@HairyPotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HairyPotter)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/5 "2002-05-03T00:47:22Z")
Biggirl, It sounds as if it’s all over for your friend’s kid. His attitudes and habits are damned hard to break at his age. If anything would have saved him, it would have been pretty intense counseling at an early age. Barring a fluke physiological problem, howver, I think it likely that experience and environment strongly predisposed him to pursue his current path. Regarding your sisters, I can relate to believing your siblings must have come from another galaxy. It’s amazing how differently people brought up in the same family can become. It sure can cause alot of frustration, pain, and heartache. I found your third melancholy rant particularly interesting. It appears to me that there are many people who feel that the path of least effort is always the best path to take in life. I can’t imagine living life like that. Of course, having had to fight severe emotional problems all my life, taking the easy path was never really an option for me. I do think it’s good that you care about others in all three of the situations you described. I do believe that caring for others and trying hard to understand where they are coming from is a very wise way to live life. I’m lucky to be married to a wonderful person who frequently reminds me that this is the case. Take care, and continue being a good person. We need as many in the world as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/6 "2002-05-03T06:37:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\* [ul][li]He’s not graduating from high school. He has absolutely no plans to even try to finish. School is for suckas and nerds. You don’t need a diploma on the streets. [/ul][/li] \*\* This is true, actually. But they are kinda handy when you want to get _off_ the street. Man, this kid is gonna be sooo sad in 10 years… ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-git-up-git-out-and-get-somethin/106890/7 "2002-05-03T16:04:47Z")
i can’t really say anything constructive. but i love the outkast song, and of all the people i know/have known who are living their lives like the guy in part 1, i keep thinking, ‘listen to the song - the song knows where it’s at’. ‘git up git out, and get something’.