Skip to main content

Same Old Songs

I wasn't really paying attention last night as I finished up one craft project and plotted the next one. Then I found myself drawn in.     

@LukeHoCoTimes: At presubmission meeting for new development #ColumbiaMD Warfield neighborhood, new mixed-use development to be built near @MallInColumbia

Cool! Luke was live-tweeting, so I hopped on for the ride. I noticed tweets from other interested parties, notably @kirstycat1209 and @kevxb. I really appreciate clear live-tweeting: all the benefits of attending the event without actually having to be there. Plus, you can share information with your friends simultaneously without being rude.

The meeting was divided into a presentation followed by Q and A time. 

@LukeHoCoTimes: and let the Q & A session begin! First up, Alan Klein #ColumbiaMD

I began to laugh. You know, that crazed, will it never cease laugh. The shake-your-head and want to disbelieve it laugh. Oh, Dennis, Dennis, how you would have loved to to do the play-by-play on this one. Because of course it is always Alan Klein. There aren't enough hyperlinks on the world to do this justice.

I don't know why that set me off the way it did, but the rest of the event took on a theater of the absurd quality for me. In reality, it was no more absurd than any other Columbia meeting that contains the proposal of any kind of change. Traffic and parking, rental vs. ownership, affordable housing, and all the rest were discussed. A completely useful sort of meeting, I gather.

This past weekend I watched "1776" once again with my family. Our youngest had never seen it. I found myself wondering if the founders moved into their Golden Years questioning every change, decrying any new growth or development to the new nation. Either there isn't much historical information on this, or I just don't know enough personally. I'm open to enlightenment.

What if a group of people helped to found something new and they rejoiced as it grew, matured, developed, struggled, tried again, reinvented itself, moved forward...This is something parents must do. And it is really hard sometimes. 

Thanks to Luke for putting the information out there, and handling questions as they came in. And for sitting through the same old songs that we all know so well.

hocoblogs@@@

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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...

F ³: Who Belongs at the Library?

  One of these things is not like the others One of these things doesn't belong Can you tell which thing is not like the other By the time we finish our song?* Did you guess which thing is not like the others? Did you guess which thing doesn't belong? If you guessed this thing is not like the others Then you're absolutely right.  Our library promotes equity. Our library promotes literacy for adults who have come here from many places. Our library promotes accessibility to materials and opportunities. Our library is hosting multiple Harry Potter themed events?  Tell me this isn’t so. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, has and continues to use the profits from those books to advocate for laws that diminish the rights of trans people. She has and continues to use her fame to influence public opinion to view and treat trans people negatively. In short, Ms. Rowling is using the Harry Potter book series to make transgender people around the world less safe....