More treasures

These and a set of different colored gel pens were the other treasures Eugene bought for me. 

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Thrifting find

Tobago at first did not know what to think of the new Squishmallow Eugene bought for me. We acquired it on a drizzly road trip today. 

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Sunshine 🌞

This picture just makes me 😃 😊. The day I took this picture was grey and 🌧. But this room was an oasis of sunshine and not just from the lighting fixtures. 

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Monsters in the Archives (adult nonfiction)

     I'd just picked up an inter library loan, Caroline Bicks's Monster in the Archives: My Year Of Fear With Stephen King, at Orono Public Library and was waiting for the bus back to campus. A guy I was sharing a bench with asked me what I like best about Stephen King's writing. 

     It's that, although there are gruesome scenes in his books, the horror doesn't come from special effects, nonhuman monsters, gratuitous gore, or over the top violence, but from King's intimate knowledge of human cognition and emotions. He has his finger on the hopes, fears, ambitions, loves, and hatreds that motivate people. He realizes that underneath the personas we present we are complex and contradictory. His protagonists are far from perfect and his villains, even in their most monstrous incarnations, show flashes of humanity. 

     That's why I took to Monsters in the Archives like Tobago to Fancy Feast entrees and good quality nip. Bicks gets it.

     Caroline Bicks is the Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at the University of Maine. When she was about to start a sabbatical year she had an inspiration: to research how King's horror stories evolved from first draft to publication to gain insights into his creative process. For a year she had access to the Holy Grail of Stephen King primary sources: an archive attached to his famous Bangor home. She was the first person besides his family and Foundation to have access to those materials. 

     In the book Bicks focuses on five of King's early works: Pet Sematary, The Shining, Night Shift, 'Salem's Lot, and Carrie. By studying the evolution of plots and characters through these primary sources she gives readers insights into the Horrormeister's creative process. In Carrie, for instance, a number of revisions make Carrie less monstrous and more vulnerable, capturing her fading humanity. 

     The contextualization of Night Shift is particularly fascinating. Nearly all the short stories in this anthology were originally written when he was a University of Maine undergraduate. Bicks helps readers understand the influences of his growth and life challenges during what he's called "the most crucial and formative period of my life" and the politically turbulent era in which it took place. 

     Just like my Amber, Bicks started reading Stephen King's books at a very early age. She was only twelve when she read her first, Night Shift, and was terrified by one of the stories: The Boogeyman. 

     "In my imagination, the only thing worse than having my home ripped from its foundation and thrown into the wilderness was having it invaded by a monster that comes out when your parents are away."

     Throughout the book she shares her reactions to his narratives. This openness and vulnerability make up a very fascinating strand, sure to resonate with readers who have had similar experiences. 

     Monsters in the Archives is a must read for the real Stephen King affecianado who wants to know the back story behind some of his most iconic works. I see it as a reference work one can return to profitably as opposed to a one time read. It would be an excellent birthday or Christmas gift. 

On a purrrsonal note, although I had read King's earlier works as an undergrad, the Horrormeister didn't take up residence in my household until the winter of '97 when my 6-year-old Amber wanted to watch the TV version of The Shining. I videotaped it and watched it with her. At the end she announced that when she grew up she would be a horror story writer like Stephen King. She kept her siblings and friends entertained (and scared) with her stories. For awhile a nearby vacant lot became an animal Sematary. Fortunately the wildlife buried there never became reanimated. The girls and I had a special tradition that lasted well into their teen years of horror read alouds. Amber made good on her ambition. Her first horror novel, Little White Flowers, dropped last summer and her second, Hallowed Deadly Seeds, will be out in June. I think a tour of (fictional) Evanston, Maine might give even the Horrormeister the shivers.

A great big shout out goes out to Stephen King for creating such masterful narratives, to Caroline Bicks for sharing her insightful research, and to Amber Hathaway for not giving up on her childhood ambition.

Jules Hathaway 

     

     

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Oreo

This handsome and intelligent tuxedo cat is a one feline neighborhood watch. Last spring when I'd hurt my ankle Tobago got out of the trailer and disappeared. I instructed him to find Tobago and bring her home. He did in less than 10 minutes. In the fall he herded a kitten around the park until he found her people. If I am outside and a stranger appears he'll put himself between me and the stranger. And as you can see he'll stop by for a visit. I call him Romeo because often when Tobago is in her favorite window he'll recreate the famous balcony scene. 

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Inspiration

The stickers on the side of a bookcase I see as I go down the hall or enter my library help me motivated and energized. 

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Latter day flower 🌼 🌸 child

Talk about a blast from the past! It's my friend, Maddie, chilling on a Friday afternoon and showing the flower crown she had created.  

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Gather Me (adult memoir)

   Reading Glory Edim's Gather Me reminds me of Langston Hughes' unforgettable poem Mother To Son in which the mom tells her beloved child that her life hasn't been "no crystal stair". It's been full of obstacles. Sometimes she's even had to feel her way through the dark "Where there ain't been no light." 

     I guess because for Edim much of her life has been anything but a crystal stair. She was born to a couple of immigrants from Nigeria who were totally incompatible: her easygoing father and rigid demanding mother. After years of fighting they divorced. Edim and her younger brother spent weekends with their father until they and their mother found the door locked and their possessions strewn on the lawn. Sure that he'd rejected her, she didn't know he'd tried to communicate until years later she discovered the stash of his letters her mother had not let her see.

     She was to lose her mother, although not physically, when she was in college. Her mom sunk into a deep depression that lasted for years, unable to speak or remember to eat, spending most of the time in bed. So in addition to classes and work she had to provide nursing care to an invalid and keep her teenage brothers (the second the result of another doomed marriage) out of trouble, which involves getting one out of jail and exonerated when he trusts the wrong peers.

     And through all these and other tribulations she had nobody to turn to for help because of the mandate to maintain her family's image, hiding any imperfections. 

     What she did have for advice and encouragement were books written by wise and well respected Black authors: Zora Neale Hurston, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker and so many others. Gather Me is an intimate discussion of the trials and issues she encountered and the reading materials that helped her transcend them. It is a thought and feeling provoking read--a literary journey well worth taking. 

     Because, like the mother in Hughes' poem, in the face of incredible obstacles, Edim kept climbing. 

On a purrrsonal note, I am truly living my best life these days. Lots of events to participate in and photograph! Monday started off with a yummy  😋 pancake breakfast. Then I bussed downtown to the library where they were partying it up because the fund raising for the library extension is going public. Then back on campus where the weather was gorgeous 😍 we had an outside denim decorating event. I had a jacket I'd had Eugene buy me for the occasion. I now have 3 decorated denim jackets. Tuesday started off with a bouquet 💐 making event. Of course I made a lovely bouquet. Then there was the Black Bears Can Do It fair. SWell organized it. They had organizations tabling with fun activities and free stuff. I got 4 skeins of yarn and 2 pairs of knitting needles. I had fun talking to lots of people. And then, like the cherry topping an ice cream 🍦 sundae, there was the end of the school year Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund  potluck. It was wonderful. We're really close--like family of choice. I had sugar free ice cream--a dream come true. The food took into account people's dietary restrictions into account. And we played a funny type of charades.

Well I've been to a brunch today. Now I'm on the local bus 🚌 to Orono Thrift Shop. I haven't been there in ages. I'll let you know if I find any treasures. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Goodwill haul

And this is my new cat shirt. Now that it's getting nice out Eugene and I will be taking many more road trips. And when yard and garage sales start popping up goodness only knows what treasures we'll find!

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Goodwill haul

These are the Squishmallows Eugene and I found for my collection. Totally adorable!!!

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New clothes

These are the micro miniskirts I bought Saturday at the UMaine Small Business Fair. They fit purrrfectly. Now I have to get cute tops to go with. I bet I can find them at clean sweep. 

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The New Rules of Women's Health (Adult nonfiction)

     According to my mother lying was one of the worst things one could do. So I was shocked when she wrote the date of my first period on a medical form. It hadn't happened. When I reminded her she said she didn't want people to think there was something wrong with me, implying there was. It was years later that I learned that I was well within the normal range.

     And there was my pesky not being girly enough. Beginning with junior high she worried that I was not taking enough interest in makeup and hair styles and growing out of my tomboy stage. I never did. I was 63 when I finally learned that I was legit nonbinary. 

     Let me tell you about my high school girls only sex ed class. We spent some very confusing weeks memorizing charts of chemical levels because we'd have to know them for a test. The last day of the unit we got Kotex filled product bags. One girl asked if what we'd been learning had to do with periods. Can you believe that, Fam, teaching about menstruation without mentioning the word?

     So when I got my hands on Meghan Rabbitt's The New Rules of Women's Health: Your Guide toThriving at EveryAge (2026) I was torn--thinking Damn, why didn't they have this when I needed it and thank God it's here for my daughters. If I can afford to I'll give each a copy for Christmas. That's the highest praise I can give a book. 

     I like it's comprehensiveness. It doesn't just hit on the dramatic transitions of the female body. As Rabbitt says, "Women's health begins at birth, and it spans puberty, pregnancy, motherhood, menopause, and beyond." It beautifully delineates the relationship between the reproductive organs and the others such as the brain and digestive system. It addresses  physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects of women's health. 

     I like that it doesn't avoid hot or awkward topics or stuff many people are squeamish about. It frankly discusses the wide range of gender identity terms, symptoms of and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, why many women are far from Hallmark radient following childbirth...

     I like that Rabbitt hits the discourse sweet spot--neither condescending to readers nor frustrating us with excessive jargon. In her words, "You can think of this book as a user's manual for your female body--an easy-to-understand primer about how it works, what can go wrong, and the newest research on disease prevention, as well as how to heal and recover from health setbacks. The insights you'll find in these pages have been culled from more than a hundred interviews with women's health researchers and clinicians who've made it their life's work to understand women's bodies and help you understand yours. Their mission--and mine--is to leave you feeling like you have what you need to take ownership of your health at every stage of life and restore the sense of wonder, awe, and admiration your body so deeply deserves."

     Changing the female body from object of shame and fear to subject deserving wonder, awe, and admiration is evolution we all can celebrate. 

On a purrrsonal note, I had a great but challenging weekend. The great was gorgeous weather and going out both days. Saturday Bailey, Clea, and I were tabling on campus at the Small Business Fair. It was a lot of fun beingwithsuchgoodfriends. I was sure I wouldn't buy any of the merch. There wouldn't be anything I couldn't live without. Except there was: 2 adorable micro miniskirts. I tried them on and Bailey and Clea said YES!!! So I did. I do look good in them. Sunday Eugene and I went on a road trip. We stopped at Goodwill. I got myself 3 little Squishmallows and a cat shirt. Eugene got me a big Squishmallow. Challenge: time. I'd decided to read the whole book I reviewed today in 2 days around the fun and work (cooking, dishes, laundry...) stuff. It was like finals week in college. We're talking 614 pages. But I finished the review Sunday night and managed to pack for today and only forget one thing. Now I'm on campus photographing a pancake 🥞 breakfast. 

Buzzkill: I just learned that artificial sweeteners up the risk of cognitive decline. WTF!!! Is anything sweet safe. Of course I'll cut them out. The only two words that scare me more than cognitive decline are Donald Trump. 

A great big shout out goes out to you for reading this unusually long review through to the end. Hope you have a great day. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Lady T

In front of her wide screen cat TV with the 24 hour neighborhood channel. It's her favorite spot for bird 🐦 watching. It's also her balcony from which she is courted by a very smitten tuxedo cat I've nicknamed Romeo.

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The beautiful Tobago aka Lady T

Very much enjoying signs of spring--especially the increasing number of 🐦s she can see through the window. BTW if you have cats PLEASE keep them inside. Each year outdoors 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ 🐱s kill 1.8 billion birds. They're wired to be predators. Also indoor 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ s live longer, healthier lives.

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Amber

I was delighted to see my author daughter, Amber, at Take Back The Night. She's a very strong feminist.

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Stronger Than (picture book)

     I was hooked on Stronger Than the minute I laid eyes on the cover. I mean any book that unites the formidable talents of Nikki Grimes and E. B. Lewis is bound to be amazing...

     ...and the inside of the book beautifully lives up to the cover's promise. In the light of day eight-year-old Dante is not afraid of anything:

"Not monsters slithering beneath his bed.

Not dragons lurking in dark corners. 

Not ghostly spirits wandering the halls."

His mother has to prevent him from doing risky stuff unsupervised. 

"I'm old enough for lots of things!

Why can't Mom see that?"

     But it's a whole different story once darkness falls. He dreads sleep because of terrible nightmares. 

     It doesn't help that his brother, Damon, calls him a baby. 

     But his mother has a plan that sends him off to the library to learn more about the crisis his ancestors faced.

     In her author's note Grimes says: "More and more races and cultures are being featured in children's books these days, but I recall hardly any stories starring Black Native people [people like Dante who have both Native and African American blood]. That bothers me because I think all children should get to see themselves between the pages of a book."

     Stronger Than is certainly a step in the right direction. 

On a purrrsonal note, at the University of Maine this month there were activities dedicated to raising awareness of and cutting down on the incidence of sexual assault. A number of on campus (i.e. Title IX) and off campus (i.e. Rape Response Services) groups tabled and hosted events. My favorite this year was the boundaries lunch 😋. (Good job, Cam!) The Clothesline Project with it's eye catching decorated t shirts was a sobering reminder of a crisis a lot of people would like to sweep under the rug. And last night was Take Back The Night. It was where rape survivors shared our stories. It was quite emotional and authentic and the audience was respectful and supportive. At the end some of us marched around the mall with signs doing chants like 

Claim our bodies 

Claim our rights

Take a stand. 

Take back the night.

My favorite was

No means no

Yes means yes

Wherever we go 

However we dress 

It was quite a moving experience!

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated and to the college of my ❤️, University of Maine, for carrying out this essential awareness campaign every April. 

Jules Hathaway 

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French toast

And the students were loving it. 

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French toast

Thursday they were serving up delicious 😋 😍 French toast, hot off the griddle, at the UMaine Wade Center.

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Sign of spring

These lovely daffodils are blooming at the Orono Community Garden where we're prepping beds and planting veggies in anticipation of bountiful harvest.

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Balancing Act (YA fiction)

     Paula Chase's Balancing Act is one of those books that will stick with you long after you finish it. It combines beautifully crafted prose with fresh insight into little talked about social justice issues. 

"@WinstonAlum62 In other words, a brand-new school with no accomplishments and very little local regulation is suddenly the best thing to happen to our city because they and their 'partners' said so. #InvestigateTheHeights

@EaglesSoar Pay attention! The two largest media outlets who control local radio and news stations are in bed with a public schools. Suspicious at best. Illegal at worst.

@BlackisBeautiful Dr. Walker funded #TheHeights charter school with his own money. Let the man do something good for the city, damn.

@WinstonAlum62 But can he build something that's competitive w/o decimating the rest of the local schools? Everything shiny is not golden."

    I included this lengthy quote to create context for Paula Chase's Balancing Act. The question raised lies at the heart of the narrative both on a large scale and an individual level. The two narrators, Jamaal and Chyna, are teens who have been accepted at the new school: The Heights School of Technology, Sports & Arts.

     Jamaal has been recruited for his hoops skills. His winning is a tribute to his big brother, Jacquees who was tragically shot. The year before he'd led his impoverished high school to championship glory. They'd been expecting a repeat until he was recruited by The Heights. His neighborhood feels betrayed. The loss of support from them weighs heavily on Jamaal. 

     Health concerns also weigh heavily on him. He's having symptoms that could mean anything from anxiety to heart disease. When the school orders him to go to a doctor of their choosing and to stay out of practices and games he's afraid that he won't be able to play the game he loves and honor Jacquees. 

      Chyna has been recruited to the elite gymnastics team, presented as a diamond in the rough. Although she has had very basic experience, she's been named co captain. Her fellow co captain Alicia, the very spoiled daughter of a rich and very powerful family, disrespects her every way possible. She's not quite sure that she can possibly belong in that snooty elite institution...

     ...which would be bad enough if her mother wasn't dying. Whitney is on kidney dialysis, waiting for a donated kidney, in a race against time which she's losing. Her obvious weakening breaks Chyna's heart.

     The writing is quite evocative and engaging. The plot is complex and fast moving. The narrators are people who it's hard not to root for. Balancing Act is a literary version of sea salt caramel dark chocolate--rich and satisfying. 

     As far as social justice issues, let's start with charter schools. They were are a threat to public schools when I was on school committee (2005-2016) and they are even more so with a privatizing government. They divert much needed funding from already cash strapped schools. They make a practice of cherry picking, taking only the best students and passing up any kids who would need costly special education services. There is also often a glaring lack of any kind of external oversight. 

     And ask yourself this: if Whitney was not Black and poor would a kidney not be so impossible to obtain? Our American medical system is far from fair and equal. 

     If you like Chase's writing you are for real in luck. Balancing Act is the first volume in a series. I'm eagerly awaiting the next. And she has lots of previously published books which I most definitely will be checking out.

On a personal note, this week I've had something late every week day. Monday it was a Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund meeting. Tuesday was Orono Community Garden. Last night was the Orono Public Library Volunteer Appreciation Night. Tonight is a Wade Center/Wilson Center dinner featuring Olive Garden food which is the BEST!!! Tomorrow night is Take Back The Night. A lot of fun but a bit tiring. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the events and my friend, Margo, who was kind enough to look over this review before I posted it.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Amber

This is my beautiful and talented daughter, Amber, at her latest author's talk. Of course she did an awesome job. 

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T shirts

These are shirts some other people decorated. I can't wait to see them all displayed and people reading their messages. 

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T shirts

This is the one I decorated. 

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Be The Light (picture book)

     When I think back on the activists I esteemed most highly in my early adult years in the twentieth century they form a trinity: Angela Davis, Shirley Chisholm, and the Black Panthers. One of the greatest disappointments of my life to date has being being unable to vote for Shirley Chisholm the first year I was old enough to vote. So when I learned about Daria Peoples' Be The Light: How She Became Angela Davis I sent off for a copy by inter library loan, curious to see how she would be portrayed in a children's book. 

     I was quite pleased by both the text and the illustrations. The book begins with a rich description of her childhood and the tribulations she endured while quite young: living in a neighborhood called Dynamite Hill because of how often houses of Black families were bombed and being unable to go so many places,  even the public library,  because of segregation. And it shows how her mother cultivated in her the faith that a better future was possible. 

       Her knowledge that things were bad, her belief that they could get better, and her conviction that she could be part of the change making fueled the adult roles she took on. 

     The focus of the vivid illustrations is the emotions expressed by people's facial expressions and stances. In a picture where Angela is carrying a moving box the whites watching are in a state of virulent hatred. 

     If I had any grandchildren I'd run right out and buy copies of Be The Light for them.

On a purrrsonal note, yesterday I had a chance to decorate a tee shirt for the clothesline project. The shirt decorating happens every year. The tee shirts with messages related  to rape are displayed to support survivors and enlighten everyone. As a rape survivor, I find it very powerful. 

Then today I went to Amber's latest author's talk at the Old Town Public Library. Amber did really well and made me proud to be her mother. The library provided a lovely nutritious and delicious lunch with diet from hell compliant food--most notably salad veggies and beautiful blueberries. 

A great big shout out goes out to the people running the clothesline project and the Old Town Public Library librarians. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Road trip

This is my new denim jacket for the next decorating denim event on campus. I believe in being prepared. 

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Road trip

These are my new 2 lb weights. I'm adding lifting to my aerobics. No disrespecting on the size. I'm starting small and building up. As for aerobics I've done at least 1/2 hour a day without missing a day 197 days in a row. That's 210 minutes a week. 

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Road trip

These are the three shirts and the adorable Squishmallow Eugene bought me. I'm wearing one of the shirts today along with my Hello Kitty saddle shoes and (of course) my Hello Kitty tattoo. You might say I'm repping the fine feline!

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Fros, Fades, and Braids (picture book)

     Kids have a habit of noticing differences in people and asking questions, often to the chagrin of parents or adults. Their curiosity is perfectly natural. Sean Qualls' Fros, Fades, and Braids: A Brief History of Black Hair in America is perfect for curious young readers.

     "Why a book about Black hair, specifically Black hair in America, right now? Black people have a deep and complex relationship with their hair. In the United States alone, Black people spend billions of dollars on grooming and hair care products."

     The book goes back to the days when straight hair was considered good and curly or frizzy hair on Blacks bad. Blacks with straight hair were considered  better. Straightening tools and concoctions were popular, even if they contained dangerous chemicals. It goes on to the use of naturals and afros in the 60s to make statements like "Black is beautiful" and "Black Power" and on to the wonderful variety of styles Blacks rock today.

     Styles are described and illustrated. Major players are introduced. I see Fros, Fades, and Braids as affirming for Black children and illuminating for their white peers. 

On a purrrsonal note, yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. After our delicious 😋 😊 breakfast at Governors Eugene and I went on a road trip all the way to Machias where he got us Subway subs and we had a picnic in the woods. On the way we stopped at thrift shops. Eugene bought me two pound weights,  3 shirts, a jeans jacket, and a beautiful big Squishmallow. At Goodwill in Belfast I was telling one of the workers who was stocking merch how the good organization and beautiful arrangement of the goods made shopping there so much fun for me. She told her supervisor what I'd said so she could share my words with all the workers. 

See something, say something is not only about reporting bad stuff. Complimenting people costs nothing and can really make them feel happy. 

A great big shout out goes out to my wonderful husband, Eugene. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Clean Sweep

I saved the best for last. I just got news I'd been praying for. CLEAN SWEEP IS ON AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2023. It couldn't be held in 2024 or 2025 because of renovations in the building in which it's held. It's a giant yard sale at UMaine of all the stuff--clothes, appliances, school supplies, electronics etc--students leave in the dorms. Imagine an ice hockey arena filled with quality merch. A lot of good stuff is diverted from landfills. The money goes to good causes like the campus food pantry. Stuff not sold is given to organizations that can use it like towels and bedding to the Humane Society. And for me volunteering for it is better than a magic kingdom vacation for other people. I get to do something I love doing with people I really like, especially my best friend, Lisa Morin. One of the for sure highlights of my year. The picture is of three fine cats I acquired in 2023. What am I hoping to find this year? Cat shirts, anything cat 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ related, cool writing materials, a working watch, books, drag clothes with pizzazz and sequins galore, stuff my family would like, and--I bet you guessed this--SQUISHMALLOWS!!

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Juice

There was another group doing an event on voting next door to the SWell event. When they were cleaning up I stopped by to see how it had gone. I saw that they had no sugar added juice. It's hard to find juice I can drink because most have as much sugar as soda. They very generously gave me 12 boxes. It means so much when so much of what I can eat is boring or yucky or both of the above. 

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Demin

Well yesterday was a purrrfect day for me. Three awesome things happened. The first was that SWell had a craft day. Of course I was paparazzi. And when I saw a brand new box of fabric paints I was inspired to paint my jeans. But I couldn't exactly paint them on me. Fortunately I hadn't yet donated the bags of clothes I'd brought in to Black Bear Exchange. So I had something to change into. This is my painted jeans. I really like them. They're a tribute to my best little cat in the world. I will surely look fine on denim day. 

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Meet the Newmans (adult fiction)

     Jennifer Niven's Meet the Newmans combines a lively and engaging plot with some real insight into the times in which the second wave of Feminism was getting started and ther patriarchy was doing its best to ignore its demands and keeping on with business as usual. 

     The Newmans are a family who plays a very sanitized version of themselves on a weekly TV show. Del plays the all knowing father who solves the minor troubles the boys get into. Dinah cooks, cleans, and entertains. Guy is the reliable older son while Shep is the musician and major heartthrob. 

     The family gets some really bad news when they meet with the CBS President. One of their two sponsors has ditched them. Their show is tanking in ratings. The Father Knows Best formula, so popular in the simpler '50s is becoming passe. They may be in their last TV season. To have a season 13 they must make some major changes...

     ...which are problematic, especially the mandate that Guy marry his television girlfriend in real life as on screen when Guy is gay and has a significant other and it's Shep who is in love with her although his ex girlfriend is pregnant with his child.

     Then Del, who had written and directed the show and made all decisions on and off screen is in a car accident. The doctor puts him into a medically induced coma. The family must cope with the real possibility of losing him while keeping his condition a secret from the public and the press. 

     If you like a gripping drama with characters coping with complex problems and insights into another time maybe it's time for you to meet the Newmans. 

On a purrrsonal note, if it was possible to be floating on air I would be. So many people have been complimenting me on my drag show performance! Of course I'm grateful for all the love and super grateful that I can perform on stage. As a stroke survivor with residual brain damage I don't take any abilities for granted or the fact that I'm still alive and conscious and able to enjoy life for granted. Community garden started up Tuesday. The stuff falling from the sky this week was not snow. I wore overalls and gold and silver sneakers for the first time yesterday and got so many compliments! Life is wonderful and precious. Please don't take it for granted! 

A great big shout out goes out to the family members including precious Tobago cat and friends who add so much to my life.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Precious Tobago

Yesterday morning I saw that Eugene had carefully tucked a blanket around Lady T before he went to work. They watch the very early morning news together. 

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Flowers

Here's a quite welcome sign of spring: my daffodils coming up like they have for about a decade. They were planted by a very kind woman about a decade ago. Every year there's been a snow storm when they're growing. Let's hope this year is different. 

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Flowers

This is the view from my kitchen sink. It makes the whole room feel like spring. I feel deeply privileged to have so many beautiful roses 🌹 in my home. They also remind me of my mother who used to grow beautiful roses. As a child I was constantly waging summer time war with Japanese beetles 🪲. Mom would give me a can of kerosene and promise me a penny for every beetle corpse. When candy bars and ice cream man treats cost a nickel and kids paid a quarter for the movies pennies still had purchasing power.

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Say Her Name (YA poetry)

     Now that's a genre you hardly ever see in this blog. Out of the nearly 3,000 books I've reviewed less than 20 fit in this category. Even though I write poetry I really don't like reading it. So you know that Zeta Elliott's Say Her Name: Poems To Empower gotta be something special. How do I love this book? This review in my attempt to count the ways.

     "This book is my way of bearing witness. I have not lost a loved one to police violence, but I have been changed by seeing my sisters and brothers shamed, shot, and slammed to the ground."

     Consistent with this mandate expressed in her introduction Elliott, writing directly to Black girls, is direct, passionate, nurturing, and affirming. She affirms their beauty, majesty, and strength. She urges dramatic action but also self care. She does not flinch from difficult subjects. Her haiku poems are especially hard hitting. 

"indictments are rare

like snow in the Sahara 

or cops behind bars"

and

"innocence belongs 

to other people's children 

ours are born condemned"

Her directness and eloquence and ability to direct her verses to her beloveds are the first reason. 

     The second reason is the wealth of information in her notes which are not the bland stuff we're usually given. For instance "The danger of 'driving while Black and woman' is a reference to Sandra Bland, who died in police custody after being pulled over in Texas for failing to signal a lane change."

     The third reason is the pairing of the poetry with Loveis Wise's vibrant illustrations: the founders of Black Lives Matter, standing strong and resolute beside their tribute poem, the graceful, powerful feline leaping through "Panther", the roses gracing "We Shall Overcome"...

     All I know is that this slender volume speaks truth to power directly and eloquently and is an important addition to public, school, and family libraries and a fine book club choice. 

On a purrrsonal note, the past few days have been pretty exciting. Sunday was the ride with Eugene and the new 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️ 😺 🐱 😸 shirt. Monday was my beautiful new tattoo. I  also had two accomplishments. I presented my two fundraising ideas for fall semester at Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund--a fall foliage mountain climb and a banned book readathon--and they were well received. That night I posted the review of my 3,000th book!!! That is quite a milestone. Yesterday was the first Community Garden work day of 2026. The weather was purrrfect, sunny 🌞 ☀️ and warm. We found a bed of delicious overwintered spinach and I took a bag of it home. 

A great big shout out goes out to my awesome tattoo artist, my Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund crew, this year's gardeners, and, of course, the love of my life, Eugene. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

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Cat tat

Here's what I bet you really want to see: my 5th cat tattoo. My friend Catherine picked a real beauty. Don't you just love the touches of pink? It commemorates the first time I had boba after reading about it for years in YA fiction. It was even better than I imagined it would be. I had mango.

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Cat shirt

This is the super cute cat shirt Eugene bought for me when we went for a ride Sunday. 

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Flowers

These are the roses I was given at the drag show. Aren't they gorgeous? It was a very special first. It made me feel like a 🌟 !!!

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Lovely One: A Memoir Adapted For Young Adults

     "My own story is proof positive that we should not shrink from our most audacious dreams when we are young. Indeed, with determination, vision, and a willingness to work, we can achieve that which we are courageous enough to envision for ourselves."

     These sentences from the epilogue of the young adult adaptation of Ketanji Brown Jackson's Lovely One neatly summarize the gist of her journey from her birth to parents who gave her an African name which translates to Lovely One to her historic appointment to the Supreme Court. It is a fascinating and thought provoking journey, one that provides enlightenment about not only an individual, but the nation and times she inhabits.

     I think this fine book is excellent for the target demographic: teens faced with making the most consequential decisions of their young lives: whether to go on to further education or directly enter the workforce; if college, which one, and how to achieve admission and finance it; if work, what job is a best fit and how far to travel to be hired; are marriage and/or parenting attainable or desirable... And all this at the tail end of a period of rapid physical, psychological, cognitive, spiritual, and social development. Jackson is candid about her thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears, anxieties, and decision making during this tumultuous time, spinning a narrative many young adults will be able to relate to. 

     But the same relatability makes me recommend it way beyond that age group. One of the major challenges of her adult life has been balancing highly (I think inhumanely)  demanding jobs while being married to another top level professional and raising two daughters, one who is neurodivergent. That's the plight of an awful lot of successful women in America today. Is it possible to achieve balance in all facets of life?

     Basically it's a beautifully narrated candid autobiography of a very consequential pioneer in one of our nation's highest offices. An excellent choice for the summer reading list.

On a purrrsonal note, OMG!!! The UMaine Drag Show Saturday night was magical and vibrant and enchanted and perfect. We had a very enthusiastic, appreciative audience and really excellent performers. I had two solo numbers. Before my first, He's So Shy, I talked about how the song perfectly describes my relationship to that guy who I knew was too good to let get by when I met him nearly four decades ago, who I'm still deeply in love with after nearly 37 years of marriage and child and cat raising. I dedicated my performance to "the love of my life, Eugene Warren Hathaway. My second was I'll Spread My Wings. People cheered enthusiastically and kept giving me money (which will in my tattoo fund). I was in the ensemble number at the end. Then so many people were telling me how well I did. I got a beautiful bouquet of pink and red 🌹s. I really was feeling like a 🌟 and people were telling me I was a 🌟. Heavenly! Intoxicating! I surely am living my best life. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the show: performers, crew, and audience. It takes all three to conjure up the magic that is drag.

Jules Hathaway aka Gotta Believe We're Magic 

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Bouquet 💐 making

Of course I was paparazzi for the event. But I couldn't resist the chance to create my own bouquet. 

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Bouquet making

These students were quite pleased with their creations. 

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Bouquet 💐 event

Friday SWell held a bouquet making event. It was quite with winter weary people eager to craft pieces of spring promise. Here's my friend, Bailey, ready to help them. 

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Mother Emanuel (adult nonfiction)

     "Dylann Roof extended his right arm, just as he had practiced in the backyard of his mother's boyfriend's house in Eastover, near Columbia. He watched the red sighting laser dance across Clementa Pinckney's suitcoat and fired. As the pastor reeled, Roof fired again and again and again and again, the barrel recoiling with each touch of the trigger."

     When Roof, a virulent white supremacist, seeking to start a race war, stopped shooting the beloved pastor of Mother Emanuel (Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church) and eight faithful church members lay dead and dying. They had been participating in a Bible study and had welcomed the stranger among them.

     When the news reached central Maine I was horrified. I imagine those of you old enough to remember it were too. I didn't, however, comprehend the extent of the tragedy until I read Kevin Sack's Mother Emanuel, a thoroughly researched masterpiece that took a decade to complete. 

     Sack provides readers with centuries of history going back to the arrival of captured Africans in what would become South Carolina and their cruel enslavement by whites. He tells how the Bible was perverted by white clergymen preaching very selectively to keep enslaved people from getting any ideas about running or rebellion and at the same time was used by the enslaved people as inspiration for self liberation. He discusses the complex role of the  church in the lives of emancipated but still oppressed Blacks after the Civil War. He illuminates the founding of Mother Emanuel and her evolution into the Twenty-first century. 

     He also explores the aftermath of the tragedy--how the church became the focus of international attention and curiosity even as they needed space to grieve and try to heal.

     I have never seen a tragedy so masterfully contextualized. I recommend Mother Emanuel to anyone who wants a deeper understanding than you'll find in today's news media. 

On a purrrsonal note, yesterday was a whirlwind for me. When I wasn't being paparazzi for the hugely popular SWell bouquet making event I was running around doing last minute publicity for the drag show. It was warm enough that I could advertise outside on the mall. So many people were flashing signs, telling me they'll be there. I believe we'll have a sizeable and enthusiastic audience. I'm charging my laptop to get in some last minute practice. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who will attend and participate in the magical Grand Finale of UMaine's Pride Week: the Drag Show. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Succulents

This was the one that I potted for myself.  (I also potted ones for two of my friends.) I'm so excited to watch it grow. 

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Succulents

Yesterday SWell had a succulent planting event--tiny adorable succulents in tiny pots. SO CUTE!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!

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Tobago

I finally was able to get a picture of precious Tobago nurturing a stuffed animal. She snuggles them and grooms the way she would a kitten. When I get a job and can afford it I'll get her a real kitten to care for.

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Hard Times: A Novel (adult fiction)

     If you're seeking a narrative that looks ripped out of today's headlines have I got a book for you! Jeff Boyd's Hard Times has all the ingredients for a hard hitting best seller--a cop shooting an unarmed teen, a very corrupt police department, a decades old unsolved mystery, a falling apart school system, racism, classism, in-law drama‐-all set in the gritty big city of Chicago. From the first chapter on to the end it's a page turner par excellence.

     But it's so much more. You really get to know the characters in depth: their personalities, their relations to each other, their hopes and fears, and the seemingly impossible decisions that they must make within the context of the narrative. 

     There's Buddy, a teacher working in a run down school that has nothing really to brag about except the football team. It's quite a contrast to the elite private school he formerly taught at. He finds himself increasingly discouraged and unmotivated. There are, though, a few students he really cares about. Meanwhile his wife, Chrissy, is on a fast track at her law firm and wanting children. 

     Curtis, Buddy's brother-in-law, is a piece of work by just about anybody's standards. He's a dirty cop, on the take. He and his partner don't play by the rules and are good at keeping their lies plausible. Despite that he's incredibly self righteous. And he has issues with anger management and alcohol consumption. He shoots Truth, an unarmed teen who is one of the students Buddy cares about. 

      Zeke, Truth's cousin, is the high school's great hope, the one who is going to take the football team all the way. He has far from an ideal home life. His mom is a drug addict, not capable of meeting his needs. Now she's disappeared, possibly kidnapped by a gangster.

     A lot of people are trying to get their hands on a bloody knife and a police badge that contain possible clues to a long ago cold case.

     That's by far not all the intrigue and drama going on. I hope I've whetted your appetite for a complex and engaging human drama masterpiece. 

On a purrrsonal note, this week is just flying by. The blood drive went really well. I don't have the numbers yet. But it was quite lively. Today and tomorrow I have events to be paparazzi for. And Saturday is the drag show. 

We're seeing signs of spring in central Maine. Grass is coming up. Tobago has migrating birds 🐦 🐦‍⬛ to keep track of. There are even signs of flowers. The campus will be gorgeous just in time for graduation. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the blood drive. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Drag show

An undergrad friend bought this picture for me. She said it was totally me. I feel deeply honored. 

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Cosplay

This outfit is my today's one. I'm on my second day running canteen for the last UMaine Red Cross Blood Drive of the school year. Peeps are loving on my gorgeous outfit. 

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Cosplay

This was my Monday outfit for my week of cosplay to promote the drag show. People loved it. I love cosplay. I want the Collins Center to be packed Saturday night. 

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Stitch It, Don't Ditch It (adult nonfiction)

     This Easter I wore a very special dress to church. It's a classic princess cut: the color of coffee with lots of milk with red roses with green leaves. What makes it special, though, is that my younger daughter, Katie, and I shared it. Actually we shared a lot of clothes until she moved out...

     ...in 2014. Actually I have a lot of older garments: an unusual purple jumper printed with lighter purple wasps--a thrift shop find from 2012, sun dresses Amber bought me when she was still in high school...

     It has to do with my environmental concerns. I'm aware of the terrible toll fast fashion and fad following take on our one and only Earth. With the right care that sometimes involves mending a garment can have quite a long life. And decorating can take it to the next level--like my bedazzled denim jacket. 

     If you have favorite garments you don't want to throw out and/or a desire to be a better environmental steward have I got a book for you!

     Mary V. Morton and Jenna Wigger's Stitch It, Don't Ditch It is a comprehensive collection of mending methods. It starts with the absolute basics like threading a needle, unpicking, and pinning and tacking. It gives in depth information about fabrics and tools. It offers a decision template for strategies. It goes on to instructions for more complicated mends. It covers just about any kinds of damage you garments can incur. The plentiful illustrations are clear and easy to follow. 

     If you become good at mending and really enjoy it perhaps it could provide you with a way to earn a little cash, combining an income stream with environmental/sustainability values. 

On a purrrsonal note, it's the first day of the last blood drive of the school year. Of course I'm running canteen today and tomorrow. I have a fabulous cosplay outfit channeling disco era John Travolta.

A great big shout out goes out to all who will participate in the blood drive. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Bedazzled

...and one denim jacket. I bought it at Goodwill for $5 for just such an occasion and bedazzled it. I put it on and walked around the Union. People were like "OMG!!! Jules, WHERE did you get that?" Honestly it looks as good as the stuff they sell on Etsy. I am very proud of my creation!!!

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Bedazzled

...rubber duckies 🐤 ...

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Bedazzled

Friday SWell had a bedazzling event. People got very creative with they what they decorated: boxes, compacts, picture frames...

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The Underground Girls of Kabul (adult nonfiction)

     "If a daughter is born, it is not uncommon for a new mother to leave the delivery room in tears. She will return to the village, her head bowed in shame, where she may be derided by relatives and neighbors. She could be denied food for several days. She could be beaten and relegated to the outhouse to sleep with the animals as punishment for bringing the family another burden".

     Unbelievable, right? Yes, we're talking twenty-first century. No wonder the United Nations has designated Afghanistan the worst country to be born in and the most dangerous place in which to be a woman. In The Underground Girls of Kabul Jenny Nordberg introduces readers to a society in which the birth of even a healthy baby is considered a tragedy and a failure on the part of the mother. 

     It is a very patriarchal society in which men hold all the power and agency, one in which women's sole reason for being is to give birth to sons. A man may marry up to four wives to increase his chances in the genetic lottery. If a woman gives birth to only daughter not only she, but her extended family are considered cursed and lose status and opportunities. 

     But there are more serious consequences than loss of status. In a society in which a woman is not allowed to leave her house unaccompanied a son could chaperone his mother to shops and medical appointments. In a society where a woman is not allowed to work many jobs a son can be the provider for his family from a very early age.

     There is a way of getting around this. A family may declare at least one of their daughters to be a son, dressing her as a boy. For the child it can be a blessing or a curse. For some it can be a chance to experience the many opportunities and privileges not available to sisters. For others it can mean years of drudgery from which sisters are protected. 

     Nordberg, the reporter who broke the story of the bacha pash for the New York Times, takes readers into their complex roles in an ultra patriarchal society. I consider The Underground Girls of Kabul to be an important read for feminists and human rights advocates. 

On a purrrsonal note, my weekend has been mostly about my big goal: getting my summer clothes out of my shed and put up and collecting and stashing my winter clothes. I'm almost there. This morning I went to church for the first time since last Easter. It's hard to get there because I don't drive and there are no weekend busses. I'll be making Eugene a ham dinner. I hope it lasts him awhile because I have a really busy week coming up. 

A great big shout out goes out to my church family at Church of Universal Fellowship. 

Jules Hathaway 

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My Keychain

It has 10 exquisite tiny charms on it. Everyone agrees that it's beautiful. I'm proud of it because it was a real fine motor skills challenge. (Just wish my penmanship was showing as much improvement as my fiber arts and crafting are.) The whole event was the 🐈's pajamas, a sentiment with which the other attendees whole heartedly agreed.

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My first boba

This was a real milestone for me. For years I read about boba. The characters in YA books were always drinking it and loving the stuff. I could only imagine the experience and long to try it for real for real. Finally the day came. It was well worth the wait. To celebrate my next tattoo, which I'll get really soon, will be a boba drinking cat I saw on an event flyer Catherine put together. She picked that picture because she knew I'd adore it. Talk about purrrfect!!!

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Serving up boba

There's my friend Catherine mixing and serving at the boba and Keychain making event Thursday. If she doesn't get a job in her field right off she could get something temporary being a barrister at a fancy coffee place. I'd give her a recommendation. Anyway she and her crew did an awesome job planning, publicizing, and running the event. Lots of people showed up, had a really fun time, and crafted themselves unique, special, and useful souvenirs. 

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