Skip to main content

#morethangateway

I suspect that actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus should be Googling "How to be a good guest" right...about...now. It seems that it may be a role she hasn't yet perfected. I woke up to some startling quotes in this article, shared by friends on Facebook.

A sampling -- "Thank God the work’s good,” says Louis-Dreyfus, dressed in Selina’s chocolate-brown trench and stilettos. “Can you imagine if it wasn’t? It would be like a prison.”

Of course, to us, Columbia is a place unlike any other. We have our own wacky brand of exceptionalism. And we also feel free to poke at the dark side of that, whether out of frustration or a desire for progress. But that is not the issue here. The issue is, as Pixel Workshop and HoCoMoJo owner Ilana Bitner put it this morning, that "...publicly disparaging your host city seems bad form, disrespectful, and a little mean-spirited."

The reponse from my friends is the one you'd expect from a good host. Come back to Columbia, Ms. Louis-Dreyfus. Let us show you a good time. They're posting photographs of favorite places in Columbia. Here is one of mine:


You will recognize Lake Kittamaqundi as evening begins. A late Spring or Summer view, as evidenced by the paddle boats. Taken as I left dinner at Clyde's, it speaks to me of the beauty that is Columbia.

So, let's have a do-over, Ms. Louis-Dreyfus. Everyone deserves a second chance. But this time, before you come, read this:

"One begins by demanding nothing more than the bare elements of life and dignity, which every host is more than delighted to exceed. The good guest then simply allows the other person to be a good host—to share his gifts, to play her music, to tell his stories, to show her places, and to serve his foods. Finally, a guest should cultivate and express genuine gratitude. It need not be effusive or exorbitant, only sincere." Jeffrey Lockwood, from The Fine Art of the Good Guest.

Look for the hashtag #morethangateway on Facebook and Twitter for more photographic love for our town. Add some of your own.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more