We are going rounds!

This time period in American history is a boxing match with innumerable rounds.

It has been 65 years since the homicide of Emmett Till, and the case is still open. The eddies of history stirred flows of civil rights resistance. Rosa Parks' targeted civil disobedience action becomes one of many launch points for the Montgomery bus boycott that lasted well over a year.

It is nine contentious, and bloody years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed. It is another year before the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was a brutal, sloppy, and messy process.

It is the 21st century and different seismic rumbles occur along the way. An example, there's Charlottesville in August 2017 with the homicide of Heather Heyer.

It is 2020. George Floyd galvanizes an evolution of the civil rights chapter of America. We should be better custodians of our history. We are not. We forget. Painful driven spikes of not addressing racial injustice pierce out and through our collective body: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake.

We have a right to feel tired, bruised up, and exhausted. We have a right to gird up our loins. We are not unbowed. Previous generations did it, across every spectrum. The ancestors, no matter their ethnicity, have shown us the way.

So - get up, lace up, face up, we will be going rounds. That's how we, all of us, learn and evolve in America.

Statues of Historical Women in Central Park

Adding statues of historical women to Central Park. What a concept and about time. I am so glad this project is happening. Check it out: https://tinyurl.com/yxdbwyl2

Pondering domestic situations and tasers

I saw the news report about the shooting in Wisconsin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-PK8t8vtSM

 I know that I do not have the disposition to deal with the intense situations police officers face. I know several police officers and I highly respect those who are called to serve in that capacity. 

Given the short clip that was shown on television, there are several question that come to mind. Should police be called when dealing with a domestic situation? Could there be another division that deals with situations that involve high stakes emotional crossfire? What type of scenario training is provided within the training for police academy? 

In terms of weapons, what happened to using the taser? Why isn't the taser the first option on a policeman's belt? What is the training officers receive in using a taser? Are there follow up sessions? Are there grading sessions to score how police men use tasers and their effectiveness in using the taser? What are the ways a taser can be used to incapacitate people?

Is there a seemingly unmovable 30% to 40%?

After reading Tara Westover's Educated and now reading Rising Out of Hatred by Eli Saslow, I see the pattern as to why 30% to 40% follow the current occupant in the White House. 

Check out the clip of Derek Black the subject in Saslow's book on The Daily Show: https://tinyurl.com/y4hcd88z

Delightful surprise - 2020 DNC Convention

 1972 - my mother & I attended a function where I had the honor of meeting Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. She had declared her candidacy to run for president. It was educational, inspirational, invigorating, & aspirational.

Delightful surprise - so was the 2020 DNC Convention.

Too cute for words pledge:

Stirring rendition of the national anthem:

Claiming and owning a moniker thrust on any woman who knows her own power - Julia Louis Dreyfuss channelled a take off on her "Veep" character to surgical, piercing effect:

High wire, heart in mouth moment that ended in cheers for a gutsy youngster, Brayden Harrington, determined and demonstrating his increased confidence because he had a role model who took the time to share an oratory technique.

A message of decency, empathy, hope, change, policies to bolster and support Americans.

 

I'll say it again - it was a delightful surprise to see the rollout of the messages over the four days from the DNC Convention.

Reaction to Day 1 DNC Convention

 1. I became misty eyed at several points

    a. the stars representing the diversity of the United States of America

    b. the testimony of Kristin Urquiza about her father

2. I laughed and pumped my fist to 

    a. The NY sass and display of logical presentation by Gov. Cuomo

3. I was surprised and relieved by the show of unity of former presidential candidates, particularly Bernie Sanders. 

4. Cautiously optimistic and ever wary about the parlay to with Republicans who are supporting Biden-Harris.

5. I was elevated, and inspired by Michelle Obama's speech. It was epic. 

https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/1295552611026780160?s=20

No one should take for granted Mrs. Obama's oratory.

This is the most that I've seen of any DNC convention. I usually only pop in for 1 speech per day. of the event.  

Well - Well - Well - Biden - Harris 2020

 

I'm hyped about this political ticket for many reasons. I'll just state two. First, it is historic the nature of a selection that reflects the political, social, economic, educational, and cultural diversity of the country. One hundred years ago the Women's Suffragette Movement had black women, particularly from the sorority group, the AKA's, vigorously supported the platform yet were denied equal participation or consideration.

Second is hearing the crack of the glass ceiling in regards to the first nomination of a biracial, Asian-American and African-American woman to the vice presidential position. Fifty-two years years ago Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman to serve in Congress. In 1972, Congresswoman Chisholm through her hat into the ring for a presidential run. The point of her candidacy was to expand the boundaries of what was possible for all women.

It's 2020, and now there are further opportunities to consider a wider range of possibilities.

Capacity Building - from 2.5 miles

Taking a jaunt down a quiet neighborhood.  I'm working my way to being able to walk 10 miles.  That's my goal.  It is out there for me as my usual length of time in walking is about 2 to 2.5 miles.  

I walked 2.5 miles away from my home which means I have to walk back - which is 5 miles.  Holy cow did that hurt. That's with stretching. I just realized I'd rather deal with the type of pain 

It seems I have to set for a particular destination. As I'm walking along the path I find it helps me to organize thoughts that seem to knock around my brain. I definitely am an old broad with a lot of opinions. 

Here's a thought that's been knocking around my brain. Schools across the nation are doing remote learning. The issue of access and equity are looming large. I was at a favorite computer store returning an item. I saw that a parent, in frustration, had returned a popular tablet, keyboard and pen. My curiosity peaked, I asked what was the complaint. The cashier said the parent returned all of the items because the child did not know how to use the tablet.

The action of returning the items points to two major pieces that needs to occur that requires the cooperation of funding and education. One, parents need to get the company care package so that they have 90 days of being able to get complete support to set up the tablet to the keyboard to the pen. Two, there needs to be oversight as to how school systems and parents across this great nation will be able to have schools and children to have access to broadband to do the wide range of assignments. That requires coordination in talking to all of the tech companies that deal with broadband access So in just a month, the child does not have a tool he or she will be able to travel particularly when there is an option of returning to school in a blended learning model.  

Check out Knock Down The House

For an amazing documentary that gives a birds eye view of the 2018 congressional race run by four candidates, check out Knock Down The House. 

The four women in the documentary, top left - Paula Jean Swearengin, top right - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, bottom left - Amy Vilela, bottom right - Cori Bush.

The four women featured in the documentary have a voice that reflects a working class, logical viewpoint that in many respects aligns with traditional republican values.  I use the word republican by the definition one can find in any dictionary: a person who believes that the citizens have the right to choose who represents them in government. It's government for the people, with the people, and by the people.

I realize this definition is an idealized version but that is what America is supposed to be striving for, ever forward, not mired in toxic practices of the past.

Two snaps up to Cori Bush - Who Knew!!!

I love a good up against the odds story. Only in America can a working class, single mother of two children, nurse, COVID 19 survivor win a Missouri primary without the backing of big money or established voices from the Democratic Party. I may not agree with her entire platform but I respect her hard work, independence, and forthrightness. Congrats to Cori Bush.

She's an advocate for Medicare for all. i did not see how the US could afford this policy. Given the massive, epic scale of the devastation to the health care and economic system created by COVID 19, my thoughts have changed about this policy.

We do not have to reinvent the wheel. Not having the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unthinkable and would be complicit in outright anti-humanitarian actions. State by state piece meal does not work as we have people who live in the same country with woefully inadequate medical facilities.

Editing and revising and strengthening the ACA is more than a possibility and provides immediate solutions. Looking at how Canada and several other countries have handled the pandemic through their nationalized health care system should be a long term project.

The boardwalk

It first starts with a step. I am 80 pounds overweight.  My goodness that is not a way to live a quality life in the after retirement chapter. So the first step is finding a way to include consistent activity in my life.

So for me, after decades of diets, and fads, and weird types of fasts, i'm trying to be consistent with following a healthy eating plan and exercise.

Exercise.

I hate exercise. That's not accurate. It's that I do not like the feeling of exercise. I've been looking at different YouTube videos and different podcasts about exercising. Seeing people who are not senior citizens doing suggested exercise for senior citizens does not compute. Being senior citizens who are just freakishly fit is intimidating. I can see I'm going to look at the videos that deal with slowly building the capacity and range of exercises.

But first, I'll go for a walk, mask on. The boardwalk calls to me. My feet press along the different, uneven slats, and at ties see the many variations of how the boards are supported, with nails, space and sand piled underneath the boards.

Have a Fitbit that I"m finally using. It's 2,000 steps to see this view.  Started with 2,000.  Got to get it to 10,000 or five miles by the end of the summer - end of August. 

Resting and reading

I retired as of July 1, 2020. I can safely say I slept through the month of July, and it was delicious. First step - going to the doctor to check out the mileage on the old bod. My blood pressure was 120 over 80, which is lovely. Now it's time to attack the poundage on my frame.

I bought the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" 10 years ago and it stayed in my bookshelf. I've been hungrily listening to unedited versions of books via Audible in the hurly burly rush my career.

I promised myself that I would like do the old fashioned version of reading when I finally had a moment to truly sit down with a hard copy. Just finished it and what a heartbreaking story. In short, the medical community has benefitted from the distinctive, morphological properties of Henrietta Lacks, but not the family. This book takes on special resonance in light of the pandemic and the international hunt to devise a vaccine. I would not be surprised if the HeLa cells play some small role.