I have been tutoring a woman for the last year. We meet once a week, at the Waltham Library and we have been learning about GED stuff recently.
A few weeks ago, she was very reticent, and did not want to meet but finally today we met. Her brother was taken by ICE three weeks ago, at 6:30 am in the morning in front of his 8 year old daughter. She and her husband fear for themselves as do her entire community. 4 others have been taken in the last few weeks, for stupid reasons. One was talking outside on his mobile, and the agents said he scratched a car that was parked close to him. Bullshit. They are inventing reasons to arrest people and then asking for their paperwork. I would not be asked! Something she said brought me to tears, "We are not criminals, we are hard workers." I said back, "Yes, you clean our houses, mow our lawns and take care of our elderly in nursing homes."
I was at GA in Phoenix, and we attended the vigil at the tent city there. Somehow, when this is happening in our backyard, literally, it makes it that much more personal.
I am so sad, and so angry that our government has such a broken immigration policy and that these inhumane practices are being allowed to continue.
So, I am about to leave for a wonderful week on Star Island, and that will leave me lots of opportunity to get even more reeved up about this issue. All I can say is when you attack my friends, ones who I have grown to love over the last year, you have poked the sleeping lioness, and you will be sorry.
We have a broken immigration policy and officials are doing their job to implement it, but they are breaking up families and leave a population in fear every day. Ones who have lived here for 27 years, or 19 years. Ones who have worked hard for the immigrant's dream of freedom.
This is not my United States of America.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, July 6, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Sweets, what is up?
I am not really tempted by sweets. I choose a bag of chips over a piece of cheesecake.
Something has gone awry in the last 24 hours however, and I think it has to do with the power of suggestion. I have been surfing the recipe sites to find a good pie recipe for the fourth of July. I don't usually make a pie on the fourth. If I went unchecked based on the number I have saved I would be making 6-7. The only limiting factor is the number of pie pans at Coniston.
I also just returned from Allenholm Farm in South Hero having devoured by first maple Cremee of the year. There is a contest in the part of VT for who has the best one, and in my mind it s Allenhom, but maybe that is because they are 2 miles away.
After my "lunch" the sugar high has hit, my body feels like it is racing,etc. the buttermilk pie I am making later today will be shared with friends and family and maybe making a berry pie is a new part of the fourth for me. Red raspberries, blue blue berries and white heavy whipping cream. Yum!
I am NOT craving cheesecake so I am not too worried just yet.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Something has gone awry in the last 24 hours however, and I think it has to do with the power of suggestion. I have been surfing the recipe sites to find a good pie recipe for the fourth of July. I don't usually make a pie on the fourth. If I went unchecked based on the number I have saved I would be making 6-7. The only limiting factor is the number of pie pans at Coniston.
I also just returned from Allenholm Farm in South Hero having devoured by first maple Cremee of the year. There is a contest in the part of VT for who has the best one, and in my mind it s Allenhom, but maybe that is because they are 2 miles away.
After my "lunch" the sugar high has hit, my body feels like it is racing,etc. the buttermilk pie I am making later today will be shared with friends and family and maybe making a berry pie is a new part of the fourth for me. Red raspberries, blue blue berries and white heavy whipping cream. Yum!
I am NOT craving cheesecake so I am not too worried just yet.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
HP Tech Support AHA moment
The saga of our HP tower continues.....
We bought our HP computer in Nov of 2010 from Costco. In less than two years, we have had 2 new mother boards sent and installed at home. This was after I fought back shipping it for 14 days back to HP both times.
Yesterday on the phone the second tech support person I talked to acknowledged that the original mother board and 2 replacements were faulty. In fact the one from February that was sent and installed, was right before they starting using the good ones, he said. I am cautiously optimistic about this success and will try to suspend judgement when I get the machine back.
So they get an F for having faulty motherboards around, and a B+ for the second tech yesterday being honest with me.
I seized the opportunity to give him feedback about my two call to HP yesterday. The first one was obviously an Indian based agent. He used a script, asked me how I was, thanked me for asking back how he was etc. I am patient with non English speaking techs, having worked for companies who use them. I had to spell everything, multiples times, but I was being patient. Honest, I was being as patient as I could be given my level of frustration!
The agent dropped off the line and I called back and got an English speaking tech in Indiana. The call lasted 1/4 of the time, I did not have to spell anything and we corrected the mailing address for the shipment of the machine, which was the purpose of the call. If I had not called back, it would have been shipped to the wrong place. I would really have been pissed then.
I told the agent about my experience, he thanked me, and said I could give feedback on the website. They get an F for that since I cannot find out where to give feedback.
Good customer service matters. I will NEVER buy another HP, because they had faulty mother boards out there for two years, were not proactive about it, and I have been on calls for hours wasting precious retirement time while this problem was getting resolved.
Rant over........
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We bought our HP computer in Nov of 2010 from Costco. In less than two years, we have had 2 new mother boards sent and installed at home. This was after I fought back shipping it for 14 days back to HP both times.
Yesterday on the phone the second tech support person I talked to acknowledged that the original mother board and 2 replacements were faulty. In fact the one from February that was sent and installed, was right before they starting using the good ones, he said. I am cautiously optimistic about this success and will try to suspend judgement when I get the machine back.
So they get an F for having faulty motherboards around, and a B+ for the second tech yesterday being honest with me.
I seized the opportunity to give him feedback about my two call to HP yesterday. The first one was obviously an Indian based agent. He used a script, asked me how I was, thanked me for asking back how he was etc. I am patient with non English speaking techs, having worked for companies who use them. I had to spell everything, multiples times, but I was being patient. Honest, I was being as patient as I could be given my level of frustration!
The agent dropped off the line and I called back and got an English speaking tech in Indiana. The call lasted 1/4 of the time, I did not have to spell anything and we corrected the mailing address for the shipment of the machine, which was the purpose of the call. If I had not called back, it would have been shipped to the wrong place. I would really have been pissed then.
I told the agent about my experience, he thanked me, and said I could give feedback on the website. They get an F for that since I cannot find out where to give feedback.
Good customer service matters. I will NEVER buy another HP, because they had faulty mother boards out there for two years, were not proactive about it, and I have been on calls for hours wasting precious retirement time while this problem was getting resolved.
Rant over........
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Doctrine of Discovery and General Assembly
When we agreed to go to Phoenix, for General Assembly, we also agreed to do more acting on Justice and less business. However, our partners I Phoenix immediately asked us to learn more about the Doctrine of Discovery and eventually repudiate it. Our GA delegates to repudiate it last Sunday. Yeah!
http://www.uua.org/ga/2012/189502.shtml
I knew next to nothing before a week ago, about the Doctrine of Discovery. Shame on me as a delegate I did not explore it prior to traveling to Phoenix. Closely connected to this is a UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous People, UNDRIP. I could encourage us to learn as much as possible about both of these documents.
As I understand it, the DOD has been in place for thousands of years. At its core, a country conquers another country and assume ownership of the land, and then control the indigenous peoples who were already there. It is what we did to the American Indians when Columbus arrived.
The American Indian partners were emphatic that we pass the responsive resolution repudiating the DOD and pushing the US to sign and implement the UNDRIP. Yes the acronym is DRIP. We are one of 4 countries who have not yet signed the Declaration. Does this sound familiar, the relationship and the lack of action on the part of the US with the UN? As long as I am using acronyms WTF!
SO last week, I read about the DOD and I got a copy of the UNDRIP on my ipad and read that during our discussion. I went to two great sessions where one of our partners, Tupac Acosta, an American Indian, spoke passionately about the DOD, the UNDRIP and how important our vote is.
There are not thousands of readers of my blog but those of you who get this far, might GOOGLE these two documents if you do not already know about them. This is important work our denomination is doing!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
http://www.uua.org/ga/2012/189502.shtml
I knew next to nothing before a week ago, about the Doctrine of Discovery. Shame on me as a delegate I did not explore it prior to traveling to Phoenix. Closely connected to this is a UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous People, UNDRIP. I could encourage us to learn as much as possible about both of these documents.
As I understand it, the DOD has been in place for thousands of years. At its core, a country conquers another country and assume ownership of the land, and then control the indigenous peoples who were already there. It is what we did to the American Indians when Columbus arrived.
The American Indian partners were emphatic that we pass the responsive resolution repudiating the DOD and pushing the US to sign and implement the UNDRIP. Yes the acronym is DRIP. We are one of 4 countries who have not yet signed the Declaration. Does this sound familiar, the relationship and the lack of action on the part of the US with the UN? As long as I am using acronyms WTF!
SO last week, I read about the DOD and I got a copy of the UNDRIP on my ipad and read that during our discussion. I went to two great sessions where one of our partners, Tupac Acosta, an American Indian, spoke passionately about the DOD, the UNDRIP and how important our vote is.
There are not thousands of readers of my blog but those of you who get this far, might GOOGLE these two documents if you do not already know about them. This is important work our denomination is doing!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Grand Canyon and water bottles
As most of you know one of my pet peeves is the number of plastic bottles full of water we use. For the most part, the water out of the tap is perfectly safe to drink.
I was ecstatic to see this sign as soon as we entered the Grand Canyon. It is accompanied by a faucet to fill water bottles. We had brought our Nalgene water bottles with us and quickly emptied them since it was so hot. These water stations are all over where we were walking so we easily filled them again.
It was so nice to not see empty plastic bottles all over the place. If the Grand Canyon can provide a water station like this one, can't other less remote places have them? Why did we ever get rid of water bubblers and water fountains? Might it be because Coca-cola and other big companies sell water in plastic bottles?
Will you join me on this campaign to use less plastic bottles?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I was ecstatic to see this sign as soon as we entered the Grand Canyon. It is accompanied by a faucet to fill water bottles. We had brought our Nalgene water bottles with us and quickly emptied them since it was so hot. These water stations are all over where we were walking so we easily filled them again.
It was so nice to not see empty plastic bottles all over the place. If the Grand Canyon can provide a water station like this one, can't other less remote places have them? Why did we ever get rid of water bubblers and water fountains? Might it be because Coca-cola and other big companies sell water in plastic bottles?
Will you join me on this campaign to use less plastic bottles?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From Vivian for Bernie
I wrote the following about a chapel service at Star Island given by our dear friend Vivian. Vivian taught me that night to reach out to those in pain. They can decide whether to answer or not, but don't hesitate to reach out.
Now as another dear friend from Star has been moved to hospice, I am reminded of how important it is to reach out to those we love who are in pain and remember those who have died that we love.
Here is what I wrote that summer:
THE CHAPEL and VIVIAN
The Chapel creates magic, or rather we create magic often in the Chapel. The obvious magic is the lanterns we carry up the hill to hang and light up the inside. Also obvious are the stories told each night inside the Chapel. We all leave with a part of someone else, shared from the pulpit or from the audience.
This particular night was special; super-magic an extraordinary event that demonstrated the inner connected web which binds us all. We were traumatized a year ago by the news that Vivian had been diagnosed with bone cancer. Would I see her again? Would she come to Star again?
Yes, Yes, she did and she lit the Chapel up that night along with Tom. No lanterns were needed. Like a spider she connected all of us with the threads of her year and with her compassion, honesty, truth and wisdom. The Chapel had an aura, a moment so special and dear.
No one wanted to leave the Chapel, in case we might never see Vivian again. My first thought was that we could all sleep over in the Chapel. We finally did leave but not before our paths down the hill had been guided by Vivian, Tom and their story. Only on Star, and only in the Chapel. We are all connected by a web.
and the poem I also wrote:
The music was over
Long after we should have left the Chapel
Bodies were in pews
On the hill the lanterns were flickering
And spirits stayed connected by a fiber
As thin as a spider web
No on moved
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Now as another dear friend from Star has been moved to hospice, I am reminded of how important it is to reach out to those we love who are in pain and remember those who have died that we love.
Here is what I wrote that summer:
THE CHAPEL and VIVIAN
The Chapel creates magic, or rather we create magic often in the Chapel. The obvious magic is the lanterns we carry up the hill to hang and light up the inside. Also obvious are the stories told each night inside the Chapel. We all leave with a part of someone else, shared from the pulpit or from the audience.
This particular night was special; super-magic an extraordinary event that demonstrated the inner connected web which binds us all. We were traumatized a year ago by the news that Vivian had been diagnosed with bone cancer. Would I see her again? Would she come to Star again?
Yes, Yes, she did and she lit the Chapel up that night along with Tom. No lanterns were needed. Like a spider she connected all of us with the threads of her year and with her compassion, honesty, truth and wisdom. The Chapel had an aura, a moment so special and dear.
No one wanted to leave the Chapel, in case we might never see Vivian again. My first thought was that we could all sleep over in the Chapel. We finally did leave but not before our paths down the hill had been guided by Vivian, Tom and their story. Only on Star, and only in the Chapel. We are all connected by a web.
and the poem I also wrote:
The music was over
Long after we should have left the Chapel
Bodies were in pews
On the hill the lanterns were flickering
And spirits stayed connected by a fiber
As thin as a spider web
No on moved
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, June 25, 2012
Tent City Vigil at GA in PHX- standing on the side of love
We came to act and witness and that we did. Last night we had a permit for 2000 of us to hold a vigil just outside Sheriff Joe Apraio's tent city. This is where undocumented immigrants are held until their trials. Sheriff Joe closed the tent city to visitors (their families) when he knew we were coming.
Earlier in the day during our plenary session we heard first hand accounts of families fractured by this inhumane treatment. There was not a dry eye in the hall of 3000+ as the two young women spoke, with their children in their arms.
20 busses making round trips took us to the site. We had been warned that there would be a counter protest, and they would be carrying guns, legally.
We arrived in the middle pack of the people being dropped off. A team of WITNESS folks shepherded us by the counter protesters to the site where we would hold the vigil. We were encouraged to drink lots of water in the 100 degree evening temperatures. People were always shoving a bottle of cold water toward you.
When we got off the bus, and saw the counter protesters, all of the bus loads sang, "when I breath in, I breath in peace, when I breath out I breath out love". We know this song well, and we sang it impromptu on the bus ride there, and it is well ingrained in our psyches, to remember when we are anxious.
We sang familiar songs, we shouted hoping the detainees could hear us and we practiced non-violence and we stood on the side of love.
We felt safe as more and more bus loads arrived, and the Phoenix police force were there in hundreds. Joe and his sheriff department stood near the entrance, and their numbers also grew by the ones.
People arrived from 8-9:30 and the last ones arrived back at the convention center after midnight.
When we got back to the convention center, a Chaplain got on our bus, encouraged us to drink more water, and made us all aware that Chaplains would be available that evening. A group, who had stayed back at the convention center made an archway holding of candles as we disembarked and sang soothing hymns to us as we made our way "home".
I have been a part of peaceful vigils before however, none this large. I was afraid for only a few moments, when I first saw the counter protesters, and when we were instructed to walk in twos, in the middle of the road.
When I felt overheated and thirsty I only had to remember the detainees, and what they experience 365/24/7. I took the water because I need to stay healthy to keep up our fight against this intolerable treatment of human beings.
This morning one of our partners from Phoenix, spoke during a worship and thanked us for witnessing with them. He was brought to tears, as he thanked us. He was blown away by our numbers, and he was changed profoundly by the expression of support he felt, as were we changed by their stories. He lives this every day in his work, while we return to carry the flame back to our congregations.
We came to Phoenix for Justice GA, to act and not just talk and we did just that. I will decide in the next few weeks what to do next. I have never been so ready to write President Obama a letter. That letter is marinating in my mind as we speak. In my dream, or rather nightmare, I am having a conversation with Sheriff Joe, and in a mode of inquiry I am asking him, "What were you thinking?" or "How can you look at yourself in the mirror?"
My wise daughter helps me get over being angry at him and to realize that he is a victim of our immigration laws and local power. Yes, I get that, but with my UU values I can not imagine treating anyone or anything as cruelly as detainees are treated in Tent City.
This vigil has given me much to think about. My heart is heavy as images of young women and men with fractured families, are deeply embedded in my mind. This story of inhumane treatment is repeated every minute all over the world. There is a lot of work to do, to Stand on the side of Love.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Earlier in the day during our plenary session we heard first hand accounts of families fractured by this inhumane treatment. There was not a dry eye in the hall of 3000+ as the two young women spoke, with their children in their arms.
20 busses making round trips took us to the site. We had been warned that there would be a counter protest, and they would be carrying guns, legally.
We arrived in the middle pack of the people being dropped off. A team of WITNESS folks shepherded us by the counter protesters to the site where we would hold the vigil. We were encouraged to drink lots of water in the 100 degree evening temperatures. People were always shoving a bottle of cold water toward you.
When we got off the bus, and saw the counter protesters, all of the bus loads sang, "when I breath in, I breath in peace, when I breath out I breath out love". We know this song well, and we sang it impromptu on the bus ride there, and it is well ingrained in our psyches, to remember when we are anxious.
We sang familiar songs, we shouted hoping the detainees could hear us and we practiced non-violence and we stood on the side of love.
We felt safe as more and more bus loads arrived, and the Phoenix police force were there in hundreds. Joe and his sheriff department stood near the entrance, and their numbers also grew by the ones.
People arrived from 8-9:30 and the last ones arrived back at the convention center after midnight.
When we got back to the convention center, a Chaplain got on our bus, encouraged us to drink more water, and made us all aware that Chaplains would be available that evening. A group, who had stayed back at the convention center made an archway holding of candles as we disembarked and sang soothing hymns to us as we made our way "home".
I have been a part of peaceful vigils before however, none this large. I was afraid for only a few moments, when I first saw the counter protesters, and when we were instructed to walk in twos, in the middle of the road.
When I felt overheated and thirsty I only had to remember the detainees, and what they experience 365/24/7. I took the water because I need to stay healthy to keep up our fight against this intolerable treatment of human beings.
This morning one of our partners from Phoenix, spoke during a worship and thanked us for witnessing with them. He was brought to tears, as he thanked us. He was blown away by our numbers, and he was changed profoundly by the expression of support he felt, as were we changed by their stories. He lives this every day in his work, while we return to carry the flame back to our congregations.
We came to Phoenix for Justice GA, to act and not just talk and we did just that. I will decide in the next few weeks what to do next. I have never been so ready to write President Obama a letter. That letter is marinating in my mind as we speak. In my dream, or rather nightmare, I am having a conversation with Sheriff Joe, and in a mode of inquiry I am asking him, "What were you thinking?" or "How can you look at yourself in the mirror?"
My wise daughter helps me get over being angry at him and to realize that he is a victim of our immigration laws and local power. Yes, I get that, but with my UU values I can not imagine treating anyone or anything as cruelly as detainees are treated in Tent City.
This vigil has given me much to think about. My heart is heavy as images of young women and men with fractured families, are deeply embedded in my mind. This story of inhumane treatment is repeated every minute all over the world. There is a lot of work to do, to Stand on the side of Love.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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