Village Green/Town²

  noun 1 . a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area. synonyms: settler , colonist , colonizer, frontiersman , frontierswoman , explorer , trailblazer , bushwhacker "the pioneers of the Wild West" verb 1 . develop or be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity). "he has pioneered a number of innovative techniques" synonyms: introduce , develop , evolve , launch , instigate , initiate , spearhead , institute , establish , found , be the father/mother of, originate , set in motion, create Yesterday, at long last, I became a pioneer. Not the well-known Columbia Pioneer with the capital P, but an entirely new kind of pioneer. Lower-case, maybe, but every bit as proud. Look at that second definition above. It is Columbia as a verb . You'll see words like instigate, launch, spearhead, develop, set in motion. (Photo by Dave and Ilana Bittner, HoCoMoJo ) That's me with the bright green, Chrysalis -green...

The big news of the week is that my new job is kicking my butt, as they say. I love it but the physical demands are far greater than I expected. Every muscle in my body hurts. You wouldn't think that teaching three year olds is a full body workout, but it is. After that, of course, comes today's groundbreaking for the Chrysalis , kicking off Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods. It starts at ten am and will happen rain or shine. So bring an umbrella and wear sensible shoes. Speaking of the Chrysalis, blogger Frank Hecker is back in a new location . His first post is about The Chrysalis and its Cousins. Go take a look. How Chow is back from his toddler-induced exile and is as engaging and informative as ever. I especially like this post about how he got recognized at Luna Bella. Very strongly considering a Change.org petition for the return of HoCoRising . I would absolutely undertake it if I thought it would have any positive effect. The Glenwood parents are still going stron...

Fourteen years ago I was watching children play on the playground. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Then another teacher came over and said, "did you hear?" The rest of the day is a blur--dismissing children early, going to find my own daughter at the School for the Arts, where I learned she had led her class in prayer, at the request of a teacher. In a public school, they prayed. And in my little Episcopal school around the corner we played, had snack, waited for parents to come, and wondered if the world was ending. My youngest was a baby in home daycare and I worried I might never see her again. My husband left work to get her and the plan was we would all meet up at home. Something as simple as that seemed in question. Everything was wrong. The world was upside down and a beautiful blue sky might open up at any minute with death and destruction. We made it. Of course we made it. Our experience of the day, as terrifying as it was, was only as distant observers. We could tur...

A friend of mine once described innovation in the Howard County Schools as follows: Somewhere in Central Office there is a mysterious department called The Next Big Thing Coming Down the Pike. They are always working on the things that are going to happen five, ten years in the future. As soon as they complete one project, they move to the next big thing coming down the pike . "But what happens if there's a problem with what they created? What happens if people need help?" I asked. That's not their job. They're already working on the Next Big Thing. And there is no department of Implementing What We've Got Now. Of course this is purely anecdotal, and framed in a rather allegorical way. But today it seems rather apropos. I submit to you two articles: HoCo Times , August 29th: Howard School system gives high marks to new software WBALTV , September 9th: New computer system causing trouble in Howard County classrooms So, what do you think? If you are a ...

Stop everything! This is the invitation of the Century! In Columbia, anyway. I often wonder what it was like to be here at the beginning of Columbia. It must have been an amazing time. You can visit Barbara Kellner at the Columbia Archives to get a taste, or travel in a specially designed vehicle if you get the chance, but otherwise, let's face it. We missed out.   Until now. This Saturday the Inner Arbor Trust is holding the groundbreaking event for the Chrysalis, the first piece of Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods. The Chrysalis will be an amphitheater that can be used for all sorts of community events. Think music at Wine in the Woods and more. Think all sorts of events we've never had in Symphony Woods before. Think people enjoying downtown Columbia.   It's the beginning of something amazing: a park that will define Columbia for the new century. This will be the heart of a welcoming, vibrant community that celebrates nature and the arts.   You want to ...

Dear Oakland Mills Village Board, You and I have something in common. We love Oakland Mills, and we are willing to dedicate time and energy into making it better. As you serve out your terms and consider ways to improve our village, I submit the following request out of love for our village and the knowledge of just how hard your job can be: Be a positive face for Oakland Mills to the world. In all of your dealings be the kind of people that others will want to run towards, and not away from. Make positive policies that lift people up, not punitive policies designed to drive people away. Make it easy to come home to Oakland Mills, and to stay here, too. Remember than this attracts new residents, and that this drives them away. Keep in mind that we are a village of diverse ages, generational groups, race, ethnicity, culture, and income levels, and that that is exactly what we ought to be. For every minute you devote to focusing on fixing things that you feel are broken, devo...

This could be a bulletin board in any Howard County School. I passed this one many, many times before I stopped to take this picture. Later I asked the music teacher one question.   "You know that bulletin board, the one that says Join the Band, Join the Orchestra? Where's the one that says Join the Choir?"     He looked a little surprised. "There isn't one," he said.   I knew that.   These posters are produced and shared with schools by Music and Arts, which has a long, positive relationship with the Howard County School System. I have nothing critical to say about them. But it is quite telling that there are no "Join the Choir" posters. It isn't because joining the choir is less important. It is because Music and Arts has no commercial interest in chorus building. They have nothing to sell you in that area.   It only makes sense, right?   But, remember that expression, "You can't be what you can't see...