We Are Like The Clouds

We Are Like The Clouds

Children's poetry
"This collection of poems describes the odyssey that thousands
of boys, girls, and young people from El Salvador, Guatamala,
Honduras, and Mexico undertake when they flee their countries because
of extreme poverty and fear of violence. They abandon everything in
hope of a better life."
Jorge Argueta fled El Salvador to escape war in the 1980s. Now
he works with young people in America and El Salvador. Their stories
(i.e., "I am afraid of being by the gangs. I don't know what to do.
My father lives in Los Angeles. If I go I have to go alone. Should I
go or stay?") are the basis of his We Are Like The Clouds, told in
both Spanish and English.
The poems are sparse and evocative. The Talker describes fear
of the mob boss who orders underlings to commit violence. In iPod a
boy wishes a friend luck in reaching America and promises to take care
of his dog. To me the most poignant one is written in the form of a
prayer:
"Santa Toribio,
saint of the immigrants,
show us the way.
Don't let us fall into the hands of the migra,
and never in the hands of the traffickers,
or worse, the minute men.
You who are the good coyote,
protect us, lead us.
Deliver us from all evil. Amen.
Migra is immigration services, people capable of sending immigrants
back to their home countries to start the perilous journey all over
again. Minutemen are armed civilian gangs, capable of great malice
and cruelty.
We Are The Clouds is a must acquire for school and public
libraries. It's a great way to help children understand the vicious
cruelty of "Build a wall! Build a wall!"
On a personal note, Eugene is back from camp. He gave me the most
incredible fuzzy one piece Christmas cat pajamas I've ever seen. I
know what I'm wearing to party New Years Eve!
We did some food shopping. I ran into a good friend from my acting
days. She wanted me to come back. I'm missed. I have to admit I
miss acting BUT grad school and my wonderful job don't allow enough
time. I did appreciate her kind words.
We have us a frozen pizza. That is going to be so yummy for supper!
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene and to my good friends from
my acting years.
jules hathaway


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Women Going For It!

Women Going For It!

Adult nonfiction
As you know if you've been reading this blog long enough, this
past fall I started graduate school just weeks short of my 67th
birthday. I'd taken the time to raise my children. When they were
grown and flown, I learned an inconvenient truth: people with good
jobs don't want to hire someone with a paid employment gap large
enough to drive a hummer through. It looked like I'd have to settle
for big store retail or fast food...
...only I wasn't going to give up on myself any more than I
would have given up on my kids. I searched for a meaningful next step
until I discovered the higher education student development program
that would prepare me for a career doing what makes my heart sing.
Now I'm living the dream: going part time and earning tuition, fees,
and textbooks with a student job in dining services.
I was thrilled beyond measure when I discovered that other women
over fifty are living their dreams. In Women Going For It! Diana
Coleman shares the stories of some pretty incredible women who took
the risks to achieve their goals in a society that expects women to go
quietly into that last good night. You'll meet:
*Claudia who entered seminary at 53 and became an ordained Episcopal
priest at 56;
*Carol who joined a Roller Derby team in her 60's;
*Elizabeth who was 52 when she adopted two foster children;
*Teresa Ann who became a woman at 53;
and 22 other unforgettable women.
But you don't have to settle for reading their amazing stories.
Coleman believes that women of any age have within us the power to
dream big and achieve our dreams. She includes exercises to help us
do just that.
Buy the book for yourself. Buy it for your mom. Buy it for any
older woman you know who's obeying society's mandate to sell herself
short. If enough of us decide it's our right to really live (as
opposed to just existing) before we die, ageism may cease being one of
our society's last accepted prejudices.
On a personal note, I will celebrate New Years Eve my favorite way:
reading near our beautiful tree with a good book, candy, and my
precious Joey cat purring on my lap. Eugene will join us for the ball
drop. I can't begin to imagine what I'll discover and achieve in the
year ahead. I hope you celebrate safely and responsibly and have a
lot to look forward to.
A great big shout out goes out to you, my dear readers.
jules hathaway


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I Am Loved

I Am Loved

Juvenile poetry
"On a rainy day
When I am sitting
In a tree
Looking for a friend
I hope you'll be the one
Holding out your arms
To gently catch
My fall."
Any book Ashley Bryan has a part in creating is a treasure. So
when I spotted his distinctive art I snatched up Nikki Giovanni's I Am
Loved. Of course I was very glad I did.
Giovanni's poems are vivid and evocative. In Leaves (quoted
above) she describes the yearning for a certain person to appear.
(Don't we all feel that way at times?) A tablecloth hopes that when it
can no longer serve its original purpose it will go into a quilt to
keep a child warm. A poem inviting readers to dance is written in a
musical cadance. My favorite asks how there can be no heaven
"When tears comfort
When dreams caress
When you smile
at me"
Bryan's paintings take readers into a fantasy kingdom where beautiful
brown people interact with vivid creatures. My favorites are a solemn
little blue and grey owl and a rainbow winged bird.
What's not to love about I Am Loved? Make sure your library has
a copy.
On a personal note, I have a big mission to accomplish over vaca:
shelf reading the whole children's wing of the Orono Public Library.
That means making sure every book is in its exact Dewey Decimal spot.
Everything from picture books to YA fiction and nonfiction. I have
time to volunteer over break and that chore is going to be my late
Christmas present to the library. Anyway the librarians are very
excited. My dining services manager, Jodi, will be pleased too
because accomplishing this good deed will reflect well on Wells. I
started with picture books and am up to S. I'll keep you posted on my
progress.
I was reading about how not enough people volunteer once the holiday
season is over. I decided I'll try to log at least 100 hours. It
shouldn't be impossible with the library, the community garden, and
Black Bear Exchange knowing where I live. I put in 5 hours so that
makes 95 to go before next Christmas. Jodi will like that.
A great big shout out goes out to the Orono Public Library staff,
volunteers, and patrons.
jules hathaway


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Brotopia

Brotopia

Adult nonfiction
"The unfortunate truth is that right now men's voices dominate
[technology] and we see the results. Popular products from the tech
boom--including violent and sexist video games that a generation of
children has become addicted to--are designed with little or no input
from women. Apple's first version of its highly touted health
application could track your blood-alcohol but not menstruation.
Everything from plus sized smartphones to artificial hearts have been
built to a size better suited to male anatomy...The exclusion of women
matters--not just to job seekers, but to all of us."
There are some really good books coming out on reasons why women
are way underrepresented in tech and what can be done to change
things. Emily Chang's Brotopia: Breaking Up The Boys' Club of
Silicon Valley is (so far) my favorite. It's very readable, even for
people like me who are struggling to catch up in this brave new
world. It's also very thought provoking.
One problem is the incestuous tendency of tech founding fathers,
one of whom believes that women's suffrage has hurt democracy, to
recruit people like themselves from their social networks rather than
casting a wider net. Why bring in a more diverse group that might
slow projects down? In other words, from the beginning this was not
an industry in which women could get the proverbial foot in the door.
The Paypal Mafia described their process as meritocracy. They
took the best and brightest. Chang has a quite different take on the
word. It was coined by Confucius in ancient China. Michael Young, a
British sociologist, sounded a warning note in 1958:
"...he did see grave dangers in the new embrace of meritocracy,
eeirily predicting that in this new world, status would still be
accessible only to a select few: those who has access to an elite
education. As a result, meritocracy would produce a new social
stratification and a new sense of moral exceptionalism."
Chang also goes into detail about how the brotopia lifestyle is
far from ideal or desirable for many women. Many places where
networking and desk making happen are venues in which many women would
not feel comfortable. Sexual harassment is rampant. Widespread
alcohol abuse enables it.
"Many of the women pointed out that declining to drink with the
boys is a double-edged sword. If women don't participate, they're
seen as uptight and not team players. And they miss out on group-
bonding time, which may cost them personal and political capital
within the organization. If they do participate, they're considered
not serious and, worse, risk being sexualized or, worse, as in Holme's
case, even assaulted."
Then there are the demanding hours that are expected of the work
force that make life work balance challenging, epecially after
children come along. Companies that spend gazillions on on site perks
and encourage bringing dogs on campus can't find money or space for
day cares...
If you are interested in bringing more women into tech, Brotopia
is a must read.
On a personal note, I had a totally amazing Christmas. Katie spent
the night in her old bed in the studio, opened gifts with Eugene,
Joey, and me, and spent the morning with us. Adam and Asia dropped
off gifts their cats, Beans and Delilah had purrrrrchased. Smart
kitties. They gave me a cat themed planner book for keeping class,
assignments etc. straight, money toward textbooks, and a snow globe
for my collection. The family all gathered at the event at the in-
laws. What I loved most about the day:
1) Spending time with Eugene and our kids;
2) Katie writing about being proud of how hard I'm working and how
well I'm doing;
3) Tim writing Jules on my card. I Jane hope for his kids and
girlfriend. I think Hell will freeze over before Cheryl and Arlene do;
4) Cuddling with my little friend, Joey cat;
5) Amber giving me home made decorations and donating money in my name.
I won't deny I got spoiled with gifts.
I woke up today very clear headed and ready to do the things I
want to over break. One is getting the house in better shape for when
I'm back in school. To make that fun I start with an area I haven't
tackled in ages. Joey needs a trip to the vet. I have tuition for
next semester to pay. I have a lot of writing I want to do. I have
New Years resolutions made. But you'll have to wait til New Years
Year to see what I've come up with.
A great big shout out goes out to my wonderful spouse, kids, and cat.
jules hathaway


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Together We Rise

Together We Rise

Adult nonfiction
"Where were you on January 21, 2017? If you were like five
million women from Washington D.C. to Dar es Salaam to Seoul, you
marched in towns large and small, on state capitals. You rode buses,
took trains, carpooled with others, scraped together cash to pay the
fare. You made signs, held your children in one hand and a sign in
another. [I did when my kids were little. Precious memories.] You
stood up to tyranny. You raised your voice."
If you watched the women's march or one of its around the world
spin offs--I'm betting even if you attended the event--it all seemed
so smooth. I know I had no clue to all the Herculean work that led up
to the event. Together We Rise gives a detailed chronology of the
"single largest protest in world history" from inspiration to reality
and beyond. Logistics (everything from permits to porta potties)
posed huge challenges. Then there was the whole Internet dimension.
With the diversity of people involved, there were differences that, if
not resolved, could have torpedoed the whole thing.
What did I like best about the book? First of all it was the
photographs. They occupy close to half of the pages. The faces and
body language of subjects are so eloquent. The signs are kick ass.
These are pictures to linger over, not flip through.
Pretty close was the diversity of voices included. This wasn't
the work of just one or a few. A wide range of people shared their
most intimate thoughts. I felt like I was given the privilege of
listening to private conversations.
Did you know that there was a march in Antarctica? The
organizer has trouble registering that march because initially it
required street addresses which didn't exist on thar continent. And
that wasn't the only extreme cold weather place where people
participated. The forty who marched in Unalakleet, Alaska braved a
windchill of -40!
There were two quotes that especially inspired me. One is by a
mother who marched for her child.
"Every parent loves their child and will do anything to protect
them. In my case, I happen to have a transgender child. I know he is
healthier and happier living the gender he identifies with. To take
his rights away in the bathroom, classroom, or work force would be
removing him from society. That I will not accept. For that I
marched and will continue to march."
The other by Gloria Steinem beautifully addresses a dilemma I
find myself in. Many activists in "my" generation take one of two not-
that-helpful positions. A large number are stepping aside entirely,
leaving the whole mess our world is in to our children and grands. I
consider that incredibly irresponsible. Others, still wanting to be
in charge, disrespect younger people. "You're not old enough to
understand." What the bloody Hell? Did they forget how we felt when
we were their ages and older people wrote us off the same way?
I feel that the world is in such a mess we can't afford to have
any generation missing in action in the fight for peace, justice, and
survival. So I love what Steinem had to say:
"At my age, in this still-hierarchical time, people often ask me
if I'm 'passing the torch.' I explain that I'm keeping my torch, thank
you very much--and I'm using it to light the torches of others."
Amen to that!
On a personal note, Eugene and I had a wonderful long dinner with
Amber, Brian, and Katie. We had burgers and fries with cookies for
dessert. Mostly we talked. That time together was precious beyond
measure. Soon Katie will be here to sleep in her bed in the studio
like old days and open gifts with us in the morning.
A great big shout out goes out to my partner, our children, their
significant others, and precious Joey cat.
jules hathaway



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The Red Pencil

The Red Pencil

Juvenile literature
"Finally I am twelve.
Old enough to wear a toob.
As soon as I wake
Mama whispers a birthday wish.
'Blessings for all the years to come, Amira'."
Amira, free verse narrator of Andrea Davis Pinkney's The Red
Pencil, is coming of age. She would like to go to school. Her very
traditional mother is very much against the idea, believing that farm
work and marriage are a woman's true vocation. So maturity comes with
a lot of responsibilities including raking cow poop for fertilizer.
Amira's mother begins to teach her about the Janjaweed, whom she
describes as 'devils on horseback'. She tells her daughter to run if
they are attacked. Soon Amira begins to see fear in the eyes of all
the adults in her life.
One day the Janjaweed attack, shooting people and torching
buildings. Amira's beloved father dies in front of her eyes. Her
special sheep is burned to death.
In a Displaced People's Camp Amira is despairing and mute. Even
her mother's tender coaxing doesn't bring her voice back. It takes a
very special present and the promise it symbolizes.
On a personal note, tis the day before Christmas. Eugene is out with
his brother. It's just Joey and me to home. Joey is napping under
our beautiful tree. I am so lucky he's still in my life. It's been
over 3 1/2 years since the vets operated 4 1/2 hours to save his
precious life. We've treasured every one of those days. This
afternoon Eugene and I will go to Amber and Brian's house for a
special family get together. Katie will sleep over in her bed in the
studio. Then tomorrow is the big day.
A great big shout out goes out to my little friend, Joey Cat, the vets
who recognized his strong will to live and used their skills to buy
him precious time, and the other companion animals who add so much
love and joy to our lives.
jules hathaway


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Not For Sale

Not For Sale

Adult nonfiction
"More than 30 million slaves live in our world today. Girls and
boys, women and men of all ages are forced to toil in the rug-loom
sheds of Nepal, sell their bodies in the brothels of Rome, break rocks
in the quaries of Pakistan, fight wars in the jungles of Africa, and
sew clothes in the garment factories of California.
Go behind the facade in any major town or city in the world
today, and you're likely to find a thriving commerce in human beings.
You may even find slavery in your own backyard."
David Batstone, author of Not For Sale, found slavery in his own
backyard. He and his wife were regulars at an Indian restaurant in
San Francisco. Then a 17-year-old died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The same person owned the apartment complex where she died and a bunch
of businesses including the restaurant. He smuggled adults and
children from India, working them long hours, claiming their wages as
rent, and threatening to report them if they tried to escape.
Batstone, professor of business and social responsibility at the
University of San Francisco and cofounder and president of the Not For
Sale campaign, takes readers all over the world, sharing heartbreaking
stories. The world of child soldiers, for example, is horrifying.
Torn from their families and villages, they are forced to commit acts
of violence such as killing their parents that will make them pariahs
in their tribes. Rape, brutality, and starvation become their new
reality.
Batstone intersperses this content with stories of people who
take incredible risks to rescue slaves, often incurring the wrath of
international gangsters who fond human trafficking very profitable.
In Peru the government decided to "cleanse" Lima of street kids who
began to disappear or be found dead. Lucy Borja was directing an HIV/
AIDS prevention program. One night she invited two terrified boys to
sleep in its office and bring friends. Returning from a party, she
found kids sleeping wall to wall and smaller ones in cupboards. At a
stage in life where people who can afford to are often at least
contemplating retiring she changed her agency and life path to
rescuing children from powerful people in government as well as
traffickers.
Of course most of us can't make this our life's work. But
Batstone believes that the movement has room for all of us. His
explanation of the many ways in which we can get involved is, in my
mind, the most hopeful aspect of the book.
On a personal note, I am sitting near my lovely decorated tree wrapped
in peace, serenity, and joy. I wrapped up the shopping yesterday.
(Even snagged myself 6 shirts--including 2 cat ones--up to Goodwill
cheap.) I cleaned this morning. I am no Susie Homemaker. My heart
is full of joy.
A great big shout out goes out to you, my readers. May you have a
joyous Christmas!
jules hathaway



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