Lend a helping hand!

South Central Farm is a 14-acre sustainable community farm in the middle of one of Los Angeles' poorest neighborhoods. While the farmers have managed to extend the battle in court for an extra two months, the Sheriff's department started enforcing the eviction order against the farmers. There have been protests with loud outcries. Please join and sign, send, or go there!

The plight of the farm has even attracted celebrity support: Leonardo DiCaprio was featured on the front page of the farm's website, and Daryl Hannah has a video posted about the farm, with the farmers themselves speaking about it, on her new vlog, dhlovelife.com. Tom Morello of AudioSlave is featured in the video playing at the farm, plus Julia Butterfly Hill is participating in a water-only prayer fest. Let's hope that they have some pull here, although I fear the money will win out.

Visuals of my pad

Photos credits: Mark the neighbor

Next door, no further

This is Mark
<------
He is our next door neighbor. It has been quite fun since he moved to the Duddington. He is always there to supply neighborly items such as sugar, beers and sharp knives. We even go on adventures together, like bike riding to the grocery store and occasionally out to eat. Mark stimulates conversation the way a good movie director makes our thoughts wonder and then pulls those wandering thoughts back together with gratifying closure. I am thankful to have such a neighborly neighbor, and suspect there is much more fun to be had together!

My sis lives in RI...

...and it looks like this! This is quite the contrast from the view from her old roof deck in Baltimore (her recent residency). I am glad she sent me this picture today (previous post details the funk I was in prior to peering upon this image). The ocean* will always remind me of my sister. We grew up next the ocean, invented childhood games to play in the waves, spent years as lifeguards trying to teach others to not play games in the waves, and we still find solace as we splash together. I love the ocean almost as much as I love my sister. I hope she loves living in Rhode Island...I will head there soon to find out!

*Note: I cannot help but note the unintended (yet sweet) connection between the previous post concerning rip tides and the fact that my sis sent me an e-pic of the ocean (hours later). The brain waves that connect sisters are utterly undeniable!

Shrugging at the world

I have been swimming in a rip tide since I woke. I know what to do to get out (been in rips numerous times) but just can't calm the thoughts to do what I know, to swim parallel to shore, to even catch one full breath... I started today by reading some of Ishmael Reed's thoughts. He justifiably made me doubt my role as an educator. In the introduction to his multicultural anthology he claims, "Many good writers have become inspired to write when they read someone whose experience they share." Ahh, I teach young African-American and Latino writers, and as I reflect on the school year's end I ponder: Did I do my job? I claim to be a multicultural educator of English literature and writing, but did I succeed? My confidante and colleague raised this same query recently. I looked at him and confidently reassured him, but now I have let this question soak in...And, I don't know, I don't know, I just DON'T KNOW!

Ok, this helped:

Yumi Thomas
Love Poem to an Avacado from a Tomato

Tonight I wore my bright red suit
and came to the opera
just to see you at the buffet.
Leaning against a cabbage leaf
in a bowl of salad,
your olive skin shimmers
like a river at night.
You dance among carrots, cucmbers,
and wear a crown of alfalfa sprouts like a queen.
I straighten my green necktie and bow to you,
then blush red as my suit
as you glide by in an artichoke's arms
under the rain of a thousand islands.

Recently, as I dined with great friends (at aforementioned confidante's house) Ben stated that artichokes chemically make everything taste better. This poem truly gives animated proof to his theory, and made me laugh outloud. Now, I am going to soak sunrays and smile at simple things. Thanks Meg (see above post)!

I learned

I did not known this before today--
modern trolls

Solving DC's problems?

DC Appleseed started an interesting project. They solicited changeful ideas from area residents. The ideas could target any issue currently impacting life in the nation's capitol. Now, the twenty finalist have been selected (from over 900 entries) and it is time to vote. Take a look at the website and place your vote!

PS- May is Voter Registration Month!

WE ARE GOING!

Aaron and I just purchased our FLIGHT TO CHILE!
Everything is falling into place and as soon as July rolls around we will be rolling out!

Blockage or Formation?

Maybe my blog is the root of recent writer's block. Maybe this forum is truly a diversion from my goal of successfully developing into a "habitual" (and meaningful) writer? Not that the goal was to write a book (although maybe...), but the goal was to channel (and save) the fleeting thoughts of every day by arranging organized prose. But, it is just not working; it is a problem for my boyfriend, a drain of time as I try to upload pics (I still can't figure out my incompetent camera), and my dog would rather hear about my day than be forced to stare at me as I type, type, type away...Read here to see where this thought derived. Should this chapter come to an end? It won't, but maybe it should...

My night with Mark

Check out this good CD

It's Friday night and I now sit in my comfy chair -----> after just departing from my neighbor's intriguing, engaging and stifling conversation. We, Aaron and I, ended up dining with Mark (the neighbor) at a local authentic and "breathtakingly good" Italian restaurant in our hood. This led to me suggesting that our Friday night continue, much to Aaron's sleepy dismay. However, Mark was so inclined...so, Mark and I continued to hang for a few more hours over a couple of beers. Mark stimulates conversation the way a good movie director makes our thoughts wonder and then pulls those wandering thoughts back together with gratifying closure.

After few moments of silent reflection and attention to the rain drops, I realize that much of our conversation circled around society's view, internalization, lack of intrepretation, and pure misconception of the media. He recently had a bizarre (to say the least) experience as a boom operator for Discovery Channel. I haven't asked his permission to re-tell this story, so I will be respectful. However, his main point was that since we live in a world where six entities control the world's media, we must become critical observers. True, eh? Kill your TV, please!
I ask you this: Do you know about Dr. Sax?

This doctor's work is why I previously claimed that my time with Mark included "stifling" conversation. Please, read about this man's research with a critical lens. I hope we will collectively come to an agreeance about Dr. Leonard Sax's research...but in order to break it all apart we must question where our information comes from. Do we do this enough? Is there any way of knowing? Should we believe at all?

Ah, the weight of sleepy Friday night eyes after one too many libations (when one was too many). Read about that doctor and I will soon share my strong opinions.
Until then...sleep well!

Pleasure, Pain and Why

The marathon was a huge success, for the most part. Anna, Kyle, Emily and I completed the Frederick Marathon. We were granted an ideal day for a long run, and I am so proud of my amazing colleagues. However, I ended up tweeking my all-important IT band at mile six. I managed to juggle this unwanted (and undeserved, in my opinion) pain and my disappointed spirit to finish. My time was many minutes from my goal, but my goal had to shift. This discomfort has successfully motivated me for the next marathon, where I will persevere and continue to mold my mind and body into one running machine.

Although I could not focus on the "loneliness" of marathons this go-round (I had plenty of company as my knee, calf, and shin screamed and whimpered), I did spend many minutes and miles pondering why I run, and at what cost.

Do I run out of neccesity, for fun, for the speedy metabolism, for daily structure, or because I am an addict? I have been a long-distance runner since high school, and since then, this form of exercise has been a major part of every day.

Track practice was the highlight of most teenage afternoons. I would usually end up alone (or maybe with my sister) at dawn tracing the ever-present mower tracks around endless corn fields. During track meets, mom would meet us there with our necessary running fuel and my sis and I would strive to lap the boys while dad cheered and peered smuggly as his daughters consistently achieved this goal.

Then, I went to college, trained seriously, cared about winning races, and discovered my definition of the body-and-mind connection. Collegiate running allowed me to become consumed by the sport, fly on airplanes to exotic races (you know, like Nationals in Illinios), and to learn much about fitness from experts who strangely longed to twist, poke, challenge, and probe me.

After college, I retired the running shoes for almost a year. Then, when Aaron and I moved to the middle of the Deschutes National Forest where ponderosa pines tower over epic abandoned trails, I decided to re-lace the shoes and register for my first marathon.
Our backyard (for reals!)------->

Since then, I have completed four marathons. For half I trained alone, the other half I trained with a group of close friends. These two marathon lasso-ed groups of friends are now permanently connected to my heart-, and hamstrings. I loved training with Heidi, Danny, MeiLin, Mike, Anna, Kyle, And Emily, loved it as much as I love my lonely long runs.

Maybe I am an addict who longs for the structure (while secretly battling for more spontaniety) of constantly eating with a smile on her face as every calorie fulfills its purpose. I do love to run...I find it fun, and it may not be a surprise to some, but there are many more races to come!

Many thanks to MaryLee and Craig for the surprise cheers and to Liz, William, Jaime, Ben, and Monica for waking early and smiling earnestly as we crossed the finish line!