Fear Did Not Win

 

Last night Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City. I have four words about that:

I’m still not afraid.

I’m not here today to talk about what I’m afraid of. I here to talk about what I am *not* afraid of. I am not afraid of Zohran Mamdani. - - This Is What Changed Me, Village Green/Town², 6/28/2025

A lot of money was spent in this race to make people afraid of him. I can’t tell you with any certainty that it was the most political money ever spent specifically on fear but I do think it was the stupidest.

It’s my blog. I can say that.

I wrote about this in June. It’s important enough to bring it back today because this wholesale fear and loathing tactic in New York didn’t just come from one political party. This is deeply disturbing to me. And whether I like it or not, we see this happen in Howard County as well. 

I would like to be confident that Democrats reject this destructive mindset and want nothing to do with racism, prejudice, ethic slurs, Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism. In that same vein, I need to see unequivocal acceptance and legal protections for everyone in the LGBTQIA community.

I don’t.

When I see that the political party I believe in is making their plans based on the excuse that “we just can’t risk it” then I know we are diminishing the good that we are called to do. It may be fear that holds us back. But if we do not stand up for what is right then we are not who we say we are. Either we are relentlessly outspoken for “We, The People” or we are nothing.

Failing to stand up can be a very quiet thing. It may not seem as overtly ugly as the venom of MAGA trolls but it is still a choice. It has consequences. And those who are vulnerable in our communities can hear it clearly.

So many hateful responses to things on social media could truly be replaced with the words “I don’t understand.” Whether it’s LGBTQIA rights, social justice, fair housing, or a new community initiative, when trolls come out of the woodwork what they are are betraying more than anything else is that they don't understand.

And, somewhere along the line, they have been taught that the natural thing to do in those circumstances is this:

• I don’t understand and I am afraid.
• I don’t understand and I mock this.
• I don’t understand and I reject this.
• I don’t understand and I must destroy this.

When I wrote this I didn’t realize that I had omitted something:

I don’t understand, I’m afraid, and I will be silent.

The election in New York has been a painful reminder that it’s not always the Other Guys. Sometimes it’s Us. 

What are we going to do about that?

The opportunities we have in life to move beyond that unthinking and unknowing response can come at school, in libraries and in neighborhoods where not everyone is like us. Have you noticed that those are the precisely the places that are under attack right now?

Any place where it is safe to say “I don’t understand” and then be welcomed to learn what you need to know to understand is a place where bridges of empathy can be built. That is why Social Emotional Learning is so important. That is why the Arts and Humanities are so important.

We all have fear. We all have things we don’t understand. It can wreck us, or it can invite us into a different place. A better place. Not perfect, and not without fear, but a place where we have more of the tools to be fully human.

For me this journey began with making a friend. And I am still learning. Today I am grateful for that friend, for opportunities to learn, and for those who are brave enough to stand up.

Village Green/Town² Comments

You Can’t Go Home Again

 

Thank you for your responses to yesterday’s post. It was the kind of conversation that makes writing a community blog worthwhile. So far I haven’t been trolled. I think that’s largely because those folks stopped reading my blog a long time ago and for that I am grateful.

*****

I posted this photo on the Howard County Eats FB page yesterday hoping to stump folks. I did not. Not one bit. My question: Just for fun: who knows what this is and do you know if it’s still there?

I’m rather proud of this artsy view. 

Well, if their responses are any indication, you recognize it, too. It’s the fireplace feature at the old Pizza Hut on Route 108. This particular location is now Pupatella and I’ve learned that they didn’t keep it as a part of their decor. 

That’s fine. Going into Pupatella expecting it to be a nostalgic recreation of the Pizza Hut era of your youth would be both unfair and ultimately disappointing. It doesn’t claim to be that.

Now, about Toys (backwards)R Us. They may be trying to lure you to their seasonal pop-up locations with just that kind of nostalgic hook. There’s one at The Mall in Columbia. It’s been covered by the local Patch outlet and hyped by local realtor Joe Phillips with so much enthusiasm I thought at first that he worked for the company. 

Big News at The Mall in Columbia – Toys “R” Us is Back! 

If you grew up in Maryland, chances are you have some amazing memories from The Mall in Columbia — a place that’s been at the heart of family shopping trips, weekend hangouts, and holiday traditions for decades. And now, one of the most iconic names in childhood fun is making a comeback: Toys “R” Us! 

That’s right — the legendary toy store that fueled countless birthday wishes and Saturday morning adventures is returning to The Mall in Columbia. Located on the lower level near Macy’s, this new Toys “R” Us location promises to bring back the magic with a modern twist.

It’s possible he had access to a great press release or works closely with ChatGPT.

Hats off to the local who jumped in with this very Columbia answer.

Thanks Joe. Hate to be that guy, but the toy store in Columbia Mall was called Potomac Toys. We never had a Toys R Us in the mall.

Can’t you easily imagine that comment being spoken by the Eeyore of animated Disney films? Or is it just me?

Anyway…not Howard County but there’s a guy in YouTube who has reviewed another of the new TRU incarnations and he is not impressed.

New TRU is Bad! Let it Die! Joe Go Toy Reviews, YouTube

I haven’t been to the Columbia one so his take may not be one hundred percent accurate for all the stores they’ve opened. Fill me in if you have already visited. 

If someone wants to lure me back to a toy store with a full blown nostalgia campaign I want it to be Mumbles & Squeaks.

*****

One more thing about yesterday: the best part was learning things from readers that I had not known. In particular, that Manor Lane used to go from Route 40 to 108 and was closed at the request of the Caroll family (Doughoregan Manor) in the 1980’s. A public road. Hmm. 

If anyone used to drive that way to get home I imagine they really did feel like you can’t go home again. Yikes. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Road to Hell

 

This is a topic I have thought about writing on for quite awhile. I’ve also had it recommended to me as a possible blog topic. There’s no question that there’s a local story in all this. And yet I have felt deeply uncomfortable about going near it. Even bloggers with plenty of opinions have a little inner voice that says, “Don’t go there.”

Well, look at that - - it’s back in the news again.

Why the fight over Manor Hill Brewing just won’t end, Lillian Reed, Baltimore Banner

I give up. Let’s talk about it. From the Banner article:

Residents of 15 homes along Manor Lane say the farm’s operations and alcohol sales go beyond what’s allowed by the permits, local zoning ordinances and other regulations. They say the business brought heavy traffic, litter and disorder to their once quiet lane, which wasn’t designed to accommodate such activity.

Manor Hill Lane existed as a residential neighborhood long before Manor Hill Brewing/Manor Hill Farm. It’s to be expected that there would be some upheaval and difficulties involved in adding a commercial enterprise to the mix. 

Manor Lane begins at 108 right before you reach HCPSS Central Office. Continuing on Manor Lane, you will see the road go off to the right. That’s Manor Hill Brewing.

Taken from Google maps. Hope this helps.

Those who support the operation, owned and run by the Marriner family (Victoria Gastro Pub, Manor Hill Tavern) are quick to point out that “not all Manor Lane residents” object to Manor Hill. They’re also quick to demonize anyone who objects as anti-business or meddling “Karen” types. 

I’ve seen some truly nasty accusations on social media. It’s puzzling to me why a FB community dedicated to reopening schools and businesses during COVID lockdowns would go on the attack about this.

Those who object are quick to point out that they don’t oppose the business as a whole. They are at odds with how (or if) the business is adhering to the required county zoning ordinance /regulations. From what I can tell, their argument is that the residential neighborhood could peacefully coexist with the brewery/event venue if they followed the laws on the books. 

The problem? They argue that the business isn’t in compliance and the county isn’t requiring them to do what they need to do to be in compliance, either. 

Is there more to this story? Undoubtedly. Do I have a gut feeling about it?

Well, yes. And you can take it with a grain of salt because this is commentary. 

It looks to me as though the County has a serious commitment to fostering the growth of healthy businesses and supporting their success. Has that commitment made them more likely to have a flexible interpretation of these particular regulations at Manor Hill?

Maybe?

I can tell you that my reluctance to wade into this has a lot to do with not wanting to make anybody mad. That’s rather embarrassing to admit, but: there you are. There’s just something about this whole saga that gives me the creeps. 

Truth in advertising: I have never been to Manor Hill Farm/Brewery. I do wish they would make non-alcoholic products. I’ve been told it’s unlikely that they will. But that’s another story altogether. 

I don’t think I know anyone who lives on Manor Lane, either.

A different kind of truth in advertising: is Manor Hill connected to Marriner Marketing? Looks like yes and no. Probably irrelevant here. I’m just curious.

I often end pieces with the words: what do you think? Or: let me know. This topic has the potential for some incendiary responses so I’d like to be clear that personal attacks and outright nastiness are blockable offenses here.

What I would love to see is a lasting resolution in which both sides are happy to support one another and feel respected. No matter how hard folks have worked to create a viable side-by-side relationship, something is amiss. Good intentions are not enough, as the title to today’s post suggests.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

 

HoCo Wild and Woolly

 

You’ve probably herd heard about the goats. If not, here you goat  go:

Howard County police help return goats…,  Jesse Zander, CBS News

News stories which center on the appearance of animals where they are not expected seem to evoke a sense of whimsy or fun. Probably not for the animals. Very likely they don’t understand why it’s not normal for them to be anywhere. We’re the ones who draw the lines. Or we’ve put animals in places they weren’t intended to be in the first place. 

Emu on the loose in Wicomico County, for instance. Or five zebras spotted roaming in Prince George’s County. Neither are native to Maryland. 

Most animal sightings around town aren’t that exotic. And usually they’re in the more rural part of the county. Some years back a male turkey developed a bit of an internet following after being spotted numerous times near Daisy Road. Alas, this fellow came to a sad end when unknown miscreants grabbed him, put him in the trunk of their car, and drove off. 

The dangers of getting famous on social media - - right there. 

And then there was Serendipity.

If someone is missing a large rooster, he is near serendipity. He ran off into the bushes when he saw me get out off my car to take a picture. 

If a serendipitous rooster sighting isn’t enough for you, perhaps this post, from this week, will tickle your fancy.

(Actually, it was “chickens” plural.)

Just as my brain had a hard time processing a “rooster near serendipity”, I also wondered why the moral behavior of the chickens was remotely relevant.  As my Irish family members might say, “I’ll thank you not to be so pass-remarkable.”

No, no. These were not “loose chickens” (God forbid.) They were chickens who got loose. And if I lived in Western HoCo I wouldn’t be having these amusing misconceptions. 

Clarksville Happenings is a private FB group, so I’m not going to screenshot the comments, but these are fun.  Enjoy them if you are able. If not, let me assure you that the question of why did make an appearance.

Circling back to a previous post…we are drawing nearer to the first frost, which was my self-imposed deadline for restarting my backyard bird feeding venture. I still don’t have a solution to my deer and squirrel dilemma. A savvy reader suggested a pulley system, but I’m not that handy. I found a commercial product that would do the trick at the cost of nine hundred dollars. 

Nah. 

The truth is that the deer and the squirrels belong here. It’s only a problem because I, as a human, am setting a boundary that declares them to be out of place. When they show up at the feeder they’re not trespassing. They live here. They’re hungry. 

If for some reason you have an extra nine hundred dollars lying around please don’t buy me a fancy birdfeeder. I’m pretty sure you know what to do. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

F ³: All Treats Edition

 

Years ago I taught at a small independent school in Baltimore that celebrated Halloween with the full Halloween Parade tradition. Parents and friends were invited. The playground was packed with groups of costumed children, harried classroom teachers, and doting adults with cameras. 

Over the many years I worked there, three costumes stood out. 

1. The first was a boy in the second grade whose homemade costume charmed me. He was a chef, with all the appropriate clothing. But the pièce de resistance was a pot he carried that appeared to be boiling and emitting steam. It was all done with cotton balls or cotton batting. 

It was not a fancy costume and I don’t think it cost a lot to create. It was perfect in every way and this kid was rocking it. It just made me happy to see him enjoying himself.

2. Then there was the year my own kid wanted to be Xena Warrior Princess. She fully believed I could make that costume. I fully believed I was incapable of pulling it off. We are talking limited time, limited funds, limited tools, and limited ability. 

Somehow I did it. It may have been my crowning achievement in life. It was definitely an example of how faith and/or courage require doing the impossible thing while reckoning with your own flaws and limitations. 

3. One year I actually went all out on myself: tricking out a long dress I already had to create a Renn Fest princess-esque costume. This involved figuring out how to give it a lace-up bodice sort of thing by means of buying and using a special Grommet Tool. I distinctly remember needing to go outside and hammer the darn grommets on the sidewalk in front of our apartment building.

I had a vision. I was determined. This costume was going to be appropriate for the school Halloween Parade and maybe, just maybe, attractive enough to wear elsewhere. My memory is a little fuzzy here but I think this costume may have caught the eye of the cute fellow who I’d met in the church choir associated with the school.

You know what they say: reader, I married him.

May your day be full of treats - - both giving and receiving.

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Five Hundred and Forty-Four

 

Let’s do the numbers, shall we?

In reading the Banner article about the unveiling of the COVID-19 memorial statue, I came across these numbers:

Since March 2020, Howard County has seen more than 74,000 cases of COVID-19 and 544 deaths.

The article, by Lillian Reed, seems to have more than one title. 

“Howard County unveils COVID-19 pandemic memorial”

And

“Howard County has lost 544 residents to COVID-19. A new memorial honors them.”

I don’t know why they do that. Possibly to see which title gets more engagement?

The numbers: cases of COVID-19 are at 74,000 and counting. This is an ongoing public health challenge. It is not over. 

Deaths from COVID-19 at this time stand at 544. 

Numbers are funny. People who have wanted to downplay the seriousness of COVID act like 544 is practically nothing. A small percentage. A drop in the bucket. Yet we all know that, if even one of those deaths is someone we know, the impact is staggering.

544 people.

How many people went to your high school or are employed where you work? How many people have you been genuinely friends with over a lifetime? Now take away 544. 

Gone.

There are far too many statues in this world to war and conquest. And we spend far too much time in our culture honoring people largely for their wealth and status. 

544 people lived in our community and were felled by a horrific illness. They suffered. They died. Their families and friends grieved and feared for their own vulnerability.

We know that people are far more than numbers, don’t we? It also matters who they were. And, above all else - -  above age, gender, race or ethnicity, or financial status  - -  they were our neighbors. 

Photo from HoCoGov

Artists: Jim Benedict and Lily Kuonen

“16-foot sculpture symbolizes remembrance, comfort, hope, empathy, compassion

                     and the strength of the human spirit.”

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Main Street Macabre

 

I’ve been saving this…for twenty-two days.

Hmm. What do you think?

At one point there was a doll hospital. I’ve heard it may have had haunted possibilities. It may still be there. And there’s a place called live unusually which is rather spooky-adjacent.

There are seasonal nods to all things creepy and kooky such as Trick or Treating on Main Street.

And I would be remiss to overlook Ellicott City’s Ghost Tours. 

But, a haunted doll shop? We might have one and not even know it. I mean - - would the dolls tell, necessarily? How would that work?

Does one need to provide a certificate of authenticity for a haunted doll? And what about liability? Or maybe the dolls are not for sale, and it’s a space for haunted doll events and experiences: seances, tea parties, midnight read-alouds…

I am curious. 

Scrap B’more (in Pigtown) once held a Creepy Doll Parts sale. And on my bucket list tour of the old Flier building my guide and I stumbled across two dolls that we suspected might be possessed. 

I wonder where they are now?

My favorite Halloween experiences lean more spoopy than scary. What about you?

Let me know. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

This Is Only A Test

When big earthquakes hit, dazed residents can often be found wandering the streets surveying the destruction. Post-quake, sometimes the street is safer than being in your own home. When little earthquakes hit, dazed Howard Countians can be found wandering social media, asking the same few questions, looking for reassurance.

What was that?

Did anyone feel that? 

I live here, what about where you are?

We just had a big THUMP. I thought my husband had dropped an amplifier upstairs.

But the first time we had an earthquake* I thought it was just the washer struggling on the last spin cycle. Then I noticed that our big bookcase was vibrating. 

I am not a good judge of small earthquakes.

Guess what? Most of us aren’t, despite the fact that some folks were online announcing that they knew earthquakes and this wasn’t an earthquake.

I’m going to look to professionals on that one. 

In any kind of emergency, or something unknown that feels like an emergency, it’s easy to take what little information we have and run straight for emotions. The facts-to-feelings ratio can get wildly skewed. I can’t ignore the fact that we are living in such a chaotic and dysfunctional time that it didn’t take much to move many of us into full-on crisis mode. 

This might explain why a lot of people forgot what dialing 911 is meant to be used for. 

These days we head to social media either to add more facts to our limited supply, or to find familiar faces to share our feelings with. That’s only human, or maybe, that’s only natural.

While watching this phenomenon last night I had the rather unserious thought that we were all quite a bit like prairie dogs sticking our heads up to assess the threat level of danger nearby. It’s not just a human thing. 

Clearly I had the ability to weigh such frivolous concepts in my mind because my experience of the earthquake was mild. I was not afraid. I might have felt quite different had I been closer.

All of this is to say that pooling personal experiences on social media is 1.a great way to get a whole lot of anecdotal information in a hurry and 2. An opportunity for human contact and reassurance. It may not be the best way to get the big picture.

If this had been an actual emergency…

Village Green/Town² Comments

*I think it was this one:

Sally Brown: Let Them Drown

Yes, I know I already wrote about this. Alas, it’s back for another season and the plot line is pathetically similar.

Recap:

Falling In, March 25, 2023

About the new Mall restrictions on teens, and reflecting on this quote from the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. 

White Grievance HoCo Style, September 1, 2024

About the new YEP programs for youth and the disappointing (but not surprising) response from racist trolls.

Dear me. It is so terribly hard to be white. Imagine spending one’s days looking for opportunities to complain that Black people may possibly be getting something that you didn’t get. 

Guess what? They’re still doing it. Yesterday’s update on the YEP programs brought out the same old, same old. If these folks don’t see enough white faces in the pictures, they are sure someone is up to no good. 

Welcome to Howard County, where folks see racism everywhere but where it actually is - - in the mirror.

Everyone is up in arms about those young people causing trouble at the Mall or at school. “Somebody should do something!”

Well, guess what? Somebody did do something and is still doing something by responding to a community need and investing in young people.

But that’s not what they wanted, was it? They wanted something punitive, something exclusionary. Most of all they wanted a big, scary, incendiary issue to flog the County Executive with. The Black, Democratic, elected-easily-for-two-terms County Executive.

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. 

But these folks seem to think,

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. Just let them drown.

They don’t want to know why they’re falling in. They just want them out of the way. 

The truth is that the reason these folks are so uncomfortable seeing so many happy and successful Black residents on the County Executive’s Facebook page is because there have never, ever been enough there before he was elected. Where were they before? They certainly belonged there. 

If previous local leaders tended to include only as many nonwhites as would not make white folks uncomfortable, that’s not representation. It’s tokenism.  (White Grievance HoCo Style)

Most of all, it reinforced the lie that a reasonable and accurate representation of people who aren’t white is something to feel uncomfortable about, even offended.

This whole situation reminds me of a verse in the Book of Matthew (wild paraphrase ahead). 

We played wedding and you wouldn’t dance, we played funeral and you wouldn’t mourn. - - Matthew 11:22

Or maybe it’s simpler than that: damned if you do, damned if you don’t. 

Today’s post is dedicated to a very good person who rolled up her sleeves on the County Executive’s page and refused to let the trolls go unanswered. Brava.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Post Script: About Sally Brown

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

The reason I keep coming back to Sally Brown year after year is this: in this moment she looks to be a harmless-looking child, but, all the while, she is spouting the demands of complete selfishness. She has no concern for anyone but herself, no awareness about how her “fair share” may far outreach what is reasonable if others are not to be left wanting. - - The Villain I Fear, December 20, 2021

Career Goals?

What did your parents want for you? What do you want for the next generation? Let’s think for a minute.

It seems to me that the push in recent years is for young people to specialize. An interest in sports turns into a commitment to a travel team. High school course loads pile high with the “right” courses for competitive college admission. College students hone in on the majors that will get you recruited by the Fortune 500 companies, or over the hurdles into law or medical school. 

And then one day none of that makes any sense. 

I am currently furloughed, i.e. am a government employee who is not working or getting paid due to a lapse in funding for the federal government. And since it is week 3, doesn't look like it is going to end any time soon, and there are talks that we may not get paid - I figured I would offer my services in the meantime. 

Here’s the kicker:

My current job that I can't work right now is an Aerospace Engineer at NASA where I design and build instrumentation for spacecraft. I am not supposed to work with any company that does work with NASA if I keep my job. 

You’ve spent I-don’t-know-how-long-preparing for a specialized career, got the job, looked forward to career advancement, job security and…

Now what?

You have no work, a diminishing sense of job security, and you are prohibited from doing the specialized work you have trained to do.

This is not a hypothetical situation. These words were written by a real person who lives in our community and I am certain that this situation is not an isolated one. 

What would you do if this happened to you? (If it has happened to you - - I’m sorry.)

The next part of his post is where I get knocked for a loop. 

I fix EVERYTHING - I have experience in most things house related including multiple kitchen and bathroom remodels (framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, cabinetry ect.) , wood working, metal work/ welding, fix vehicles/cars/ machines, electronic repair, appliance repair, computer repair, and probably most other things you can think of.

I also get hired for all types of photography including portraits and event photography. 

In addition I was trained at Arthur Murray as a full time ballroom dance instructor and teach occasionally. My specialty is west coast swing. 

If you have any questions, want photos, my resume, or my portfolio please reach out to me! Thanks for your consideration!

Perhaps I had assumed that an Aerospace Engineer was strictly a specialist. I was wrong. Do you have such a fascinating assortment of marketable skills? Honestly, it brought a smile in the midst of such truly disheartening news.

The young man who penned this appeal may be innately curious, the kind of person who loves to get his hands into new things. Or perhaps he had parental guidance along the way, encouraging him to develop a variety of interests. But his story reminded me that putting all your eggs in one basket may not be, as they say, “career goals.”

I don’t know this fellow in real life. He does not know me. He could not possibly have known that my grandfather, out of work during the Great Depression, taught Ballroom Dancing just to get by. (He later became a Special Agent for the IRS.)

That old saw about doing a bunch of activities because college admissions offices want to see a “well- rounded applicant” misses the point, I think. Encouraging young people to engage in more than one thing because they truly enjoy it fosters self esteem, supports mental health, and one day it just might pay the rent. 

If you think you might have some work for a furloughed neighbor, reach out to me and I’ll connect you. I have a feeling that we need to be on the lookout for other neighbors who are similarly in need but may find it difficult to ask for help. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

All That and a Bag of Chips

Should you worry about your teens eating junk food? Maybe not for the reasons you think. 

Try something for me. Go to Google. Search “bag of chips.” Look the responses in the All category. Now click on the News category. 

Did what you saw look something like this?

All:

News:

Yes, a bag of chips in Baltimore County made news around the world this week. 

Baltimore County school’s AI gun detection system mistook a bag of chips for a weapon, Kristen Griffith, Baltimore Banner

After football practice Monday night, Taki Allen chatted with friends outside Kenwood High School while munching on Cool Ranch Doritos. When he finished his snack he put the bag in his pocket. Minutes later, several police officers pulled up, pointed their guns at him and yelled for him to get on the ground, he said.

“Me?” he recalled thinking. “I was confused at the time.”

He put his hands in the air while following orders. Police handcuffed him, bent him over the hood of a police car, searched him and sat him on the curb, he said.

All they found was the Doritos bag, he said.

The false alarm was triggered by Baltimore County Public Schools’ AI-powered gun-detection system, Omnilert. Spokespersons for the company and the school district said the technology was working as intended to keep students and staff safe, and that they quickly realized no one was in danger on Monday.

So how did a student eating a snack end in a police search?

Good question. Right off the bat, I can think of two answers, 

1. Companies are selling AI systems like this to schools who are desperate to improve school safety but the fact is that these systems are nowhere near evolved enough to do what the companies say they do.

2. Good old lazy racism.

Was Howard County looking at a system like this in the last year or so? Or was it discussed in the State Legislature? I’ve been digging around this morning but I’m not finding the information I’m looking for. I definitely remember this being a topic of conversation locally.

I thought it was a terrible idea then and I still do. 

One respondent on Bluesky speaks my mind:

Today in the cyberpunk dystopia. As always, USA: We could have actual effective #GunControlNow. Instead of unwarranted mass surveillance as security theater.

When you think about what’s best for your teens, you should probably worry less about junk food and more about the junk technology that puts them in harm’s way - - all while pretending it’s for their own good. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Don’t forget our local markets today in Old Ellicott City and at Clarksville Commons! The season will be over before you know it. 

F ³: Rainbows in the Dark

 

While I was going through a rough time this summer I found myself running out of ways to cope. The usual things weren’t always working. 

Lying in a hotel room in what felt like a chaotic and malevolent world, I reached out to an old friend: picture books. 

Using the Libby App, which our awesome library system makes available to us, I experimented with different ways to search children’s picture books. Yes, they really have picture books on Libby. I was surprised but very grateful.

Why didn’t I just go to the library and check things out? Well, when you are experiencing an onslaught of anxiety at two in the morning, you need a more immediate plan of action. And something about paging through story after story - - immersed in colors and images and simple plot lines - - would gradually shift my state of being. The wild electrical storm in my brain would subside. 

In the morning I’d find myself putting snippets of those magical worlds into my art journal, and even making up new ones. 

I’ll be honest, some of those days and nights were so rough that I’d even read the book descriptions and view the samples provided when the books themselves weren’t available. Even a glimpse felt restorative.

This was my lifeline. 

Eventually I discovered that YouTube often had read-alouds for books that weren’t available on Libby. And, if I felt up for a “busier” experience, old episodes of Reading Rainbow were on YouTube as well. 

If you knew where this was heading, award yourself cool points.

About three weeks ago, the Reading Rainbow reboot debuted with Mychal Threets as the host. I just read Threets described as a “social media librarian” which gave me the icks. We are not talking about some kind of overhyped internet influencer here. If you’ve followed his storyline you’ll know Threets worked in a real library before he created a social media presence. 

Social media certainly made him more well-known but the onslaught of internet “fame” triggered issues with his emotional/mental health. As a result, Threets left his library job and took a break from library advocacy.

I remember feeling sad at the time. Threets’ enthusiasm and all-around wholesome worldview had been no match for the destructive forces of social media. 

But…

It wasn’t all that long before he found a way to spread library love as he partnered with PBS Kids as a library ambassador. Saying that he’s a “social media librarian” is turning a three dimensional journey into a flat and public relations-approved cartoon image.

What we know about Mychal Threets is more than his love of libraries and joy in books. We know he is earnest, enthusiastic, ready to be surprised by new discoveries and to welcome new experiences. We also know he is open about his struggles and that he is fragile. 

Struggle and fragility are not often associated with people with important missions or those we feel we can admire or trust. We don’t allow or accept that. 

But libraries do. And books do - - and most especially picture books.

All Are Welcome, for example. 

Everyone needs places where they feel accepted. We all need to find those tiny threads that tether us to safety. For me this summer that place was in picture books.

I guess that’s why seeing Mychal Threets take on this new venture is especially meaningful to me. His participation is a very public way to validate the truth that people can struggle, be fragile, and also be incredible gifted and capable. Even if you are imperfect or not like everyone else, you can be the right person for the job and people can learn from you. 

Imagine that. 

Happy Friday. Here’s a good start for your day.

Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates 

Village Green/Town² Comments

An Almost-Bucket Experience

So far I’ve started at least one Facebook thread and written two blog posts about buckets.  That’s right, buckets.* I’m a fan.  

It’s a recurring theme. 

A bell went off in my head. I remembered a time when I held forth on social media about how more food should come in buckets. If one could get a bucket of chicken or ribs, why not a bucket of samosas? Egg rolls? Burritos? Why did more foods not come by the bucket?

Apparently there was a time, all too brief,  when one could get schnitzel by the bucket at the Rathskeller in Elkridge. Alas - - no more.

I had an Almost-Bucket experience on Sunday and I got so excited I actually took photographs for you. But first, some math. 

It’s a word problem.

Mrs. Smith hears that Althea’s Almost Famous food truck is at the Oakland Mills Farmers Market. The new one specializing in Jamaican patties.

Image from Althea’s Almost Famous social media 

I must go down and see the new truck and buy a beef patty for my lunch, she thinks. 

But what about my husband? When he gets home from church he might want one. I’ll get two.

But what if I’m really hungry and eat both of them, she worries. I’ll get three. 

How many Jamaican beef patties did I ,er, Mrs. Smith get?

Four. She got four.

And they’re in this handy-dandy carrying carton.

Well, just imagine they are. They didn’t last long at my house. 

This is the closest thing I’ve seen lately to food in a bucket and, since this is my blog, I’m declaring it to be news. Althea’s Almost Famous is ready for your multiple patty orders. You will not need to juggle multiple bags. 

While she was packing up my order, Althea (or should I call her Ms. Almost-Famous?) told me about a new promotion she’s running.

Snap. Share. Sauce. Repeat! 

We’re spreading island love with Althea’s Almost Famous Jerk Sauce! 

Got one of our flavorful dishes, golden patties, or fresh Althea’s merch?

Show it off and get a FREE bottle of our Almost Famous Jerk Sauce! 

 How to Claim Your Free Sauce:

1️⃣ Snap a photo or short video of your plate, patty, or merch.

2️⃣ Post it on Instagram or Facebook.

3️⃣ Tag @AltheasAlmostFamous and use #TasteTheIsland + #AltheasAlmostFamous.

4️⃣ Show us your post on your next visit to grab your free bottle of jerk sauce!

Bonus Challenge:

Get creative in the kitchen! Use your jerk sauce in a dish, tag us, and we’ll feature your creation on our page!

Offer ends November 30th, 2025.

Truth in advertising: when I said I’d be happy to share this information on the blog, Althea gave me a bottle of the sauce. (I chose mild.)  I think you all know me well enough to know I would have done this without the gift.** And, besides, I promise to follow the directions above to make it official.

Who knows? Maybe one day those amazing patties will be available in even larger quantities.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*This long-running theme is the result of my whimsical imagination. It is not a serious demand that the universe provide me with more buckets. 

**If you have any serious concern about my accepting a bottle of sauce, I will donate it to the charity of your choice. 

For that matter - - tell me about the charity of your choice. I might write about it.

And So We RISE : HoCo PRIDE and Friends

 

Before I forget to remind you: HoCo PRIDE is this weekend! (It was rescheduled due to weather.) This year’s theme is RISE: Resist, Inspire, Support, Empower.

Howard County Pride, Sunday October 26th, 11 am - 5 pm

Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods

A grateful shout out to the good folks at HoCo PPRIDE who do the work and make this event happen. You can support their work today by participating in the restaurant fundraiser at Shake Shack.

DONATION DAY

Wednesday, October 22nd 11 am- 10pm

Mention Donation Day at the register or use promo code DONATE

on the Shack App, web, or kiosk at checkout and we'll donate 25% of your total meal purchase to

HCPSS PRIDE

MALL IN COLUMBIA

10300 Little Patuxent Parkway | Columbia, MD 21044

Also today:

PFLAG National kicks off their new initiative: Fighting For Our Pride. 

PFLAG families know this: love and liberty are inseparable. That’s why we launched Fighting for Our Pride—a nationwide campaign focused on advocacy at the state and local level, where many of the most harmful policies are being introduced and passed. This campaign equips, trains, and mobilizes families to push back against these attacks and fight for the dignity, safety, and rights our loved ones deserve. Together, we’ll work to create safe and inclusive learning environments, secure access to care and protection of privacy, and protect full recognition and dignity in public life for LGBTQ+ people.

You can be there for the announcement by registering for the Zoom event which will be tonight beginning at 8:30 pm. To learn more and to register, click here. 

Did you know that HCPSS has a resource page for LGBTQIA+ Youth? Now you do! A lot of work went into getting it there. The more people know it is available, the more folks will turn to it and/or recommend it to a friend in need. You - - yes, you! - - might connect someone to valuable resources.

Freestate Justice will be hosting a free Name Change Clinic tomorrow, October 23rd, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, at the White Marsh Library. 

Finally, congratulations to HoCo Local Chris Hefty who was honored as the 2025 Progressive Champion by the Howard Progressive Project. Hefty’s work for the local LGBTQ+ community includes: Planning, Marketing, and Events for Howard County PRIDE as well as serving as Acting Vice President on the Steering Committee of PFLAG Columbia Howard County. They also provide Marketing - Events Planning support for PFLAG and serve as a Rainbow Youth & Allies Youth Instructor.

Wow. That’s a lot. 

A great reminder that, despite the current wave of hatred and destruction, we are blessed to have people in our community who continue to lift us up. 

Village Green/Town² Community 

Clip Show

October 21st. It occurs to me that, if I did not have a blog and an easy way to search it, I don’t think I’d remember all that much about my life and times. Let’s roll the footage, shall we? 

One year ago: One Hundred Years and Other Good News Warren’s Barbershop, solar panels at the library and other good stuff around town. 

Five years ago:  Pondering the typo-plagued campaign of Kim Klacik for Congress.  The Little Things 

Ten years ago: Keep Columbia Weird , inspired by an article entitled How to Keep [Your City] Weird by Kriston Capps 

Still relevant: 

Capps makes the case that preserving a community for the benefit of those who got there first is not only exclusionary, but also ultimately destructive to the health of the community overall. It makes housing more expensive. It keeps out the kind of "immigration" that brings diversity and life. Some notable quotes:

• Picking character over people winds up hurting both.
• Affordability is critical for a city that is both weird and chill.
• Change sucks, but it’s better to live somewhere uncool than unfair.
• To protect a city's character, residents need to welcome change.

And from 2011, the first year of the blog’s existence: All Politics is Local, the story of the time that then-County Executive Ken Ulman visited our neighborhood school. 

When I look back on October 21, 2025 - - what will I remember?

Well, two things are on my mind this morning.

1. As soon as the County Executive Calvin Ball posted about National Bullying Prevention Month, the neighborhood troll made an appearance displaying textbook bullying behavior. (Insert eye roll here.)
2. Group dynamics. I’m seeing a pattern in online groups that are populated predominantly by women. It goes something like this: One day an ambitious man turns up, sets up his (metaphorical) desk/ opens an office, and decides he’ll start running the thing. Its almost as though they find a well-functioning environment that appeals to them and think, “Horrors! What this place needs is a man!”

Au contraire. In many cases male participants are welcome. But: that online group you have your eye on is not looking for A Man in Charge. If the established dynamics are collaborative - - read the room, for heaven’s sake. If you are all about asserting dominance than you can’t possibly be about whatever the mission of the group is. But you will probably do some damage while you are there.

Sigh. I wonder what I will think about this in 2026.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Travel Advice for Out of Towners

Fun fact: since BlueSky is a relatively new social media platform it is very difficult to find information specific to Columbia or Howard County as a whole. You get the occasional reference to concerts at Merriweather or Columbia as a creation of Rouse’s idealistic vision. It just hasn’t had enough time to build up a large enough quantity of users from this area. 

After this weekend there has been a big blip in Columbia/HoCo mentions. I’ll let you figure that out on your own.

*****

I often wonder about how people see us from the outside. I remember the grief we felt as a community after the Zumiez shooting at the Mall in 2014. The resultant surge in media coverage meant that the very first thing one found when searching “Columbia” on Google were stories about that horrific event. The actual tragedy was bad enough. Having it become our “face” to the outside world was demoralizing.

Internet searches form the basis of a lot of our individual research these days. You can check out a restaurant before you go, even looking at the menu and considering your dining options. There are sites that help you compare consumer products, research locations in preparation for a move, or investigate vacation possibilities.

And then there’s this.

Image from Travel Blaze account on Pinterest 

12 Best Things to Do in Columbia Maryland 

Notice anything? Do any of those locations ring a bell to you?

Naturally I clicked on over to the linked article. I must say that I found two of the recommended “things to do” rather odd.

Image from Travel Blaze website 

Aside from the fact that the Second Chance Saloon doesn’t exist anymore, is there anything else that stands out?

It isn’t the Second Chance Saloon. It’s Second Chance in Baltimore. And it’s not a saloon, it’s a retail establishment. They describe themselves as a “Quirky secondhand shop featuring furniture, building supplies, art & gifts in warehouse–like digs.” 

A fun place to visit, absolutely. But this is a completely avoidable error. How much can “Travel Blaze” care about guiding and informing readers when they don’t even check their work?

Even more mindboggling, take a look at their photo of Blandair Park. 

Image from Travel Blaze website 

Again: this is in Baltimore. It has no connection to Blaindair Park. What the heck?

This dubious article comes from TravelBlaze, which has a website and maintains an account on Pinterest. It appears to be the work of one person, although - - are we sure it is even a person?

Image from Travel Blaze Pinterest account

Image from Travel Blaze website 

I can almost hear you rolling your eyes at this point. “It’s just content.” This person is making their money generating clicks, I guess. I wonder how much money that is, exactly?

A better question: why doesn’t it need to be accurate? I could continue at length on this train of thought but I’ll spare you. Mondays are hard enough without my starting your day with a rant.

If you wonder how the outside world sees us, maybe you also need to wonder where they’re getting their information. Sheesh.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Sunday Fun Day

I don’t know about you, but - - I’m almost always up for a Pops Concert at the Chrysalis. Especially with the Columbia Orchestra.

Columbia's first and premier orchestra returns to the Chrysalis stage on October 19 with a collection of beloved pops favorites, perfect for longtime fans of the orchestra and newcomers alike!

The evening will be complete with concessions sold by the park as well as local food trucks. 

The event is free but you must reserve your tickets so they’ll know how many people to expect and how to allocate parking. For more information and to register for tickets:

A Fall Pops Concert, October 19th, 4 - 5:30 pm. Chrysalis Amphitheater, Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods

I’ve checked the weather and the forecast looks positive. Here’s hoping it will be as lovely as yesterday.

And, don’t forget! The Sunday Farmers Market in Oakland Mills is open this morning from 9 to 1. The last date for the season is November 1st so don’t miss these last few weeks to enjoy local freshness. I’m so grateful to the loyal vendors who show up to bring us such a variety of delicious items from May to November.

Images from Farmers Market at Oakland Mills Village Center 

I just discovered that October 19th is International Gin and Tonic Day, which is rather hilarious since we’re more or less past the end of what I think of as Gin and Tonic season. (At least where we live.) Luckily there are other things to celebrate.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Village Green/Town² Comments