How Do I Feel About Motorcycles?

So now both my daughter and son-in-law are proud owners of bikes. Of course, unlike others around these parts, they've suited up in super duper safe outfits and helmets. I know my son in law is very happy to have his sweetie engaged in his favorite activity. I can't complain about danger since not one offspring of mine has cautioned me about scuba diving. But I do have a little nagging concern about the "others" on the road. Stay safe dear ones and be as happy as you look in this photo (see woman on the left) which I stole from my son in law's blog.

Under the Sea

Next time you walk on a beautiful beach consider the world beneath your feet. Here's one of the beautiful coral formations I saw on my scuba dives off Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico.

Returned from the Deep...

...75 feet below the surface of the Caribbean Sea that is at the fabulous dive site of Desecheo island in Rincon Puerto Rico. If you are a diver you must visit and dive with Taino Divers. They know every inch of the island's dive sites. It makes one realize that when you visit a place near the water you are only seeing half the world. Beneath you are vast forests of coral, wonderful fish and larger animals and small creatures that creep, navigate and flow under the sea. I'm determined to learn more about the growth and specialization of coral. Hopefully I'll have some photos from a fellow diver to add to this blog.

Many returning snow birds were in Rincon. All lost the bulk of their retirement savings but carried through on their plans and came to Rincon again. It's a great community and I especially enjoyed the book club discussion made up of Puerto Rican and Mainland folks...Ferre's "Eccentric Neighborhoods".

Before we left our daughter gave us "A Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin ... wonderful reading about Lincoln and his cabinet of political opponents. It gives us good perspective on both current politics and the media of Lincoln's time and how it relates to the way politics are reported today.

Hope people are still reading this blog after more than a month's hiatus. I enjoy the comments and the emails.

New Year's Greetings and Hope for World Peace

Happiness and some disappointment too. Of course I'm thrilled with the election of Barack Obama. I have some high expectations. And, I'm thinking, where would be if the other team was getting sworn in on January 20? So that tempers my disappointments, BUT what was the President elect thinking when he selected Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the invocation? This is not a person who speaks for inclusiveness. Warren has been disparaging of other humans who don't accept his way of life and his view of the world. I'm hoping that Obama's notion that the invitation will open a dialogue with this part of the electorate will work. My experience in talking with adamant anti-gay marriage and antiabortion people in this part of the world is that they have been civil but unshaken in the notion that they have the world from God.

I was also hoping for a more imaginative Secretary of Education like Linda Darling Hammond. Obama's selection of Arne Duncan favors a person who has a mixed record on public education reform. Hilda Solis will be a good Secretary of Labor. She is likely to more carefully monitor wage and hour laws and regulations covering Occupational Safety and Health and Mine Safety. Workers have suffered because of the poor record of this administration in enforcing these standards.

Friends Make a Difference

We won! Is there anything sweeter than winning? Yes, winning big. And, indeed, how proud I am that Pennsylvania went by 10 points for Obama, even though Franklin County kept the same percentage of votes. Well our hard work resulted in many many more Democrats turning out but many, many more Republicans turned out too. It was fun to have some good conversations with people in my area about why I was supporting Obama. It's the first time I've really engaged with folks around here about politics. They were all civil exchanges.

A dear friend and education reformer Deborah Meier, came in from NYC to help on the campaign and right after she left, we welcomed friends from Sweden. They arrived so they could stand in Times Square on election night and feel the love.The Europeans really wanted the Bush era to end and a new era to begin in relations with the USA. Let's hope it really happens.

We had a great week with them in DC. We saw an amazing retrospective glass exhibit at the Renwick Gallery of the work of Lino Tagliapietra. Everyone should make an effort to see it. You will be dazzled by his feats of magic with glass.

And finally I want to hail my former co-workers who pulled together a little reunion at the Glen Echo Irish Inn in Maryland. What a wonderful, funny, smart and idealistic crew. It makes me feel good to see them doing well by doing good.

Is Anyone Wondering Where I am????

I'm deep in Organizing land and with the help of amazing and willing volunteers we'll up the vote for Obama in Franklin County. Will we win Franklin County? Probably not. BUT our effort may prove that every vote counts and happily more and more Democrats, union members, environmentalists and others want their votes to count. When this great movement pauses after election day I'll go back to art and politics will have to take a back seat.

Serena's Birthday

Friendship can be defined in many ways. Some people stay in touch weekly, daily, monthly...for us-living a continent apart-three times a year seems to be what we manage. But we're still friends, thinking of each other on birthdays, waiting for the card we remember to send, marveling at her wonderful valentine greetings that are creative and whimsical. So after seventy years how do I remember Serena?... the person who told me at 50 that she still feels as if she's seventeen. The person who suffered through a hurricane season at a Connecticut resort where we were both childrens' counselors. The person who sat next to me in college. The person with whom I double dated. She's had an adventurous life and not always a contented one. But she's made it through, contributes to her city, does art, has good childen. To me she'll always be my "best friend" of high school and college. I think of her often and as we enter our 70th year, I'll raise a glass to her health and long life and yes, happiness!