a little guy who i work with (age 5)
wrote this in his journal in response to my question
what a brilliant list.
translation:
1.kindness
2. goofiness
3. dignity
—
‘it is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.’
it was my annual day of getting my taxes done
really not sure
if this was a win or lose year for me
a hybrid year of working, retiring, one-offs, investments…
and I found myself once again with friendly judith
who I’ve gone to for years
I brought her favorite coffee and an energy bar
and settled in for a session at her desk
she has managed to work small miracles over the years
knowing exactly what to claim, how to claim, and the latest changes
even though I had some technical ‘glitches’
with me trying to download docs to her
we had lots of good laughs
and once again, somehow, at the end
I emerged a winner
here’s to you, judith
may you long use your magic math skills to help others.
—
art credit: charles schulz
it’s that seashell soup time of year.
I have a memory
from when I was very young
of my mom making me what she called ‘seashell soup’
when I had a cold, or it was cold outside
it’s comfort and warmth
were a balm and a cure
when I grew up
i wanted her secret recipe
for this magic elixir
turns out it was:
shell shaped pasta, butter, and a little bit of broth
all this time
i thought it had special secret exotic ingredients
but it did somehow work their magic
i think the secret ingredient was
i felt the caring of someone who made a special soup for me.
and this is one magic trick i can perform.
—
“but perhaps the most precious heirlooms are family recipes.
like a physical heirloom, they remind us from whom and where we came and give others, in a bite,
the story of another people from another place and another time.”
-stanley tucci
I only made it through two uniforms in the lineup
brownie and junior scout
with aspirations to go all the way through
beginning as a brownie (fun!)
officially becoming a junior scout
after my ‘flying up’ ceremony
I imagined all kinds of adventure
canoeing, camping, first aid, parades, hiking, building fires, survival, rescues…
earning badges galore
anything was possible
bring it on!
but
my leader had a different vision
of what a junior scout should do and be
we made a lot of crafts
like oranges with cloves stuck in them
(pomaders)
to use in closets at home
each week I looked forward to the announcement of what was to come
yet it was always another craft
or making something to eat on foil
literally all I remember
then the cookie sale
I was really quiet and dreaded going door to door
I knew my days in the scouts were numbered
this was not my path
I would need to seek out my own adventure
and while my path was all over the place
that’s exactly what I did.
—
‘I am an aging Girl Scout.’
-amy sedaris, american actor, comedian, and writer
50 protests/50 states/50 capitols
good to be one small part of
these peaceful protests
filled with people
refusing to be silenced
in my state capitol of lansing, mi, usa
and all around the country
people traveling long distances
sharing rides
taking time off of work or school
in cold and bad weather
to show their refusal to sit down
lawmakers of all ages and races and genders spoke out
this young activist, a local college student
who helped to organize our state’s protest
spoke with passion and cried
while addressing
why this is so important
already understanding at such a young age
some truths are universal
proud to stand with each and every one of them
on national tv tonight – protests in states across the nation
united in their cause.
—
“in matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.’
-albert einstein
photo credit: Sushma Hedge
Nelson, Australia, Estuary Beach
Where the river meets the ocean…
‘This has got to be one of the most unique beaches I’ve been to! The Estuary Beach in Nelson as the name suggests is the meeting place for the Glenelg river and the Southern ocean. On one end of the beach, the slow moving and meandering river is noticeable whilst on the other the ocean with its roaring waves! This makes for quite a sight if imagined! The beach also features a giant Oxbow Lake. The sort of shells I found here were quite different from the other beaches around the Great Ocean Road and the Melburnian Bay. This beach would provide as an excellent example for those studying the journey of a river from its source to the ocean. I would highly recommend anyone visiting the area to drop by and have a look at this unique beach.’ – S
ANN ARBOR, MI — Bus riders in the Ann Arbor area may notice something different Tuesday, Feb. 4.
It’s Transit Equity Day and the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, known as TheRide, is honoring civil rights icon Rosa Parks by reserving a seat for her on each of its buses.
—
source credit: ryan stanton@mlive.com
another week and yet another fun grandie experience
this time it was grandie j’s turn
who loves the performing arts
a natural actor who loves to entertain
always ready to pitch in
and do what needs doing
to bring a show to life.
in his school play,
beetlejuice jr., the musical
he played a bettlejuice clone
was also a mover, helping with props and stage setup
what a colorful and lively show
the actors truly seemed to have as much fun as the audience.
bravo, j!
so glad to see you doing what you love.
‘the world is a complicated place, and there’s a lot of division between people.
the performing arts tend to unify people in a way nothing else does.’
*david rubenstein
*(a busy guy, see below)
*David Rubenstein is an American lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist. A former government official, he is a co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group based in Washington, D.C. Rubenstein is also the principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles (MLB).
Rubenstein is the chairman of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery or Art, the Council of Foreign Relations and the Washington D.C. Economic Club. He is a former board of trustees chairman at Duke University and the Smithsonian Institution. He served as co-chair of the board at Brookings Institution. In 2022, he became chair of the University of Chicago’s board of trustees.
February is Black History Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
—
‘all labor that uplifts humanity has dignity.’— Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.
—
image credit: pbs
warning: this may not be an actual groundhog
—
happy groundhog day to all and may spring be right around the corner
what is your prediction, groundhog?
—
‘for the record, winter will last until it’s over
and then it will be spring.’
-gilbert cumberbatach groundhog
—
art credit: groundhog bucket hat for pet pattern by Svetlana Maxarova
