And here's another view of its summer time loveliness.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
Friday, July 30, 2021
Four Hundred Souls
Four Hundred Souls
Adult nonfiction
"This 'cargo,' this group of twenty to thirty Angolans, sold
from the deck of the White Lion by criminal English marauders in
exchange for food and supplies, was also foundational to the American
story. But while every American child learns about the Mayflower,
virtually no American child learns about the White Lion.
And yet the story of the White Lion is clasically American. It
is a harrowing tale--one filled with all the things that this country
would rather not remember, a taint on a nation that believes above all
else in its exceptionality."
I'd told myself I wasn't going to read Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha
N. Blain's Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America,
1619-2019. It was too hefty. I envisioned chapter after chapter of
history. Nearly four hundred pages worth. But when I took a closer
look I found out I was totally wrong.
Kendi and Blaine are the editors, not the sole narrators. There
are ninety contributors including ten poets. Kendi explains that
rather than have a single author for the book "...But why not have a
community of women and men chronicling the history of a community?
Why not a Black choir singing the spiritual into the heavens of
history? Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America,
1610-2019 is this historic moment."
Most of the contributors actually wrote their pieces during
2019. Each covers a five year chunk of the time line. The first,
Arrival, by Nikole Hannah-Jones, describes the arrival of the two very
different ships and the contradictions in American character they
point to. In the last Alicia Garza discusses the Black Lives Matter
movement. In between lie an abundance of riches including:
*Brenda E. Stevenson's Black Women's Labor about how in the 17th
century Black women's legal designation as less feminine than white
women led to larger work loads and harsher punishments;
*Crystal N. Feimster's Lynching about the crusader Ida B. Wells-
Barnette;
*Michelle Duster's Red Summer about the 1919 Race Riot in Chicago;
*Angela Y. Davis' discussion of the devastating effects of President
Clinton's tough on crime laws;
*and so many more distinct and engaging pieces.
I'd encourage you to use this book as a stepping stone. There are
author bios at the end of the book. Check out those of the writers
who most spoke to you. Many of them have authored their own books.
Make a list of those you plan to check out. I certainly did.
In Blain's epilogue she addresses the question of whether or not
Black Americans have yet the point of being their ancestors' wildest
dreams. She concludes not yet, but the potential is there.
"The task ahead is not an easy one. But we can help chart out a
path that leads us all to a better future--the kind of future that
will more closely resemble our ancestors's wildest dreams."
That, in itself, constitutes ample reason to read the book.
On a purrrsonal note, Eugene and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary
last night. I made an excellent dinner centered around porterhouse
steak. I'd baked a molasses cake for dessert. Everything was ready
at 6:00. But I wasn't surprised when Eugene didn't get back until
nearly 9:00. Construction workers often have to put in long days,
especially in summer. The meal and dessert were delish. I gave him a
gift card to his favorite store. He gave me money that will really
come in handy when it's time to buy textbooks. Earlier that day I
solved a problem. The feminist health care provider I finally signed
on with last year is a short drive from my house. But it's two buses
each way. Add in all the waits and you are looking at at least five
hours. I found myself thinking, I'd get there faster walking. So I
tested my hypothesis by doing a test walk. One hour each way. And it
counts as exercise as opposed to standing around waiting for a bus. I
was going to buy a treat on the way back. But thoughts of Tobago
waiting at home killed any desire for sugary stuff. She is motivating
me to do the right thing when it comes to diet and exercise. That
sweet kitty is going to get me in better shape than I was in before
the pandemic started. (Jules)
Well of course. If the love of a good cat can't inspire one to get in
shape, I don't know what can. 32 years is great. Remind me what a
year is. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"This 'cargo,' this group of twenty to thirty Angolans, sold
from the deck of the White Lion by criminal English marauders in
exchange for food and supplies, was also foundational to the American
story. But while every American child learns about the Mayflower,
virtually no American child learns about the White Lion.
And yet the story of the White Lion is clasically American. It
is a harrowing tale--one filled with all the things that this country
would rather not remember, a taint on a nation that believes above all
else in its exceptionality."
I'd told myself I wasn't going to read Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha
N. Blain's Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America,
1619-2019. It was too hefty. I envisioned chapter after chapter of
history. Nearly four hundred pages worth. But when I took a closer
look I found out I was totally wrong.
Kendi and Blaine are the editors, not the sole narrators. There
are ninety contributors including ten poets. Kendi explains that
rather than have a single author for the book "...But why not have a
community of women and men chronicling the history of a community?
Why not a Black choir singing the spiritual into the heavens of
history? Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America,
1610-2019 is this historic moment."
Most of the contributors actually wrote their pieces during
2019. Each covers a five year chunk of the time line. The first,
Arrival, by Nikole Hannah-Jones, describes the arrival of the two very
different ships and the contradictions in American character they
point to. In the last Alicia Garza discusses the Black Lives Matter
movement. In between lie an abundance of riches including:
*Brenda E. Stevenson's Black Women's Labor about how in the 17th
century Black women's legal designation as less feminine than white
women led to larger work loads and harsher punishments;
*Crystal N. Feimster's Lynching about the crusader Ida B. Wells-
Barnette;
*Michelle Duster's Red Summer about the 1919 Race Riot in Chicago;
*Angela Y. Davis' discussion of the devastating effects of President
Clinton's tough on crime laws;
*and so many more distinct and engaging pieces.
I'd encourage you to use this book as a stepping stone. There are
author bios at the end of the book. Check out those of the writers
who most spoke to you. Many of them have authored their own books.
Make a list of those you plan to check out. I certainly did.
In Blain's epilogue she addresses the question of whether or not
Black Americans have yet the point of being their ancestors' wildest
dreams. She concludes not yet, but the potential is there.
"The task ahead is not an easy one. But we can help chart out a
path that leads us all to a better future--the kind of future that
will more closely resemble our ancestors's wildest dreams."
That, in itself, constitutes ample reason to read the book.
On a purrrsonal note, Eugene and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary
last night. I made an excellent dinner centered around porterhouse
steak. I'd baked a molasses cake for dessert. Everything was ready
at 6:00. But I wasn't surprised when Eugene didn't get back until
nearly 9:00. Construction workers often have to put in long days,
especially in summer. The meal and dessert were delish. I gave him a
gift card to his favorite store. He gave me money that will really
come in handy when it's time to buy textbooks. Earlier that day I
solved a problem. The feminist health care provider I finally signed
on with last year is a short drive from my house. But it's two buses
each way. Add in all the waits and you are looking at at least five
hours. I found myself thinking, I'd get there faster walking. So I
tested my hypothesis by doing a test walk. One hour each way. And it
counts as exercise as opposed to standing around waiting for a bus. I
was going to buy a treat on the way back. But thoughts of Tobago
waiting at home killed any desire for sugary stuff. She is motivating
me to do the right thing when it comes to diet and exercise. That
sweet kitty is going to get me in better shape than I was in before
the pandemic started. (Jules)
Well of course. If the love of a good cat can't inspire one to get in
shape, I don't know what can. 32 years is great. Remind me what a
year is. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
White Feminism
White Feminism
Adult nonfiction
"White feminism is a state of mind. It's a type of feminism
that takes up the politics of power without questioning them by
replicating patterns of white supremacy, capitalistic greed, corporate
ascension, inhumane labor practices, and exploitation, and deeming it
empowering for women to practice these tenets as men always have. The
mindset is seductive, as it positions the singular you as the agent of
change, making your individual needs the touch point for all
revolutionary disruption. All you need is a better morning routine,
this email hack, this conference, that newsletter."
In her White Feminism: From The Suffragettes To Influencers And
Who They Leave Behind Koa Beck eloquently describes why the type of
feminism that is currently popular, celebrity endorsed, and
extensively commodified and commercialized is very far from
inclusive. Historically it has been and ironically (considering all
the talk of intersectionality) it continues to be an exclusive women's
club where those who are black, brown, disabled, poor, and nonbinary
need not apply. How does she do this? Let me count the ways.
There are the issues that are considered central and those that
are considered distractions or divisive, often ones of basic economics.
There are the people who are unseen such as the women, mostly
black and brown, who clean, cook, and child tend in private homes,
those Sheryl Sandberg's crowd needs to lean on in order to lean in.
There is the focus on individual women getting into the old
boys' club, climbing into the hierarchy of corporations, rather than
communally working to dismantle capitalist institutions of oppression.
There is the protest as brunch rather than serious struggle
narrative replete with branded merchandise and selfie opportunities.
There is privilege acknowledgement as self congratulatory end in
itself rather than impetus to change.
And there is so much more--all laid out in a cogent and engaging
voice. At the end there are suggestions for change. I think the book
is a must read for all feminists, allies, and critics.
But you don't have to take my word for it. Rebecca Traister,
author of Good and Mad, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, coauthor of When They
Call You A Terrorist, and Kimberly Drew, coeditor of Black Futures,
sing the praises of this highly enlightening volume.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a wonderful time last night. Three
friends and I spent five hours painting the previously white Wilson
Center fence rainbow colors. It now looks totally gorgeous. Sonja
was dj and she had a great playlist. We enjoyed a pizza supper,
snacks, and each other's company. It was one of my most fun evenings
of the summer. I also had a surprise this summer. I found out that a
piece I submitted for a zine coming out next year has been accepted.
(Jules)
I hope she got more paint on the fence than she did on herself.
(Tobago)
A great big shout goes out to our intrepid fence painting crew.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"White feminism is a state of mind. It's a type of feminism
that takes up the politics of power without questioning them by
replicating patterns of white supremacy, capitalistic greed, corporate
ascension, inhumane labor practices, and exploitation, and deeming it
empowering for women to practice these tenets as men always have. The
mindset is seductive, as it positions the singular you as the agent of
change, making your individual needs the touch point for all
revolutionary disruption. All you need is a better morning routine,
this email hack, this conference, that newsletter."
In her White Feminism: From The Suffragettes To Influencers And
Who They Leave Behind Koa Beck eloquently describes why the type of
feminism that is currently popular, celebrity endorsed, and
extensively commodified and commercialized is very far from
inclusive. Historically it has been and ironically (considering all
the talk of intersectionality) it continues to be an exclusive women's
club where those who are black, brown, disabled, poor, and nonbinary
need not apply. How does she do this? Let me count the ways.
There are the issues that are considered central and those that
are considered distractions or divisive, often ones of basic economics.
There are the people who are unseen such as the women, mostly
black and brown, who clean, cook, and child tend in private homes,
those Sheryl Sandberg's crowd needs to lean on in order to lean in.
There is the focus on individual women getting into the old
boys' club, climbing into the hierarchy of corporations, rather than
communally working to dismantle capitalist institutions of oppression.
There is the protest as brunch rather than serious struggle
narrative replete with branded merchandise and selfie opportunities.
There is privilege acknowledgement as self congratulatory end in
itself rather than impetus to change.
And there is so much more--all laid out in a cogent and engaging
voice. At the end there are suggestions for change. I think the book
is a must read for all feminists, allies, and critics.
But you don't have to take my word for it. Rebecca Traister,
author of Good and Mad, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, coauthor of When They
Call You A Terrorist, and Kimberly Drew, coeditor of Black Futures,
sing the praises of this highly enlightening volume.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a wonderful time last night. Three
friends and I spent five hours painting the previously white Wilson
Center fence rainbow colors. It now looks totally gorgeous. Sonja
was dj and she had a great playlist. We enjoyed a pizza supper,
snacks, and each other's company. It was one of my most fun evenings
of the summer. I also had a surprise this summer. I found out that a
piece I submitted for a zine coming out next year has been accepted.
(Jules)
I hope she got more paint on the fence than she did on herself.
(Tobago)
A great big shout goes out to our intrepid fence painting crew.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 26, 2021
Angel Of Greenwood
Angel Of Greenwood
YA historical fiction
"At first he thought the sight was his imagination. The orange
glow pulsing through his usually peaceful neighborhood. Smoke dancing
against the fiery backdrop, twirling like an angry angel defected..."
The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 is a chapter of American history
your high school textbook probably saw fit to omit. By 1921 Greenwood
in Tulsa, Oklahoma was one of the nation's most prosperous Black
districts, a place where thriving businesses and close knit community
insulated residents from much of the racial viciousness of an outside
world where the KKK was rising in power and going mainstream. Many
racist whites were enraged by its prosperity.
May 30 that year a white woman alone on an elevator with a Black
man screamed. Her scream served as a call to arms. A mob of whites
looted and torched Greenwood in the wee hours of June 1 when most
residents were asleep. Hundreds of people were killed. Close to a
thousand were injured. Greenwood was reduced to ashes.
In Angel Of Greenwood Randi Pink brings this complex tragedy to
life for younger readers through one of the simplest and most engaging
of YA story lines--the relationship of an unlikely girl.
Angel is a devout Christian having to cope with a heavy
impending loss. Her father is dying. She lives to serve others. One
day she goes to school late after tending to a fussy baby so its
mother can get some sleep. Classmates pretty much ignore her,
considering her to be a goodie two shoes.
Isaiah had lost his father in World War I. He's a deep reader,
thinker, and poet who must keep those facets of himself a secret. His
best friend, Muggy, the son of a wealthy man who cheats in his
business dealings and on his wife, is a bully.
But one day in church Isaiah sees Angel in a whole different
light. Can he win her trust without Muggy interfering?
Angel Of Greenwood is a great book to share and discuss with the
teens in your life. In fact it's purrrfect for mother-daughter book
clubs.
On a purrrsonal note, I hope that you had a great weekend. I
certainly did. At breakfast Eugene announced that he was going to
camp. I packed quickly, including in my backpack a really hefty
antiracist tome, Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi, which
I'd procrastinated reading for its size. We took a winding route,
stopping at yard sales. We saw a deer hiding in the woods. At camp I
spent much of the day reading. The book is composed of
chronologically ordered essays and poems by eighty writers covering
1619 to 2019 in terms of Black Hostory. I was gratified to see that I
was familiar with a lot of the content and had read books by a bunch
of the authors. Maybe because of all the race related books I've
reviewed for this blog in the almost 10 years (August 10 is the
anniversary) I've been keeping it up--443 to be exact. Eugene grilled
hot dogs for supper. We watched another of those movies in the
subgenre I call guys feel that getting laid (their words) is a
requirement for high school graduation. The next morning we motored
home with a stop in Winterport to wish his mother a happy birthday.
Today I'm supposed to be involved in an outdoor painting project. But
Mother Nature may very effectively veto it. And I'm still reading the
same book. (Jules)
My hoomans is home safe. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene. Happy birthday wishes to
Arlene Hathaway.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA historical fiction
"At first he thought the sight was his imagination. The orange
glow pulsing through his usually peaceful neighborhood. Smoke dancing
against the fiery backdrop, twirling like an angry angel defected..."
The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 is a chapter of American history
your high school textbook probably saw fit to omit. By 1921 Greenwood
in Tulsa, Oklahoma was one of the nation's most prosperous Black
districts, a place where thriving businesses and close knit community
insulated residents from much of the racial viciousness of an outside
world where the KKK was rising in power and going mainstream. Many
racist whites were enraged by its prosperity.
May 30 that year a white woman alone on an elevator with a Black
man screamed. Her scream served as a call to arms. A mob of whites
looted and torched Greenwood in the wee hours of June 1 when most
residents were asleep. Hundreds of people were killed. Close to a
thousand were injured. Greenwood was reduced to ashes.
In Angel Of Greenwood Randi Pink brings this complex tragedy to
life for younger readers through one of the simplest and most engaging
of YA story lines--the relationship of an unlikely girl.
Angel is a devout Christian having to cope with a heavy
impending loss. Her father is dying. She lives to serve others. One
day she goes to school late after tending to a fussy baby so its
mother can get some sleep. Classmates pretty much ignore her,
considering her to be a goodie two shoes.
Isaiah had lost his father in World War I. He's a deep reader,
thinker, and poet who must keep those facets of himself a secret. His
best friend, Muggy, the son of a wealthy man who cheats in his
business dealings and on his wife, is a bully.
But one day in church Isaiah sees Angel in a whole different
light. Can he win her trust without Muggy interfering?
Angel Of Greenwood is a great book to share and discuss with the
teens in your life. In fact it's purrrfect for mother-daughter book
clubs.
On a purrrsonal note, I hope that you had a great weekend. I
certainly did. At breakfast Eugene announced that he was going to
camp. I packed quickly, including in my backpack a really hefty
antiracist tome, Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi, which
I'd procrastinated reading for its size. We took a winding route,
stopping at yard sales. We saw a deer hiding in the woods. At camp I
spent much of the day reading. The book is composed of
chronologically ordered essays and poems by eighty writers covering
1619 to 2019 in terms of Black Hostory. I was gratified to see that I
was familiar with a lot of the content and had read books by a bunch
of the authors. Maybe because of all the race related books I've
reviewed for this blog in the almost 10 years (August 10 is the
anniversary) I've been keeping it up--443 to be exact. Eugene grilled
hot dogs for supper. We watched another of those movies in the
subgenre I call guys feel that getting laid (their words) is a
requirement for high school graduation. The next morning we motored
home with a stop in Winterport to wish his mother a happy birthday.
Today I'm supposed to be involved in an outdoor painting project. But
Mother Nature may very effectively veto it. And I'm still reading the
same book. (Jules)
My hoomans is home safe. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene. Happy birthday wishes to
Arlene Hathaway.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 23, 2021
Two On Antiracism
Two On Antiracism
Young Adult nonfiction
It's getting to that part of the summer when for many of the
younger people in our lives things to do can run out before vaca
does. It's the perfect time for Tiffany Jewell's This Book Is Anti-
Racist. Jewell's intimate conversational tone and Aurelia Durand's
vibrant, dynamic illustrations will make this book simply irresistible
to many members of its target demographic.
"This is the book I wish I'd had when I was younger. And it's
the book I will share with my own children. It contains information I
never learned when I was younger and you will probably not be taught
in school."
The book is a clarion call to action, to the dismantling of the
system of privilege and oppression known as racism. Jewell reminds
readers that it's not enough to be nonracist, if there even is such a
thing. Nothing less that anti-racism will dismantle the system. She
assures them that they are not too young to make a real difference.
Jewell intertwines a lot of important information with a path to
self development. It's an active path that includes really insightful
writing activities. Readers start with "understanding and growing
into" (don't you just love that phrasing?) their identities including
their racial identities. Then there's a stepping out into the larger
world, seeing their places in a history that goes beyond that of their
families. Finally there is discussion of ways to create a moving
forward path in which a number of methods of taking action are
discussed and readers are urged to develop and utelize their super
powers.
Wow! That's a book I wish had been around not only in my teens,
but in my children's.
One problem. Many of the younger people in the book's target
demographic will also be in those developmentally necessary years
where Mom's or Dad's suggestions may be uncool. You may have to get
creative. My method of choice when my kids were teens was to leave a
book out with a bookmark in it. Those books would disappear.
Sometimes one of the kids would tell me about one.
I think it would be a great choice for two generation book clubs
and for youth group explorations.
And I also think it has merit for people beyond its target
demographic. We tend to forget that a lot of very intelligent people
get out of high school with reading levels and experiences that
mitigate against the concept of pleasure reading. And even people
like me who spend a lot of time on grad school textbooks get tired of
endless blocks of text only.
Cognitive psychologists tell us that text and pictures stimulate
different brain centers, giving a richer grasp of what we read. And
that's a bad thing?
Of all the antiracism books I've read in the service of my blog
this book and the one I'm about to review below are my favorites. I
read actively and did the journelling. I especially loved the
question calling for my vision of justice.
I wonder if Jewell realizes that at going on seventy there is
still a need to read, learn, journal, live in solidarity, and
constantly hone those super powers.
Mine, BTW, include reading, writing, speaking up, listening,
community building, crafting, and being a drag king.
Ibram X. Kendi's Antiracist Baby should be included in the gift
bags hospitals give new mothers. In lively rhyming verses it reminds
us all that racism is taught, not innate.
A rainbow of charming infants convey a number of important
concepts. Antiracist infants:
*learn the words for all skin colors because color-blindness is
another way for denial;
*know that inequitable policies are the root of problems;
*celebrate differences;
And do so much more.
Meant as a read aloud, Antiracist Baby provides an avenue for
parents and older siblings to intentionally plan ways to initiate a
precious new arrival into an antiracist life. If you need to get a
shower gift for a friend or family member, skip the rattle or onesie--
gift the book.
On a purrrsonal note, I was feeling a little stressed so I decided on
a therapeutic Goodwill run. I ended up feeling a lot more relaxed and
paying only $6 for a pair of really cute cat pajamas, fuzzy gloves,
and a tantalizing looking mystery which I'll probs review here. I
hope you have a good weekend planned. As usual, I have no idea what
I'll be up to. (Jules)
Looks like rain on Sunday. Maybe we'll go to zoom church. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the workers who make Goodwill
shopping a real treasure hunt.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Young Adult nonfiction
It's getting to that part of the summer when for many of the
younger people in our lives things to do can run out before vaca
does. It's the perfect time for Tiffany Jewell's This Book Is Anti-
Racist. Jewell's intimate conversational tone and Aurelia Durand's
vibrant, dynamic illustrations will make this book simply irresistible
to many members of its target demographic.
"This is the book I wish I'd had when I was younger. And it's
the book I will share with my own children. It contains information I
never learned when I was younger and you will probably not be taught
in school."
The book is a clarion call to action, to the dismantling of the
system of privilege and oppression known as racism. Jewell reminds
readers that it's not enough to be nonracist, if there even is such a
thing. Nothing less that anti-racism will dismantle the system. She
assures them that they are not too young to make a real difference.
Jewell intertwines a lot of important information with a path to
self development. It's an active path that includes really insightful
writing activities. Readers start with "understanding and growing
into" (don't you just love that phrasing?) their identities including
their racial identities. Then there's a stepping out into the larger
world, seeing their places in a history that goes beyond that of their
families. Finally there is discussion of ways to create a moving
forward path in which a number of methods of taking action are
discussed and readers are urged to develop and utelize their super
powers.
Wow! That's a book I wish had been around not only in my teens,
but in my children's.
One problem. Many of the younger people in the book's target
demographic will also be in those developmentally necessary years
where Mom's or Dad's suggestions may be uncool. You may have to get
creative. My method of choice when my kids were teens was to leave a
book out with a bookmark in it. Those books would disappear.
Sometimes one of the kids would tell me about one.
I think it would be a great choice for two generation book clubs
and for youth group explorations.
And I also think it has merit for people beyond its target
demographic. We tend to forget that a lot of very intelligent people
get out of high school with reading levels and experiences that
mitigate against the concept of pleasure reading. And even people
like me who spend a lot of time on grad school textbooks get tired of
endless blocks of text only.
Cognitive psychologists tell us that text and pictures stimulate
different brain centers, giving a richer grasp of what we read. And
that's a bad thing?
Of all the antiracism books I've read in the service of my blog
this book and the one I'm about to review below are my favorites. I
read actively and did the journelling. I especially loved the
question calling for my vision of justice.
I wonder if Jewell realizes that at going on seventy there is
still a need to read, learn, journal, live in solidarity, and
constantly hone those super powers.
Mine, BTW, include reading, writing, speaking up, listening,
community building, crafting, and being a drag king.
Ibram X. Kendi's Antiracist Baby should be included in the gift
bags hospitals give new mothers. In lively rhyming verses it reminds
us all that racism is taught, not innate.
A rainbow of charming infants convey a number of important
concepts. Antiracist infants:
*learn the words for all skin colors because color-blindness is
another way for denial;
*know that inequitable policies are the root of problems;
*celebrate differences;
And do so much more.
Meant as a read aloud, Antiracist Baby provides an avenue for
parents and older siblings to intentionally plan ways to initiate a
precious new arrival into an antiracist life. If you need to get a
shower gift for a friend or family member, skip the rattle or onesie--
gift the book.
On a purrrsonal note, I was feeling a little stressed so I decided on
a therapeutic Goodwill run. I ended up feeling a lot more relaxed and
paying only $6 for a pair of really cute cat pajamas, fuzzy gloves,
and a tantalizing looking mystery which I'll probs review here. I
hope you have a good weekend planned. As usual, I have no idea what
I'll be up to. (Jules)
Looks like rain on Sunday. Maybe we'll go to zoom church. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the workers who make Goodwill
shopping a real treasure hunt.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Glimmer Of Hope
Glimmer Of Hope
YA nonfiction
"On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkman, Florida, was the scene of one of the worst mass shootings in
American history, in which seventeen students and teachers were killed
and seventeen more were injured.
At 2:21, the shooter entered building 1200, known to students as
the freshman building. The shooting lasted six minutes. He was
apprehended a few hours later."
Something remarkable distinguished this school shooting from
previous ones. A group of students decided that the thoughts and
prayers of legislators were not enough if unaccompanied by actions
that would greatly reduce the dangers of mass public shootings. (The
back of the book lists ten such reforms.) At a time when they were
grieving lost friends, they started a movement to apply pressure to
elected officials. It included a nearly one million person march in
Washington DC with hundreds of solidarity marches around the world
including our student led march in Orono, Maine.
In Glimmer Of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked A Movement a number of
the student organizers share their experiences, taking turns painting
a picture of life from the day of the tragedy to the march and
beyond. Some narratives describe the anger and frustration of dealing
with lawmakers. Jacklyn Corin tells us:
"I had walked into the day with immense hope in my heart, but I
soon realized that people only had sympathy for us--they weren't
willing to do anything to prevent the next shooting.
There was a common thread in every meeting we took--avoiding a
real conversation about guns. It was incredibly disheartening to
recognize the pull that lobby groups truly have, specifically the
National Rifle Association."
Some describe the euphoria of the march. Emma Gonzalez shares:
"I loved watching all of the, like, people I had grown so close
to in this time period get up there on that stage and speak the way
they did. It was incredible..."
One of the most poignant chapters was the one in which students
describe their first day back at school just two weeks after the
shooting.
"David Hogg: It's like, the best way I can describe it is imagine
getting in a plane crash and then having to get on that same plane
every day without fixing the problem that caused the plane to crash in
the first place, and just having to expect, like, 'Yeah, it's not
gonna happen.' And learn. You can't. I couldn't."
The narratives and photographs are heartbreaking and inspiring
at the same time. All of us need to read the book and work together
on achieving the ten reforms. Glimmer Of Hope is a must acquire for
libraries.
On a purrrsonal note, today I was in Orono walking to the thrift shop
and library when a friend told me she loved my opinion piece on Poor
People's Campaign. It was in today's Bangor Daily News!!! I printed
off copies at the library. I am in for sure celebration mode! Even
though I'm eating much more responsibly in general Tobago and I will
be enjoying an ice cream party tonight. (Jules)
Ice cream celebrations are always in good taste. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the Bangor Daily news for publishing
another of my pieces.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA nonfiction
"On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkman, Florida, was the scene of one of the worst mass shootings in
American history, in which seventeen students and teachers were killed
and seventeen more were injured.
At 2:21, the shooter entered building 1200, known to students as
the freshman building. The shooting lasted six minutes. He was
apprehended a few hours later."
Something remarkable distinguished this school shooting from
previous ones. A group of students decided that the thoughts and
prayers of legislators were not enough if unaccompanied by actions
that would greatly reduce the dangers of mass public shootings. (The
back of the book lists ten such reforms.) At a time when they were
grieving lost friends, they started a movement to apply pressure to
elected officials. It included a nearly one million person march in
Washington DC with hundreds of solidarity marches around the world
including our student led march in Orono, Maine.
In Glimmer Of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked A Movement a number of
the student organizers share their experiences, taking turns painting
a picture of life from the day of the tragedy to the march and
beyond. Some narratives describe the anger and frustration of dealing
with lawmakers. Jacklyn Corin tells us:
"I had walked into the day with immense hope in my heart, but I
soon realized that people only had sympathy for us--they weren't
willing to do anything to prevent the next shooting.
There was a common thread in every meeting we took--avoiding a
real conversation about guns. It was incredibly disheartening to
recognize the pull that lobby groups truly have, specifically the
National Rifle Association."
Some describe the euphoria of the march. Emma Gonzalez shares:
"I loved watching all of the, like, people I had grown so close
to in this time period get up there on that stage and speak the way
they did. It was incredible..."
One of the most poignant chapters was the one in which students
describe their first day back at school just two weeks after the
shooting.
"David Hogg: It's like, the best way I can describe it is imagine
getting in a plane crash and then having to get on that same plane
every day without fixing the problem that caused the plane to crash in
the first place, and just having to expect, like, 'Yeah, it's not
gonna happen.' And learn. You can't. I couldn't."
The narratives and photographs are heartbreaking and inspiring
at the same time. All of us need to read the book and work together
on achieving the ten reforms. Glimmer Of Hope is a must acquire for
libraries.
On a purrrsonal note, today I was in Orono walking to the thrift shop
and library when a friend told me she loved my opinion piece on Poor
People's Campaign. It was in today's Bangor Daily News!!! I printed
off copies at the library. I am in for sure celebration mode! Even
though I'm eating much more responsibly in general Tobago and I will
be enjoying an ice cream party tonight. (Jules)
Ice cream celebrations are always in good taste. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the Bangor Daily news for publishing
another of my pieces.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 19, 2021
The Children's Blizzard
The Children's Blizzard
Adult historical fiction
"When the Blizzard struck central and eastern Nebraska and
southeastern Dakota--the places that had the most casualties--it
struck at a particularly devastating time: the hour when school was
about to let out, or just had. This led to an unusually high
proportion of casualties being children--thus the name--the Children's
Blizzard."
Even before that deadly blizzard portrayed in Melanie
Benjamin's The Children's Blizzard life was precarious. It was 1888.
Homesteaders with no clue what they were getting into, many lured by
totally false propaganda targeted at people desperate for land, were
flooding territories that had been stolen from the indigenous people
who actually knew what they were doing. Every year was a cycle of
crises: floods, tornados, plagues of grasshoppers, prairie fires, and,
of course, blizzards. In fact we now consider the 1880s to have been
a "little ice age."
Plus don't forget that our current ways of monitoring and
spreading information about severe weather events were nonexistent.
The morning of the blizzard was an unseasonably warm one, coming
right on the heels of a lengthy severe freeze. People were using the
break to travel to stores and stock up on supplies they couldn't grow
and to to make repairs on their large properties. They were also
wearing spring clothes and airing out the winter garments they'd been
living in.
The blizzard struck without warning, turning a pleasant day
instantly into a hell on earth of frigid gale force winds driving snow
thick enough to obscure all visibility. Teachers who didn't have
phones or any other way to call for help or consult anyone in the
outside world were faced with a nightmarish decision: let their pupils
go home or have them shelter in place. Either choice could easily
lead to their deaths. The teachers faced with a crisis few of us could
handle were teens themselves, some a mere year older than some of
their pupils.
The Children's Blizzard, based on documented survivors' stories,
takes readers into that real life nightmare. The focus is on the very
different decisions made by two sisters who were teachers and their
life or death consequences. But a wide range of perspectives add to
the depth and breadth of the fast-paced, suspenseful, riveting novel.
It also has an educational function. It exposes the Homestead
Act as even more vicious than most of us know. In addition to
executing and stealing land from indigenous peoples (which, in itself,
was evil), those in power lured legions of people desperate for better
lives for themselves and their children to move to the territories
using pamphlets portraying an earthly paradise based on lies, more
lies, and damn lies. In fact in the aftermath of the blizzard
newspapers were pressured to under report death tolls so potential
homesteaders wouldn't be deterred...
...more of the stuff they probably didn't teach you in high
school history.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a really good weekend. Saturday I
volunteered at Orono Community Garden. We weeded and gave veggies to
very happy people. I snagged lettuce and yellow zucchini. I'm
eagerly awaiting the tomatoes. Sunday Tobago and I attended zoom
church. When she was about to do the kids' part of the service Pastor
Mariah commented that she saw Tobago waiting patiently for the
children's story. Tobago sat up straight and purred softly. Eugene
bought a bunch of frozen veggies. That is so romantic. Fresh and
frozen are so much better for us than canned. (Jules)
Pastor Mariah knows a good cat when she sees one. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to the garden crew, Pastor Mariah, and
Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult historical fiction
"When the Blizzard struck central and eastern Nebraska and
southeastern Dakota--the places that had the most casualties--it
struck at a particularly devastating time: the hour when school was
about to let out, or just had. This led to an unusually high
proportion of casualties being children--thus the name--the Children's
Blizzard."
Even before that deadly blizzard portrayed in Melanie
Benjamin's The Children's Blizzard life was precarious. It was 1888.
Homesteaders with no clue what they were getting into, many lured by
totally false propaganda targeted at people desperate for land, were
flooding territories that had been stolen from the indigenous people
who actually knew what they were doing. Every year was a cycle of
crises: floods, tornados, plagues of grasshoppers, prairie fires, and,
of course, blizzards. In fact we now consider the 1880s to have been
a "little ice age."
Plus don't forget that our current ways of monitoring and
spreading information about severe weather events were nonexistent.
The morning of the blizzard was an unseasonably warm one, coming
right on the heels of a lengthy severe freeze. People were using the
break to travel to stores and stock up on supplies they couldn't grow
and to to make repairs on their large properties. They were also
wearing spring clothes and airing out the winter garments they'd been
living in.
The blizzard struck without warning, turning a pleasant day
instantly into a hell on earth of frigid gale force winds driving snow
thick enough to obscure all visibility. Teachers who didn't have
phones or any other way to call for help or consult anyone in the
outside world were faced with a nightmarish decision: let their pupils
go home or have them shelter in place. Either choice could easily
lead to their deaths. The teachers faced with a crisis few of us could
handle were teens themselves, some a mere year older than some of
their pupils.
The Children's Blizzard, based on documented survivors' stories,
takes readers into that real life nightmare. The focus is on the very
different decisions made by two sisters who were teachers and their
life or death consequences. But a wide range of perspectives add to
the depth and breadth of the fast-paced, suspenseful, riveting novel.
It also has an educational function. It exposes the Homestead
Act as even more vicious than most of us know. In addition to
executing and stealing land from indigenous peoples (which, in itself,
was evil), those in power lured legions of people desperate for better
lives for themselves and their children to move to the territories
using pamphlets portraying an earthly paradise based on lies, more
lies, and damn lies. In fact in the aftermath of the blizzard
newspapers were pressured to under report death tolls so potential
homesteaders wouldn't be deterred...
...more of the stuff they probably didn't teach you in high
school history.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a really good weekend. Saturday I
volunteered at Orono Community Garden. We weeded and gave veggies to
very happy people. I snagged lettuce and yellow zucchini. I'm
eagerly awaiting the tomatoes. Sunday Tobago and I attended zoom
church. When she was about to do the kids' part of the service Pastor
Mariah commented that she saw Tobago waiting patiently for the
children's story. Tobago sat up straight and purred softly. Eugene
bought a bunch of frozen veggies. That is so romantic. Fresh and
frozen are so much better for us than canned. (Jules)
Pastor Mariah knows a good cat when she sees one. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to the garden crew, Pastor Mariah, and
Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 16, 2021
The New Normal
The New Normal
Adult nonfiction
Has your fitness level changed since the start of the pandemic?
I know mine has. The dining commons where I worked gave me access to
my most wholesome foods. And punctuating my studying with a few
rounds of the mall or the stairs in the union or getting up to dance
when a good song came on, not to mention a fast paced on my feet
student job, kept me plenty active. I knew I need to get back into
shape and was plenty motivated but had no clue how.
I am so glad I picked up Dr. Jennifer Ashton's The New Normal: A
Roadmap to Resilience in the Pandemic Era. It's a really great
companion to The Plague Year. While the latter zooms out to give us
the picture, the former is what it claims to be--a personal roadmap to
get us back on track.
One of the most important things Ashton does is telling us that
we don't need to feel shame if we've let nutrition, exercise, or sleep
(her three pillars) slide. Almost all of us have fallen off on at
least one. Even she, a doctor, has. Needless guilt has no place in
this new normal.
Ashton dedicates a chapter to each of these pillars, telling us
why slipping up is understandable given the circumstances, why getting
back with the program is so important, and some ways we can take steps
in the right direction. On the exercise front she gave me the way to
surmount my two hurdles. My attempts to walk have succumbed to
boredom. I'm going to buy a basketball and shoot hoops on a regular
basis. During the winter walking in the trailer park becomes a
falling hazard. Before the next winter I'm going to buy an indoor
bike for the break between semesters. On the sleep front she helped
me realize what I'm doing right. I have a consistent sleep cycle
thanks to my alarm cat who starts nagging me to go to bed at 9:00 and
pounces me if I'm not up by 5:30. She also assures us that small
steps taken consistently will get us where we need to go. I don't
know about you, but I needed to hear that.
Ashton also discusses some mega issues that have been
increasingly important. Here are three I especially appreciated.
1) Changing rules doesn't mean medical science can't be
trusted. It means learning is going on. This is something we all
should want. I mean where would we be if the guy who came up with our
first antibiotic hadn't been curious about the mold on his bread?
2) Not all information sources are created equal. Some are much
more trustworthy. There are ways to locate them.
3) Mental health is very important. We're going through a lot
of stress and uncertainty. Almost all of us have been impacted. For
those of us who have access to counseling it's a great idea. I zoom
saw a counselor six months and found her almost as crucial to
maintaining balance as Tobago cat.
There was one point I disagree with Ashton though. I cringed
when I read her advice to treat people over 65 like newborn babies.
I'm there. Let me tell you that is likely to trigger the behavior you
don't want. You put the person in a situation of two bad options:
giving in to being infantalized or rebelling. Developmental
psychologist Erik Erikson tells us that the eighth stage in life
revolves around integrity vs despair. The "obstinancy" she complains
about is probably what feels to the older person like the only way to
assert their integrity, their being more than the sum of their age and/
or comorbidities. Also how would you feel if you were in the position
of suddenly being treated like a baby?
But there is a good alternative: giving the older person a route
to making the right decisions from a position of agency and strength.
That's what my very smart adult kids did. From the beginning they
were about the we. We need to all take precautions. We can help
flatten the curve. Being a respected member of team Hathaway enabled
me to make responsible decisions without feeling weak. Last summer,
for instance, when UMaine decided to have in person classes I told my
kids that, having concerns about a second spike, I was opting for on
line classes. They said Mom, you are so smart. For my birthday and
Christmas presents they gave me my textbooks, saving me a trip to the
bookstore. That validated my agency and goals while getting what they
wanted. And that helped me develop an eyes on the prize narrative I
now use with the rest of the world: My goals--getting my masters and
PhD, contributing to research in my field, and influencing my beloved
undergrads--are so important to me I'm not going to do anything dumb
that could jeopardize my ability to achieve my dream. I'm loving that
people say stuff like, Jules, you are so awesome!
Anyway, I strongly urge you to buy this book, refer to it on a
frequent basis, and, if you can afford to do so, give copies to your
nearest and dearest.
But please don't treat older friends and relatives like neonates
when there are much better ways to get our cooperation.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a great day yesterday. First I got the
wonderful news that my favorite dining commons to work in will be
opened for weekday breakfasts and lunches. I will be happy to return
to the work I need to earn tuition in the autumn. After refraining
over safety concerns almost 18 months. Second, I went on campus for
the first time in that long to get my friend, Jodi, to help me with
some computer work. She also gave me a big box of Tobago's favorite
kind of cat food. People love Baby Girl. My kids, BTW, are fine with
my advances, secure in the trust that if greater caution becomes
necessary again I'll take it. (Jules)
Sea food is soooo good! Jodi knows what a kitty wants. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Team Hathaway for being awesome,
Anna for understanding why I want to stay at Wells rather than follow
her to the Bear's Den, and Jodi for helping me (Jules) and making
Tobago happy.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
Has your fitness level changed since the start of the pandemic?
I know mine has. The dining commons where I worked gave me access to
my most wholesome foods. And punctuating my studying with a few
rounds of the mall or the stairs in the union or getting up to dance
when a good song came on, not to mention a fast paced on my feet
student job, kept me plenty active. I knew I need to get back into
shape and was plenty motivated but had no clue how.
I am so glad I picked up Dr. Jennifer Ashton's The New Normal: A
Roadmap to Resilience in the Pandemic Era. It's a really great
companion to The Plague Year. While the latter zooms out to give us
the picture, the former is what it claims to be--a personal roadmap to
get us back on track.
One of the most important things Ashton does is telling us that
we don't need to feel shame if we've let nutrition, exercise, or sleep
(her three pillars) slide. Almost all of us have fallen off on at
least one. Even she, a doctor, has. Needless guilt has no place in
this new normal.
Ashton dedicates a chapter to each of these pillars, telling us
why slipping up is understandable given the circumstances, why getting
back with the program is so important, and some ways we can take steps
in the right direction. On the exercise front she gave me the way to
surmount my two hurdles. My attempts to walk have succumbed to
boredom. I'm going to buy a basketball and shoot hoops on a regular
basis. During the winter walking in the trailer park becomes a
falling hazard. Before the next winter I'm going to buy an indoor
bike for the break between semesters. On the sleep front she helped
me realize what I'm doing right. I have a consistent sleep cycle
thanks to my alarm cat who starts nagging me to go to bed at 9:00 and
pounces me if I'm not up by 5:30. She also assures us that small
steps taken consistently will get us where we need to go. I don't
know about you, but I needed to hear that.
Ashton also discusses some mega issues that have been
increasingly important. Here are three I especially appreciated.
1) Changing rules doesn't mean medical science can't be
trusted. It means learning is going on. This is something we all
should want. I mean where would we be if the guy who came up with our
first antibiotic hadn't been curious about the mold on his bread?
2) Not all information sources are created equal. Some are much
more trustworthy. There are ways to locate them.
3) Mental health is very important. We're going through a lot
of stress and uncertainty. Almost all of us have been impacted. For
those of us who have access to counseling it's a great idea. I zoom
saw a counselor six months and found her almost as crucial to
maintaining balance as Tobago cat.
There was one point I disagree with Ashton though. I cringed
when I read her advice to treat people over 65 like newborn babies.
I'm there. Let me tell you that is likely to trigger the behavior you
don't want. You put the person in a situation of two bad options:
giving in to being infantalized or rebelling. Developmental
psychologist Erik Erikson tells us that the eighth stage in life
revolves around integrity vs despair. The "obstinancy" she complains
about is probably what feels to the older person like the only way to
assert their integrity, their being more than the sum of their age and/
or comorbidities. Also how would you feel if you were in the position
of suddenly being treated like a baby?
But there is a good alternative: giving the older person a route
to making the right decisions from a position of agency and strength.
That's what my very smart adult kids did. From the beginning they
were about the we. We need to all take precautions. We can help
flatten the curve. Being a respected member of team Hathaway enabled
me to make responsible decisions without feeling weak. Last summer,
for instance, when UMaine decided to have in person classes I told my
kids that, having concerns about a second spike, I was opting for on
line classes. They said Mom, you are so smart. For my birthday and
Christmas presents they gave me my textbooks, saving me a trip to the
bookstore. That validated my agency and goals while getting what they
wanted. And that helped me develop an eyes on the prize narrative I
now use with the rest of the world: My goals--getting my masters and
PhD, contributing to research in my field, and influencing my beloved
undergrads--are so important to me I'm not going to do anything dumb
that could jeopardize my ability to achieve my dream. I'm loving that
people say stuff like, Jules, you are so awesome!
Anyway, I strongly urge you to buy this book, refer to it on a
frequent basis, and, if you can afford to do so, give copies to your
nearest and dearest.
But please don't treat older friends and relatives like neonates
when there are much better ways to get our cooperation.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a great day yesterday. First I got the
wonderful news that my favorite dining commons to work in will be
opened for weekday breakfasts and lunches. I will be happy to return
to the work I need to earn tuition in the autumn. After refraining
over safety concerns almost 18 months. Second, I went on campus for
the first time in that long to get my friend, Jodi, to help me with
some computer work. She also gave me a big box of Tobago's favorite
kind of cat food. People love Baby Girl. My kids, BTW, are fine with
my advances, secure in the trust that if greater caution becomes
necessary again I'll take it. (Jules)
Sea food is soooo good! Jodi knows what a kitty wants. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Team Hathaway for being awesome,
Anna for understanding why I want to stay at Wells rather than follow
her to the Bear's Den, and Jodi for helping me (Jules) and making
Tobago happy.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
The Plague Year
The Plague Year
Adult nonfiction
"For most people, including politicians, the threat in February
still appeared small. More than a month had passed between the first
confirmed case in the United States and the first known death. 'It's
going to disappear,' President Trump promised. 'One day, it's like a
miracle, it will disappear.'"
By now we all know it didn't.
February 2020 feels like my last month of lost innocence. It's
hard to believe that I was focussed on school, work, friends,
commuting, building a relationship with my then new cat, Tobago,
keeping up with election news, and scrambling for time to keep up with
cooking, laundry, and dishes. It was still weeks before my school
would go online and my dining job would be gone with the wind.
Do you remember when your life fell apart last year? For me it
was the middle of March--those two days between when UMaine decided to
go remote and when I took the bus home for the last time. I lost a
semester from not being tech savvy enough for the switch. (I was
surprised how many people did. I did go on to ace fall and spring
20-21.) But the most heart breaking aspect was saying goodbye to
beloved school and work friends, having no idea if I'd ever see them
again. I can clearly remember the looks on their dear faces as they
urged me to take care of myself.
Uncertain was one of the words I'd use to describe 2020 and the
start of 2021. Information changed almost daily. And everyday
decisions felt like equations with information missing. When I went
for a check up and flu shot in October my NP noticed a cyst had
started changing color and recommended getting it biopsied. Only we
were either into or about to go into a spike. Every nightly news told
about hundreds of new cases. I was in the demographic most likely to
be hit hard. So medical places were not where I wanted to be. Not to
mention that in the unlikely event I got bad news there would be
nothing I could have done about it because operations were being
cancelled right and left.
I found reading Lawrence Wright's The Plague Year: America In
The Time Of COVID to be a fascinating and slightly surreal
experience. It was like taking a zoom lens to the past little over a
year--seeing the larger picture overlaying the day to day uncertainty.
It also gives the backstory most of us didn't have access to.
Lawrence gives us a picture of all the things that did go wrong
which were legion. The whole world lost weeks of response time
because China maintained a face saving denial, working to silence
doctors who suspected the mystery illness had reached the point of
human to human transmission. America was not prepared despite
multiple warnings of a looming pandemic. We didn't even have enough
protective equipment for medical professional. (Recall the requests
for everyone with a sewing machine to start making masks?) Rather than
coordinating a focused national acquisition of these needful things
Trump told the states, good luck with that. You're on your own.
And then there was all this protest against common sense basic
scientifically proven to be effective steps like mask wearing and
socially distancing--all empowered by the denier-in-chief, even when
he himself became one of the COVID statistics.
"In part because of the president's courtship of the virus,
millions of people followed his example, giving the pandemic access to
new communities, infecting new families, endangering health care
workers, prolonging unemployment, sabotaging efforts to open the
economy, and causing untold numbers of people to die."
Lawrence also tells us about the heroes of the battle,
particularly the governors who didn't succomb to pressure from all
sides and did the right thing and medical professionsals who risked
all to save fellow humans and stem the spread of a deadly disease. He
brings the most important players in the grim drama (Like Anthony
Fauci) to life as complex humans. He gives us back story on the many
aspects of the pandemic. And he shines a light on the uglier aspects
of our nation's experience such as the huge racial differences in
morbidity and mortality.
As happy as many of us are that it feels like we're turning the
corner, we aren't out of the woods. And, in a world with climate
change and quickly decreasing barriers between humans and species
potentially harboring illnesses capable of making the leap to us,
it's only a matter of time before an ugly sequel. We can't count on
someone else making advance preparations for harm mitigation. We all
have to work to secure our homes, schools, work places, and
communities and demand that our leaders do their part. There's a lot
of useful information in The Plague Year that can help us ask the
right questions and take the right steps. So I think most of us
should read, discuss, and act on it.
Our lives and those of our children may hinge on what we do or
fail to do now.
On a purrrsonal note, Orono's outdoor concerts are back after a year
long pandemic hiatus. Local artists entertaining local people. The
concerts happen at the same time at commumity garden which is nothing
less than fabulous! Yesterday I had fun gardening and brought home
beet greens for Eugene and lettuce for me.
Earlier in the day Emily and her lovely daughter Stuart stopped by.
Emily gave me bananas just right for baking banana bread, molasses and
Cool Whip to make Eugene a molasses cake, and cherries and gourmet
chocolates for me. Stuart had made up a pink cat from a kit I'd
bought at Goodwill and realized I probably wouldn't have time for.
It's not only adorable but now reminds me of a very special person.
(Jules)
Stuart came by to see me. She is my friend. (Tobago)
Great big shouts go out to Emily, Stuart, the garden crew, the
musicians, and all the people who are getting vaccinated.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"For most people, including politicians, the threat in February
still appeared small. More than a month had passed between the first
confirmed case in the United States and the first known death. 'It's
going to disappear,' President Trump promised. 'One day, it's like a
miracle, it will disappear.'"
By now we all know it didn't.
February 2020 feels like my last month of lost innocence. It's
hard to believe that I was focussed on school, work, friends,
commuting, building a relationship with my then new cat, Tobago,
keeping up with election news, and scrambling for time to keep up with
cooking, laundry, and dishes. It was still weeks before my school
would go online and my dining job would be gone with the wind.
Do you remember when your life fell apart last year? For me it
was the middle of March--those two days between when UMaine decided to
go remote and when I took the bus home for the last time. I lost a
semester from not being tech savvy enough for the switch. (I was
surprised how many people did. I did go on to ace fall and spring
20-21.) But the most heart breaking aspect was saying goodbye to
beloved school and work friends, having no idea if I'd ever see them
again. I can clearly remember the looks on their dear faces as they
urged me to take care of myself.
Uncertain was one of the words I'd use to describe 2020 and the
start of 2021. Information changed almost daily. And everyday
decisions felt like equations with information missing. When I went
for a check up and flu shot in October my NP noticed a cyst had
started changing color and recommended getting it biopsied. Only we
were either into or about to go into a spike. Every nightly news told
about hundreds of new cases. I was in the demographic most likely to
be hit hard. So medical places were not where I wanted to be. Not to
mention that in the unlikely event I got bad news there would be
nothing I could have done about it because operations were being
cancelled right and left.
I found reading Lawrence Wright's The Plague Year: America In
The Time Of COVID to be a fascinating and slightly surreal
experience. It was like taking a zoom lens to the past little over a
year--seeing the larger picture overlaying the day to day uncertainty.
It also gives the backstory most of us didn't have access to.
Lawrence gives us a picture of all the things that did go wrong
which were legion. The whole world lost weeks of response time
because China maintained a face saving denial, working to silence
doctors who suspected the mystery illness had reached the point of
human to human transmission. America was not prepared despite
multiple warnings of a looming pandemic. We didn't even have enough
protective equipment for medical professional. (Recall the requests
for everyone with a sewing machine to start making masks?) Rather than
coordinating a focused national acquisition of these needful things
Trump told the states, good luck with that. You're on your own.
And then there was all this protest against common sense basic
scientifically proven to be effective steps like mask wearing and
socially distancing--all empowered by the denier-in-chief, even when
he himself became one of the COVID statistics.
"In part because of the president's courtship of the virus,
millions of people followed his example, giving the pandemic access to
new communities, infecting new families, endangering health care
workers, prolonging unemployment, sabotaging efforts to open the
economy, and causing untold numbers of people to die."
Lawrence also tells us about the heroes of the battle,
particularly the governors who didn't succomb to pressure from all
sides and did the right thing and medical professionsals who risked
all to save fellow humans and stem the spread of a deadly disease. He
brings the most important players in the grim drama (Like Anthony
Fauci) to life as complex humans. He gives us back story on the many
aspects of the pandemic. And he shines a light on the uglier aspects
of our nation's experience such as the huge racial differences in
morbidity and mortality.
As happy as many of us are that it feels like we're turning the
corner, we aren't out of the woods. And, in a world with climate
change and quickly decreasing barriers between humans and species
potentially harboring illnesses capable of making the leap to us,
it's only a matter of time before an ugly sequel. We can't count on
someone else making advance preparations for harm mitigation. We all
have to work to secure our homes, schools, work places, and
communities and demand that our leaders do their part. There's a lot
of useful information in The Plague Year that can help us ask the
right questions and take the right steps. So I think most of us
should read, discuss, and act on it.
Our lives and those of our children may hinge on what we do or
fail to do now.
On a purrrsonal note, Orono's outdoor concerts are back after a year
long pandemic hiatus. Local artists entertaining local people. The
concerts happen at the same time at commumity garden which is nothing
less than fabulous! Yesterday I had fun gardening and brought home
beet greens for Eugene and lettuce for me.
Earlier in the day Emily and her lovely daughter Stuart stopped by.
Emily gave me bananas just right for baking banana bread, molasses and
Cool Whip to make Eugene a molasses cake, and cherries and gourmet
chocolates for me. Stuart had made up a pink cat from a kit I'd
bought at Goodwill and realized I probably wouldn't have time for.
It's not only adorable but now reminds me of a very special person.
(Jules)
Stuart came by to see me. She is my friend. (Tobago)
Great big shouts go out to Emily, Stuart, the garden crew, the
musicians, and all the people who are getting vaccinated.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 12, 2021
My big splurge purchase was a music box which is totally not an antique BTW. Eugene's laptop which is in the picture is probs more antique. I'm not into antiques. I think they're more for pretentious people who like to show off as in "I just spent a gazillion dollars for this Rembrandt. Don't you wish you were me?" or older people who perform aaauld and maybe want to make America great again.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
The Truths We Hold
The Truths We Hold
Adult herstory
Kamala Harris is now vice president. She's just a heartbeat
away from this nation's highest office. In fact if anything happens
to Joe Biden she'll occupy it. So it seems to me that anyone with an
interest in the direction our nation is going and can go in would find
her memoir, The Truths We Hold, to be a must read.
We're in luck. The book is lucid, cogent, thought provoking,
inspiring, and beautifully organized. Chapters are organized around
the nation's most critical and often most divisive issues. Stages in
her life are addressed in relation to them. For example,
*Her mother's struggle with cancer centers a chapter on problems with
the American health care system;
*the chapter on her election to district attorney illuminates serious
problems with the criminal justice system;
and *letters from her constituents anchor a discussion on how much of
America's population is being left increasingly economically precarious.
Bryan Stevenson once said, "Each of us is more than the worst
thing we've ever done." I believe that Harris would say that America
is more than the sum of our systemic injustices. In other words, our
evils are very consequential, but not insurmountable. If enough of us
act boldly we can change things for the better."
Many thinkers over the ages have realized that evil requires the
silence of good people.
So please read this book and let it inspire you to speak up and
make some good and necessary trouble or continue doing so.
Harris' life story from immigrants' daughter to holder of this
nation's second highest office is fascinating and engaging. Plus she
shares a wealth of photographs.
On a purrrsonal note, I had an AMAZING weekend. Friday night I was
sitting in by unicorn beanbag chair in my studio reading. A car
pulled up and Tobago dashed down the hall. We weren't expecting
anyone. It turned out to be my Adam!!! He, Eugene, and I had a
lovely visit. It totally made my week. I'd been missing him SO
MUCH! Saturday morning Eugene said he was going to drive around and
maybe end up at camp. I threw a backpack together in less than ten
minutes. We stopped at some yard sales and a place that calls itself
a thrift shop but is actually an antique store. To me thrift shops
are where you can get stuff you need cheap. Think Goodwill or
Salvation Army. This place is antiques. How many of you need a wind
up Victrola that doesn't work or a nonelectric iron you heat on the
stove?I was amazed to find a pair of very sparkly street worthy
sneakers my size. Eugene got them for me. We got to camp about
midday. I read on the porch. Eugene cooked burgers for supper. We
watched a movie that left me profoundly grateful that I didn't go to
high school in the 1950s. Sunday morning we took a winding route
home. At one point we were in a place with yard sales all over.
Suddenly I recalled hearing about Orrington's town wide yard sale on
TV news Friday and wishing I could go. It turned out we were in
Orrington. I didn't miss out. Eugene cooked hot dogs on his grill
that night so again I didn't have to cook.
Totally awesome weekend! (Jules)
I saw Adam! I SAW ADAM!!! He's my buddy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Adam and Eugene who are simply
the best and the fine yard sale holders of Orrington.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult herstory
Kamala Harris is now vice president. She's just a heartbeat
away from this nation's highest office. In fact if anything happens
to Joe Biden she'll occupy it. So it seems to me that anyone with an
interest in the direction our nation is going and can go in would find
her memoir, The Truths We Hold, to be a must read.
We're in luck. The book is lucid, cogent, thought provoking,
inspiring, and beautifully organized. Chapters are organized around
the nation's most critical and often most divisive issues. Stages in
her life are addressed in relation to them. For example,
*Her mother's struggle with cancer centers a chapter on problems with
the American health care system;
*the chapter on her election to district attorney illuminates serious
problems with the criminal justice system;
and *letters from her constituents anchor a discussion on how much of
America's population is being left increasingly economically precarious.
Bryan Stevenson once said, "Each of us is more than the worst
thing we've ever done." I believe that Harris would say that America
is more than the sum of our systemic injustices. In other words, our
evils are very consequential, but not insurmountable. If enough of us
act boldly we can change things for the better."
Many thinkers over the ages have realized that evil requires the
silence of good people.
So please read this book and let it inspire you to speak up and
make some good and necessary trouble or continue doing so.
Harris' life story from immigrants' daughter to holder of this
nation's second highest office is fascinating and engaging. Plus she
shares a wealth of photographs.
On a purrrsonal note, I had an AMAZING weekend. Friday night I was
sitting in by unicorn beanbag chair in my studio reading. A car
pulled up and Tobago dashed down the hall. We weren't expecting
anyone. It turned out to be my Adam!!! He, Eugene, and I had a
lovely visit. It totally made my week. I'd been missing him SO
MUCH! Saturday morning Eugene said he was going to drive around and
maybe end up at camp. I threw a backpack together in less than ten
minutes. We stopped at some yard sales and a place that calls itself
a thrift shop but is actually an antique store. To me thrift shops
are where you can get stuff you need cheap. Think Goodwill or
Salvation Army. This place is antiques. How many of you need a wind
up Victrola that doesn't work or a nonelectric iron you heat on the
stove?I was amazed to find a pair of very sparkly street worthy
sneakers my size. Eugene got them for me. We got to camp about
midday. I read on the porch. Eugene cooked burgers for supper. We
watched a movie that left me profoundly grateful that I didn't go to
high school in the 1950s. Sunday morning we took a winding route
home. At one point we were in a place with yard sales all over.
Suddenly I recalled hearing about Orrington's town wide yard sale on
TV news Friday and wishing I could go. It turned out we were in
Orrington. I didn't miss out. Eugene cooked hot dogs on his grill
that night so again I didn't have to cook.
Totally awesome weekend! (Jules)
I saw Adam! I SAW ADAM!!! He's my buddy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Adam and Eugene who are simply
the best and the fine yard sale holders of Orrington.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, July 9, 2021
Notes On A Silencing
Notes On A Silencing
Adult memoir
When Lacy Crawford was fifteen she was a student at St. Paul's,
an exclusive private high school in New Hampshire. One night, at a
time at which students were mandated to stay in their own dorms, an
upperclassman called and begged her to come to his dorm and help him.
When she came in through his window his roommate was also there. They
both raped her orally. In addition to the fact that consent was not
asked for or given, it would have been meaningless. She was fifteen.
Both her assailants were eighteen. They would have been adults in the
eyes of the law.
Lacy remained silent. Her assailants didn't. They spread a
story that portrayed her as easy. Lewd remarks and offers followed
her through the halls. Her reputation and self esteem were seriously
damaged. And they gave her something she will probably never be able
to get rid of--herpes.
But that's not the most horrific part of Lacy's story. The way
the school handled the incident was more reprehensible. Although
mandated reporters, they didn't contact the police when they finally
found out. In fact they vilified her, insinuating that she was the
perpetrator and making a number of false claims. They would only let
her return for her senior year if she would agree not to press charges.
Decades later investigators discovered a disturbing number of
coveted up sexual assaults at that school--some by faculty members.
I was silenced when I was Lacy's age. My swimming teacher told
me to stay after class. He wanted to give me some advice on my
method. Only instead he pawed me under my bathing suit. He told me
that was our little secret.
I knew that if I kept his secret he'd be free to do bad things
to other girls. So I talked to an administrator, only to be told that
I was an evil, vicious child who would not be allowed to ruin the
reputation of a good man. If I didn't stop there would be consequences.
This kind of thing happens a lot more than most people think.
So please read Notes On A Silencing, especially if you have a daughter.
On a purrrsonal note, my week went well and fairly uneventfully.
We're finally getting the rain our farms and gardens need. My big
achievement was surprising Eugene with a blackberry pie for dessert
last night. He had no clue because now that the buses are safe here I
can stealth shop for ingredients. I have no plans for the weekend.
I'll just see what happens. (Jules)
Looks like a good day for a nap. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to all the bus drivers and others who
enable those of us who can't drive to actually have lives.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult memoir
When Lacy Crawford was fifteen she was a student at St. Paul's,
an exclusive private high school in New Hampshire. One night, at a
time at which students were mandated to stay in their own dorms, an
upperclassman called and begged her to come to his dorm and help him.
When she came in through his window his roommate was also there. They
both raped her orally. In addition to the fact that consent was not
asked for or given, it would have been meaningless. She was fifteen.
Both her assailants were eighteen. They would have been adults in the
eyes of the law.
Lacy remained silent. Her assailants didn't. They spread a
story that portrayed her as easy. Lewd remarks and offers followed
her through the halls. Her reputation and self esteem were seriously
damaged. And they gave her something she will probably never be able
to get rid of--herpes.
But that's not the most horrific part of Lacy's story. The way
the school handled the incident was more reprehensible. Although
mandated reporters, they didn't contact the police when they finally
found out. In fact they vilified her, insinuating that she was the
perpetrator and making a number of false claims. They would only let
her return for her senior year if she would agree not to press charges.
Decades later investigators discovered a disturbing number of
coveted up sexual assaults at that school--some by faculty members.
I was silenced when I was Lacy's age. My swimming teacher told
me to stay after class. He wanted to give me some advice on my
method. Only instead he pawed me under my bathing suit. He told me
that was our little secret.
I knew that if I kept his secret he'd be free to do bad things
to other girls. So I talked to an administrator, only to be told that
I was an evil, vicious child who would not be allowed to ruin the
reputation of a good man. If I didn't stop there would be consequences.
This kind of thing happens a lot more than most people think.
So please read Notes On A Silencing, especially if you have a daughter.
On a purrrsonal note, my week went well and fairly uneventfully.
We're finally getting the rain our farms and gardens need. My big
achievement was surprising Eugene with a blackberry pie for dessert
last night. He had no clue because now that the buses are safe here I
can stealth shop for ingredients. I have no plans for the weekend.
I'll just see what happens. (Jules)
Looks like a good day for a nap. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to all the bus drivers and others who
enable those of us who can't drive to actually have lives.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, July 5, 2021
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