Skip to main content

New Normal

Last night as it poured for at least the fourth time of the day my Twitter feed was filled with people worried about Old Ellicott City.

This is the tweet that stood out to me:

we should take Ellicott City..... and PUSH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE

In fact it’s the severity of recent storms which has been taking Ellicott City and pushing it somewhere else. But not as a whole. In pieces. In shreds of mayhem and destruction. The force of the rushing water does not care what is in its path.








Look at this photograph from the County Executive’s Facebook page. You may already know what it depicts. But what if you didn’t?

Bringing the clock back after the past two massive floods has been a symbol of the fierce will of the community to rise again. And yet, when I look at this photo I see pall-bearers. 

I feel grief.

I’m literally praying that Ellicott City gets through this rain tonight :/ they cant take a third

I hope Ellicott City withstands!

*worried looks at Old Ellicott City again*

Praying for Ellicott City

What is the situation in Ellicott City ?

its been raining for three days off and on and the skies just opened up.  i'm scared for old ellicott city.  anybody have data?

How’s everyone in downtown Ellicott City doing tonight?  Please be safe! #ecstrong
Does this blog post have a point? Maybe. Am I going to tell you something you did not already know? Maybe not. I am coming to terms with the reality of our “new normal”: a condition characterized by a deep underlying fear every time it rains. Like wives and mothers who scanned the horizon when loved ones were out at sea, we watch the skies and worry.








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...