Skip to main content

Things That Don't Make Sense

Three things that defy logic this week.

1. School board suggests it will do away with Jewish High Holy Days on the calendar as a way of justifying not observing other holidays of other religions. Action provokes a large community outcry. Board reverses itself and says now we'll observe all the religious holidays! (Well, probably not all. But more than anyone ever expected.)

What the heck was that all about? Your suggestions welcome. I'm particularly interested in whether you think it was a) a deliberate show, or b) a bungled mess. Or c) something I haven't thought of.

2. The County Executive and the Governor stage a press conference on a dangerous road to explain how dangerous it is. Good gravy! If that stretch of road is so dangerous, then holding a press event right in the thick of it can't be in the best interest of motorists, can it? (See more on decision to widen Route 32 here.) Not criticizing the decision itself, just the means of announcing it.

3. Cancer. Well, cancer defies logic every week. Like a mass shooter who picks out victims indiscriminately, cancer mows down people we know and don't know. Famous people, family, the friend of a friend, the person in the next town whose family is holding a fundraiser for treatment that we read about in the newspaper. Spouses, friends, the person next to us on the train with whom we will never have one single conversation.

We know one day it might be us.

We mourn in public the lost artistry and humanity of David Bowie and Alan Rickman. At the same time almost all of us are connected to someone who is fighting that battle. There are two people in my life right now--whose names you don't need to know--whose health and recovery is a daily battle. President Obama's challenge to take on cancer and beat it in our lifetimes is particularly meaningful to me this week.

Wait, I've got one more thing. I have a friend who has been diligently looking for a job since January, 2014 and, as of today, is still unemployed. This is just nuts. I'd like to help turn this story into one that makes sense, so if you have any ideas on how to get my friend hooked up with a job, contact me privately through the email address associated with the blog. Thanks.

What a week.

 

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...

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...

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...