It is happening again.
Last night I noticed my bumper sticker is missing. It likely happened in the last 48 hours. I know it's not a life threatening situation, but dammit, it's starting to piss me off because this is far from the first time it's happened.
The bumper sticker in question is the iconic World War II Rosie the Riveter image. You know the blue collar woman, bandana holding her hair, arm bent to show off her biceps. The message: Women are strong. Only the face in this image that used to be on my car is of Hillary. Twist on the original message. This woman is strong.
Same thing happened last summer with the sticker supporting gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis. One day there, next day gone. And, a small square sticker pledging allegiance to Texas Dems vanished without a trace years ago from the back of my car.
My hunch is it is someone in my neighborhood. Just a hunch. Maybe the Huckabee supporters who live just a rock's throw, which I would never do by the way. Strange their yard sign expressing love for the former Arkansas governor is never molested. For the record, I would not do that to anyone's yard sign or bumper sticker. It's called the First Amendment.
Or maybe it's the weirdo a few houses down who I feel sometimes is keeping his partner against her will. Why else would she be with him? I make an extra effort every time I see her in their yard to ask, "You ok?" Her confusion at the question just reinforces my suspicions. He for sure would not appreciate a message about strong women.
People, including family members, have tried to tell me it's not safe to display such liberal communique in the land of faithful conservatives. That is exactly the reason I do it. All views have value and this is America where there is freedom of expression, for crying out loud.
We red state liberals already have much practice suppressing our views in the workplace, in social settings, in public. I don't think it's too much to ask that a person be allowed to express even an unpopular view in this most tiny of a venue, the backside of a car. Yet, I constantly am being denied this very right every time someone steals a bumper sticker.
Free expression for me has a price, literally. I pay for my little stickers - and always order multiples as I am NOT going to be dissuaded from exercising my right to express a view that is contrary to views held by most people I live among.
The iconic sticker with Hillary's face is back on my car, thanks to my replacement stash. I really hope that's where it stays.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Road trip!!
This trip will be the first in my new Jeep. The options for entertainment are a thousand times improved from my previous car and a million times improved from the old days when cassette tapes were considered a remarkable and appreciated companion on long trips. I hit the road later this week with Bluetooth, satellite radio, and plugin/chargers for all kinds of gadgets. No need even for an old school CD player, which my new car doesn't have anyway.
The trip will likely begin with the soundtrack from Guardians of the Galaxy by way of an app on my car's entertainment system. I will at some time switch to talk radio on Sirius XM, then more music from one of my Pandora stations, followed by a podcast, maybe a segment of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. I haven't picked out an audio book yet for the trip, but that also is in the works.
There also will be moments of silence. During which I likely will contemplate what to listen to next.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Where have all the old folks gone? And does anyone care?
Our society, in general, does not care much for old people. And by old people, I mean those who are in their late 70s and older. That's the age psychologists view as old relative to behavioral and developmental stages. Of course if you ask a 30 year old, well, old age likely begins at 40.
What evidence is there that we kinda dislike old people?
Consider the stereotypes on TV and in movies. Madison Avenue and Hollywood must have some law that says oldies can only be silly, feeble, out-of-touch, unable to work any tech gadget, cranky, smelly, and bad drivers. That last one might have some validity.
More evidence of discrimination is the lack of older people included in anyone's social circle if you don't count older family members. When's the last time you called up good ole' Madge or Carl and invited them to a barbecue? How about never.
But perhaps the most glaring evidence of society's contempt is the fact that one does not see old people anywhere outside a church, synagogue or mosque. Of course there's the rare sighting at Walmart or a pharmacy. But it's like they're hiding. Well, in fact they are.
Around the 1970s large chunks of our older population began a mass exodus to their own lands called independent living centers and assisted living centers. Both these places continue to this day to serve this population as a nice way station on to their final destination, the nursing home. Something that began as an experiment has become routine transition for older people.
It may have been ok for awhile, but now this out of sight, out of mind removal policy needs some serious tweaking. Thankfully, there is a growing movement working to change our views and values on aging. Dr. Bill Thomas heads a group called ChangingAging and this year is traveling the country speaking about the need for change. I get to see him when his Distrupt Aging Tour comes to Dallas in the fall. He sums up the mission:
"Our society needs an engaged and engaging elderhood because such a life stage offers the best possible refutation of the doctrine of youth's perfection. Most of us will need to see, with our own eyes, that a valued and valuable elderhood truly exists before we voluntarily surrender our adulthood. As a society, we, perhaps more than any other people who have ever lived, need elders. We need a renewed elderhood that can help older adults become the elders they were meant to be."
Old age as a life stage that offers value to society. I love that concept. If you do too, check out these sites: ChangingAging - changingaging.org; Eden Alternative - edenalt.org; Pioneer Network - pioneernetwork.net.
What evidence is there that we kinda dislike old people?
Consider the stereotypes on TV and in movies. Madison Avenue and Hollywood must have some law that says oldies can only be silly, feeble, out-of-touch, unable to work any tech gadget, cranky, smelly, and bad drivers. That last one might have some validity.
More evidence of discrimination is the lack of older people included in anyone's social circle if you don't count older family members. When's the last time you called up good ole' Madge or Carl and invited them to a barbecue? How about never.
But perhaps the most glaring evidence of society's contempt is the fact that one does not see old people anywhere outside a church, synagogue or mosque. Of course there's the rare sighting at Walmart or a pharmacy. But it's like they're hiding. Well, in fact they are.
Around the 1970s large chunks of our older population began a mass exodus to their own lands called independent living centers and assisted living centers. Both these places continue to this day to serve this population as a nice way station on to their final destination, the nursing home. Something that began as an experiment has become routine transition for older people.
It may have been ok for awhile, but now this out of sight, out of mind removal policy needs some serious tweaking. Thankfully, there is a growing movement working to change our views and values on aging. Dr. Bill Thomas heads a group called ChangingAging and this year is traveling the country speaking about the need for change. I get to see him when his Distrupt Aging Tour comes to Dallas in the fall. He sums up the mission:
"Our society needs an engaged and engaging elderhood because such a life stage offers the best possible refutation of the doctrine of youth's perfection. Most of us will need to see, with our own eyes, that a valued and valuable elderhood truly exists before we voluntarily surrender our adulthood. As a society, we, perhaps more than any other people who have ever lived, need elders. We need a renewed elderhood that can help older adults become the elders they were meant to be."
Old age as a life stage that offers value to society. I love that concept. If you do too, check out these sites: ChangingAging - changingaging.org; Eden Alternative - edenalt.org; Pioneer Network - pioneernetwork.net.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Mother's Day: Bah Humbug!
I am republishing my post from last year because nothing has changed. Almost nothing. Jenny celebrates her second year as a mother, not first, and I am happy to report she made the grade. She is the real thing. My mother is getting another shipment from Collin Street and I, too, am getting a gift. As a matter of fact, I am typing on that gift right now. Thanks, Paul.
Mother's Day: Bah Humbug!
Come on. We all know that Mother's Day is a fake holiday. I've written about this before. About not really being a fan, even as the mother of 3 adult kids who I love dearly and believe they love me. But could this year be different as I think about my daughter Jenny who will celebrate her first Mother's Day as a mother? Will that soften my view?
Hell no.
I still am not a fan. I am a jaded social worker for sure. Maybe if we called it Good Mothers Day. Or call it Mothers Who are Just So-So Day. Or even Mothers Who Did The Best They Could Day might work. All moms are not created equal and there are many who have not earned this special day. It's tough on their kids to be reminded every second Sunday in May that they were cheated out of good childhood.
For the record, I am not talking about my own mother. She gets a gigantic package from Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Tx.
Mother's Day started out as a real holiday in 1908. Young Anna Jarvis so loved and honored her own mother she began the process for setting aside an official day for "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world." Her mother, Ann Jarvis, cared for soldiers in the Civil War - from both sides of the conflict. Ann Jarvis also advocated for public health issues.
The idea in the beginning was to simply communicate to your mother the reasons she is important. Sadly, it didn't take long before Hallmark and others (candy makers, florists) hijacked poor Anna's .tribute to her mother. She began protesting the idea of profiting from Mother's Day, even getting herself jailed. Hmm. She really loved her mother, I think, who by that time had died. In the end, she lost her fight to keep it real. Sad fact.
Paul will be glad to know I'm not that invested in a Mother's Day protest. In fact, I am part of the problem as I will be receiving gifts (I am told) and have (as previously mentioned) purchased a gift. But NO Hallmark card! Gotta draw the line somewhere.
Mother's Day: Bah Humbug!
Come on. We all know that Mother's Day is a fake holiday. I've written about this before. About not really being a fan, even as the mother of 3 adult kids who I love dearly and believe they love me. But could this year be different as I think about my daughter Jenny who will celebrate her first Mother's Day as a mother? Will that soften my view?
Hell no.
I still am not a fan. I am a jaded social worker for sure. Maybe if we called it Good Mothers Day. Or call it Mothers Who are Just So-So Day. Or even Mothers Who Did The Best They Could Day might work. All moms are not created equal and there are many who have not earned this special day. It's tough on their kids to be reminded every second Sunday in May that they were cheated out of good childhood.
For the record, I am not talking about my own mother. She gets a gigantic package from Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Tx.
Mother's Day started out as a real holiday in 1908. Young Anna Jarvis so loved and honored her own mother she began the process for setting aside an official day for "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world." Her mother, Ann Jarvis, cared for soldiers in the Civil War - from both sides of the conflict. Ann Jarvis also advocated for public health issues.
The idea in the beginning was to simply communicate to your mother the reasons she is important. Sadly, it didn't take long before Hallmark and others (candy makers, florists) hijacked poor Anna's .tribute to her mother. She began protesting the idea of profiting from Mother's Day, even getting herself jailed. Hmm. She really loved her mother, I think, who by that time had died. In the end, she lost her fight to keep it real. Sad fact.
Paul will be glad to know I'm not that invested in a Mother's Day protest. In fact, I am part of the problem as I will be receiving gifts (I am told) and have (as previously mentioned) purchased a gift. But NO Hallmark card! Gotta draw the line somewhere.
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