Joys and Sorrows

Here we are. The last day of the year. One of my favorite accounts on Bluesky, @heymrsbond, put this request out into the universe:

Brag about something you did in 2024. (Surviving counts!!)

Skipping over the personal stuff…I am still blogging. I guess that’s my way of surviving.

The numbers tell me that the most popular posts of 2024 were:

A Special Man, A Special Place about the founder of Pete’s Snowballs  

Banner Takes Swing at Book Issue, Misses about the issue of book banning in the BOE race

The Day School Was Closed about the ongoing and crippling impact of deferred maintenance at Oakland Mills High School

The numbers don’t tell me which posts elicited the most interesting conversations in the comments section. I’m reasonably sure they are not the same posts. I should find a way to check that out. Sometimes the responses are more rewarding the the post itself. Obviously I love writing or I wouldn’t do this. But the comments section is where I get an opportunity to learn things I couldn’t have known otherwise. I like that. 

Probably the greatest accomplishment of our community as a whole in 2024 is the emphatic rejection of M4L influence in the Board of Education race. I do think we can feel proud of that and, at the same time, acknowledge that our work there is NOT over. If we treat that issue like the deferred maintenance at OMHS, then the education of all of our students will be put at risk.

A community joy? The opening of indie bookstore Queen Takes Book in Columbia.

A community sorrow? The closing of The Third in May. 

Community disappointments? I think the long slow fizzle of the Lakefront Library is such a missed opportunity but there’s no denying it didn’t set everyone aglow with spark of possibility the way it did for me. 

We still desperately need more housing. 

Resource-hoarding and racism still hide behind pleasant and respectable faces. 

The Columbia Association has a new President and I have seen next to nothing about him online which past experience tells me is probably…a good thing? You never can tell when it comes to the CA Board, though.

What do you think? What are your opinions on community accomplishments, joys, sorrows, and disappointments for 2024? 

Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments

More Surprises

 

Dear readers, I hope I never stop finding things about this place that surprise me. You may remember how stunned I was to learn about The Bubble created by students and faculty at the local outpost of Antioch College in Columbia. I mean, what could be weirder than that?

Imagine my surprise when I learned that there was a time when Columbia was a hotbed of…clowns.

Christian clowns. Ministering clowns. Clowns who were gently, playfully pushing at the established boundaries of traditional church worship.

The rich and controversial history of Maryland’s clown ministers, Lillian Reed, Baltimore Banner

Don’t believe me? There’s photographic proof, and the Columbia Maryland Archives has it. Of course.

 Created by Floyd Shaffer/Courtesy of Columbia Maryland Archives

Here you see the Rev’d Floyd Shaffer, who founded a clown ministry here in 1974. He’s accompanied by his granddaughter and a clown marionette. According to the Banner article, 

Earlier this year, the Columbia Maryland Archives put together an online exhibit about the town’s nondenominational clown ministry, called Faith and Fantasy, which Shaffer founded in 1974. Archivist Erin Berry said staffers were inspired after stumbling across a popular YouTube channel’s episode on Christian clowning.

I was even more surprised to see the name of the church where my husband is the music director jump out from the text of the article.

Six years later, Shaffer debuted as a clown minister for the opening day of Abiding Savior’s vacation Bible school, according to a news article preserved in Columbia’s archives.

We’ve been associated with Abiding Savior since our youngest was an infant and I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything about clowns. I find this all very fascinating.

Archivist Erin Berry makes this point and I think I can understand why:

“I don’t think that something that’s so controversial — I don’t know what other word to use — as clowning ministry could flourish in another place other than Columbia,” Berry said. “You could just try what you wanted to try.”

One thing I don’t see in this article is any mention of the musical Godspell, which was created during this same time period. (1971) I don’t think there’s any way to dismiss the connection.

John-Michael Tebelek wrote Godspell in order to give people a "way in" to religion in general and the teachings of Christ specifically. The physical production must work toward that end as well, through the sets, costumes, staging, and acting style. The show's original concept was based on Harvey Cox's 1969 Feast of Fools, which argued that for religion to once again reach the people, it had to reclaim its festivity and fantasy. Much of organized religion had become so somber, so serious, that the joy had gone out of it. 

From this concept, Tebelek seized upon the idea of using clowns to recapture that lost feeling of celebration and revelry. The cast put on clown make-up and wild colorful costumes after being drawn together by Jesus. This concept was based not only on Cox's work, but also on the joy and freedom of the youth movement of the 1960s and early 1970s. The cast as ordinary people becoming clowns illustrated a dramatic change, a very visible kind of conversion. GODSPELL: An Analysis,

Scott Miller, New Line Theater

It looks as though the time was ripe for a movement to express preaching and ministry in nontraditional ways, and not just in Columbia. I do think there was something about the New American City which provided fertile ground for Rev’d Shaffer and others to develop and express their new and sometimes controversial ideas. I mean, this was Columbia. Anything was possible. 

Lillian Reed’s article in the Banner contains a lot more information and visuals - - take the time to read it if your curiosity is piqued as much as mine was. Even better - - you can see the exhibit itself at the Columbia Maryland Archives. It’s called Send in the Clowns! Columbia's Clown Ministry: Faith and Fantasy and is available to view online.

I hope I never stop being surprised by this place. After all, Columbia was meant to be all about the joy of discovery.

Village Green/Town² Comments

December Birthdays

I once worked at a small Episcopal school where invidual student birthday celebrations were not encouraged. Each month the priest in charge would announce Birthday Blessings for the month in chapel and later that day all students would enjoy ice cream sandwiches for dessert at lunch. It was the custom. As I recall things were more loosey-goosey when it came to birthday celebrations in the preschool. The young ones couldn’t be expected to understand the unified birthday concept. Their parents couldn’t, either. 

That little school is no more but her students are out there in the world, hopefully not scarred by celebrating joint birthdays in the lunchroom. One of those students is celebrating her birthday today. My oldest child (far from a child) took her Grace and Saint Peter’s School education to the Baltimore School for the Arts and then to Johns Hopkins University. She took a degree in writing and turned it into a published romance novel and a career in restaurant management. 

We don’t get to enjoy her writing locally much anymore, although I featured her thoughts in “Hospitality” on Christmas Day. As HoCoHouseHon she was a part of a brief golden age of local blogging (if you’ll forgive the hyperbole) kicked off by the vision and energy of Jessie Newburn, founder of HoCoBlogs. I used to feel intensely nostalgic about those years. Now they are fuzzy enough in my memory that I’m not entirely sure that they really happened. 

HoCoBlogs was The Thing. At least, it was for the intensely hyperlocal bunch of us who cared about it at the time. When I look back the phenomenon strikes me very much like the advent of Compact Discs on the music scene. They were revolutionary. Nothing was ever going to be the same. And then, before we knew it, CDs were obsolete and streaming had almost completely replaced them. 

In the same way, the local blog scene was going to be a whole new way of connecting people, sharing information, and encouraging new ideas. I sometimes wonder if it was just so full of its own sense of importance and potential that it just blew itself up. Clashes of personalities had something to do with its demise, as well as strongly differing goals for what it was meant to be. And then - - poof! - - it was no more.

Every once in a while I miss the BlogTail parties. Mostly, though, I miss the community of writers. One of my favorite bloggers chimed in this week after a long silence. The blog is AnnieRie Unplugged: Life in the Slow Lane. The Post is entitled “Merry Christmas Y’All Again.” The author, Diane Marie Ochs Ference, started blogging in November of 2011. 

…currently I focus my posts on life as a retiree living in West Howard County.

Topics? Include gardening, cooking, volunteering, and eating and drinking locally produced items. Add to that whatever catches my fancy at the moment.

Though she hasn’t posted much recently, past pieces contain a wealth of information about local food, farms, wine, wineries, and her work with the Howard County Conservancy. It’s all still there for you to dip into. Warning: when she describes her homemade meals you may find yourself wishing you could drive on over to try them. 

Another good reason to bring up Ms. Ference today - - it’s her birthday.  Maybe it’s a good day to read her most recent piece  and then wish her many happy returns of the day. 

Are you having a birthday today? Blessings! It can be hard having a December birthday. I hope you feel loved and celebrated.

Village Green/Town² Comments

New! Or: New to Me

It looks like it is going to rain all day. Blah. In my opinion, snow would be a whole lot more fun - - not to mention seasonally appropriate - - but it’s Saturday during the holidays and I bet we’ll all manage to find something to do.

I’m thinking of trying out the new grocery store in Wilde Lake. The Columbia Grocery Outlet is located in the space where David’s Natural Market used to be. They opened in late November but I just haven’t made it over there yet. More often than not I shop at Wegmans but I find the store to be enormous and daunting at times. I’m thinking that the Grocery Outlet may be a more manageable size for me. 

Have you been? Any recommendations?

Another new place that my husband and I have been meaning to try is a second hand bookstore called The Novel Refuge. Noodling around a good bookstore sounds like a great idea on a rainy Saturday. From their website:

The Novel Refuge, Inc. is a 501(c)3 public charity. We are a 100% volunteer-run used bookstore.Our mission is to support local refugees and asylum-seekers by selling books, games, puzzles,and other literary-related items. Through our bookstore in Laurel, we promote literacy in our community and keep books in circulation and out of landfills, thus reducing waste and the environmental impact of these products. 

They’re located in Cherry Tree Center: 11200 Scaggsville Rd. Suite 127 Laurel, MD 20723

Lastly, a new restaurant I keep hearing about is Old Line Kitchen and Wine Bar. You can find them in Gateway in the old Aida Bistro space. It’s true that we don’t go out to eat much these days. But…I took a peek at their menu and it looks tempting without being pretentious or outrageously priced. The feedback I’ve been seeing in social media has been encouraging. So, maybe…

Longtime readers of the blog know that I tend to get lost every time I go to Gateway. Perhaps someone should open a nice little bed and breakfast over there for those of us who lose their way after dark. If they do, I promise you I’ll write about it here.

Have a great Saturday whatever you decide to do! My day will begin with a luxurious bubble bath courtesy of our brand new hot water heater, the very best new thing in my life. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

F ³: Christmas Present and Imperfect

 

If today goes the way I hope it will, a brand new water heater will come into our lives and we will once again have hot water. This was the Christmas adventure none of us were counting on this year. We managed to enjoy The Big Day without it but cravings for a hot bath are beginning to overtake all my conscious and unconscious thoughts.

Of course, it’s a good reminder that plenty of folks spend this time of year without adequate food, shelter, and numerous other resources. We will most likely soon be back to our usual creature comforts so these days pose not a whole lot more than temporary inconvenience. 

Some days I am not so great at coping with temporary inconvenience. 

But, overall, we are getting by. A casual Christmas dinner can be served on paper plates and hand sanitizer is a great backup for handwashing if cold water and soap doesn’t inspire confidence. One can boil water to wash small quantities of items if absolutely necessary. 

When we look back on the Christmas of 2024 will the absence of hot water still figure large in our memories? Or will the joy and general hilarity of our family being altogether far outshine it? Our grown children bringing along their significant others, my mother-in-law bringing Christmas crackers to share, my husband getting out the music tech toys and doing wild demonstrations, the monumentally impressive cheese platter that threatened to eclipse the entire rest of the meal…(it was, as the kids say, “epic”)

Some years ago, when we accidentally ordered the wrong sized couch from IKEA and it was too large for our living room, our youngest said,  “Some day we’ll look back on this and laugh.” At that particular moment we were not ready to laugh. 

We did get there eventually.

And so we will with the Christmas without a water heater. We are lucky that we have the resources to replace it and our woes will soon be mended. And it will become a story of Christmases past.

Do you have any stories like that? I’d love to hear them.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Hospitality

 

Today’s post comes from the former HoCoHouseHon, who took time on a busy Christmas Eve to pen these words:

If you’re going out to dinner tonight - or any night - take a moment to consider that your whole experience depends upon the hard work of immigrants, from the line cooks to the bussers, from the servers to the managers, from agricultural workers to the contractors who built the restaurant. Immigrants are fundamental to our entire way of life. 

Tonight is when Christmas is celebrated in some Latin cultures, and the majority of my staff is missing Christmas to serve everyone who celebrates tomorrow. So be kind. Say thank you. Every time you go out to eat, remember that there would be no hospitality in this country without immigrants.

So be grateful, and pray with me that the amazing people who truly make our country great can always call America their home.

*****

Way back in 2018 when the County Executive race was getting ugly with sneers like, “He loves those illegals more than he loves us,” I wrote:

This is every bit as much a local issue as a national one.

As HoCoHouseHon’s words above remind us, this issue is still, sadly, as relevant as ever.

Yet again we see people manipulated by fear and a mindset of scarcity, a small-minded “othering” of those who look different, worship differently, or sound different when they speak. It’s absolutely true that “immigrants are fundamental to our way of life” but all they see is “those people are going to take my stuff.”

There are many fancy ways of justifying it but in the end it is as base and as coarse as that: Those people. Those people. Sure, I believe in “we the people”. But not those people. Those people are going to take my stuff.

Not much has changed when it comes to folks whose idea of democracy is voting to ensure that they they can exert outsized influence over who gets in, how many, where they live, and where their kids go to school. Some of these people are very nice people. Some of them will tell you they believe in things like “God is love” and “Love thy neighbor.”

But:

You can't say you "love" someone and then vote in such a way that you place their lives and the lives of people like them in real danger.

An amazing thing about love, and justice, and generosity, and respect: they don’t run out because they are shared. There is no finite “pot of good stuff” which will be diluted or drained when we decide to place value on the lives of the undocumented, or people of color, or Muslims, or the poor. In fact, our democracy can only be made stronger by welcoming diversity, by including our neighbors.

All of them.

It still comes down to this: When you have more than you need -  -  build a bigger table, not a higher fence. 

You think building a bigger table is too expensive? The cost of a higher fence far outweighs it: a democracy that is not truly a democracy, a land of plenty destroyed by a fearful grasping for resources, a community where “those people” lead parallel but lesser lives. 

Today is Christmas, you say. Hanukkah begins today. Just celebrate, already. Why are we talking about this? Simply because these words weigh so heavily on my heart today:  there would be no hospitality in this country without immigrants. But how do we show hospitality? How do we embody the ancient responsibility to welcome the stranger, to provide food, shelter, and safety? 

Today may be a day of many gifts. Tomorrow will be determined by how we chose to share. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Givers and the Takers

 

Columbia Community Care organized another toy drive and family giveaway event this year. 

Toys for Tots Howard County has completed yet another year of providing toys to children in the community who might otherwise go without. 

Free Bikes 4 Kidz has finished another season of bike restoration and giving.

Image from Free Bikes 4 Kidz social media 

There’s a whole lot of good going in in Howard County year-round but it does seem as though the time around the December holidays is awash in charitable ventures, doesn’t it?

And then there’s this:

Ellicott City woman embezzled $1M, used funds for Taylor Swift tickets, luxury items, JT Moodee Lockman, WJZ/Baltimore Banner 

According to her guilty plea, Jennifer Tinker, 41, defrauded the real estate agency that she worked for by transferring over $1 million of company funds to her personal bank accounts between January 2020 and November 2023, officials said.

I just don’t get it. Many of us wish for more money from time to time. I routinely wish I could win the lottery so I could become a professional philanthropist. And I wouldn’t mind a few splurges for myself, let’s be honest here. But I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around this story. This crime had to be imagined, planned, and executed over a period of time. It meant putting her employment at risk and lying to her coworkers. And it took skill.

Why do people do that? 

Maybe it’s reading this story at this particular time of year that amplifies its egregiousness. I  am often in awe of the energy and dedication of those in our community who give of themselves to help others. I dare not hold myself up against their good works because I know how clearly I would fall short. 

Well, at least I’m not embezzling a million dollars to spend on myself, I guess.

There’s a vast expanse between Columbia Community Care, Toys for Tots, and Free Bikes 4 Kidz and the real estate employee who embezzled company funds. I’d hazard a guess that most of us fall in there someplace. We are neither living saints nor outright criminals. Sometimes we lead, sometimes we help, sometimes we forget or let other things get in the way.

What motivates people to give? To take? To build? To tear down?

Do you think our community has more givers or takers? 

That’s a lot to think about for a Tuesday in December.

Village Green/Town² Comments

A Moment to Remember

I subscribe to a number of local newsletters. On a good week I read them all, or, I try to. This week, in the Downtown Columbia Partnership newsletter, I was sad to learn of the passing of two women whose involvement in the local scene was both long-term and significant.

In Memoriam

Two long serving community leaders associated with Downtown Columbia – Lin C. Eagan and Linda S. Wengel – passed away recently.

Lin Eagan, a popular real estate agent who died Nov. 26, served on the Town Center Village Board, the Columbia Association Board of Directors, and as board member and chair of the Inner Arbor Trust. She was also a former board member and chair of the Community Foundation of Howard County. A service is planned for Lin Eagan in January.  More information will be forthcoming.

Linda Wengel also was a former member and chair of the Town Center Board of Directors and was active in the League of Women Voters. She was a regular attendee and speaker at public meetings, particularly those associated with the development of Downtown Columbia and on issues of affordable housing. There will be a Celebration of Life for Linda Wengel on Thursday, Dec. 19, 11 a.m., at Carriage House, 5410 Leaf Treader Way. An obituary is available here.  - - Downtown Columbia Partnership News, December 17, 2024

I knew Lin Eagan through her work as the Chair of the Inner Arbor Trust. 

She was honored at a concert at the Chrysalis in September of 2022 when she concluded her service to the Trust. (See above.) Ms. Eagan was fiercely committed to the mission of Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods as a place for everyone. If you’ve ever enjoyed any time in the park then you have been a part of what she believed in and advocated for.

I never met Ms. Wengel but she was a long time reader of the blog. She frequently posted thoughtful comments and would sometimes send me emails with follow up questions and pertinent information. She was the kind of reader that makes writing a blog more fun. Her input and interest often provided me a jumping off point to learn something new.

Both of these women gave of themselves to make the community a better place. I hope we are growing more people like them for the future.

A shout-out to the Downtown Columbia Partnership for taking the time to remember and honor them this week.   

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Feast

Food, glorious food…

It’s a big part of our seasonal celebrations, isn’t it? While we may not be sitting down to a feast featuring a boar’s head processional nor concluding with a flaming figgy pudding, we love to gather with those we love and share celebratory meals.

I’m not referring solely to Christmas, because every religion and culture have ways of celebrating that include food. And often families and groups of friends create their own “holidays” with special food that have nothing to do with a red letter day on the calendar. At my house, for instance, June 1st is Tiger Birthday. We celebrate with chocolate pie. 

Now, here’s the thing. It seems as though many people have dietary restrictions these days. I think that’s fine. In the past people just got sick and felt miserable and nobody knew why. Knowing what foods you need to avoid is an improvement. In the case of severe allergies it’s a life or death situation. 

Others have made ideological decisions to avoid meat and animal products and still others follow religious guidelines. Lastly, some of us can not or choose not to ingest anything containing alcohol.

So, let’s say you want to gather together over food and drink this year. What will that look like for you? In my family we have one person who can’t have dairy, one who can’t have gluten, one who can’t have anything in the allium family, one who has sensory issues around some foods, and almost no one drinks alcohol. Just for fun, my diverticulitis has flared up again just in time for Christmas. The list of what I can eat is smaller than what I should avoid.

Ah yes. It’s the most wonderful time of the year - - unless you are meal planning. 

If you are in this situation in one way or another, what are the places in Howard County that make it easier for you? Which groceries/specialty food stores are well stocked when it comes to people with dietary restrictions? And what about restaurants? If you needed to accommodate a group like mine, for instance, where would you go? What establishments really “get it” when it comes to allergies/food intolerance and are set up to accommodate customers with differing needs?

Basically I want to know where you’ve had a good experience. What are your “go to” local food businesses when it comes to special diets? Let’s pool our resources here. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

F ³: Options

 

I happen to know a lot of church musicians. This is probably what comes of spending my junior year at Westminster Choir College, which offers majors in church music, music education, and performance. So I wasn’t surprised to see a Facebook post from a old acquaintance promoting his church’s Christmas Eve services.

That must be a big church, I thought. Five services!

And then: hmm…look at all the choices. 

• Modern
• Kids
• Traditional

Clearly traditional is the favored option here. Perhaps many folks like to celebrate their major holidays with a traditional flavor.

And this is where my brain did that inexplicable thing and wondered what it would be like if everything in life was divided into these three categories. Perhaps many of them already are. Restaurants, for instance. I don’t think it’s too big a stretch to imagine one’s dining choices as falling into: Modern, Kids, and Traditional.

And what about education? While there are undoubtedly schools using modern methods or deeply entrenched in a traditional old school approach, sign me up for the kid-centric school every time. 

Now that we are on a roll, just imagine local government. Which County Council hearing would you choose? And what would that look like? If the Kid’s version were shorter, more hands on, used visual aids, and gave more opportunities for engagement/participation - - yeah, I’d probably go with that. 

Here we arrive at the intersection of my original idea and something else that’s been on my mind lately: Sesame Street. You may have heard that HBO has cancelled future episodes of this beloved educational program for children. Individual citizens are being asked to make donations to “save” the show. How did we get here?

Sesame Street was originally funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which, in turns is funded through government allocations. When that money was no longer forthcoming, a decision to save the show was made by partnering with a commercial network. And now that commercial network is axing Sesame Street as a “business decision.”

Have you seen Sesame Street since it went to HBO? Were you familiar with old school Sesame Street? In your opinion, how do they compare?

Honestly, my favorite Sesame Street would have to be Traditional. I have found the Modern version to be much less creative and it feels to me to lack the true essence of what made the original show so special. Relationships were deeper, playfulness felt like a core goal. (Heavens! Have I become a Make Sesame Street Great Again agitator?) Does my personal nostalgia color my support for the show?

Maybe a little. 

Mostly what I yearn for is a Sesame Street which is truly a Kids version, and by that I mean one that meets the needs of children today and appeals as much to their imaginations and sense of humor as their educational development. In the end that wouldn’t exactly be the Traditional show that I remember. But it would reassert the value and importance of a program meant to connect with kids and lift them up.

There are some breathtakingly wealthy companies and individuals in this country. Isn’t there someone out there who shares this vision? Who wants to carry this show and its mission into the future? Sesame Street is basically asking the public for small change. What they need is someone who will provide major funding.

Can we really divide all of life between Modern, Kids, and Traditional? Probably not. It would make a great party game, though. I think I’d almost always choose Kids but maybe not in the case of major surgery. I have my limits.

Thoughts on options or on Sesame Street? Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Tired to the Bone

“Teachers are tired.”

I came across these words this morning in a social media discussion about a school lockdown. (Not local) I knew immediately what they meant. Not tired like, “I need a nap” or “Winter vacation can’t come soon enough.” No, it’s more like “Drained to the bone.” “No longer believe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” 

My thoughts jumped to this statement responding to the school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin:

The days immediately following school shootings are the very worst to be a teacher in this country. Not just in theory, either. The tension, the anxiety, and the fear are palpable. Thick. Everybody’s nervous systems go into overdrive as we mentally (and sometimes physically) prepare for the worst thing.

Living like this does damage. I know it does.  - - Chanea Bond

Teachers are tired. 

How tired?

I’m so heartbroken and so furious and way too underpaid to be dealing with this all the damn time.

And to think so many of us CHOOSE this.

We could have safer schools and communities.

Instead we just don’t.  - - teacher comment on Bluesky 

We do not pay teachers adequately for the amount of work they do, the intensity of work that they do, and on top of that we expect them to be the first line of defense against gun violence. Every single day.

Teachers are tired.

Let’s make this local: yesterday there was a rally in support of Howard County teachers in front of the George Howard building. Coordinated by the Howard Progressive Project, the event was entitled “Unifying for Community Engagement in Support of Educators.” The rally combined education supporters from a number of local groups including the Howard Progressive Project, HCEA, the African American Coalition of Howard County and others to advocate for increased funding for public schools.

Ellicott City, Maryland - - Howard County educators began this 2024-25 school year withlarger classes, fewer learning materials, and lower inflation-adjusted salaries. But a broad coalition of local organizations is calling on the Board of Education, the County Council, and County Executive Calvin Ball to work together and fund a long-term contract that keeps Howard County educator compensation competitive with neighboring counties. The coalition is also urging stakeholders to find new streams of revenue to fully fund the mandates of the Blueprintfor Maryland’s Future.

 - - press release, Howard County Progressive Project 

Folks, we can’t keep drawing water from an empty well. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves. Young people are less and less inclined to choose and train for a teaching career. 

Our teachers spend hours every day assessing and addressing student needs. What are we doing to address teacher needs? If we believe that free public education is a public good then we must be committed to making the choices that support public schools and help them thrive.

Thank you notes are nice. Teacher gifts are nice. Hot chocolate and cookie buffets are nice. If they were adequate compensation for important and necessary work that’s what we would be giving CEO’s. But we don’t. We expect that their work expectations and salary should be in line with their skills, education, and ability. 

Teachers need the same. And they need us to care enough to make schools safe places for children and adults, too. 

Because teachers are tired. Very, very tired. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

The Happiness Business

There’s an article in the Sun (which I couldn’t read) about a gentleman named Craig Casterella. His company, American Christmas, makes the Merriweather Disctrict look merry and bright for the season.

Screenshot of article from Baltimore Sun, article by Kiersten Hacker

Yes, I tried to find this article through the Howard County Library website. I failed. I guess I wasn’t looking under the right rock.

Seeing an article about a company that will do one’s holiday decorating put me in mind of the variety of businesses available to provide seasonal services. You can hire someone to:

• Hang your Christmas lights
• Clean your house in preparation for holiday guests
• Cater your holiday meals and/or parties
• Decorate the interior of your house.
• You probably can hire someone to do your gift shopping, too.

It seems as if there is a service for almost anything one might be willing to pay for. Or, if there isn’t, there soon will be once a savvy entrepreneur figures out how to monetize it successfully. It wasn’t that long ago that you either washed your own car or took it to the car wash. Now you can have someone come to your home and do more than wash it. They will engage in high-level, luxury detailing services.

But where are the people who will detail my kitchen appliances? Why is that not a thing? I’m not sure I could afford to pay for that kind of work but I might contemplate saving up. Would you?

Are there some services you’d be willing to pay for but no one has created a business for them yet? For example,  I know I’d be willing to hire someone to take our bins down for trash and recycling days and bring them back each week. 

Dream big. Or small. Perhaps you need someone to drive you to dental appointments so you don’t chicken out. Someone to show up and put fresh sheets on all the beds once a week like clockwork. Someone to be in charge of your children’s school and activity schedules. 

Is there a business for that? 

There are dog walking services. Are there services that will get your sedentary relative off the couch and take them for a walk?  I mean, I can see where that might be beneficial.

One last note: if you reread this piece you’ll see that many of the services I mention are things that we just expect women to do without assistance or compensation. Hmm…

Send me your business/service ideas. This could be fun. And we might think up something viable!

Village Green/Town² Comments

Flash!

Flash Number One:

If you were at Savage Mill on Sunday you may have enjoyed a pop-up community parranda by Cultura Plenera. 

Photo from Cultura Plenera social media 

A parranda is a Puerto Rican holiday musical tradition that involves visiting the homes of friends and family and singing traditional holiday music. It's the Puerto Rican version of caroling, but parrandas are generally considered secular events enjoyed by all Puerto Rican regardless of their religious beliefs.

They are an opportunity to visit and celebrate the end of the year with friends and family. Visitors can participate in this Puerto Rican version of caroling right here at Savage Mill! - - event page

Although they billed it as a Flash Mob of sorts, the good folks of Cultura Plenera acknowledged the ways in which their parrranda would differ from the typical Flash Mob.  

A flash mob is a group of people who suddenly perform an unexpected act in a public space for a short time, and then quickly disperse. Flash mobs are known for their element of surprise and are often used for artistic expression or social engagement.

Cultura Plenera will apply the flash mob model to our parranda tradition in order to invite our entire community to our very first Flash Mob Parranda which we will perform as an expression of our culture and traditions, and to engage with our community.

We have permission from Savage Mill to do this celebration so feel free to bring your entire family and all your friends. Also bring your instruments and voices...this is a community parranda!! - - Cultura Plenera Facebook Page 

If you didn’t happen to be there on Sunday you should definitely visit the Cultura Plenera Facebook page to see photos and video from the event. 

Photo credit Myriam Montañez Comito

Here’s a comment from someone who was there:

About last night.... Cultura Plenera

The pride of being part of the Puerto Rican diaspora was deeply felt last night at the flash mob parranda. In a season when traditions often bridge the distance between home and the heart, this spontaneous celebration became a powerful reminder of our collective spirit. … This parranda was more than a flash mob. It was a declaration of unity, a celebration of identity, and an inspiring reminder that our traditions and culture are a beacon of joy, no matter how far from home we may be. 

If I may be so bold, if you have never experienced Cultura Plenera, make a mental note to attend one of their events in the new year. 

*****

Flash Number Two:

When I was laid low with diverticulitis recently, I received an unexpected package in the mail. It was a gift box from YOLO Health and Wellness along with a sweet get-well card. The box contained a Grapefruit Granite Cleaner with a soft reusable cleaning cloth, a Passionfruit Lavender Shower Steamer, and an adorable jar of bath salts which had been crafted to read: Feel better soon.

As you might imagine, this surprise gift truly lifted my spirits on a rough day.

I discovered Recha Bullock’s all natural body and home products business at an event at The Third back in 2021. I’ve been a fan and fairly steady customer ever since. 

Well here’s an extra bit of flash for your day. YOLO Health and Wellness is having a Flash Sale today only on body butters, balms, and paw balm for your pets, too.

Photo from YOLO Health and Wellness 

Our first ever one day flash sale! Dry and distressed winter skin can make your skin feel rough and cracked. Unlock the secret to moisturized and radiant skin with our organic shea body butters and balms. Buy 2 Shea body butters or balms and get 1 free on our business site only. Use code SKINLOVE to get your free body butter or balm. Head over to our website to stock up now www.yolohealthwellness.org.

P.S. You can also add our pet paw balm for this flash sale!

**Sale ends 11:59 pm on December 17

You may find just what you want ti make a perfect gift for someone on your list or you just might realize, as I have, how thrilling it is to give something to yourself.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Today in Local HoCo: who are your local, go-to artisans/makers/entrepreneurs for gift giving? Fill me in in the Comments. 

Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It

Have you heard of Winter Growth? The mission of this regional nonprofit is to offer “Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Adult Day Programs that empower older adults to live their best lives.” Winter Growth, whose Howard County location is in Harpers Choice, will soon be offering a new program that connects young people with their elders. It’s called the Grandkid Investigator Series.

 

The creator of the Grandkid Investigator Series, Isabel Tom, is from Rockville. You can learn more about her at her website, The Value of Wrinkles.

My name is Isabel Tom. I offer easy-to- understand insight to equip and encourage grandchildren and adult children to care for their older loved ones.

The “mission” for grandkid investigators is for kids to gather as much “evidence" as they can about their grandparent/older friend. The kit contains individual missions on various topics such as fashion, holidays, travel, and favorite foods. Children don’t always know how to begin conversations with grandparents and/or older folks in general. This could provide an appealing and low stress framework for intergenerational communication.

Who says you have to be an adult to be a history detective?

Here’s a brief news video that explains what the Grandkid Invesigator Series is all about:

Grandkid Investigator Series, Young Investigators connecting with grandparents, NBC4 Washington

You can learn more and sign up for the upcoming series by reaching out to Becky Donahue at Winter Growth: becky.donahue@wintergrowthinc.org 

Mission One begins January 25th. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Realtor Bias? It Just Might Be A Thing.

Remember this moment from “A Charlie Brown Christmas”?

Lucy Van Pelt: I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.

Charlie Brown: What is it you want?

Lucy Van Pelt: Real estate.

So, let’s talk real estate.

I recently came across a rather odd video on YouTube posted by Eddie Brady of Showcase Real Estate. It’s called “Six Reasons to Avoid Columbia.” The video runs 9 minutes, 37 seconds and it’s the first real estate video I have ever seen telling the viewer why they don’t want to move somewhere. 

I understand that Columbia can be rather an acquired taste and that it’s important to understand what it’s all about before making the leap of home ownership here. To be honest, many of the issues raised seem reasonable. We know we’re not perfect or at the very least we know we’re not exactly like other places. We weren’t meant to be. Even if you are a wholehearted fan of all things Columbia I think you’d find some of this video relatable.

BUT…

At 7:04 the video reaches a section on schools. Or rather, what the host has entitled: 

INCONSISTENT PUBLIC SCHOOL QUALITY

Rather abruptly we are plunged into a laundry list of all things that realtors should not be doing when it comes to taking about schools during the home buying process. Chief among these is his total endorsement of “school ratings” as an accurate measure of school environment and educational quality. It’s also an exercise in racist dog whistles so carefully spun out that you almost might not know what was happening - - if you don’t know Columbia, that is. 

I began watching this video out of curiosity. Some of it, though blunt, was understandable. But the section on schools is, in my opinion, 100 per cent an advertisement of why you should not use this particular realtor. If any realtor starts talking to you about schools this way you should start looking for someone else.

Watch it and see what you think. If you’re pressed for time, just watch the education portion beginning at 7:04. 

One thing I found interesting was how the video combines of photos from the area with generic stock footage. I imagine it’s a cost-saving approach. You know what I’m going to do today? I’m going to go back and rewatch the video to examine the racial makeup of the people depicted throughout. After that school section I’m…curious. That might tell me a lot about how this realtor sees the world and who he sees as his target audience.

What do you think?

Village Green/Town² Comments

*****

Today in Local HoCo: Did you know that today is International Tea Day?  Why not celebrate at Queen Takes Book? Sip free hot tea, enjoy LiteraTea tastings at 11am & 2pm, and discover literary-inspired blends perfect for gifting. Warm hearts, cozy reads, and delicious teas await!

Saturday Fun, or Gathering Frenzy?

 

A quick recipe for overwhelm: go to the Events page for today on Facebook. Check out Local and This Week to see what’s happening today. Shopping, Santa, and various photo ops figure prominently. Here’s an unexpected one:

Holiday photos with Smooth Little Moos. Come out and get the cutest Holiday photos and cuddles with our fluffy Mini Highland Cow Luna.

I wonder if anyone has asked Luna what she thinks about all this. At least Santa knows why he’s there. 

Of course I’m going to put in a plug for the good folks at Clarksville Commons. Today is the last market of the season, and they’re going all out for the holidays. I’m even hearing rumors of a visit from the man in red.Check out the event page for more information.

A reminder that this is a great way to shop local and support local farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs.

You are invited to enjoy holiday activities at the Central Branch of the Howard County Library today beginning at 11 AM.

Celebrate the season with a festive lineup at our Central Branch on Saturday, December 14. Enjoy live music by MusAlliance, Anna Kusner and Peter Omelchenko, from 11 am-12 pm in the Equity Resource Center. Then participate in a drop-in seasonal children's craft class for all ages from 12 - 1 pm. Finally, get creative at two Craft Works: Winter Workshops, for ages 18 and up, at 1 pm and 2:30 pm. 

 

The Columbia Concert Band is giving a Winter Concert this afternoon at River Hill High School beginning at three PM.

I believe this event is free and open to the public.

This evening beginning at 6:00 PM Singer Nikki Lerner will be presenting a concert at Saint Peter’s church in Old Ellicott City. The theme is Songs for Peace, Wisdom, and the Christmas Spirit.

Register for your free tickets here. (You are invited to make a free will donation.) I’ve seen Ms. Lerner perform several times around town, including as a part of the WBAL Concert for Kids st OMHS a few years back. You can take a listen to her music at this link.

My Saturday plans look like wrapping presents and getting a box ready to mail to family in Indiana. What about you? Also, did you go to the Columbia Association event at the Lakefront? What was it like?

Village Green/Town² Comments

F ³: Scapegoats

I came very close to sharing my collection of ceiling photos with you this morning. Thank goodness you have escaped that fate. Then I read this:

Mass Deportations Could Lead to Severe Scapegoat Shortage, Experts Warn - - Andy Borowitz, writer, satirist 

He refers, of course, to a likely policy of the next president of the United States. But his words reach beyond just that one topic, I think. What happens when people invest everything in one scapegoat, one target of  blame?

It could be ginned-up rage about undocumented residents, high prices, people whose sexuality is different from our own, history lessons that include uncomfortable truths…you name it.

If you put all your eggs in one ideological basket and loudly blast all within earshot I think you also make yourself more vulnerable to those who would seek to manipulate you for their own purposes. If they know you have a negative hot button issue they can make promises accordingly. They can pretty much rely on you to respond to their words emotionally without using any critical thinking skills beforehand. 

Yes, I have issues that matter to me but that’s not the same thing as choosing a scapegoat for everything that’s wrong and essentially pursuing its destruction. And yes, there are times I care deeply enough about these issues that my initial response may be emotional. But I’m never fully disconnected from my ability to think things through and use good judgement. 

When you are all wrapped up in battling a scapegoat there is no nuance. And what happens if you get your way and discover it doesn’t make all the badness disappear? Who do you blame then? How do you resolve that cognitive dissonance?

Find another scapegoat. I guess. Transfer all that rage somewhere else. It behooves those who want to control your thoughts and behavior to supply you with a new scapegoat. It’s crucial to them that people don’t get enough space and quietness in their own heads to begin to think for themselves.

The case of mass deportation is complicated because, though it will not produce any of the positive results that its proponents are promising, it will satisfy the stirrings of deep-seated racism that lurk below the surface. And, as crazy as it sounds, some people will be able to bear that level of failure as long as that primal itch is being scratched. 

Thought for the day: if someone tries to convince you that everything that is wrong can be blamed on just one person, thing, or group - - they are not your friend. Keep an eye out for the folks who encourage you to get enough space and quietness within yourself to think your own thoughts.

Bonus question: what is something positive that you believe in and are working towards?

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Let There Be Light

How do we light the world? Can we? Each year we enter into this season where everything is darker and colder and each year we look for ways to bring light into the darkness.

Back in early November I spied this post from the Howard County 50-Plus Centers:

Don’t let the loss of daylight hold you back! 

It’s meant to encourage residents to sign up for a fitness class to bring some energy to the cold, dark months. But, because I am not exactly like other people, I read these words and thought, 

Don’t let the loss of daylight hold you back! Rage, rage against the dying of the light.*

So, what do we do? Do we reach for ways to light the world or do we rage against the dying of the light?

The late cartoonist Charles Schulz illuminates this struggle in a Peanuts strip in which Linus says, “I have heard that it is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.”

Artist Charles Schulz, United Features Syndicate/ Peanuts Worldwide LLC

Big sister Lucy comes along and yells, “Curse you, darkness!”

It’s complicated. Some days we want to light a candle. Some days we want to curse the darkness. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately.

That’s probably why I noticed something about the return of the Giving Machines at the Mall in Columbia  this year. 

 It’s not just a Giving Machine. It’s a Light the World Giving Machine.

Light the World is an initiative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (Please note: it is couched in Christian language because they are a Christian-centric denomination. But the purpose is service, not proselytizing.)

What is Light the World?

#LightTheWorld is an invitation to transform Christmas into a season of service. It’s a worldwide movement to touch hearts and change lives by doing the things Jesus did: feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely, visiting the sick and afflicted, and showing kindness to everyone. Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). #LightTheWorld is the perfect way to let our light—and His light—shine brightly.

Light the World partners with both global charities and local nonprofits to offer communities the chance to to participate in acts of giving. 

Imagine swiping your credit card at a vending machine—but instead of buying a candy bar for yourself, you’re buying a sheep for a family in a third-world country. Or a polio vaccine. Or a pair of shoes. Or 100 meals for your local food bank. With the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines, that’s exactly what happens. The Giving Machines provide a way for people to…help those in need and make the …season a little more meaningful for themselves and for countless others.

This year’s nonprofits are:

Bridges to Housing Stability

Bright Minds Foundaction

Digital Harbor Foundation 

Franciscan Center

Grassroots Crisis Intervention 

Check out their Instagram page to see just what needed items you can choose to fund for these local nonprofits: What you can give, Giving Machines Maryland. Prices range from 10 dollars to 150 so you can pick an amount which is right for your budget. 

The Giving Machines will be at the Mall until December 18th.

If, like me, you are struggling to find the light these days, perhaps you’ll find a little amongst your neighbors and friends at the Mall this year - - gathered around the Giving Machines. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

*Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - - Dylan Thomas