Village Green/Town²

I offer as my last word in 2012 what I hope will be a first word in a desperately important conversation, by hocoblogger Alice Shafer. *** I am watching football. My home team, the Ravens, took a loss today - though fortunately we lost when we have already secured our place in the playoffs. My second home team, the Redskins, are currently battling it out with the Cowboys. RG3, Morris, and Garçon are doing what they do, and I'm sitting in bed with a glass of wine and the love of my life, my husband, G.  Concurrently, G and I have been discussing two books of essays on Joss Whedon's Firefly. We are both fans - I watched the series while it was on TV, G watched it after, and we saw the premier of Serenity, the film, together.  At the same time, men on television form expert opinions on football, with brief interludes from female reporters on the field.  And at the same time, a woman in India is mourned. Her death is a terrible and shining point...

I realized yesterday that a reader asked me a question, quite a while ago, that I never answered.  It had to do with the name of this blog. The suggestion was that I had given the blog two names instead of one, i.e. "both "Village Green" and "Town Squared." Now that the sand is just about out of the hourglass for 2012, I thought it was time to tie up this loose end with an explanation. A Village Green is just a piece of land if no one is there. Having the land set aside for the people is of no purpose if the people aren't there.  It is though our coming together, exchanging ideas, learning, growing, and changing that the Village Green takes on a special meaning. Its power is increased exponentially. Thus, what this blog hopes to be:  Village Green/Town Squared.  The human connection is the point. I was reminded of just how important this mission is when I read the following post by Sharon Williams. "I promise this is NOT political: I'd just ...

When I was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, one of the department stores ran an ad campaign with this jingle , "If you haven't seen Higbee's today--you haven't seen Higbee's!" This style of slogan is still in use, apparently, as evidenced by The Washington Post:  If you don't get it, you don't Get It. At the risk of sounding just a little bit hokey, I'm going to put this out there: The Oakland Mills Food Lion. Try it again; you'll like it. These are some of the reasons you might try the Oakland Mills Food Lion: 1. You live in Oakland Mills. 2. You are patronizing one of the other Village Center establishments. 3. You are visiting the Columbia Ice Rink. 4. You are attending a service at the Interfaith Center. 5. You have a meeting or event at the Other Barn. 6. You have a doctor's appointment in the professional building. 7. Your child is a member of the Youth and Teen Center. 8. You are attending an event at Blandair Park. 9. Yo...

Ah, the Holidays! Such a grand time of celebration, sharing, wonder and delight!  If only it didn't come accompanied by that experience that most of us dread. Togetherness. Don't protest about how love of neighbor is at the heart of the season. You know what I mean.  If you have ever been to the Mall any time after Thanksgiving, you have most certainly found your love of fellow creature sorely tested.  Then there are "get-togethers."  I practically shudder typing the word. Whether they are for work, school, church, or professional or social organization, we will find ourselves spending more time with some folks than we really want to. Scary, creepy people. And then, there's Family.  No matter how happy our families are, I daresay there are a few relatives we must endure during the holidays that never fail to make our hackles rise, for some reason or other.While "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," it is wise to remember that just beca...

I'm straying away from my usual home base today in order to rant about something that has been bothering me this week:  HGTV. Yes, I am aware that time does not stand still and that the HGTV I fell in love with ten years or so ago has been replaced by the "real estate channel".  I rarely watch anymore, but I look forward to December because I enjoy the holiday-themed episodes and specials. So, I went to the website to find the listing of these programs and when they would be aired. Amazingly enough, that information isn't there.  It used to be. You could make sure you knew when your favorite shows were on and mark your calendar, or set your DVR. If you missed the first showing they listed any subsequent showings.Now?  Nothing. I tried asking on their Facebook page, and on Twitter. The only response was a link to their "What's on the TV Schedule Today?" page.  The information isn't there. Response to my follow-up question?  Zip. HGTV has de...

Over the past year we've lost two long-time neighbors. It bothers me. These were not close friends, but solid neighbors--the kind that will help you shovel snow, accept a package for you, let you know if you left the lights in your car on. Always willing to say hello. And really listen after they ask, "How's it going?" In both cases they were renters. But their story in our neighborhood was nothing like the transient, uncaring picture that some like to paint of the Typical Renter. Both were families who lived here for years. Both supported their children and their school endeavors. Both cared for the outside of their homes. In the case of Ms. A, we watched her little boys go from peddle cars and stick fights to middle school and high school. Her teenaged daughter moved from skin-tight jeans to professional clothing for a job with the school system, helping elementary children. Ms. A. herself went from single working mom to struggling with a physical disability--th...

Yes, folks, it's going to get a little awkward today. We're going to talk about love.  Not the lovey-dovey, stars-in-your-eyes kind of love, either.  The messy, "why do I always have to be the one who cleans the bathtub?" kind of love. And I mean that quite literally.  For thirteen years I have been cleaning hair out of the bathtub.  And it's not my hair.  I have gone through stages on this.  First there was a honeymoon period, then annoyance, then anger, then resentment, then forgiveness, then... My mother died.  And something odd happened.  She started turning up in unexpected ways during my daily life:  when I read to my daughter, or listened to music, or watched a program on television.  And when I cleaned the bathtub. I realized that, in all the years while I was growing up, our bathtub was immaculate. I never gave one thought to it. I thought that all bathrooms, by their very nature, were sparkling clean.  So that day I ...

Do you want to believe that you have The Power?  Do you want to shape opinion, mold the future, influence your part of the Free World? You must act quickly.You only have a certain number of days to make your mark.  Are you ready?  Good.  Now, vote . In past years I was nothing more than a Low Education Voter.  I didn't know how it all worked. I thought that nominees were vetted, selected, and voted upon by some august body.  I didn't know that my participation mattered.  I didn't know that some candidates were actually out there, beating the bushes for votes. Badgering, wheedling, shamelessly whining for votes. I was naive. I felt powerless. But now that I've joined the League of Extraordinary Mobsters , I'm ready.  I actually submitted a few nominees this year. And I'm going back, daily, to vote. Yes--daily!  If you love voting as much as I do, well, this is a dream come true.   The Mobbies, though largely dominated by ca...

Thursday morning I got in my car and the windows and mirrors were covered in rain splots and condensation.The windows were easily cleared by the wipers, but the side mirrors were not so easy.  I looked around for a paper towel, take-out napkin or tissue in the car, but there were none. Actually, it wasn't my car, it was my husband's car, and he isn't as concerned about always having paper goods as I am.  Why wasn't it my car? Well, that's a story about a Peter Gabriel concert, a road trip, and a lot of other stuff. Moving on.  I was in a rush, so I decided I'd be able to manage without the side mirror until I was able to pick up something to wipe it off.  I rolled down my window and prepared to wing it. It was a lovely Fall day, no problem. Until I got on Route 29 South.  I quickly discovered I was going to need to merge.  Merge left.  Yikes!  Couldn't do it.  "No problem!"  thought I.  "I'll just stay in this lane, get right o...

I don't have a Choose Civility bumper sticker on my car.  I used to, but I took it off.  Why?  If you must know, I took it off because I kept reading and hearing snarky comments about how it's the Choose Civility cars that cut you off, won't let you in, take your parking place and so on.  And I know that I am not a perfect driver.  I'm not a selfish driver, but every so often I might be stupid. So I took the bumper sticker off because I didn't want to make the Choose Civility movement look bad. There you have it--Self Suppression. Negative, cynical comments found a way to change my enthusiasm into fearfulness.  Brilliant marketing plan.  "You want people to be kind and respectful? Well, let me make you feel bad about yourself first!" People like me are the ones who were crushed when the teacher lectured the whole class about bad behavior.  We take it to heart. It didn't matter how many times I was consoled with--"She wasn't really talkin...

David Gertler, running for a seat on the HoCo Board of Education, has been doing something a little different to get the word out about his candidacy. He has been hosting homework help sessions in math and science, and next week he has coordinated a STEM Career Night. While the conventional wisdom leans towards planting yard signs and waving at traffic, Mr.Gertler is breaking the mold by doing some talent-sharing.  Why is this so important? Well, having spent a little time with him during the primaries, having followed his campaign since then, I have some insights to share. When You See:                        The Deeper Message Is: Technology                               I am excited to share knowledge. ...

                                                            I'm inviting you to a party. When?  Tomorrow, Saturday October 6, from 11 am to 4 pm, rain or shine. Where?  The Oakland Mills Village Center. Why?  It's the annual Oakland Mills Cultural Arts Festival . The Cultural Arts festival is one of the events that has helped me to bond with the notion of living in Columbia and participating in Village Life.  Readers of this blog know that it has taken me a long time to "get with the program", as it were, of the Columbia experience.  I didn't always feel that it was meant for me. I am extending a personal invitation to  Hocoblogger Matt Wilson, whose recent...

Just in, from the Shameless Commerce Division of Village Green/Town Squared:  "This Saturday, 9/29, from 12 pm to 2 pm, The Second Chance Saloon in Oakland Mills brings you " A Little Lunch Music ."  Come enjoy lunch while Early Childhood Music Specialist Julia McCready plays DJ with your favorite Kids Tunes. Room to move and groove, and hands-on materials to explore! All children attending will receive a prize with their meals." Yes, they have a Kid's Menu! If you are the parent of a young child, you know what a challenge eating out with your kids can be.  This event is for you.  We have the entire dining room, plus we often spill over into the pool room as well.  Everyone is friendly to everyone else; the wait staff is genuinely happy that you brought your children. The music is chosen with the young ones in mind.  And best of all, they can get up, wander up to the stage and dance, sing, and play rhythm instruments. Now, this particular Saturday i...

Brian Donoughe is my kind of celebrity.  Not the red-carpet kind, not the reality show kind, nor the careening-out-of-control kind.  No, Brian is the best sort of celebrity--he does what he does quietly, extremely well, and doesn't go around looking for publicity. How do I know Brian? Well, not from his frequent appearances at Merriweather, though I'm told it has been a regular gig. I met him on the Oakland Mills Village Board. He's a no-nonsense guy who hates dilly-dallying and time wasting. He wants facts, evidence, and a reasonable amount of discussion.  To my knowledge, he is probably one of the youngest Columbians to serve as chair of an Architectural Committee. He has even worked with the RAC in Oakland Mills to revise and update the rules to make them easier to read and understand. If you've ever engaged in the RAC process, you know how amazing that is. Why should you know Brian?  What has earned him celebrity status in my eyes? Well it has to do with h...

I saw this note from Friends of Bridge Columbia on Facebook: Howard Hughes Corp. (the developers of downtown Columbia) are holding a meeting about their plans for the pedestrian/bike path connecting the hospital to Blandair this Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 6PM at Slayton House in Wilde Lake. The HHC plan differs from the Bridge Columbia plan and does not include public transit. Please plan to attend to see their plans and advocate for the Bridge Columbia concept. As I am taking a sabbatical from going to meetings, I have to make a pitch to you folks to go and/or keep yourself informed about this project. I believe it is an important one. I don't think Columbia was called The New American City for nothing.  Innovative, appealing public transit, of which this project would be a part, is essential to our future.  And not just for Columbia, but for the entire county. As I flipped around the channels last night, I passed a program that described some sort of casino card g...

Look out, Howard County! There are Crazymakers on the loose in your community! Do I have your attention? You may not have heard the term Crazymaker before, but you probably know one.  In her book, The Artist's Way , Julia Cameron describes a Crazymaker like this: "If they can swing it, they are the star. Everyone around them functions as supporting cast, picking up their cues, their entrances and exits, from the Crazymaker’s whims." Does this ring a bell? Have you served on a committee with this person?  Attended a public meeting that featured the antics of one? Perhaps you have read about the consequences of  a Crazymaker's actions in the local news? Take a look at this post from Escaping Mediocrity . Blogger Sarah Robinson lays it out clearly: Crazymakers cannot abide or respect a schedule – least of all yours.   Crazymakers expect special treatment.   Crazymakers discount your reality. Crazymakers make others feel small.  Crazymaker...

Once upon a time, there were places that everybody knew and loved.  You know what I mean, right? Places like The Last Chance Saloon, Michael's, Rocky Run, Produce Galore, Bun Penny.  Everybody went there. At least, that's what I've heard. You can probably name some others, equally treasured. But times changed. People changed. The economy changed. And then, one day, they weren't there.  Not all at once of course--little by little. Well-known pieces of the community broke away and crumbled.  Some people were angry, some were grieving.  Some asked, "why?" "Why didn't we know?"  "If we had known they were in trouble, we would have made a point of supporting them."  "It's not our fault this happened."  If someone had just told us, we would never have let this happen." I don't know the origin of the adage, "No news is good news."  It seems an awful lot like, "If you don't hear anything, it mu...

I love books.  I have loved books all my life.  I remember the Little Golden Books of my childhood-- Mister Dog , Hansel and Gretel , The Poky Little Puppy .  I remember my mother reading to me at bedtime from a book of children's poems. Oh, how I wished that I had seen the battle between the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, or that there really was a Sugarplum Tree in the Garden of Shuteye Town! When I was quite young, my grandfather gave me a book that changed my life. It was The Bennett Cerf Book of Pop Up Riddles . It was one of the first books that was ever given to me, to have for my very own.  I was the youngest of three and had plenty of books in the hand-me-down sort of way.  But this was a book that had been meant for me to have from the very start. It was some book , alright.  The pages were shiny cardboard, with brightly-colored illustrations that could open up, pop up, slide over and spring out.  No one in my family had ever seen anyth...

     It began, quite innocently, on Facebook: I am so glad that we finally got the front bed weeded, cleared and mulched, so that   Mama Bunny could dig a nice little hole and have her kits there-- three, born today, I think. We put out some carrots and grapes for Mama-- looks like she tried a carrot.            Pictures??? We saw baby bunnies at the fair yesterday. SO cute!          When the mama saw us she ran away, and babies disappeared into a deeper part of the nest. So, no pics yet. When we came back the nest was beautifully covered up and one of the baby carrots was in small pieces.          Awwwwww. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail.          Maybe Peter will be more daring... Blackberries! That's what I need! So it's raining out. Just positioned an open umbrella...

Murray Burns: [shouting at rows of houses] Campers! The entertainment committee was quite disappointed in the really poor turnout at this morning's community sing. I mean, where's all that old Camp Chickawattamee spirit? I'm sure I speak for all of us here when I say that I... [pause] Murray Burns: Now, I'd like to say right now that... that... [softly] Murray Burns: Campers, I can't think of anything to say. (from the conclusion of "A Thousand Clowns".) I had the opportunity to take the summer off from gainful employment, which has given me my own kind of Summer Camp experience.  More like Camp Mom than Camp Julia, though. In addition to family activities, wedding preparations, ferrying mac to all of her activities, pool dates, crafting, house cleaning, and guest preparation, I have had a lot more time to think about my blog. Maybe I've had too much time to think about my blog.  I have come to realize that I care too much for what ...

"Don't let your mind wander --  it's too little to be let out alone." Something got my mind to wandering this morning. A lovely sight, and unusual.  A girl, somewhere between the ages of 9 and 11, I would say, riding her bike through the crosswalk at Kilimanjaro and Oakland Mills Road.  She was wearing a swimsuit, long brightly colored drawstring pants, a bike helmet, and a healthy sense of self-confidence. Where was she going at 8 am?  The swimsuit suggests the pool, perhaps Jeffers Hill?  But is it open that early? As I continued down Oakland Mills Road, the image of that lively, smiling girl, so focused on her bike-riding and the fun that lay ahead of her, would not leave my mind. She was alone. On a hot summer day, dressed for adventure and fun, she had a place to go, and a purpose. But she was alone. In a beautiful, safe neighborhood, crossing a street with a light and a crosswalk, with many family homes nearby-- She was alone. It is heart-w...

NPR's Click and Clack (the Tappet Brothers) have the " Shameless Commerce Division " of Car Talk. Today, I am instituting the "HoCo Holler", my version of highlighting local businesses, at Village Green/Town Squared. Call it Shameless Hometown Heralding, if you will.  (Or think of something better?) Last Saturday, mac and I hosted a bridal shower for @sommeilbienivre.  We had a guest list of fifteen and house too small in which to entertain them. So,  I reached out to the folks at The Second Chance Saloon in the Oakland Mills Village Center. Since I use their dining room several times a year for "A Little Lunch Music" children's events, I am familiar with the space, the menu, and the staff. Oh yeah, and I hang out there. Like, a lot. I met with manager Jacquie Ramsey to set up the event and plan a menu.  She got back to me promptly with a list of prices.  We would have the entire space to ourselves from 2-4 for no charge; our only expenses ...

If you'll excuse me, I'm having a moment here.  A "school supply moment." Oakland Mills Village Manager Sandy Cederbaum aptly coined the phrase in her recent newsletter announcing this year's " Prepare for Success" drive. I found this passage, in an online essay, which describes the feeling well: I never even liked school very much, but the Back to School season was still something special. Back to School was a time of such great newness it always left me feeling that anything could happen. With my school supplies laid out all clean and perfect in those final days before school started, I could always catch a glimpse of the better me that could possibly emerge that school year.  ( Jana Pruden ) But what if you are one of the 9,000 Howard County students that need the Free & Reduced Meal program? What if you are one of the 400 students who are homeless? A child who is already struggling with issues of inadequate food and housing come...

How did you choose your place of residence?  My decision was easy.  I met my future husband, he owned a house in Columbia. Bingo! I knew almost nothing about the area, but I knew it had him in it.  Enough said. Usually folks have a longer list than mine.  If you watch "House Hunters" on HGTV, you have heard a boatload of them.  Good neighborhood, good schools, big yard, architectural detail, open plan, stainless steel, granite, short commute, local amenities...  The list is seemingly endless. One woman refused to consider any properties without doggie doors. Really. In Columbia and Howard County, location plays every bit the role that the old saying suggests.  People care about East vs West, whether a home is on CA - assessed property, neighborhood schools' test scores, incidence of crime, quality of nearby shopping, viability of the closest Village Center, walk-ability, bike-ability, and the rest. I do not propose to interfere with the sacred ri...

The other day I sat at a stop light at the intersection of Route 175 and Dobbin Road, waiting to turn left and go to Target.  As I waited for the light to change, I noticed a bearded man at the corner, holding up a sign."Grandfather..." it began. I turned my eyes away, not wishing to encourage him.  I've been told many times not to give money; it enables addiction. As I looked away I noticed that similar sign holders were standing at three out of four of the corners of the intersection. The other two were women. Three out of four.  I may have gotten used to seeing, and then not seeing, *one* as I travel around town. But three out of four? It felt overwhelming. Do you remember when JessieX wrote a series of blog posts about the Dobbin Starbucks?  (It was around 2008, BCA.) When I got home I went straight to the computer to find them.  I was searching for an observation that had been going round and round in my brain since I sat at the red light on 175. I cou...

Frequent readers of this blog will recall that I have a new neighbor:  Blandair Regional Park.  Allow me to give you a brief tour.  Here is a picture from within the park itself: Here is a picture of the Blandair Park Pedestrian entrance on Timesweep: Yikes!  It certainly seems to reinforce this disparity--Blandair Park is in Howard County; the Pedestrian Entrance is in Columbia. ("Invisible Columbia") And yet, as deliciously provoking as this contrast is, it is far from the whole picture.  The truth is, while I have looked forward to this park since I moved here in 1999, many of my neighbors did not.  Residents in Cinnamon Tree at Talbott Springs and Emerson Hill complained and dragged their feet throughout the process.  It is hard to believe that a regional park could produce so much NIMBY-ism, but it did. In fact, word on the street is that an Oakland Mills election was turned by (erroneous) rumors that one candidate favored an officia...