This is a beautiful drawing of me by Phil Cheney for my birthday week kickoff!!
This is AK Lorraine’s Birthday Week. She is going to be 30 on Wednesday! I am kicking it off with a drawing I did of Her back in the Fall of 2010, when She was attending the SIT Institution up in Brattleboro, VT. It gets chilly up there, so You need a hat and a big coat before going out of doors into the Super Colorful Fall weather.
I began to think about a subject again this afternoon that I discussed this morning in the midst of a crisis that should, in the future, be easily avoided from insight provided by the past. I think very similarly about Black History Month they way I feel about Valentine’s day (if you haven’t read the earlier post, here’s a quote from that day: “Valentines day is so ridiculous because we should be giving love in such an obscene way EVERY DAY!!”) This is how I feel about Black History Month. Why don’t we celebrate famous Black history month all year long? And WHY, my friend pointed out, is it peppered with a bunch of white dudes being commemorated, one of which (ahem.. Washington ((who’s birthday is celebrated today))) owned slaves? I must say however, the benefit of having Black History Month is beneficial and enlightening to white people, who any other time, may not take the time to be curious about anything but things that concern them… like these facts: Toni Morrison was born today. She is the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Read The Song of Solomon, it’s a stunning book. Also today in 1688, Quakers in Germantown, PA adopt the first antislavery resolution in the country.
But it shouldn’t be the federal requirement of a nation to get people to commemorate and appreciate the amazing works, unique history, and fallen heroes of a particular group of people – these things should be celebrated and honored all the time and with equal time and attention as everything else. The fact that we need a Black History Month just goes to show that we’ve gotten only slightly further down the road towards equality. (please see: http://www.dayinblackhistory.com/ )
I dedicate my blog today to all the rest of the months in the year that are left lonely without the presence of remembrance and beauty that ALL people embody and present to this world. I also dedicate my blog today to all the slaves that George Washington owned and only after he was dead were they emancipated. Sending out love to you, all of our ancestors, and current victims of hate, because you all have stared at a sunset such as this and been mystified at the possibility that some greater power is working to make things right, and if there isn’t such a power, our strength comes from the knowledge and satisfaction that we DO work against inequality and the oppressed will not be as such forever.
“I awoke today and found the frost perched on the town.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3EofN3Flag More than frost today Joni, SNOW is FALLING and I made sure the whole (nearby) neighborhood knew about it at 7:30 this Saturday morning. Snow is so magical and beautiful, each snowflake actually IS a divine, unique thing…
Yesterday, watching an 8 year old and a 1.5 year old is a ton of fun. I was sad to go home, but I had to get some work done, and that can’t happen with, “NiNi! What would you like to order from the Kevi Kitchen?!” coming in every 5 minutes. 🙂 There’s something about writing this journal that makes me feel really good and I haven’t been, up to this point, in the last couple of years, been able to sustain a journal or diary.. all the while killing myself with guilt that I didn’t have any follow through.
My inner voice is a mean one. I talk to myself in a more stern, mean, impatient, and unaccepting way than I would talk to anyone (much less people I love!) and I’ve decided that this has to change. I’m trying to make this change, understanding that it’s a process, not a destination. Isn’t that the lesson of life anyway, to enjoy the process because there IS no destination or final resting point? That’s not the way energy works.
Along that vein, in this day in history in 1932, the 1st patent issued for a tree, went to James Markham for a peach tree. That whole process is now being fought by another process. I don’t believe in purity or pristine anything to do with human creation, divine creation or an original thought. Everything at this point has been touched or manipulated by human existence on this earth, and everything we’ve done or experienced up to this point leads us to the thoughts we come up with. This leads me to 2 points: 1. nothing should be owned, personal ownership leads to greed…therefore I don’t believe in borders and 2. Seeds and the natural world should not be patented or owned… the race to the top for money and material wealth is destroying this planet and us as a collective species – and THERE IS NO END POINT! The process that I am finding joy in now, is the reclaiming of this mentality, the community, the rights of workers, the love of the planet and the genuine love of all beings. I AM all beings, I am finding the courage to say so and act on it. Happy February 16th, the first day of the rest of your life. What are you FOR?
I watched “Milk” last night and it was a tear-jerker. What a beautiful movie, what an amazing person. Harvey Milk. Wow. Read his hope speech. It’s absolutely pertinent just as much now as it was then, http://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/milk-youve-got-to-have-hope-speech-text/
The sun came up again today and it poured in through the windows as the sun rose above trees from across the street. I live in a rural area in North Carolina. In the morning, the sweetest peacefulness of frost on the ground and the chilly, brisk air is enough to make me smile. I had to wake up early to go babysit my two nephews. We’ve been having a blast all morning. Check out our awesome skills.
Kevi is the oldest, he’s 8. Joey is going to turn 2 in June. Kevi started reading Moby Dick this morning (the kids’ illustrated version) and Joey drooled on his new book, “What Penguins Do”. I love to give them books and see just how long their attention spans last. Kevi got through one paragraph and Joey ran after a moose after 5 minutes. Cute.
I’ll do a historical reflection in a blog later today. Right now I have boys to look after.
Victory and success for the local T-Birds was had last night during trivia @ The Eddy in Saxapahaw. Our team won and it was a really good time. I made Valentines for my new good neighbor friends. Modgepodge and magazine cutouts, crafts zone at my house was inspired by riding by The Sparrow House (a house down the road that should be named the Peacock House) and seeing hearts and lights everywhere.
Traditionally, I’m not a fan of Valentines day, so I go into work and use the Hallmark occasion to make a few extra bucks. I’ve been a waitress, bartender, dishwasher, or cook since I was 14. Valentines day is so ridiculous because we should be giving love in such an obscene way EVERY DAY!!
In other news, in 1920 on this day The League of Women Voters was established in Chicago. Also, Feb. 14, 1847, Anna Howard Shaw, one of the most influential leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, was born. The coalition for Fair (publicly funded) Elections is made up of many organizations, mine being one of them (Democracy Matters) and the League of Women Voters is another. I am very happy to be able to say that I a m a part of such an amazing coalition, working for change in this country. Getting private and corporate wealth out of the election system is our goal – as it stands right now, all politicians (no matter how wonderful or terrible they may be) are indebted to the people who pay for their elections and the SUPERPACs that support them. On Valentines today in New York, Valentines are being distributed to elected officials for their support of Fair Elections and we will hopefully see some substantial changes, and soon.
Craving, if you were wondering is the name of today’s post for two reasons: 1. I’m hungry, this is to be mediated shortly. and 2. I was missing the voice of my dear friend who just moved to Thailand. I spoke to her this morning and it was a delight.
Sending Valentines love from across the world is a lovely way to start your day. I also received a very special e-mail from my sweetheart telling me how sweet I am and how much he loves me, he doesn’t just do this on Valentines day. So I’m pretty lucky. 🙂 I made him a card last night too, a hilarious one that is not only a hand-made card, but it’s an awesome, hand-made pop-out card.
So happy V-Day everyone, from your local, typical and loving,
Scrooge
I watched the Presidential State of the Union address last night, and went to bed rather deflated. I was impressed by his bold nature, but I wish he would have talked about Syria and all the violence going on around the world. Drones would have been a topic I would have liked to hear more about. I am glad he talked about gun violence. I am happy he talked about raising minimum wage. It would have been nice to hear a stand AGAINST the environmentally dangerous process of fracking and the Keystone XL pipeline and FOR publicly financed elections. He did give a shout out on how corporations and rich individuals are flooding politics, but we need MORE than a shout out, and that’s where all of us come in…. so on to today… In 1960, France detonated its first nuclear bomb and last year on this day, Washington state become the 7th state to legalize same-sex marriage. GO WASHINGTON STATE! I’ve always said that when EVERYONE can get married, then I’ll think about it.
…This morning, around 4am EST I awoke to pee and then went back to bed. I don’t think I slept very much after that, in and out of dream land where everything is cloudy, yet very clear. Dreams are things that remain an enigma to me, when I wake up I wish sometimes that the dreams were real. Sometimes when I wake up, I’m thanking my lucky stars that it was only a dream. I dream violent and murderous dreams, where I’m fighting a battle with an old enemy – one that in waking life truly ruined my family. Sometimes when I’m not battling, I am creating and flying and doing things that I have never done. In my waking dreams I dream
about being like Mother Teresa and inspiring hope and love on all things and making the world a better place, all the while highlighting injustice in the world.
I dream about having a garden that I eat from and also feed others. I dream about having a solar garden too, that helps cut down on energy costs. I dream about living in a hole in the ground, with a big, round, and wooden door.
I dream about graduating and receiving my Masters degree and I dream about speaking Spanish. Sometimes I think I dream in a language I’ve never heard of.
(((((((((((((((((This is me (pictured to the right) with BIG dreams!)))))))))))
When I awoke again around 9 this morning, I looked out the window and saw a beautiful red cardinal.I dream about raising children (not my own) who have no parents and giving them love. I dream about making music and being badass, singing around a fire of loved ones.
With a huge smile I made up my bed (while still in it of course), placed Cornelius and Hobbes in their rightful places above my flannel covered pillows, and put on today’s clothes: a re-sweatshirt made by Jill Boogie and my favorite jeans. I lit a stick of smelly-good incense, thought of a fond memory, smiled, then went downstairs to see that I’d
This song is also amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=4_GgE7zF3wo&feature=fvwp “Sun”received sweet message from Jill. I love her. She sent me lyrics to a Donovan song – First There is a Mountain. This reminded me of this song, that I love so much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H19qNpG46A8 “Catch the Wind”
anita lorraine moore 