Village Green/Town²

When I first moved to Columbia we used to joke that no one ate at home on Friday night. The local phenomenon of heading out somewhere only to be met with an enormous wait everywhere one went led to my husband’s refusal for many years to even attempt to go out on a Friday night. Times have changed. There has been an explosion of restaurants since then. It’s easier to find a place without a wait on Friday night. On the other hand, just try finding a place to park when you swing by Bonchon to pick up your takeaway order - - on a Monday night. Really? Wall-to-wall cars at the Mall on a Monday night? Maybe no one eats at home ever anymore! When I finally got parked, Bonchon was hopping. Almost every table was full. Clearly the town that splurged on a Friday night restaurant trip has changed over the years. Strangely enough, this isn’t meant to be a post on local restaurant patronage. It’s about traffic. Not “too much traffic” but, rather, the changing traffic patterns around the M...

The first thing that came to mind when I read about that now-infamous letter to the Baltimore Sun opining on how a local football player should spend his personal income was this: Please, please don’t let Karen be from Howard County. Over the last year a number of singularly unhelpful letters have turned up in the paper, holding forth on what’s wrong with Baltimore and how to fix it. I cringe when I see their origin: Clarksville, or Ellicott City, or some other Howard County location. In general, the worldview they offer looks something like this: I am white I am affluent I’m not from Baltimore I don’t know the history I’m not up on current events As you might imagine, the advice they offer is limited in value. No, that is too kind. It is ignorant of the deeper issues and often outright racist. If you think the most pressing issue in Baltimore is what to do about “those squeegee kids” then you have not done your homework. These sorts of letters do not make Howard County...

Me: If there’s anything fun you want to do today, just let me know. She: It seems like there’s nothing to do here but shop and eat. Me: ... She: There’s probably a whole blog post in that... How are you going to entertain those kids now that they’ve been to college and experienced larger worlds? It’s a little harder when you’re generally a homebody. What have we done over the holidays that wasn’t shopping or eating out? Church Ice and Fire at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods Yikes. Well, inspired by this conversation, we decided to go to the Ellicott City Lights house last night. We had somehow never been. I am assuming that most of my readers have already seen this remarkable annual holiday tradition, so I won’t go into too much detail. And if you haven’t, I’d recommend it. I experienced that childlike sense of delight as I discovered each aspect of the display. It provided a moment of happiness for me that felt almost medicinal. The world is full of unspeakabl...

I don’t always think like everybody else. For example, I saw this story: 2 Howard County General Hospital Security Guards Injured After Altercation With Man In The ER (CBS Baltimore) And my first thought was, “Thank God it was just a knife.” This story might also be thought of as, “Mass Shooting Did Not Occur Today In Howard County Hospital.” Now I am not suggesting that we all should be downright happy that someone is bringing a knife into the hospital and cutting up security guards. Of course not. But can you imagine the damage that might have been done in the ER by an angry/out of control person with a gun? Hospital ERs have to deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of physical and mental states. Years ago I was in the ER at Yale-New Haven on Memorial Day weekend when a bunch of people injured in  a bar fight were brought in. I watched from my little examination cubicle as the drunken brawl broke out again while they were awaiting treatment. It was scary. I ...

I continue to be a big fan of HoCoLocal Twitter account @ECPix . They combine a love of Ellicott City with great photos around a variety of themes. I shared one here once on baked goods.  Throughout the holiday shopping season the account featured several visual shopping/walking tours of Main Street businesses and their varied goods. Today Ellicott City Pix focuses on making an environmentally sound change in the new year: Giving up liquid soap and using locally made bar soaps. ...so much better than purposefully rubbing a paragraph of complicated chemicals all over the skin, and ... no plastic containers.  They last a pretty long time if you keep them dry. Plus, they can double as potpourri in the closet as they await use. Locally made soaps mentioned in this thread include Milo Soap, Biggs & Featherbelle, and Breezy Willow Farm soaps made by Rose Caulder. I have bought the latter to give as gifts and they smell heavenly without being overpowering. What do you...

On most Thursdays I am getting dressed and getting ready to leave the house by the time my weekly issue of the Columbia Flier appears in my inbox. It’s a little luxury today to be able to peruse it before writing today’s post. I often find myself headed toward the letters to the editor page to see what is on peoples’ minds. Some letters are eloquent, some angry, some comically bad. In general they are written to advocate in favor of something or to protest against. This week there was one which broke the usual pattern by aiming solely to inform. A grateful Village Green/Town² HoCo Holler goes out today to Reservoir High School student Esha Bhatti who wrote a letter to the Columbia Flier to explain why Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas. It is a beautifully written piece which shines a light on Muslim beliefs and practices for a community which may be largely ignorant of them. The tone is forthright yet clearly respectful of other religions and traditions. My understanding of t...

The words of the opening collect and prayers from the service of Nine Lessons and Carol are like old friends to me. I sat in my car yesterday to hear the beginning of the service from Kings College. Lastly let us remember all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, We lost my beloved father-in-law this year. Everything about our last Christmas together is somehow more vibrant in my memory today. I found myself wondering at church last night what he would have to say about different things in the service. I missed him at dinner afterwards with our church friends. His vibrant, poetic, joyful persona is woven into how I have celebrated Christmas for more than twenty years. All of us who have lived long enough have lost someone that we love. At certain times of the year it feels as though their presence comes through. Holidays, which we have shared and made holy through annual re-enactment of family traditions, are a time when the separation betwe...

Oh, Columbia Patch. I know I should  not expect much from you but I can’t let this one go by. Here we see a link to a piece about Howard County’s new Online Services Catalogue. And here is a stock photo someone thought would be appropriate. No, no, no. Affluent white dad pays attention to laptop while half-heartedly holding a spoon to feed a baby. No, no, no. There’s so much wrong in this photo. Centering affluent whiteness. Treating a baby like an afterthought. Reinforcing the stereotypes that men don’t know how to be nurturing caregivers. The only thing that’s right about this photo is also wrong. The baby renders the realism of the scene false by making eye contact with the photographer or someone, perhaps a parent, out of the picture. Eye contact is the only thing remotely right about this scene. When I had coffee this Fall with Bonnie Bricker to learn more about Talk With Me , she explained why the initiative is targeted towards all families, and not just a ...

Overslept. Last workday before Christmas. Here’s a Village Green/Town² classic: (From December, 2014) Staff Meeting Santa and Santa's helpers have been taxed to the max in Howard County this year. It seems that every holiday season brings more opportunities to see the Man in Red. I can just imagine a staff meeting at the North Pole... "Okay everybody, let's get this show on the road." "Aw, c'mon man, it's only Halloweeeeeen!" "You know the drill. It gets earlier every year. Gotta keep up with the times." "Everybody have their calendar?" iPads, phones, and Blackberries are pulled out. Santa himself clings to his beloved Day-Timer but his Head Administrative Elf double-checks everything and enters it into the Main Schedule on his MacBook. "Herb?" "Mumph?" "Herb, what are you doing? That's an Advent Calendar. You can't open that up yet!" "It's last year's. Didn't eat ...

There’s been some seasonal joking about those holiday movies for which Hallmark is famous. Their formula has been solidifying over the years to the point where it has become a meme. I thought it might be fun to give this a local twist. Let’s replace the Green section with “returns to Columbia/HoCo”.  New let’s add some new choices: To save the family farm   To sell off the family’s original Columbia home   To liquidate a struggling Village Center   To get the family business in Old Ellicott City back on its feet  To challenge a decision by the planning board Now let’s work some romantic magic as our protagonist “magically falls in love” with: An embattled member of the school board A member of the Howard Hughes Merriweather District team  A beloved pastor of an interfaith center congregation  A visionary food entrepreneur at the Common Kitchen An environmental activist  Le...

Good morning. I’m here today to talk to you about glee. No, not this glee . And not the glee with which the reindeer shouted out to Rudolph. I’m here to address an accusation made by a prominent local Republican this week. His words came in response to an acknowledgement of the late Elijah Cummings after the vote on the articles of impeachment. What is sad is that you are hiding your glee behind the death of a congressman. There was accompanying pontification on how local Democrats’ demeanor was unseemly. They were clearly expressing delight when they should have been reflecting a somber mood.  The delight is very telling. Sad. I could not disagree more.  Do not tell me that I should feel that the vote on articles of impeachment is “a sad day for our country.”  The sad day for our country was when the current office holder was installed in spite of losing the popular vote and through the machinations of a party so eager to win that they accepted he...

A moderator of the Buy Nothing Group I belong to on Facebook posted the following this week: Make a wish this Wednesday! We all have things that we've "always wanted to have". Post it here. Maybe someone has one just waiting for you to speak up! I know a lot of us really get a kick out of being able to gift something that would mean a lot to someone else.. Happy gifting! I couldn’t think of anything to wish for. What came to mind instead were all the wishes I have had that have come true over the years. First I thought of how two friends, who were downsizing, sold me an original Evergleam aluminum Christmas tree for a laughably affordable price, when they learned I had been pining for one for years. They even threw in a functioning color wheel to go with it. I thought of my first Christmas with my now-husband, where I was at the Mall with my daughter and we put Christmas letters to Santa in a mailbox put out for that purpose. Mine said, “thank yo...

I go out for recess three times a day. Almost every single day. If it’s drizzly, we wear raincoats and rain boots. If it is cold, we bundle up, and perhaps we don’t stay out as long. When it is hot, we wear sunscreen and sun hats and bring iced water so kids can have lots of drinks. Would I do this if I didn’t work with children? Of course not. Would my life be diminished? Absolutely. Children need outdoor play like they need food and drink and rest and love. On days when we can’t get outside enough our students are miserable. They needs to run, climb, negotiate uneven surfaces, balance, ride trikes, scooters, push and pull things, crawl, hang, twist, spin, and dig in the sand and dirt. It is nutritional for them. If you have kids in your life please make sure that you give them the gift of outdoor play during those times when they are not at school. It is far too easy to feel that you are too busy or that the weather is incompatible with going out. It almost never is...

While I was home last night nursing bronchitis, a sinus infection and possible pneumonia (!) quite a bit was happening in Columbia/HoCo. A tip of the hat to the people who got out and participated. Over two hundred people joined in protest in Downtown Columbia in support of a vote for impeachment of the 45th President of the United States. It is heartening to know that, even at such a busy time of year, people will stop everything and come out to support our nation and the rule of law. It is worth noting that principles on which Columbia was founded are completely at odds with the modus operandi of the current administration.  Meanwhile, on Route 108, the Board of Education was able to chose a new chair solely because one of the nominees voluntarily withdrew her name from consideration. In my opinion, both candidates are extremely able, knowledgeable, and each bring unique qualifications to take on a leadership role. Frankly, the Board was lucky to be able to chose fro...

I was at a party Sunday (yes, an unlikely occurrence, I know) when the name of Columbia’s founder came up. “If you say the name of James Rouse three times a Village Center will spring up under your feet,” was one witty suggestion. I wondered aloud if this could be used to revitalize older Village Centers. It would be extremely helpful. Later I got an unintended laugh when I asked someone, “Are you from Columbia or Howard County?” Perhaps not everyone makes that distinction the way that I do. Another topic of discussion Sunday afternoon was who gets to choose how newer buildings with new street names are addressed. For instance, why is the Howard Hughes event space located on Grantchester and not Little Patuxent? Did Howard Hughes decide or the County? Does it have something to do with making buildings easy to find for 911 responders? And then we were on to maps vs GPS, the unreadability of house numbers, and other such challenges. I’m not a frequent guest at cocktail par...

Psssst! Over here! I’ve got an offer for you. Has anyone ever told you that you ought to run for Board of Education? You really should. Right now in my district there only one declared candidate so far and we really need at least two to give people some kind of choice. I just know you’d be perfect for the job, What can you expect? Well, the job itself pays almost nothing. But think of your contribution to the community. And you will meet all kinds of interesting people at Board Meetings. Some will be there just to insult you. Some will limit their displeasure to making rude noises. Not so bad, really. In the present climate you can expect residents who don’t approve of your job performance to malign you on social media and MPIA your emails in an attempt to show how awful you are. Of course, you are going to be truly wonderful in every respect so that won’t bother you, right? The ideal candidate has a job they can take time away from on a regular basis in order to attend me...

What are you doing New Year’s Eve? You may have heard that old song: Maybe it's much too early in the game Oh, but I thought I'd ask you just the same What are you doing New Year's? New Year's eve? Some go to parties, some out to eat. Some go to special events at their favorite “watering holes”. Some stay home and watch The Ball drop on tv. Some wish they could celebrate but no place feels safe. Making plans for New Year’s Eve can be difficult if you are a person who is living in recovery. If one goes anywhere on New Year’s Eve one is confronted by the drinking culture. It is the one night of the year when it is almost impossible to avoid a steady stream of party hosts offering alcoholic drinks. The evening itself may hold unhappy memories for this very reason. People in recovery, and the people who love them, have a new opportunity to party this year thanks to Sobar . They’re hosting a New Year's Eve Soirée, Sobar-style. You can learn more and buy y...

I keep falling back asleep this morning. Do you think that’s a sign? It has been a long week in the teaching department, the holidays are bearing down upon us, and yesterday marked the one month anniversary of The Cough That Will Not Die. But, enough whining. A few things on my mind and likely to turn up soon in full-fledged blog posts: Free bus service for the holidays Sobar’s New Years Eve Event Musicians from Columbia/HoCo: Gallant and Brent Faiyaz A friendly Thanksgiving football event and how it started Who wants to run for Board of Ed now? Of course, I’m always open to your suggestions for local stories. The quirkier, the better. ***** Ice and Fire Festival Advent Calendar  https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=977b90239444b01458c8851c2025a2e2

There is no war on Christmas. Christmas as a cultural phenomenon starts flowing out of every faucet before Thanksgiving. Even if you have no intention of celebrating Christmas, you cannot avoid it. The trappings of American Christmas celebrations bombard you at every turn. It may have become more commercial and more secular through the years, but Christmas is what each family chooses to make it within their own home. It is not under attack. No one is endangered for celebrating Christmas. What is under attack in our country is Judaism. The recent murders at a Jewish Market in New Jersey are just another example of a steady stream of violent acts which have been building over the last several years. A possible change in the law to identify Judaism as a nationality rather than a religion harkens to similar decrees during the Third Reich. We can’t be silent about this. This shouldn’t be a concern only for our Jewish neighbors and friends. At a time of year when we share common the...

I read a thread on Twitter last night about what “home” really means. The phrase that struck me was this:  You become a resident of a place by giving a shit about it, by bleeding your metaphorical blood and passion all over it, by wanting what’s best for the people around you who you don't even know. Anything else is window dressing or a castle of lies. Specifically:  ...by wanting what’s best for the people around you who you don't even know.  Possibly the most disturbing thing that has been exposed by our community’s brush with school redistricting is the number of people who feel it is completely fine to want the best solely for their own children or for a small subset of people who they feel are the right kind of people. Community cannot possibly thrive under those conditions. Nor, really, can democracy. “We, the people” doesn’t mean you and your kids or you and your preferred neighborhood group. It’s a far bigger and more inclusive concept.  I...