Village Green/Town²

On this day one year ago Howard County Schools were closed due to an impending weather event. Unlike many such impending events, this one did pan out. I know this because I noted that kids were sledding down the hill in front of our house. On this day in 2021 a lawless mob took part in acts of insurrection at the national Capitol building in hopes of preventing the peaceful transfer of presidential power. Meanwhile, in Howard County… Someone smashed their way into the Board of Education building. It was a scary ending to a scary day. On this day in 2017 former blogger Tom Coale (HoCoRising) wrote a piece entitled “Safe for Six Year Olds” which I liked enough to pass along on Facebook. Thanks to the work of two diligent readers, I have the link for you. “ Safe for Six Year Olds ” Tom Coale, HoCoRising 1/6/2017 In 2015 social media was abuzz with the antics of a man named Kirby Delauter. I had forgotten all about him. On this day in 2011 I posted the following: On this day 15 years ago ...

  Yesterday when the writing part of brain was stuck I solicited suggestions for getting myself unstuck. A friend recommended fresh air and movement. I have that on my agenda for today.  Today’s search for topics brings us someone who clearly knows and benefits from this already: Howard County resident George Pelikan. Here he is biking the Old Ellicott City Connector Trail. Video from the YouTube channel of George Pelikan It’s not long, about two and a half minutes. In case you have wondered what the Connector Trail is like, this will give you a pretty good idea. (I don’t know the music Pelikan has used for the soundtrack and he doesn’t appear to have credited the musician. Grr.) I imagine that observing the changes through the seasons here could be pretty amazing. Parts of the video feel a little bit like being on a thrill ride but it’s mostly pretty mellow. If you’re interested in learning more about this relatively new trail, (Spring, 2024) take a look at this page on the F...

  The news this morning is enraging and frightening. I’m writing today not because it doesn’t matter to me but because showing up here has become a promise I keep to myself.  - - jam ***** I’m having a bit of a problem. The Baltimore Banner has featured another one of those Howard County homes again. You know, the kind that has all the bells and whistles and sits on a massive lot and costs more than a million dollars. Correction: more than two million dollars. That’s not the problem. The problem is me. I usually find these luxury real estate offerings ghastly. This one is faintly attractive. I don’t hate it. This worries me. For sale: Modern, custom-built home in Clarksville , Jason Freeman, Baltimore Banner Image from Baltimore Banner real estate article, attributed to Bright MLS Here are all the deal breakers for me:  House is too big  Lot is too big Location (for me) is terrible Too expensive, obviously  Walkability? Zero. What I like: The kitchen sink faces...

  Once upon a time, there were no remotes. I suspect you know this. I remember being impressed when my mother figured out she could incorporate an extension cord with a switch on it so she didn’t have to get out of bed to to turn the tv off when she went to sleep. I had to go looking for an example and found it on a “vintage” site. Oof. Then, at some point (in the early 1970’s) my parents bought a television that could be operated with something that looked like this. (from a Reddit discussion on early tv remotes) Friends, this was not a remote. It was a “clicker.” That is, everyone I knew called it a clicker and it made a kind of metallic clicking noise when you used it to change channels. It was basic. It cycled you through all the channels until you got to the one you wanted.  This might seem daunting until you remember we only had three or four channels in those days. For many years this device and, later, our garage door opener, were my only experience with “wireless” rem...

I did not have being awakened at four thirty am by an emergency alert on my New Year’s Day Bingo Card.    Honestly, I did not have a New Year's Day Bingo Card but, since I’m up early, maybe I’ll make one.  Did you know that Howard County will be represented in today’s Rose Bowl parade?  Seen here in a post by the Maryland Music Educators Association , Doug Lea is the trumpet player at the far right of the photo. He’ll be participating in the Rose Parade as a part of The Band Directors Marching Band.   Lea, whose career as a music educator in the Howard County Schools includes teaching, directing, mentoring, and leadership, is clearly not resting on his laurels in retirement.  He has also marched with The Band Directors Marching Band in previous parades. I’m in awe of the stamina it takes simply to walk a parade route - - now imagine adding musical performances to that, too!   Keep an eye out for them today.  ***** At noon: Guigui’s Kréyo...

  The last day of the year. A day that prompts me to make sense of the last twelve months and to look at what I wrote a year ago.  There is no, absolutely, no making sense of the last twelve months. So here are a few things I wrote a year ago: Community disappointments? I think the long slow fizzle of the Lakefront Library is such a missed opportunity but there’s no denying it didn’t set everyone aglow with spark of possibility the way it did for me.  We still desperately need more housing.  Resource-hoarding and racism still hide behind pleasant and respectable faces.  - - Joys and Sorrows, 12/31/2024 I have some small hope for the Downtown Library. Despite recent developments I can’t assume it’s a sure thing. We will be electing a new County Executive and their commitment to seeing this project through will be critical.  Speaking of the race for County Executive, I take a dim view of folks who think it doesn’t matter what political party you belong to, es...