The Future Can Come at You Fast

 

Trying something new this morning: 

• this week 
• soon 
• down the road apiece

This week: the Howard County Office of Aging and Independence is hosting a showcase event at the new East Columbia 50+ Center this Thursday, May 2nd, from 2-6 pm.

Join the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence on May 2 at the East Columbia 50+ Center from 2 to 6 p.m. Learn about healthy aging programs and services, connect with neighbors, enjoy fitness demos, crafts, speakers, giveaways and more.

This might be a great introduction to the new space for those of us who couldn’t find parking on the day of their grand opening. In fact, they’ve arranged a shuttle service for this Thursday. Smart thinking. You can learn more about the event (including details about how the shuttle will work) at the following link.

OAI: Creating Community, Cultivating Connections 

One question I’d love to ask is how the 50+ Centers see themselves serving 50+ residents who are still working. It’s entirely possible to be over fifty and have at M-F, 9-5 job. What kinds of programs are in place for them? This is not intended to be a criticism. I honestly don’t know. I do think it’s fair to ask how residents who will be at work this Thursday afternoon would be able to access a similar experience.

I’ll keep you posted.

Soon: Mother’s Day. Well, yes and no. This is not about any specific event, but rather a response to a post I saw from local business Clark’s Ace Hardware in Ellicott City.

Why not surprise mom with something practical this Mother's Day? A colorful Yeti or Stanley tumbler, cooler, or bag could be the perfect gift for the adventurous, outdoorsy mom or the one who simply loves to enjoy her favorite beverages in style!

It occurred to me that you could create an entire party game based on the beginning of that sentence.

Why not surprise mom with…?

I used a random noun generator and so far it has recommended an orange, gold, an assistant, stone, and a university. Results may vary. 

I was not expecting “practical” but maybe that’s the surprise part.

Hot tip: why not surprise Mom by asking her what she’d like for Mother’s Day and then doing it? For many mothers, that might be a welcome surprise.

Down the road apiece: Save the date for the Community Ecology Institute’s Harvest Gala.

If the name Community Ecology Institute doesn’t ring a bell, think: Freetown Farm, the Green Farmacy Garden, Community of Families in Nature, Roots & Wings, Green Seeds Internships, Nourishing Gardens, Make & Repair, and Agroecology in Action. The most visual mental image many of us have for CEI is Freetown Farm, but the range and depth of their year-round programming is astounding. 

This is absolutely a major fundraising event and as such it may not be doable for everyone. That’s okay. There are many small ways to be involved and to support the mission of CEI all throughout the year. But, if you’re the kind of person who can swing a big ticket* event once in a while, put this on your calendar now. 

Better yet, buy your ticket now. I love that they offer the option of buying a ticket “in spirit” to support the event even if you are not able to attend. (Or maybe you just don’t enjoy large events.)

Whatever you do, don’t circle October 17th and then pencil in something cryptic like, “maybe?”

Ask me how I know. 

Send me your top three if you have any: this week, soon, down the road apiece. Perhaps the calendar challenged among us (like me) will be inspired. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

*Don’t laugh. For some of us, one hundred dollars still constitutes a big purchase.

Words and Music

To play, or not to play. That is the question.

I showed up at Jazz in the Woods at around 12:30 yesterday, and planted my green (Chrysalis rental) chair up towards the front.

Image from Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods social media 

I was in time to hear the end of the Mount Hebron Jazz Band’s set. Wilde Lake would be up next. The weather was cool and overcast.

In a literal sense, the high school musicians had come to play. Music, that is. It’s interesting that the expression “they came to play” means something more akin to competitive athletes taking the field.

“come to play”

American English, informal:

to be disposed to play or participate in a manner reflecting a determination to win or succeed

But this wasn’t a competition. It was more of a musical love-fest to high school jazz bands. The MHHS musicians finished their set and the Wilde Lake group began to set up. It began to rain. Not heavily, but steadily.

That was when I noticed that many of the adults around me had pulled out ponchos, rain slickers, rain hats. Some even had little roofs built onto their lawn chairs. 

Ahhh…band parents. If you are one of this group of hardy music supporters then you have learned to come prepared for the weather. Even if your kid specializes in jazz, they probably have played a good number of football games in the pep band. Weather is unpredictable. Band parents organize everything, turn out for everything, endure everything. I was never a band parent but my respect for them runs deep.

When I described these folks to my husband later, I said, “they don’t play.” He looked puzzled. “What do you mean, “‘They don’t play’?”

Hmm.

“they don’t play”  

I couldn’t find an internet-approved definition but I’m guessing this has its roots in AAVE, meaning:

taking things seriously, not inclined to fool around

Of course they don’t play, my husband may be thinking. They’re the band parents, not the band! 

Oh, how I love language and all its nuances, not to mention vocal inflection/tone of voice and how it impacts the meaning of the words that are spoken. I hope these examples clear things up:

The high school jazz bands came to play in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods yesterday. 

The high school jazz bands came to play in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods yesterday. 

The band parents show support for student musicians but they don’t play. 

Those band parents - - wowza! - - they don’t play.

What really matters is that these high school students made music, enjoyed themselves, and shared their gifts with the community. Yes, they played. And sang, too. Here’s a brief clip courtesy of IAT:

Wilde Lake High School Jazz Band and Vocalist, “Misty”

One of the things I look forward to every year at the Chrysalis is seeing children dancing on the lawn. This year I caught a new sight that made sitting in the Spring rain worthwhile: two teens dancing under a shared umbrella. 

I didn’t photograph them, obviously, but - - just for a moment- - close your eyes and imagine how lovely that must be.

There’s another concert today in The Park, and the weather is looking good. Schedule your own personal play date on the lawn. 

Saturday Sampler

 

Are you ready for some weekend fun? Here goes:

The OMCA annual plant sale in Oakland Mills is this morning from 9 am to 11 am at The Other Barn.

HC Drug Free’s Medication & Sharps Disposal is from 10 am to 2 pm at the Wilde Lake Village Center.

Jazz in the Woods at the Chrysalis, 11 am -  6 pm at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods. 

Little Portion Farm is holding a plant sale from 9 am - 2 pm,  12290 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City

Wilde Lake CARES will be doing cleanup at the Snowy Owl Adopt-a-Spot location from 9 - 11 am.

 Coffee Run & Fun  from 2 - 4 pm at The First Presbyterian Church of Howard County.

This one merits some explanation:  

For the 15th year in a row, we will be holding a fundraiser for the Coffee Microgrants Project, inviting everyone to participate in an afternoon of games, fun, and fellowship - including a chance to try your hand at pickle ball right inside the church!  The event will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Howard County on April 27, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to participate in games, food, and fellowship.

All proceeds from this event go to fund coffee plants, fertilizer, and other essentials that enable members of the Union Boca Costa Maya Quiche Presbytery in Guatemala to cultivate coffee on small plots of land that they own - building assets and creating life-changing economic opportunities in a remote part of Guatemala.

The NAACP of Howard County’s annual Freedom Fund luncheon will be from 1 - 3 pm at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve. 

Clark’s Ace Hardware will be sharing its excitement about the upcoming grilling season at their Columbia location from 11 am - 2 pm.

Book signing event at Second Edition Books on Dobbin Road from 3 - 5 pm with Dana Klosner, author of Beatlemania Lives On: Superfans of the 21st Century.

Of course these are not all the HoCoLocal events happening today, but more of a sampling. If you have one you’d like me to share, let me know. 

And here’s one now, courtesy of Phillip Dodge, Downtown Columbia Partnership:

Rock for a Reason, Color Burst Park, 5:30 - 8:30 pm. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

F ³: Jim Rouse Speaks

 

Who has the correct ideology to invoke the name of Rouse?

Honestly, I would like to be done with this practice now and forever. I have decided to create a new term for this: “Rouse-signalling”.

My objection is to anyone trotting out Jim Rouse’s name when it serves them - - especially when they want to win something - - as though it’s a celebrity endorsement. 

I do wonder every so often what Rouse would think of various goings-on today. Of course, if it were possible, it would be fascinating to get his take on the here and now.  - - from “The R Word”, Village Green/Town², 8/16/2022

Yesterday these words came back to me as Jim Rouse himself turned up in my inbox and spoke to me. And now he’s going to speak to you.

Jim Rouse Speaks

If you’re an expert in all things Rouse, and you are thinking, “I’ve never heard that audio clip before,” you’re right. It came to me through the technical expertise of long-time Columbian Dave Bittner. Mr. Bittner had noted my frustration earlier in the day with someone who was disparaging a new rental housing community in Wilde Lake by intoning the old local curse.

Rouse is turning over in his grave.

Bittner’s note to me began like this:

Like many who consider Columbia our “home town,” I grow weary of people breathlessly invoking the ghost of Jim Rouse any time anything the least bit controversial is proposed for our community. 

“What would Jim Rouse do?!?”

“Jim Rouse is turning in his grave…”

So, for fun, I asked Chat GPT to imagine, based on its knowledge of Jim, how he might react to current events. 

User:

Are you familiar with James Rouse, developer of Columbia, Maryland?

This was fascinating. Also a little creepy. In all the time I’ve lamented locals dragging poor Mr. Rouse from the grave I’ve never once contemplated the possibility of Artificial Intelligence. And now here it was knocking at my door.

Let me outline the process Bittner used. First, he established that Chat GPT knew enough about Rouse to imagine how he might react to current events. Next, he asked it to turn that knowledge into an editorial describing his point of view on the development of Columbia since his death. Then…insert drumroll here…

Now rewrite it as if James Rouse were presenting his thoughts to an audience of Columbia, Maryland residents.

And it did. It’s uncanny. Here is the opening paragraph of “ChatGPT: James Rouse's Reflections on Columbia, Maryland: A Visionary's Address.” 

My dear friends and residents of Columbia,

As I stand before you today, in spirit and legacy, I am overwhelmed with a profound sense of pride and a slight touch of concern. When we embarked on this grand adventure to create not just a city but a community, our aspirations were as lofty as the ideals we cherished—social equity, environmental stewardship, and a genuine integration of life's facets. Columbia was to be a testament to what could be achieved when we dared to imagine a different kind of urban living, one that nurtured the human spirit and embraced diversity in its warmest embrace.

It’s six paragraphs of an AI-generated Rouse giving a gentle yet astute piece of his mind and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. Here’s the last paragraph.

The journey of Columbia is an ongoing tale of ambition, community, and hope. It is a story that each of you is writing every day through your actions, your beliefs, and your visions for the future. I stand with you, in spirit, cheering you on, as you carry forward the legacy of our shared dream. Together, we have built more than a city; we have cultivated a garden for the human spirit to thrive. Let us continue to nurture this garden, for ourselves and for the generations to come.

With all my heart and hope,

James Rouse

And now for the sprinkling of magic. Bittner explains: 

So, to continue this little technological magic trick, I ran one of Jim’s speeches through a voice cloning system, and fed that the last paragraph of the speech I had ChatGPT generate. The results are not perfect, but it’s spookily good with no tweaking or adjustments. There are systems out there that are capable of much more accurate renditions than this one. This one was free.

That’s what we heard above. Remember?

Jim Rouse Speaks

Today is Rouse’s birthday. (Facebook reminded me.) This image was posted by Barbara Kellner, then the Columbia Archives Director, on the centenerary of Rouse’s birth in 2014.

Who speaks for Jim Rouse today? It’s hard to say. As AI-generated words, images, and sounds wash into our world faster than we can process their value or veracity, will bad actors ever attempt to harness Rouse’s sometimes ‘saintly’ public image for influence or profit? Perhaps I’m a bit cynical after (checks notes) a mere 25 years in the New American City. Haven’t people been doing that all along without benefit of AI?

One thing I noticed both in Mr. Bittner’s notes and in his careful process was a complete lack of cynicism. He shared what he had learned without any dictates of how it should be received or interpreted.

I find it insightful and amusing, but above all a gentle reminder of the kind spirit of Jim. As a kid growing up in Columbia I was lucky enough to have met him several times, and he always left a positive impression. 

My guess is that some will find this exercise creepy, weird, or even downright distasteful. And that’s fine. Those folks aren’t wrong. 

Many thanks to Mr. Bittner for reaching out and for allowing me to share his work. 

Who speaks for Jim Rouse today?

Village Green/Town² Comments

*****

Forgive me, I didn’t have a brief bio of Mr. Bittner at the ready, so I have lifted this directly from LinkedIn.  - - jam

Dave Bittner is Producer and host of The CyberWire Podcast, the top-ranking daily cybersecurity podcast in the world according to iTunes. 

Over twenty years experience in digital media, video and television production and interactive technology. Developed award winning interactive training programs for a variety of industries, and produced countless corporate, industrial and broadcast programs as co-owner of Pixel Workshop. 

A skilled public speaker, voice-over artist, emcee, actor and singer. 

Specialties: video production, editing, camera, director of photography, voice over, creative services, public speaking, writing, Steadicam®, podcasting, social media, marketing, motion graphics, music, theater.

Free Free Free!!!

 

I’m not waiting until Saturday on this one! It’s the first big concert weekend of the season at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods and I don’t want you to miss it. 

The Big Green Lady is getting ready for her closeup.

Image of the Chrysalis amphitheater from IAT social media 

Saturday it’s Jazz in the Woods from 11:00 am to 6:30 pm at the Chrysalis, featuring students Jazz Bands from HCPSS and The Navy Commodores.

Event Poster, Jazz in the Woods

HCPSS student musicians take center stage to showcase their passion and creativity at the 5th annual Jazz in the Woods, followed by the iconic Navy Commodores!

Student Performances are from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Groups participating include Guilford Park, Centennial, Marriotts Ridge, Wilde Lake, Glenelg, and River Hill High Schools, along with the High School GT Jazz Band. 

The Navy Commodores will perform from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm.

The Navy Commodores, image from Jazz in the Woods event page

U.S. Navy Band Commodores, Navy's premier jazz ensemble, have been performing the very best of big band jazz for the Navy and the nation for 50 years. Formed in 1969, this 18-member group continues the jazz big band legacy with some of the finest musicians in the world. The Commodores' mission includes public concerts, national concert tours, ceremonial support in honoring our veterans, jazz education classes and clinics, and protocol performances for high-level military and civilian government officials.

Image from United States Navy Band Facebook page

This event is not just a celebration of music but also a testament to the creativity, dedication, and passion of our talented student musicians. It's an opportunity to support and encourage the next generation of jazz artists as they pursue their dreams.

Admission to Jazz in the Woods is FREE and open to all! Reserve your free tickets here:

Jazz in the Woods 

Sunday brings the return of the Maryland Winds with Stage and Screen: a John Williams Showcase, beginning at 5 pm.

Event poster, Maryland Winds

Join us for a FREE celebration of the music of John Williams, as performed by the phenomenal Maryland Winds. Maryland Winds is a professional concert band based in Howard County that exists to bring world-class wind band music to the residents of Maryland.

Image from Maryland Winds Facebook page

The iconic scores of your favorite movies come to life on the Chrysalis stage at beautiful Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods for this FREE, family-friendly event!

Register now for your free tickets and join us on April 28! Reserve tickets here:

Maryland Winds Concert

If you notice all the excitement here around the word “free”, well, this is why:

We often get asked “why free?” Free performances are the most fundamental way in which we can meaningfully bring arts and culture to the entire community we serve. Our mission is “to promote and nurture a park in a unique natural setting for a variety of arts and culture experiences that enrich the entire community.” 

To embrace the entire community we need to make sure there are high quality, inviting performances for no charge. Both to make sure that we embrace everyone across the economic spectrum, but also so we can reduce the barrier to experiencing art, especially something new. 

Free is far more than an obligation created in our founding documents - free is a conscious choice we make to fulfill our mission. - - Inner Arbor Trust

Meet a friend in the Park this summer. Better yet - - start this weekend.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Publicity: The Double Edged Sword

The publicity you want: 

CA Recognized as National and Regional Leader in Sustainability During Earth Month*

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) honored CA with a Goal Achiever award for hitting its 30% energy savings goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge. This significant reduction was achieved due to innovative energy efficiency efforts across CA’s 500,000-square-foot building portfolio.  

In addition, CA earned a Green Community Leadership Award from Howard County’s Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Environmental Services. This award was presented at GreenFest, an annual Earth Month event that was held at Howard Community College on April 13. 

 

The publicity you get:

Columbia Association has lost its mind!!! - - NextDoor

Supreme Sports Club Getting Rid of Women’s Gym - - Reddit/ColumbiaMD 

I sometimes wonder if our local NextDoor consists of the people who dominated the comments section HoCo Times/Columbia Flier until both papers turned off comments. At any rate, if one imagined these two forums as newspapers, Reddit is the one where you’re more likely to find nuance. Nextdoor is a tabloid.

In neither place are you likely to see the kind of publicity CA would love to see - - its leadership in sustainability, for instance. That’s a larger, overarching commitment that’s probably invisible to the general public. That does not mean it’s unimportant. But it’s hardly going to stir up enthusiasm in an online forum unless people perceive personal impact. 

You know what does get people excited? Do you want to see people spread information like wildfire? Try eliminating gym towels. 

Now, the case of eliminating a space at Supreme Sports Club that has been dedicated for the use of women  is, to me, a much bigger deal than gym towels. And I’m sure that the folks at CA knew they’d be facing some push-back. Someone on staff wrote a tactfully-worded statement here that hits all the right notes, perhaps in hopes of diffusing some of the immediate disappointment from Women’s Gym users.

I don’t know how well that’s working. I do know that I have some questions about the process that was used to make this decision, so I’m going to follow the helpful QR code and see what I can find out. I’ll keep you posted.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*Information from Columbia Association press release 

Pause

The Tweet:

the reason Koreans don't need 3rd spaces is because there is already a coffee shop optimized around beauty & slowness on every other block. this is prevalent across all of Asia. 

i'm concluding that it's the culture that creates this, not the other way around. it we want more of this in America, it starts at culture. and culture starts with grassroots efforts. it starts with us.

The Quote Tweet:

The reason the US lacks this isn’t “culture” (everyone likes nice coffee shops)…it’s just zoning.

I responded to the QT: 

But where does the impetus for certain types of zoning come from?

No response.

Mr. QT probably didn’t see my question.

There’s something else he didn’t see. Look at the original Tweet.

the reason Koreans don't need 3rd spaces is because there is already a coffee shop optimized around beauty & slowness on every other block. this is prevalent across all of Asia. (Italics mine)

I must admit I missed that the first time around, as well. The response “everyone likes nice like coffee shops” completely misses the essence of the original Tweet. The US may have plenty of coffee shops - - although zoning probably does limit where they are located - -  but what about coffee shops optimized around beauty and slowness? 

As Americans, do we even know what that means?

I think a lot of our coffee shops are focused on productivity. Get caffeine to fuel “getting the work done.” Bring your laptop and get the work done. Have a meeting and get the work done. Reward yourself for getting the work done. Choose your coffee shop based on its proximity to the place where you get the work done.

A coffee shop that optimizes beauty and slowness. 

Have you ever been to one? Do you see those kinds of places as natural expressions of the typical American ethos?

I was pondering this question as I sat at a stoplight on Dobbin Road yesterday. Something caught my eye. A sign. It said, “Pause.” 

Well, not exactly.

I took a deep breath. Exhaled.

I thought of how I’d soon be rewarding myself for running an errand I didn’t feel like doing by grabbing an iced coffee on the way to ticking off other chores on my list. 

• grabbing 
• ticking off
• chores
• list

What is this place that optimizes beauty and slowness? Is it merely zoning that prevents it?

Village Green/Town² Comments

Earth Day in HoCo: Green and Growing

Seven years ago I was honored to play a small part in a Very Big Thing. Happy Earth Day/Birthday to the Chrysalis in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods! 

I’m also thinking this morning of the late Michael McCall, who wasn’t afraid to dream big and who shepherded this project to its completion. 

The imagination and joy that Michael McCall shared with us will always be present in the park. For me it will be a reminder of how important it is to share your gifts. Share them, believe in them; your community needs you more than you know.  Imagination and Joy, Village Green/Town², 8/3/21

On this Earth Day, seven years later, I want to pause to celebrate the hocolocal individuals and groups who believe in their gifts and are sharing them as they work to care for our planet. We are blessed to have so many:

Columbia Association 

Community Ecology Institute

Harper’s Choice CARES 

Howard County EcoWorks

Howard County Conservancy 

Inner Arbor Trust

Jon Merryman and Sharkey d’Shark

KC CARES (Kings Contrivance)

Live Green Howard County

OMI Green Team

Owen Brown CARES

Planet Aid

Robinson Nature Center

Upcycled 

Wilde Lake CARES

Yards Alive!

 

In general, local Earth Day activities are centered around neighborhood cleanups, removal of invasive species/ planting native ones, and cultivating and celebrating a love of nature. Something I’m not sure that I’ve ever written about is the importance of truly studying both the aspirations and known records of candidates running for public office. All the neighborhood stream cleanups in the world cannot overcome uninformed elected officials and bad environmental policy.

Make sure you take a little time to compare what candidates say to what they have actually done. We can make the mission of Earth Day that much stronger by electing leaders who make it a priority every day, not just on April 22nd. 

If you know of an environmentally-focused group working in Howard County that I haven’t included in my list, let me know. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

Laser Loons and Loose Ends

 

CA has a new president: Shawn MacInnes, who will begin in the position on June 17th. I’d love to know more information about the search purely because I’m a naturally curious* person. For instance: how many people applied, how did they winnow them down, how did the finalists differ from one another, and so on. Let’s face it: I want to know if Columbia is still able to draw qualified applicants when our track record with CEOs is…rocky.

CA/Village Elections were yesterday. Bill Santos was re-elected in Wilde Lake, Harper’s Choice did not achieve quorum, and I don’t know what happened in Owen Brown. So, fill me in.

I can tell you that this is not a good day for lil ol’ provincial “New American City” me to be searching “Columbia” on Twitter. If you don’t know why, try it yourself.

Tomorrow:

 MTA offering free rides by bus, light rail, MARC and subway for Earth Day, Tony Roberts, Baltimore Sun

Would you take a free ride? Do buses in Howard County go where you need/want to go? Do you know how to find that information?

A reminder that this Thursday is the League of Women Voters Annual Meeting at the Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City. Also, I need never have worried. These folks are never, ever going to run out of stock photos. 

Speaking of images, a reminder that HCLS is holding a contest to select images for new library cards. I saw this yesterday and now I’m jazzed up about possibilities for a laser library card. A question I never thought I’d see: what animals with lasers should go on your hometown library card?   

Laser Loon Library Card, Saint Paul Minnesota 

Hip Hop Fish and Chicken will soon be coming to the Oakland Mills Village Center so my husband thought it might be fun to pick up dinner from one of their nearby locations on Route 40. 

Clearly I’m not a professional food photographer. Also, we were too hungry to create a food styling moment. The food was fresh, tasty, plentiful, and reasonably priced. Best of all, the cole slaw was actually edible. 

Speaking of food, we tried out El Gran Sabor in the OM Village Center this week. It’s located in the old Vennari’s** space. It’s a small space where you can eat in or take out. We were happy with the food and the service. (I had chicken tostadas and my husband had beef fajitas.) It’s a great addition to the village center.

On the service counter at El Gran Sabor were promotional postcards for this free event at The Meeting House/Oakland Mills Interfaith Center. It looks like fun.

If you noticed that this post leans heavily OM, take that as a reminder that my invitation is open for Guest Posts from other locations in Howard County. Your part of town could be the focus of the next Traveling Tuesday. But you have to write about it first. 

What’s the buzz where you are? 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

*This kind of information is usually protected and it’s unlikely that my curiosity with be satisfied. I’m aware of this, please don’t lecture me! 

**Amazingly enough, Oakland Mills now has only one food establishment selling pizza. Imagine that.

Feast or Famine? Local Events Positively Pop on Saturdays in April

First order of business. If you live in Harper’s Choice, Owen Brown, Wilde Lake: vote! It’s true that I allowed myself some feelings of apathy/hopelessness about this year’s CA Election. Nevertheless, it does matters who gets elected. I received the following response to my recent blog post:        

Despite the fact that there is widespread apathy towards CA governance, despite pervasive feelings of futility in the community, despite the fact that volunteers for these positions often get personally attacked and have nasty things made up about them… Despite all those things that contribute to this feeling of cynicism, there are still a few people willing to volunteer a big chunk of their time on behalf of the community and deal with the hassle of contested elections. And if they weren’t willing to do that, then people with unethical track records or questionable values would be able to step into these community leadership positions unopposed.

Food for thought. 

*****

Looking for Saturday plans? The weather looks hopeful.

WeatherBug App predictions for Saturday, April 20th, 2024

Yards Alive! Spring Plant Share is part of the Earth Day Celebration in Oakland Mills, 11 am - 2 pm

Patuxent Jazz Band performs at River Hill High School, 3 pm

Earth Day Celebration at Clarksville Commons, 1 - 4 pm

Earthapalooza, Freetown Farm 9 am - 1 pm

Earthday Festival 2024 Wilde Lake including Plant Exchange, 10 am to 1 pm (Includes Unity Reggae Band)

Earth Day Celebration and Service at the Howard County Conservancy, 9 am to noon 

Springfest 2024 Main Street Ellicott City, 12 - 8 pm Check out the dedicated website for more info.

Clarksville Elementary School is having a Spring Fling , 3 - 7 pm

Oakland Mills Middle School is having a Yardsale, 8 am to noon 

The Charm City Chess Club is meeting up at Whole Foods, 11 am - 2 m

There’s a Mommy & Me Meetup at the Miller Branch Library Enchanted Garden, 1 - 3 pm

The Dancel Y in Ellicott City is having a Heathy Kids Day, 10 am - 1 pm

Is this everything? Probably not, but it’s a good start. I don’t imagine you plan to hit all of these (unless you are running for public office.) Recommendations? Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

F ³: The customer is always… hmm…

Over the past several days, I have done the following:

• picked up a prescription at a drive-through window

• ordered an iced coffee at a drive-through window

• purchased a scone at a bakery

• taken my car for her 180,000-mile checkup

• had a dentist appointment

• completed an online registration for a hardware store app

• ordered a concert ticket online

What do all these experiences have in common? Each action on my part generated an online “customer satisfaction” survey about the process, goods, or services that I experienced with their company. I’m sure I should be happy that they all want to assure the ultimate: a satisfied customer. This may, of course, mean paying attention to feedback and making needed changes, but I am kind of tired of the “how did we do?” query.

As an educator, I am quite familiar with evaluation as a standard practice that is part of assuring the quality of the product. Sometimes, though, what is asked on a scale survey (ex., Likert Scale) should instead be yes or no: “Were you greeted promptly upon your arrival?” does not really fit with “meets expectations” vs. “exceeds expectations” as answer choices. 

The scale survey can be tricky in other ways as well; for example, the place where I purchased the scone wanted to know how I rated “the warmth of our people.” If the person behind the counter said “What can I get you today?” and then gave me the scone and rang up the purchase, is that “meets expectations” or “exceeds expectations”? I chose “meets” and immediately got a question about what the employees could do better in order to earn my highest score: be more friendly, take more pride in their work, and so on. 

I was kind of appalled that my honest rating might bring censure on that store, but what would “exceeds expectations while customer is purchasing a scone” look like?

What I didn’t get a survey for was using the above-mentioned app in the big-box hardware store while checking out with a plumbing item. There were no “manned” checkout stations; all were self-checkout. Three people were waiting for someone to come and assist them with their order (“Amelia to checkout for three customers, please”), but as I had only one item, I was pretty confident. 

The first screen said “Scan your ID number (found in the Wallet in your account).” I opened the app on my phone and went through every page of the contents, but nothing was labeled “Wallet” and there was no ID number showing. Now feeling a little anxious, I looked behind me to see about five people waiting in line to use the self-checkouts. An employee had come to help the customer ahead of me, and I asked her, “Are there any checkouts with employees?” as it didn’t look as though I was going to find my elusive ID number on my own. 

She snapped, “I am an employee.”

I said, “Of course you are, but you are tied up responding to situations of individual need here at the self-checkouts.” She turned her back on me. Another employee had come to help the person across from me, and she said, “Access the screen by putting in your phone number,” and that did work to bring up my account and the discount that I was looking for.

My take: what may have seemed like a savings to the company (hire fewer workers??) ended up frustrating the four customers who were at the four self-checkouts that day; all of us seemed to share some kind of issue with the app and the application of discounts. 

Ease of use? Not so much. The customer always being right? Hmm…

 *****

Donna Swope, author of today’s post, moved to Columbia in 1974. She is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Stevenson University, an avid reader, enjoys singing in her church choir, and cheering for the Baltimore Ravens. Nothing tops her pride in her five grandchildren - - if there were an award for sports games watched by grandmothers, she’d win first place.

Many thanks to Ms. Swope, who responded to my invitation for guest posts last week. Have thoughts about customer service? You know where to send them.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Sounding Off About Education

 

Many stories or even jokes begin like this.:

“There are two kinds of people.” 

I’m tempted to provide a few humorous examples here but I don’t want the message of this post to be diluted.

There are two kinds of people in Howard County, for example: 

*Those who see the deep value of elementary school programs like GT CEUs and 3rd grade strings, most especially in Title I schools, and advocate to keep them there even if budget constraints dictate they be eliminated elsewhere, including their own schools.

*Those who are enraged by the thought that “the poors” will get something they won’t. 

Remember that story about King Solomon and the baby? While it’s hard for me to believe that any mother would say “cut the baby in half!”, it is not hard for me to believe that there are people who will go to extreme lengths, even if it causes harm, just to guarantee that they get their bit.

I raise this today because there’s been some pretty vocal pushback that those* who have advocated for the elementary GT courses and 3rd grade strings are way off base and that class size is where the focus should be. This pushback is coming from very smart people and people whom I admire. 

They are absolutely right that increasing class size will damage the learning environment, relationships between teachers and students, and diminish outcomes. 

There’s also this post from Jenny Solpietro on Howard County Progress Report suggesting we shouldn’t need to have these battles. She’s right, but that’s another story altogether.

So what am I sounding off about? 

The deep divide in Howard County between: 

*those who are willing to share, accommodate, accept new challenges, and grapple with change if it means that those who are more vulnerable have opportunities they might not have otherwise, and 

*those who will flood social media (in outrage!) and public meetings (in matching colored t-shirts!) to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Sally Brown is with us, still, with her clip board and neatly sharpened pencil and her list of demands. 

All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share.

The people who made preserving these elementary programs all about themselves are the kind of folks who are always going to make things all about themselves: in our schools, local government, even your HOA. 

Do I regret advocating that these programs should be preserved in Title I schools? Absolutely not. Am I kicking myself that this gave these folks an opportunity to put themselves in the spotlight again? 

Kinda. 

Pro tip: if you really care about healthy and successful community building, don’t vote to put people like this in positions of power. Please.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*Yes, that would include me.

Columbia Votes! But not where I live

 

Let’s start with quick look back from Priorities, April, 2017:

First things first. If you live in Columbia and your village is having an election, vote.

VOTE.

If you live in Oakland Mills you can also buy Spring plants, see an art show, and get a homemade cookie.

And of course, there's that whole concept of civic duty. The People Tree can't be passive, folks. Those people are all actively reaching for better things, right? I hate to think what a passive People Tree would look like. Seriously droopy. Wilted, even. An embodiment of community failure.

And that's not who we are. Show me that's not who we are.

I tell myself every year that I'm not going to get worked up over Village elections. And yet I do, because I feel strongly that we could be doing a much better job at getting residents involved in Columbia community building. Year after year the winners are more than happy to claim victory without acknowledging the ludicrously low turnout. We move through the cycle again and again without improving it.

From HoCo Rising, April 28, 2014:

Wouldn't it be amazing if one of these candidates humbly said "My village has nearly 10,000 residents and we only heard from about 300 of them.  I see it as my job over the next year to broaden our outreach and increase engagement." 

I take a dim view of residents raising the spectre of Rouse whenever it suits them. But really, when I look at what CA elections have become, I do have to wonder what he would think.

*****

Columbia elections are this Saturday. If you live in Oakland Mills you can come to the OMCA Earth Day Celebration, 11 am to 2:00 pm, in the Courtyard at the Other Barn.

But you can’t vote. Why? Because the OM election is uncontested. That means no one is running against current CA Rep Karen Emery, and none of the Village Board seats are in contention, either. I haven’t heard much buzz about this year’s elections until this week when the Columbia Association started running promotional material on social media. 

Image from Columbia Association social media accounts

Thank goodness for The Merriweather Post blog for putting together this piece:

Columbia Association Board Elections - - A Rundown of the Three Contested Races, Jeremy Dommu, The Merriweather Post 

It is thorough, and - - I think - - very helpful. If you live in Harper’s Choice, Owen Brown, or Wilde Lake you should definitely take a look. Even if you don’t, it’s a good jumping-off point as to how these things work.

I find it disheartening to see people running on old, outdated, and unhelpful issues. And this is not always limited to incumbents. In particular, running to 1) reduce the annual charge and or to 2) return the control of Symphony Woods to CA. 

As to item number one, everything around us has become significantly more expensive over the last four years. How can we see that it is more expensive to purchase goods and services but claim that the Columbia Association can run successfully with less money? Does your personal budget work like that?

Item number two: while the Symphony Woods property (now known as Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods) was controlled by CA, it did nothing but languish. Since its establishment in 2014 the Inner Arbor Trust has done more to care for the land and make it enjoyable and accessible to Columbia residents than CA ever did while it was under their control. 

“We did a terrible job, now give it back to us” is not a campaign slogan I am willing to take seriously.

I was reminded by a reader of this blog that these elections are worth caring about because the newly elected board will be selecting the new CA President. That’s certainly something to think about. UPDATE: Have since heard rumblings that this is not the case.  

UPDATE OF THE UPDATE: CA Names new CEO., Friday, April 19th, 2024.

If Oakland Mills had a contested election I would definitely be learning about the candidates and would not miss the opportunity to vote. 

But…

I don’t know. My gut feeling at the moment is that we’re just going to keep celebrating our old futility rites because we don’t know what else to do or how to create something better.

What do you think?

Village Green/Town² Comments