Skip to main content

Snow Day Shoutouts

First of all: Happy New Year! I don’t believe I remembered to pass along my good wishes to you, my loyal readers. May it be a good one, full of love, joy, meaningful work and just enough time to get out there and make “some good trouble” in the community to make our world a better place.

I was briefly stunned by the announcement that schools are closed today. Yesterday was my first day back. I didn’t even have time to adjust to the old workday routine! In a way I am grateful, because the brutally cold temperatures make it impossible to get the kind of outdoor play that young children so desperately need. In a perfect world all schools will have large and amply-equipped indoor playgrounds. Just a thought.

Happy Four Year Anniversary to Scott E’s Blog! He combined his affinity for stats and an interest in local politics with a zest for social media and created something new with his Social Media Scorecards for local candidates. I imagine he’s getting pretty excited with the next election cycle gearing up. A few years ago Scott helped me promote a contest I was having to generate interest in the annual Wilde Lake Jazz Concert.

Speaking of contests, when are you going to enter my caption contest? Deadline is January 5th at midnight! Prize is a $25.00 gift certificate to the Second Chance Saloon. How hard can it be?

Ahem.

A very happy eighteenth birthday to the daughter of local blogger/podcaster Candace Dodson Reed. Those of us who are lucky enough to know Candace have been following her daughter’s many accomplishments over the years. I feel confident in saying that she is destined for great things. Look out, world!

A hearty HoCo Holler to the folks on Clarksville Happenings who worked together to help get two adventurous dogs home last night before the storm.

Per a neighbor, A Dalmatian and boxer type dog have been seen running through the neighborhood of Simpson woods along meadow wood way. Is anyone missing their dogs??? It’s going to be very cold tonight. Hoping we can get these dogs home.

As much as I bemoan the misuse of social media for online political smears and general, all-around meanness, it’s this kind of “it takes a village” cooperation that just restores my faith in human nature. Three cheers to everyone involved for their tail-wagging goodness.

Finally, three (local) things I am grateful for today: my daughter’s school, the Oakland Mills Community Association, and the Howard County Libraries. Who is on your local list?


Comments

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...

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...

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...