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News and Nightmares



I have just awakened from anxiety dreams that featured my college bound daughter as an infant, and my suddenly being back in residence at my alma mater for no good reason. This must be because we attended college orientation yesterday. It was quite the experience. I continue to be impressed by how UMBC handles large scale events. But my take away from the day overall is how parental expectations have somehow changed from when I went to college and how places like UMBC have adapted to meet the changing needs.

I need some time to process the experience, and my weird dreams. I’ll get back to you on this.

In the meantime, did you know that Whole Foods has a hot breakfast bar on Sunday mornings? I stopped in to pick up breakfast on the way to the Chrysalis Kids concert this week. There it was, practically calling my name: challah French toast with butter and real maple syrup, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and a hot oatmeal bar with toppings. It was a special treat for me to pack up a delicious hot breakfast to take the the Uncle Devin Show at the Chrysalis.


Of course one can always purchase snacks and drinks at the park itself, and that includes mimosas.



I went with a cold brew in a bottle from Whole Foods, which I soon regretted. It was ghastly.

I’ve been receiving quite a few book recommendations lately. It is the season for summer reading. I ordered the book Simple Abundance following Representative Dr. Terri Hill’s recommendation on Elevate Maryland. I’ve also put Dream Hoarders and The Color of Law on my list after recommendations by Tom Coale and Roger Caplan, respectively. I broke down and ordered a copy of the children’s book Yard Sale! after referencing on the blog the other day. Definitely worth revisiting. In the meantime I am trying to finish Michelle Obama’s book which I started over the winter break. So much to read!

An outfit called newbreakapp is posting an article from Maryland Reporter with the baitiest of clickbait headlines:

 Columbia’s oldest office building being demolished to make way for more density

 It’s easier to go on over to Maryland Reporter to read this article by Len Lazarick,
where it bears this title:

Columbia’s oldest high-rise being demolished to make way for more development

Mr. Lazarick’s article outlines future changes to the immediate area without the use of emotional language. His approach is dispassionate while acknowledging how some in the community will feel as the face of the Lakefront changes. It seems to me that the repackaging of his article by newsbreakapp was done with the goal of scaring readers with that devil word “density” and thus prompting extra clicks from emotionally fraught local residents.

Density. Development. All our local dirty words for another day. I’ll get back to you on that, too.

I’m going to see if I can catch a little more sleep of the non- nightmare variety.


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