Village Green/Town²

I know I promised a bit of homegrown analysis on the Verona Apartments issue this morning, but it will have to wait. I just read this morning's post by HowChow, and you need to, too.   This poem immediately came to mind. (from the poem, A Happy Childhood , by William Matthews) It turns out you are the story of your childhood and you’re under constant revision, like a lonely folktale whose invisible folks are all the selves you’ve been, lifelong, shadows in fog, grey glimmers at dusk. And each of these selves had a childhood it traded for love and grudged to give away, now lost irretrievably, in storage like a set of dishes from which no food, no Cream of Wheat, no rabbit in mustard sauce, nor even a single raspberry, can be eaten until the afterlife, which is only childhood in its last disguise, all radiance or all humiliation, and so it is forfeit a final time. In fact it was awful, you think, or why sh...

Let me offer my thanks once more to Jeanne Lay who allowed me to use her letter as the basis of yesterday's blog post. She reached out to me by email on Oct 22, at 4:26 PM, and not 24 hours later (October 23, at 7:45 am) I received an email from my councilman, Calvin Ball, sharing the following information from the County. Both were serendipitous and unrelated. Some times life just works that way. It's a little long, but I think you'll find it's worth the read. *** Verona at Oakland Mills FAQ s Q: What is happening at Verona at Oakland Mills? A: Verona at Oakland Mills is a 251-unit apartment complex in Columbia that became available for sale by current owner ship in May . The Howard County Housing Commission entered into a contract to purchase and oversee operat ions of the complex , and complete d the transaction in October 2013 . Q: Who will manage the property? A: The Housing Commission intends to maintain the current management firm for at leas...

Today's post, about the purchase of the Verona Apartments by the County, comes from fellow OMMS parent Jeanne Lay. I asked her if I could share it because I was impressed with the positive tone and giving spirit that her letter communicates. It is possible to ask questions in a way that speaks to shared goals and values. This piece is an excellent example of what that means. *** I recently read in a community email communication, The Baltimore Sun, and the Columbia Flyer that the Verona Apartment complex in the Oakland Mills Village of Columbia, Maryland is being purchased by the County. I’m interested in learning more about the plans for these apartments. While I’m unfamiliar with strategic planning for apartment complexes, there are some things that I do know about the Oakland Mills community: • We are trying to build a stronger, more healthy and vibrant community. • Our Village Center offers many amenities to serve the local population. From “Lively Arts for the Litt...

It started with a question* on Facebook. Parent A: Parents of 7th grade kids in GT Algebra in Howard County, do your kids have and use a textbook in their class? Curious. Parent B: Hmmm... Parent C: I'm interested in any responses you receive. Just had a conversation with the teacher this morning, and it was of value. She did point me to IXL.com to view the curricula, and we discussed several things. I'm happy to share if you're interested. Parent D: Same answer you got from G. - L. has one but they don't use it because it doesn't align with Common Core. Parent A: UGH! WTH?! Same with G. I have a big problem with bringing out a new curriculum without supporting and student-friendly resources. G's class is "making their own textbooks" in their notebooks. Yeah. Great plan. Thank god for Khan Academy and a husband with math sense. Makes me want to spit. Parent B: My husband is the go-to for this stuff, thank heavens. Ugh. Parent E: The b...

In trying to import some material for a Guest Post today, I ended up with an exciting collage of text over text, and Bloggsy doesn't appear to have an "undo" button. So that will have to wait until I can straighten it out.   Instead, here's a potpourri of HoCoBlog choices that I have read over the last week that I think you might enjoy. I try to go the page frequently and pick out posts by bloggers with whom I am less familiar. That's how I discovered From the Scratchpad of an Urban Bushwoman , now one of my favorites. She writes this week about the Fall Health Care Enrollment Festival at HCC. In the first-time read category (read by me, that is) is J K Squared Blog warning us how our "Likes" may be used on Facebook. It's stuff I kind of knew already but definitely needed the reminder. I have recently started reading the blog " Away from the Things of Man ." It's a surprising choice for me. The writer is unlike me in many, ma...

Introducing-- You Have the Power: Recipe for Rebellion ( A new game for adults with ambition) Rules of Play: you are in charge of making a major change that will have an impact on others. Draw a Power Play Card to determine your mission.* *Sample Missions: --Build a County park adjacent to a residential neighborhood, --Reforest Open Space land to cut down on runoff and mowing costs, --Design a new plan for an old park, --Buy property to support affordable housing initiatives Let's begin! 1. Make a list of things to be changed. Then, Involve the public in the process Or not-- Involving the public is time-consuming. 2. Finalize a list of things that will change. Then, Communicate them with the public. Or not-- Communicating with the public is fraught with pitfalls. 3. Uh oh! People are up in arms about the change Draw a Full a Email Box Penalty Card. Then, Answer their emails. Or not-- If you don't ...

Co nflict. Everyone has got some conflict in his or her life. Individuals, families, groups, communities, local, state, national, international...you name it. When human beings have differing points of view, the resulting clash is conflict. Certainly there are degrees of disagreement. There can be a general sense of agreement where the parties are just hammering out some pesky details, all the way to full blown warfare. So, there will be conflict. What happens after that is up to us. Here are some local conflicts that are on my mind today: Howard County Schools intend to administer the MSA's this year even though they will not assess what the students are actually learning. Many parents, myself included, object. Howard County moves to purchase the Verona Apartments in Oakland Mills. Some residents voice serious misgivings. The State of Maryland implements a fee system to deal with the polluting effects of storm water on the Chesapeake bay. Allan Kittleman (and others) ca...

This summer I thought a lot about what it means for my daughter to be a student in the GT program at school. I get the feeling that kids think: they test you, you're smart, so that's your designation. If the work gets tough for you, they may throw you out, because it means you're not smart enough. That's what comes from having so much of your childhood determined by tests. I wanted to give my daughter a different perspective. So I developed the Grit and Determination concept. GT doesn't stand for Gifted and Talented, I told her. It stands for Grit and Determination : the qualities that GT students are willing to use when the work gets tough. I worked it all out in my head; I was very excited. Of course, my GT student immediately saw through my plan. "Doesn't Determination begin with a D?" she asked, helpfully. Yes, well... Today I present you with the result of Grit and Determination: Oakland Mills Village Manager, Sandy Cederbaum, has been...

I love Fall. I was born for the crispness of "October's bright blue weather." I love the brightly colored changing leaves, apple cider, pumpkins, even going back in the house to grab a jacket. I appreciate each of the seasons for their good qualities, but there is just something about Fall. It speaks to me. On the other hand, Fall is not without its challenges. Fall means going back to school for all three of us. And with that comes all of the other commitments that are tied in with the academic year: Peabody Chorus, Bell Choir, college gigs, band events, and so on. Lesson planning, preparing workshops for other teachers, doing homework and more homework--that's what happens at our house when Fall comes to town. It gets cooler, and it gets darker. On chilly, cloudy days I find my moods sinking and my spirit longing for sunlight. It's all fun and games in the pumpkin patch when the sun is shining. But it doesn't last. That shifting towards darker days is...

National politics have been center stage in recent days. Most of us know what the Senate and the Congress do, and what the President does. Many of us know who our Senators and Representatives are. We learn more about national politics in school, I think, than state or local. When a crisis like a government shutdown occurs, we find out a) how local it can actually get, and b) how much we really don't know about how it all works. But how much do we know about State government, for instance? I am not addressing this to my friends who are political geeks and enthusiasts--I know that you know. I am talking to basic, ordinary people. What district do you live in? Who are your state delegates? Senator? When they go to Annapolis, what is it exactly that they do? Do you know? The old saying is that what you don't know won't hurt you. So maybe if we just focus on national politics the local stuff will take care of itself and we won't have to take the time to learn much ab...

I hate rushing the holidays. Seeing Christmas stuff out early in the stores drives me crazy. But calendars fill up fast. Howard County offers some amazing holiday events and there's only so much time before it get to be too much. So I am giving you a date now. Put it in your calendar. The Oakland Mills Cookie Swaptacular will be returning to The Other Barn on Sunday, December 15th, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. This event, spearheaded by Mary Kate Murray, hosted by the Cookie Chicks, and presented under the auspices of the Oakland Mills Community Association, has become a highlight of my holiday season. You'll soon be seeing info on Facebook. When you join the event, more details will be forthcoming, but I'll clue you in right now. Bring 7 dozen of one kind of homemade cookie. Bring a plate to display them on, and bring a container to take home your loot, because we will share and share alike and you will go home with a sampling of everyone's cookies. Yum. Yesterday ...

I travel to sixteen elementary schools in the Howard County School system. These schools are home to Regional Early Childhood Center s, operated under the auspices of the Office of Early Intervention. My job is to support the overall curriculum and IEP goals through Music and Movement. I often feel like the Mystery Shopper of the Howard County Schools. Day in and day out, I am walking through the halls, interacting with office staff, using the restrooms in the faculty lounge, observing classes, and noting the condition of the facilities. I feel privileged to be trusted enough as a staff member to move freely through the hallways. I'm not here to dish dirt or relate some juicy expose, and in fact, there's nothing of that sort to relate. There are funny stories of course. I wrote about the window to nowhere here. I find it amusing that posters in the hallways ask children, "Are you single, straight, and silent?" My favorite was the teachers' restroom in a sc...

Today I'm sharing last week's post from HoCoHouseHon . I think a lot of people need to read this: parents, teachers, administrators, and politicians. Please read and share. Thanks. --JJM Expectations I love being a big sister. Yesterday I was able to chaperone a group of kids, including my sister and one of her best friends, on a trip to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival. Now, if you know anything about me, you probably knew or could have guessed that I am a huge renfaire geek - so naturally sis and I were dressed up in garb and ready to roll. This baffled a lot of children - I can't tell you how many people asked me for directions at the faire, or whether I worked there. The idea that a grownup could dress up for fun was utterly mystifying to a lot of these kids. Most of them had never been to a renaissance festival before, and I think they couldn't imagine a world in which adults wanted to pretend for a day. It made me think about expectations - my...

Last night's Choosing Civility Symposium at the Miller Branch Library looked at civility in our society as it comes up against technology, and, more specifically, the generational divide in technology use. I enjoyed the perspective of each one of the panelists, and was grateful for moderator Korva Coleman's easy facility in directing the conversational flow. Everyone came last night with opinions and questions stemming from those opinions. But this was not to be a simple Q & A. What happened next was a discussion that centered on what the deeper questions really are. In order for us to address these new challenges in our society, we must first be asking the right questions. I was struck by a participant in the opening video who said (my paraphrase) "It's up to us to develop a way...to still be human." Technology is completely enmeshed in our daily lives. It does effect our work, communication, leisure, and relationships. This is the reality. So how d...

As a child, I longed for Twinkies. They called to me from tv ads and from the shelf of the grocery store, the corner store, and the Lawson's Dairy store. They were beautiful, spongey, and golden. And they had creme filling! Twinkies were the object of my desire because my mother had declared them to be "unadulterated crud" and would not buy them. At some point during those years I finally had the Twinkie experience. My memory tells me, so far removed from the event, that they were every bit as delicious as I had hoped. I can't recall if I indulged in them clandestinely, or whether my mother relented. I just know it was heavenly, but I don't think this experience was repeated with any frequency. Then, as a young parent, I turned to Twinkies at a time when I was sleep-deprived and depressed. Carefree childhood was calling, I guess. This time they let me down. They were oily and sugary, almost inedible. How could I have changed so much? Or had they? Yesterday...

Many years ago I taught a preschool class of three year olds. Part of our daily group time was music. Abby was a bright little girl who quickly picked up the songs and the hand motions. She was capable and followed directions. During one class session I smiled at her at said, "Good work, Abby!" What happened next floored me. Not five minutes later she looked over at a little boy who was not participating, reached out, and slapped his face. "He's not doing it!" she explained. As you might imagine, it took all the joy out of Circle Time. I realized from observing Abby over time that there was a deep-seated philosophy behind her actions. I have come to think of it as the Gospel According to Abby. Stated simply, "It is not enough that I be praised; others must be punished." Abby, and others like her, do not feel content in themselves--not for who they are, or for their own capability and successes. In order for them to experience true satisfaction...

I'm having a raffle. You can enter. It's only one dollar per ticket and you could win this enormous barrel of craft supplies, gleaned from my home collection. All items are new or very lightly used. You and your children, if you feel like sharing, can have a lot of fun with this. Endless fun. Messy fun. Creative fun. It is a stashbusting paradise. Come to my table "3-2-1 Fun!" at the Oakland Mills Cultural Arts Festival . Pay a dollar, buy a ticket. You need not be present to win. Winner will be notified by telephone and can pick up the prize at The Other Barn during regular business hours. I 'm having a raffle. You should enter. This raffle supports the Community Based Learning Center at Forest Ridge Apartments. The CBLC is a part of the Black Student Achievement Program of the Howard County Public Schools. I learned about this program when I visited Forest Ridge during the campaign. Students come after school Monday through Thursday for two hours. Th...

It's Hump Day. My, how that commercial has wormed its way into the collective consciousness. What are some others that you remember from the past? "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" "Where's the beef?" "Snap, crackle, pop!" "Mr. Whipple! Please don't squeeze the Charmin!" *** I sometimes think that I could write a series of blog posts on the sayings of my mother. A sampling: "If something says new and improved, it probably isn't." "God stacked the deck against Adam and Eve. He put that snake in that garden." "If your sister told you to jump out of the attic window to see if you would bounce, would you do it?" Do you have any brilliant Mom quotes to share? *** My older daughter was looking for fun things to do in Columbia/Howard County on a Tuesday night. Suggestions? *** I'm getting a little tired of all these "ist" words people are throwing around on the ...

We are continuing to read about the proposed Bridge Columbia project in the newspaper and see it discussed in local blogs and on Facebook because of the grit and determination of The Friends of Bridge Columbia. I am excited to see them keep this idea moving forward. Any big change takes continued forward motion and persistent outreach to the community. In following the Bridge Columbia discussion this past week between The 53 Blog and Columbia Compass, I had a vision. Imagine, if you will, that Columbia and Howard County residents are symbolized by the trick-or-treaters in the classic Peanuts Halloween special, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" Let's get in the mood , shall we? At each house, handfuls of candy are thrown into the bags of the children. Imagine that these treats are pieces of information about Bridge Columbia. All of our trick-or-treaters get something different: "I got an iconic local landmark!" "I got a pedestrian/biking/...