Andrew Jackson and Me. Again.

Once upon a time, I took part in a Fairy Tale Experience. Really. Last year I received an invitation to the Royal Ball. I ventured out to the Royal Palace in my finest garments, taking care to wear a mask so my true identity would never be known.

Okay, it wasn't really like that. It was the Evening in the Stacks "Masquerade!" at the new Miller Branch Library, and an extra ticket was kindly given me by a fellow blogger. So everyone was wearing masks, and I'm pretty sure mine didn't really obscure my identity. But the story just sounds better that way.

Back to the Fairy Tale. I had a wonderful time. And I said to myself, "If I just set aside a little money from each paycheck, I'll be able to buy a ticket next year. It's doable."

But I didn't. Time went by, and there was a bridal shower and a wedding to be planned, an elementary school promotion, new clothes for Middle School, Christmas, and birthdays, and a trip to San Antonio, and I didn't set aside the money for a ticket.

So last Saturday night, when Facebook was abuzz with friends getting their "Sparkle and Spurs" on, I was having a little pity party for myself. Poor me. Not invited to the Royal Ball.

In the past I would have said, "Oh, I don't go to those things. They're for the rich people." I could turn my back on them and dismiss them because they belonged to a realm of upper income folks to which I would never, ever belong. "I didn't want to go to your stupid rich people thing anyway, so there."

Well, last year I realized that this one was within reach, if I planned for it. It's true that I can't go to every one hundred dollar-plus ticketed event in Howard County. But I could choose just one, and plan for it. And this one, my friends, is really fun.

You know what happened: I didn't. I forgot, or I resisted. I put it off. And it was no fun having a pity party when I knew full well that I could have made things turn out differently.

So now we return to our mysterious twenty dollar bill. I get paid on Friday. Will I take out a twenty dollar bill, put it in a special place, and start saving for next year? Even allowing for no paychecks in the Summer months, I could still have at least three hundred dollars in advance of next year's event. It would be enough for a ticket, an outfit, and money for tips for the Celebrity Bartenders.Or, I could bring my husband and have a Celebrity Date.

Will I put my money where my mouth is? Time will tell. In the meantime, I wonder what next year's theme will be. An Evening in the Louvre? Bongos with the Beat Generation? A Downton Abbey Dinner Party? Fantasies of Symphony Woods?

Whatever it is, Christie Lassen and her team will make it wonderful. And this time, I'll be there.

hocoblogs@@@

Comments

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else. Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents. When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday. Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018. 2018 . But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest. In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...

Village Green/Town²

Search This Blog