F : Big Stretch!

Do you recognize this?

(Not my photo. Read on to learn more.)

They’re called resistance bands. Or, to preschoolers in my music and movement classes, they were called “the red stretchy things.” A resistance band is used in physical therapy and in some exercise programs to build muscle strength. Here’s the complete photograph from an online article entitled “Types of Resistance Bands: How to Choose and Use.”

[Resistance bands] help you to build muscle strength by putting your muscles under tension as they work. The further you stretch the band, the harder your muscles work.

By creating tension during movements, resistance bands engage muscles effectively, promoting muscle growth and enhancing overall fitness. As you pull against a resistance band, the tension in the band gradually increases. The further you pull, the harder your muscles have to work to keep stretching the band.

As you can see, resistance bands come in a variety of colors. This is not merely to accommodate the color preferences of consumers. Each color indicates a level of difficulty on a “stretchiness” continuum. (Red is the easiest to stretch which is why I chose it for preschoolers.)

In physical therapy or exercise programs, you work from the easiest colors to ones that are progressively more challenging in order to build strength. It would do you no good to start with a really tough one. You would either hurt yourself or give up in frustration. It takes time and consistent effort to build up the strength you will need to make progress. 

That brings us to today, February 28th, 2025. 

Art by @martharich63

There’s been a good deal of back and forth about whether a one-day economic boycott* will have any significant impact on the onslaught of oligarchic, antidemocratic violence from the current administration. 

One day? One day won’t mean anything.

Here’s my two cents. Many of us don’t understand the first thing about resistance. And that’s what an economic boycott is: an act of resistance. For us to learn anything about the power of resistance and what it really entails, we have to start somewhere. And the more people who start at the same time, together, in solidarity - - the better. It has to be something that a lot of people feel they can do, and are willing to commit to.

Resistance is a long road. It will require a good deal of strength and endurance. It may will get progressively harder.

Today is not meant to be the be-all and end-all. Today is (metaphorically speaking) the red band. It is the introductory level of resistance. It is a level of stretch that many people are capable of achieving in order to encourage them to take the leap.

What will make you take the leap from thinking about something to doing something?

Much has been written about the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott but most of us don’t really understand how hard it was, how much organization it took, how exhausting and even dangerous it was. White people, especially more affluent ones, don’t have personal experience of that level of resistance. Do we have it in us? 

I honestly don’t know. But I do know that we have to start somewhere if we are going to get anywhere. And then - - keep stretching.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*Remember what you should do: support local businesses, eat at local restaurants, use cash.

Wash and Learn

Look what I found on Columbia Patch!

Come join us for a fun-filled afternoon of giving back and getting creative!

Bring along new or gently used adult and children's books you would like to donate to our book drive, and help us spread the love of reading to others in our community.  In return, create your own special bookmark to take home.

Whether you're a book lover, a craft enthusiast, or just looking for a way to give back, this event is perfect for all ages.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference and have a great time doing it! Please note the multiple dates to donate and the drop off locations on the flyer: February 28,2025 from 12PM-3PM, East Columbia Library Branch- Marvin Room and March 1, 2025 12pm-3pm, Central Library Branch - Collage Room.

Here’s the bit that caught my eye:

Books will be donated to the Howard County Reading Council's Laundromat Literacy Program.

Back when the community was contemplating the proposal for a Lakefront Library, I shared my enthusiasm for library programs in other places where patrons can do laundry and connect with literacy programs.

Libraries and Laundromats: Transforming Spaces for Learning, Institute of Museum and Library Sciences

What do public libraries and coin laundromats have in common? Through a partnership called the Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI), Libraries Without Borders US offers early childhood literacy, digital literacy, and information access services inside laundromats. 

What’s happening on Friday at the East Columbia Branch is a different way of getting at the same thing. A community group, Lea’s Crafters with a Cause from St. John Baptist Church, have signed up to use a room at the local library to host an event which will gather books to be placed in laundromats. They’re working in collaboration a local literacy initiative. It is named here as the Howard County Reading Council but I think it may be the Howard County Literacy Association. 

To be clear, the Wash and Learn Initiative described in the article above is a direct partnership between libraries and laundromats. It is an active and interactive initiative. The event on Friday hosted by the group from St. John Baptist Church is not an official library event. And placing books in laundromats differs from WALI in that it supports literacy in a passive way by providing materials in a place where they had not existed before: it’s expanding opportunity. 

The similarities, at least to me, are that 1) There’s a literacy/laundromat connection - - reaching people where they really are, and 2) Libraries are a place where the people can gather, learn, and make a difference in their communities. Libraries are active partners in those goals.

Even if you aren’t available from 12-3 on Friday for this particular event, you can drop off books either at the two drop off locations or you can reach out to learn more through the address listed on the flyer: Redstar12liz@gmail.com .

I wonder what some good books for reading in a laundromat might be? Any ideas?

Village Green/Town² Comments 

If/Then

 

If you didn’t get a chance to read yesterday’s post, then I hope you will today. The topic means a lot to me.

If you are planning on participating in the economic boycott on Friday, then please don’t forget that the best places to make any *necessary* purchases are local small businesses, and especially Black-owned and minority- owned businesses. How you choose to spend your money will make a difference.

If it’s not the end of the world as we know it (hard to tell) then it might be good to mark your calendar for the Clarksville Commons Spring Preview Farmers’ Market this Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. (Note the time change.) I hear there will be EGGS. If that’s a motivating factor, come early. I’m not seeing any rain in the forecast and I hope that holds. 

If you need some inspiration/encouragement, then I recommend a list of positive things you can do (or may already be doing) from the Non-Profit AF website. Many of these have local applications, from “Pay attention to local needs” to “Meet your neighbors (if you haven’t already done so).”

Everyday actions you can take to keep the world kind, just, and joyful amidst the rise in hate and bigotry, Non-Profit AF

If you’d like to know the happiest I’ve been in a while it would have to be yesterday while driving around town running errands. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and I had one of those “I love where I live” moments. Something about a day like that after so much cold and miserable weather feels like an occasion to be celebrated. A slice of joy, no matter how small, is food for the soul.

If you have something to say on the current state of “if” we are living through, or anything about today’s post, please respond in the comments. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Missing Voices

 

In all seriousness, no one needs to know my opinion on the recent shooting event near the Mall in Columbia. I am not in a position to have any unique and or valuable insight on this topic. 

Have you noticed that quite a few locals have never stopped to consider this concept? How many things have been posted in the last few days that fall under the category of “I’m as mad as hell and I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about”?

Everyone has the right to their own opinion but for heaven's sake I wish that more people had the good sense to think before they speak. The flood of thoughtless, hateful - - and yes, racist - - invective is more than unnecessary. It does harm. It floods the social media space and makes it impossible to hear different points of view. It silences quieter or more thoughtful voices. It pushes out people who might actually have unique and valuable insight. 

This is why County Executive Calvin Ball’s statement to the community, appealing to our better angels, was met with so much derision.

Angry mobs with pitchforks are not thinkers. They are not problem solvers. Angry mobs exist to enable hatred and to keep the world safe for angry mobs.

They have little thought for the rest of us. It is easy for them to label entire groups as “less than human.”

Let me tell you whose voices I want to hear: people who really, really know. I am talking about teachers who work with and really care about young people who are at risk. Mentors and recreational program leaders. Pastors, community members, neighbors, friends. I am not saying that any of these folks have a magic solution to violence among young people but they are the ones who know things that we do not. 

But, honestly: they don’t owe us anything. The pain is too raw. This is not some easy “click and share” news story for them. It is personal. They are hurting. And we can hardly expect them to push through the ugly rantings of the social media vigilantes.

To them I say: thank you. For all of your work and love and hoping against all odds that the young people in your care will thrive and be safe. And, also: I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the pain of this moment and the  pain of seeing the larger community choose to vilify instead of uniting to offer empathy and support.

If we truly want to be a part of positive change we need to make space for these quiet voices who are routinely ignored and shouted down. They are the only people who have something of value to share and, it seems, no one wants to hear it. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

Three Things and a Chance of Sun

If you’re looking for something to really sink your teeth into, the February edition of The Merriweather Post blog is out.  I’m still working my way through it.

The Merriweather Post - - February 2025 edition 

*****

There’s an author event this evening at the Miller Branch from 6 to 8 pm. The speaker will be Lamar Giles, author of The Getaway (and at least nine other novels.) In addition to writing, Giles is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books.

 

You can learn more and register here.

*****

If you’re looking for dinner ideas, the Periodic Table is hosting a Restaurant Night Out in support of the Howard County Veterans Foundation.

The restaurant will be giving back 10% of the proceeds to the foundation. Both dine-in and carry out orders are welcome.

Have a good Monday.  I’m hearing rumours of some pleasant weather this week and I think we could all get behind that kind of a local change.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Discretion

discretion, noun

1 a: individual choice or judgment

left the decision to his discretion

b: power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds

reached the age of discretion

2: the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment : the quality of being discreet : CIRCUMSPECTION

especially : cautious reserve in speech

3: ability to make responsible decisions

4: the result of separating or distinguishing

- - Merriam Webster

 

I wanted to talk about discretionary income today so I thought I’d start by looking up discretion. It’s interesting to see how the meaning is rooted in having a choice.

• individual choice or judgement
• power of free decision or latitude of choice 

Back in the early days of the pandemic I wrote about the negative backlash against restaurant/hospitality workers who were able to receive unemployment benefits.

The Truth About Choice, Village Green/Town² May 19, 2020

And again, a year later:

Still Need More Voice for Choice, Village Green/Town², May 19, 2021

Essentially, unemployment benefits gave high-risk workers the choice to be able to use their discretion to decide whether to undertake the health risks associated with returning to work. And, guess what? People who made more money and had far more choice in their own lives decried that situation. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the current national frenzy of firings is directly connected to this. People in power saw lowly workers having a choice. Allowing those workers to be able to make their own decisions about their lives and livelihoods was inconvenient for them. That was not the balance of power they were used to.

Now we see impact of throwing thousands of civil servants out of work is moving outwards to affect government contractors as well. But that’s just the beginning. Those workers who have been able to earn a decent and stable income now must scramble to cover basic needs: food and shelter. Do you know what disappears for them?

Discretionary income. 

These folks have been supporting restaurants, school PTAs, the arts, area nonprofits, charitable organizations, hotels, air travel, retail businesses, taxi/ ride share businesses, tourism…

Then all the folks associated with those businesses are put at risk. Their hours are cut or they lose their jobs altogether. More people who are scrambling to cover basic needs.

There’s a discussion on the Columbia Reddit right now about what kind of business will fill the Joann slot in Columbia Crossing now that it is going out of business. My immediate thought was: what makes you think that anything will go in that space? Our community is being made economically vulnerable. Decisions in Washington are destroying careers, putting families in crisis, and taking away the ability to focus on anything more than basic needs.

More people with no choice. People who are desperate will accept lower wages, jobs with no benefits, longer hours, poor working conditions.

Expecting a new retail space as soon as the old one goes may now be unrealistic. You need discretionary spending to support that.

Who benefits? Certainly no one in our community. It’s pretty clear that the winners here are those who profit from having greater control over people who have no choice. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Saturday Sampler: Birthdays, Books, and Modern Band

Would you enjoy some music while you shop? Do you get a kick out of young people enjoying themselves  and working hard at something they love? Head over to Savage Mill this afternoon.

These cold winter days are a great time to discover talent in your own community. Stop by the Mill this Saturday 1:15-3pm for Music in the Commons: Oakland Mills High School's annual concert. Featuring performances by the Tri-M Music Honor Society and the Modern Band Ensemble. - - Savage Mill

Images from Savage Mill social media 

From the event page:

The Oakland Mills High School Tri-M Music Honor Society consists of student musicians at the school who seek to support and advocate for music performance within their school and greater community.

The Oakland Mills High School Modern Band Ensemble consists of various advanced musicians within the school, selected through audition only.

Musical selections will be wide-ranging, and include options such as AWB, Frankie Beverly, Tom Misch, SunKissed Lola, The Isley Brothers, Mint Condition, Amy Winehouse, Silk Sonic, Frank Sinatra, Prince, Bill Withers, The Temptations, and others!

Modern Band is a relatively new movement in music education and is drawing in students who haven’t been reached by traditional music programs. It’s pretty amazing. If you’re over that way today, pop in and let me know what you think.

Also today, Howard County Recreation and Parks is sponsoring a book exchange:

Image from HoCo Rec & Parks social media

Join us from 10am-5pm on Saturday, February 22 at The Ellicott City Colored School Restored for a free book swap for children. At this free book exchange, books ranging in topics (examples: nature, comics, history, and education) will be available for readers of all ages, including parents/guardians. Participate in a book discussion on the novel “What Storm, What Thunder” by Myriam J. A. Chancy, sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center. The Q&A will be between 2:30-4pm. (Free copies of the book will be available for attendees.)

Receive a canvas bag to collect, trade, and network with other book hunters as you share the books you love. Choose from hundreds of books. Bring 1-3 gently used or new books as gifts for another family, donations, or trades. The department has curated 18 new books highlighting nature, friendships, diversity, and historical stories.

This event is indoors with possible tables outside. Parking is very limited. Additional parking is available at the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church auxiliary lot across the street.  

Image from the Howard County Maryland Black History event page on social media 

Tonight the Howard County Library System will be celebrating 85 years at their Evening in the Stacks fundraising event. I wish them well! If you are going I hope you have a wonderful time. If gala fundraising events aren’t your style, here are some easy ways to support local libraries.

Love your library? Here’s how you can support your local branch., Libby Life blog

Did you know that February is Library Lovers Month? Now you do. 

It’s going to be relatively sunny today with temperatures approaching an almost forty degrees. Enjoy!

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Mark of a Good Teacher?

 

First up: if you didn’t get a chance to see part one if the WBAL report on special education in the Howard County Schools, here’s the link. 

Left Behind, Tolly Taylor, WBAL TV

*****

Something else school-related. In an online conversation about local schools, one poster held that you should never be able to tell what political party that a teacher belongs to. Essentially, they claimed that this was a mark of good teaching.

On its face this seems reasonable. We don’t want teachers using their influence to endorse one political party over the other in the classroom as a means of shaping how young people think. 

But we’re at a point where deeply held values that have long been associated with American democracy overall are now being labeled as Leftist “indoctrination”. For example: 

1. We teach the truth about history.

2. Everyone deserves acceptance and respect.

3. Libraries support intellectual freedom.

I’m not saying that our country has been stellar at upholding those values, but - - until very recently there would have been nothing controversial about including them in the classroom. 

What do you think? 

Village Green/Town² Comments

Tonight at Five PM

 

Truth in advertising: the main reason I don’t write about something which is local, timely, and pertinent is that I am afraid I can’t do it perfectly. That’s almost always what stymies me. If you struggle with perfectionism you know the feeling. 

Today I’m going ahead anyway. 

Tonight WBAL begins a two-part series on special education in Howard County Schools. Here’s a promotional trailer. 

WBAL TV: TOMORROW AT 5pm: 11 News Investigates has spent months looking into why one of the top public school districts in the state has a special education crisis, leaving students with unmet needs and teachers begging for help.

You may already know that the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) gave a present the February 12 BOE meeting. You may also know that the Howard County Educators Association (HCEA) has raised the issue of understaffing in Special Education repeatedly in testimony before the Board. But that would mean that you follow Board of Education meetings. Not everyone does.  

If you don’t have children in the county schools, or you do but they don’t receive Special Education services, you really may have no idea what is going on here. I would suggest that it matters to all of us. We are only as good as how we respond to the most vulnerable students in our community.

At the risk of repeating myself for the thousandth time: they are all our kids. 

Here is where I am wading into imperfection territory. It seems to me that the biggest problem is that our special education programs are dangerously and chronically understaffed. This means that students don’t get the support they need (and are guaranteed by law) and that teachers and support staff are punishingly overburdened. This can create unsafe conditions and contribute to teacher/staff burnout.

If you know more on this topic please fill me in. I am aware that this is a very basic explanation. But I wanted to get this out there in case people could make the time the watch the WBAL piece and become more informed on this issue. More people need to know, and more people need to care. 

As you know, I had the great privilege of teaching music and movement to special needs preschoolers for twelve years in the RECC program. Those were some of the most rewarding years of my career and I will never forget the joys and challenges of striving to become an effective teacher with those students. The teachers and staff I worked with were highly skilled, empathetic, determined, and committed. 

I know things are overwhelming right now. It’s a lot for me to ask you to pay attention to one more thing. If you are able, I hope you will. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Humanity in HoCo

There are plenty of things that are bothering me this morning. It occurs to me that my readers would probably appreciate more than my daily laments and rants. We all have plenty of our own.

I have been wracking my brain to think of one positive local thing that I’m prepared to write about today. To be honest, the best thing that happened to me yesterday was that I went to a doctor’s appointment full of trepidation and came away reassured, largely because the doctor treated me like a human being. The doctor practices in Columbia so we’re going to count this as a local story - - okay? (Let’s call this artistic license.)

A brief sermon here: every time someone treats you like a human being or you treat someone else like a human being the good released into the world is powerful, no matter how small. It’s hard to keep that in mind right now, but it’s absolutely true. If you’ve read the blog for any length of time you are familiar with this quote from Aesop:

No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. - - Aesop

Listening to and interacting with someone with genuine respect and empathy is a deeply kind thing to do. When we experience that we carry away a kind of a glow - - a reaffirmation of our own self worth. How desperately we all need that, especially today. 

I wonder how people develop the capacity to be so respectful and affirming. And why others just…don’t. 

Here comes some bonus content. As I left something sparkly in the waiting room caught my eye. It was a Christmas tree* in the corner of the room. Something like this.

On the very top was something I didn’t recognize at first. Something brown. With googly eyes?

Holy moly, it was a poop emoji pillow*. But that’s not all. It was wearing a hat.

It was a hot pink sequined cap* that looked rather like a shower cap until I realized it was meant to be a surgical cap. 

Could it be that I was looking at a colonoscopy tree? I mean, it was a gastroenterologist’s office.

I did not laugh out loud but I definitely chuckled all way to my car. 

*****

Are there places in Howard County where you routinely come away with the feeling that you’ve been treated like a human being? Feel free to give them a shoutout.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*These are not my photos. All were found using a basic Google search.

Mental Health, Medication, and Mayhem

 

Heart-wrenching conversations I never thought I’d see are taking place right now about young people and mental health care.  Parents are terrified that newly confirmed Robert Kennedy Secretary of Health and Human Services will make good on his threats to strip doctors of the ability to prescribe medications for depression, anxiety - - even those for ADHD. Yet again we see an insistence to interfere with doctor-patient relationships and the desire to prevent parents from doing what they know is best for their children.

Almost beyond belief are Kennedy’s proposals to send these young people to so called “wellness farms” in lieu of allowing them to be supported by medically vetted and time tested treatments. 

With these conversations on my mind it’s not surprising that this post on Instagram caught my eye.

Howard County Association of Student Councils is hosting a Mental Health Panel event in collaboration with Nourish Teens at the Elkridge Branch Library in February 22nd from 3:30 - 5:30 pm.

If you are interested in mental health and psychology, come to the HSI mental health panel to learn from professionals and pre-med students and ask questions! If you cannot attend in-person, there is an online option. Snacks and service hours are provided.

From the Library Events page:

Nourish Teens: Teens Teach Self Care Fair

Hockley Room, Elkridge Branch

Saturday, February 22, 2025

3:30pm - 5:30pm

Program Type: Community Events, Health & Wellness

Age Group: Teens

Registration for this event will close on February 22, 2025 @ 3:30pm.

Program Description:

Teens develop leadership, teaching, and interpersonal skills while making a meaningful contribution to their community. Gain access to engaging, age-appropriate lessons that inspire curiosity and promote healthy habits.

Nourish Teens is a Teens Teach program, developed, planned, and presented by community teens.

A shout out to Board of Education member Jolene Mosley who shared this information on Instagram. Her posts have consistently alerted me to local education-related issues and happenings.

You must pre-register. Here is the library’s registration form.  But HCASC also has their own registration form and they are not identical. The latter is more comprehensive so I’d use that one. Please note that there is a remote option in case teens can’t make it in person. 

This program was probably planned before the current challenges to teen mental health care by Kennedy. I hope there will be accommodations made to address young people’s concerns on that topic.

Do you have concerns about how these proposals could impact young people in Howard County? Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Where’s My Dinner?

 

We did not lose power as a result of last night’s storm and high winds. You can bet I am suitably grateful about that. We had a perfectly boring, rather retro suburban dinner planned and I was able to cook it without any difficulties. 

It used to be that a good deal of Columbia felt insulated from power outages due to our lines being underground. That hasn’t been as true in recent years, or, maybe I’m imagining things. That being said, I’ve certainly observed a fair amount of smugness over the years from the Columbia contingent when the topic of power outages comes up.

So I went to bed feeling grateful that the power outage gods had passed over us and this morning I woke up feeling like an idiot. I’ll tell you why. 

Last night I saw post after post from folks looking for restaurants that hadn’t been impacted by the power outage. Eat in, carry out, delivery - - you name it. Sadly, there were plenty of posts from restaurants announcing that they’d be closed for the evening due to power loss. My heart hurt for them because I knew they’d be impacted not just by the loss of business but because all of the perishable food they had onsite might be rendered unusable, too. 

So something about those inquiries from the public looking for dinner irked me. All of these poor restaurants suffering losses and all they care about is their own personal dinner? They don’t care as long as their own Sunday night dinner plans are accommodated?

“Where’s my dinner?”

When I went online this morning a light dawned : our desperate restaurant seekers didn’t have power, either. Perhaps what they had planned to eat was now an impossibility.

Duh.

How often have I done that? How often do we all do that? We take the information that we have and form an opinion based on our own personal experiences and inclinations. A lot of the time that works for us but sometimes we are very, very wrong.

In this case I kept my short-sighted opinions to myself and my skewed perceptions didn’t harm anyone. But it has really set me to thinking about how much harm is done in our community and even more broadly when people are content to form opinions and act on them with only a limited amount of information, plus: the general resistance (inability?) to rethink once more information becomes available.

Frankly, it creeps me out.

Village Green/Town² Comment 

Getting Back to Nature in Columbia

 

Today the Robinson Nature Center is hosting their first-ever Bird Bonanza. It’s a family -friendly event presented in cooperation with Howard County Recreation and Parks:

Join Robinson staff, volunteers, and the Howard County Bird Club to celebrate birds and contribute to the worldwide community science effort of the Great Backyard Bird Count. Stop by tomorrow between Noon-4pm to come get a picture with our Osprey friend and enjoy fun activities, live animals, and bird walks.

This event will be held rain or shine.

Image from Robinson Nature Center social media 

What to expect:

• Bird-themed crafts, games, and activity stations. 
• Meet a live raptor. 
• Gather at the campfire and warm beverages 
• Guided bird walk with the Howard County Bird Club 
• Help with the Great Backyard Bird Count. 
• Beginners encouraged! 
• Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

For ages 3 yrs +. Located at the Robinson Nature Center. $6 for center member, $8 for nonmember.  You need to preregister and buy tickets for this event. Please note that they intend to hold it even if it rains. 

Bird Bonanza, Sunday, February 16, 1-4 pm

I must say I really like the words “beginners encouraged!” I wish that more experiences in life came labeled that way. 

A recent article in the Baltimore Banner featured another event at the Robinson Nature Center:

The women who spent a sweet morning learning about maple sugaring in Columbia, Jess Nocera

The article mentions that one of those in attendance grew up in Northeast Ohio, “a big maple sugaring area.” I did, too. I have happy memories of attending the Maple Festival in Chardon and sampling molten syrup “stirs” that we stirred into maple cream candy. If the nature center ever hosts an all-out maple festival, I’ll be the first to sign up.

One piece of information about the Robinson Nature Center that I’ve been meaning to share. I learned this a while back but hadn’t figured out how to work it into a blog post. 

The nature center is a participant in a program called Museums for All, which enables visitors showing a SNAP EBT card to receive free admission. This program is a way of removing existing barriers for people who might otherwise be barred from museums. This means that they are welcome to experience the opportunities that museums in their own communities are offering. 

This reminded me of the commitment that the Inner Arbor Trust has made to provide free programming in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods. I like it. 

What do you have planned for this wet February day?

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Black History, Frank Turner, and the Importance of Remembering

Yesterday, like many of us, I learned from reading the announcement by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball that former Delegate Frank Turner had died. Turner was the first Black delegate to represent Howard County in Annapolis in the General Assembly. He was elected in 1995 and served until 2019.

Let me just pause for a moment here. Howard County had its first Black delegate in 1995? I’m appalled by that but perhaps not surprised. 

If you are able, please read Turner’s obituary in the Baltimore Banner.

Frank Turner, Howard County’s first Black delegate, dies at 77, Jess Nocera, Baltimore Banner

I did not know Mr. Turner personally and much of what I read in his obituary was new to me. I knew that he was a local legend but I didn’t have any in-depth knowledge of his life and career in public service. As we are seeing such a concerted effort to completely erase Black history and accomplishments in this country I hope our community will take some time to learn more and contemplate Turner’s important role in Howard County history as an advocate, educator, and public servant.

Right now would be an excellent time. Before someone decides to suppress it. 

I read many heartfelt tributes yesterday which came from Howard County folks who knew and/or worked with Turner throughout his life. It reinforced to me how little I knew and how inadequate I feel to the task of remembering him here. If you are reading this - - I’m putting the word out to find someone better qualified to write a guest post about Turner’s life and what he meant to our community.

Would that person be you? Do you know someone you think I should reach out to? Let me know. 

*****

Today from 11 am to 4 pm: Howard County’s Black History Expo 2025. The Theme is African Americans and Labor. The event is open to the public and admission is free. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

F ³: Valentine’s Day Edition

 

I hadn’t exactly expected to receive a public service announcement from the discount store Five Below, but: here we are.

Image from Five Below social media 

PSA: Flowers fade, but plushies are forever.

As someone with a longstanding itch to adopt and love adorable stuffed cuddly creatures, I never thought I’d say this. They’re right: flowers fade, but plushies are forever. And maybe that’s why flowers are the better option. Or, rather: do we really want to celebrate love and romance and Valentine friendships by purchasing more stuff that cannot be recycled?

Flowers at least can be composted. Most stuffies will eventually end up in a landfill. (Boy, am I ever a killjoy today!) Now, flowers may not be your thing nor even remotely affordable around Valentine’s Day. That’s okay. What other ways do we have to celebrate and express affection that don’t eventually cause environmental harm?

Many Valentine cards can be recyclable but you need to avoid certain materials if that’s your intent. Then there are consumables like chocolates, baked goods, and special meals. Next up are gifts that can be used again and again and then even passed on to be enjoyed by others, like books, a well-made item of clothing, or a work of art.

Finally - - the truly waste-free Valentine gift: shared experiences. Going to a concert, the theatre, or the movies. A walk in nature. A home cooked meal. I know a few folks for whom a therapeutic massage would be a perfect Valentine gift. It seems to me that if you really know someone and care about them, the possibilities for shared experiences are practically limitless. 

The absolute best Valentine gifts are not necessarily physical items which can be unwrapped, but the ones that show you are paying attention. Who says that you can’t show that you’re paying attention to the environment, too? 

One last thing. In case you wonder what is going on in the Five Below advert at the top of this post…it’s a video tutorial showing you how to make a bouquet out of plushies. What an indignity for our stuffed animal friends! Would you want someone to attach you to a stick? If you’re going the cuddly toy route for Valentine’s Day, perhaps a little more tenderness than this is in order. 

A while back I wrote about a company in England called Loved Before which refurbishes plush toys and resells them with great love and imagination. On this Valentine’s Day I’m happy to share that Loved Before is on the verge of announcing their new United States branch. Teddies are en route as I write this. 

Image from Loved Before London social media 

Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or are just hoping for better days ahead, I hope you have a wonderful day today.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Hodgepodge Lodge, or: Mixed-Up Miscellany

 

Okay, I admit it. This post has nothing with the MPT children’s program but I did discover that it has a Howard County connection. I chose that title because I don’t have much for you this morning other than scraps and bits of this and that. 

1. The Howard County Future Farmers of America has released the names of local students honored with their “3.0 Award.”

The 3.0 Award recognizes students enrolled in Agricultural Science courses who achieved a 3.0 or Greater GPA in the 2nd Quarter. 

Revealing my ignorance here: I didn’t know that HCPSS offered an Agricultural Science curriculum. I do now. 

2. I’m curious about this project by Maryland artist Art Hondros. Why Ellicott City? Why the 1940’s?

Hondros recently had an art show in Olney at the BeachKraft Gallery. That’s about all I know. Also: has anyone ever seen Tarzan and the Amazons?

3. This lead-in to an article in the Banner about a ribbon-cutting at the Lakefront annoys me. That is all.

I realize that my objection may put me in the “get off my lawn” category but, really? “Sick view”? Someone over there must have thought they were very clever, methinks.

4. This recent post on Bluesky intrigued me:

My family were "pioneers" in Columbia Md. We lived on one of the security clearance streets. Yes, they had those back in the day. Hard to believe that during my childhood that area was already integrated.

Security clearance streets? Was that really a thing?

5. Highly recommended palate cleanser for whatever ails you. Go read local blogger Mike Hartley until you begin to feel your breathing even out and your heart rate normalizing.

Threw Mikes Eyez, Mike Hartley 

Thought for the day:

There are a tremendous amount of good people. I just wished they would speak out more often. - - Mike Hartley 

Got any scraps to add to my hodgepodge? Let me know. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

Galas, Giving, and Good Works

The deadline to purchase tickets for the Bridges to Housing Stability Heroes for Housing event is today! 

Tickets are $100 and the event will be held at 18th & 21st in Columbia on Monday February 17th. There will be food, cocktails, a silent auction, and music to benefit Bridges to Housing Stability. Their mission is  “to provide a path to self-sufficiency to prevent and end homelessness through affordable housing solutions and advocacy in Howard County, Maryland.” 

Check out this video to learn more about what they do.

Bridges to Housing Stability 

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There’s an impressive line up of performing artists on the bill for this year’s Luminus fundraising event. Coming up on February 23rd at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, “More Than Hope” will raise funds and awareness in a multicultural celebration.

"More than Hope"  is billed as a Benefit Dance/ Music Concert in Support of Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Tickets are $25 and are available for purchase here. 

From their website: 

Luminus empowers immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and asylees by offering legal services to help them achieve their goals.

Did you know? Over the past forty years Luminus has worked with community members from over ninety countries of origin. They assist over 3,000 people each year. 

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Got sneakers? 

This year’s Evening in the Stacks to benefit the Howard County Library System will be on February 22nd at the East Columbia Branch. This year’s gala fundraiser, which celebrates the Library’s 85th birthday, will benefit the vital work HCLS does to help prepare young children for kindergarten.

Tickets are $150 (or two for $285) and can be purchased at this link. If the ticket cost is beyond your reach you can support the library by purchasing a raffle ticket our two. Check out the prizes available here.

The birthday theme includes an invitation to wear your sneakers - - this year’s promotional video will get you in the mood.

*****

If you’re not a gala fundraiser sort of person, I am absolutely sure that all three of these valuable local nonprofits would be happy to receive a donation in any amount and/or have opportunities for volunteers to support their missions. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Hunters Are Afraid

What we are seeing unfold nationally right now are the vengeful actions of deeply racist people. They are also deeply fearful people. There is no other way to explain the venomous suppression of Black History being foisted upon the American people: wealthy white people, who hold our country by the throat, are afraid. 

Afraid of losing power. Afraid of facing the consequences of their own actions. Afraid of a future where they and people who look like them are no longer the default “Americans.”

I’m bringing back this post from last February because it feels frighteningly relevant.

Until the Lion Tells the Story, Village Green/Town² 2/25/2024

The other evening I found myself drawn in to a documentary film on public television entitled “Finding Fellowship.” It’s the story of a community in Maryland that doesn’t exist anymore, called Quince Orchard. From the film’s website:

FINDING FELLOWSHIP, BUILDING COMMUNITY

How can a community that evolved for more than 100 years only carry on in the memories of a few surviving members? This story is personal to us because we are descendants of this place – our family has lived here since the Civil War. But it’s relevant to you too, wherever you live. There are countless Quince Orchards all across the country. Communities that no longer exist on the map, not because of economic stagnation, but because of progress.

As I watched the film I was reminded of the efforts of our own local historians of Ellicott City Black History. There’s something deeply poignant about the desire to unearth and protect the stories of people who have been traditionally forgotten or even mischaracterised by the (largely white) writers of history books. One only has to watch the reactions on the Finding Your Roots television series to see how profound an effect each revelation of their past has on Black participants.

They are the reactions of people whose history has been suppressed.

Often there’s a sense that Black History month dwells largely on bigger-than-life heroes. Every year the same culturally approved scholars, inventors, small business owners, and inspirational politicians are trotted out in BHM curriculum materials. It is well meaning, I guess. But there’s a sort of breathless amazement about it - - Gosh, did you know Black people could be inventors? Be brave? Be really, really smart? It almost seems to be an exercise in silently asserting that most Black folks aren’t anything like that, so let’s all be surprised. 

Every dang year.

The older I get, the more I see Black History Month as a reminder that we haven’t and still don’t value Black lives enough that a Black History Month isn’t necessary. Think of how long the former students of the Harriet Tubman School had to fight to preserve their school and the stories it contains about segregation and systemic racism here in Howard County. Think of how hard Marlena Jareaux/Howard County Lynching Truth and Reconciliation have had to push uphill to be heard and gain even a small modicum of acceptance for their historical work.

“Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” - - Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. 

The real story of Black History Month to me is the longstanding erasure of American human beings simply because they were Black. That is why the film Finding Fellowship truly moved me. It is history told by people who respect their subjects and care about getting it right. It’s not about superheroes or major court cases or military victories. It’s about a small, once segregated Maryland town and three churches.

If you get a chance to see Finding Fellowship, I hope you will take the time. It’s not splashy. It draws you in gently, like stories told on a front porch or a quiet sermon that leads you to insights you hadn’t yet been able to see. 

*****

The older I get, the more I see Black History Month as a reminder that we haven’t and still don’t value Black lives enough that a Black History Month isn’t necessary. 

Silencing Black History Month is an act of cowardice. We already know that these people don’t want to value Black lives. Now we know they’re even afraid to hear the stories of Black Americans. 

What a puny, pathetic ideology that must be. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

Play It!

Do you know any high school pianists? It looks like they are hoping for more entrants to the Young Musicians Piano Solo Competition at HCC:

Attention High School Pianists! Deadline Extended! You now have until February 18 to submit your video entry! Showcase your talent and compete for cash prizes in the Young Musicians Piano Solo Competition at HCC! Prizes: 1st Place: $1,000 HCC scholarship plus $350 cash, 2nd Place: $250 cash, 3rd Place: $150 cash.

For more information and an application, visit the Piano Competition page on the HCC website.  There will be a Showcase Concert on Friday, March 21, 2025 at 7:00 p.m where winners will be announced and those in attendance will get a vote in choosing the Audience Favorite.

True confession: the real reason that this piano competition made it into the blog today has to do with the fact that three piano stories presented themselves to me within 24 hours. I took this as a sign.

The Washington Post featured the story of a young man named Josiah Jackson who rescued a dilapidated piano a Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. 

"It was in very rough shape: Dust was everywhere, and there was a gluey substance under the keys that prevented them from working," he said. "I'd never seen anything like it."

Jackson used a vacuum attachment to suck up the piles of dust, then he pried out the 88 keys and cleaned them one by one with a damp cloth. He scraped up the gummy muck that was stuck inside and used a rag to wipe the interior of the piano.

"I figured out the reason the piano was such a sticky mess was because it was next to a bar, and people had spilled their drinks on the keys," he said. "It was definitely the biggest challenge I've ever had."

An airport piano was filthy and out of tune. He fixed it during a layover., Cathy Free, Washington Post

There’s nothing local about this story. It just made me feel good. And since I was able to locate it through my handy dandy Howard County Library access, I thought I’d share it with you. 

Johnson even has his own YouTube channel called the Piano Doctor. His piano tuning business is located in West Michigan, but his videos give him an international reach. I found a video about the Chicago Airport piano which is nearing two million views.

Cleaning a Gross Public Piano in the Chicago Airport, Josiah Jackson, The Piano Doctor

Another piano story closer to home comes from UMBC. 

The hills are alive with the sound of piano music, Jennie O’Grady, UMBC Magazine 

Students play on a piano tucked away in the woods across from Fine Arts as part of the installation, "Piano Garden." (Marlayna Demond '11/UMBC)

It’s an unexpected performance opportunity plus it’s an art piece of sorts, presented by Livewire: Resounding at UMBC last fall.

“Piano Garden” is the latest “performance” of New Zealand-born composer Annea Lockwood’s ever-growing outdoor series of “Piano Transplants” compositions in which, since 1969, defunct pianos are burned, submerged in water, or—as is the case at UMBC— left to be taken over by trees and plant life.

It is interesting to note that artist Annea Lockwood’s description of the Piano Transplants project stipulates:

PLEASE NOTE: All pianos used should already be beyond repair.

I don’t know if the piano in the woods at UMBC was beyond repair but it certainly wasn’t beyond playing. 

“I always look for a practice room with a window, but sometimes I can’t get one,” [student Luke Heichlinger] says, explaining that he and his friend, Hannah, originally joked that the piano in the woods might be a hallucination. Thankfully, it wasn’t—so they came back the next day prepared with sheet music. 

There you have it. Three sorts of pianos. One for competition, one transformed from years of use and abuse, and one left in the woods to decompose. An odd juxtaposition but, after all, it’s Monday. 

Village Green/Town² Comments