Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

 

Posters for this poor lost kitty named Breckin have been plastered around the area for a good nine months, extending in a radius of at least 2 miles from its home address. Occasionally the owner will report a sighting on the neighborhood listserv, noting coordinates and asking nearby neighbors to be on the lookout.  

But listservs being cesspools of nosiness, judginess, and rants of various sorts (among offers of free baby hand me downs, in-home clarinet lessons, and dining room tables for sale), someone decided to reply to the latest notice of a Breckin sighting by admonishing the owner for not using a cat tracker initially (apparently she did) and then providing a detailed explanation of how it was inconceivable that a domesticated cat could survive so long in the wild.  "Your damn cat is dead," was the obvious subtext.  

I'm not a cat person and I too have doubts about whether Breckin is still out there, foraging on mice and trash can leftovers.  But was that reply really necessary?  Why trample on the hopes of the poor owner who doesn't want to imagine the worst...or at the very least, still believes that there are people out there who would come to her pet's rescue.

C'mon people; have a little compassion.  Just because you can say something doesn't mean you should.  And if you have to share your unvarnished opinion with someone, tell your partner or your best friend rather than blasting it out to the community. Can't we all just exercise a bit more restraint to get along?

Lifting Up African American History

 I was walking down the street in Georgetown the other day, en route to take care of a mundane errand, when I came across this sign:

Of course, I knew that Georgetown preceded the establishment of Washington as a important commercial center on the East Coast, and of course, I knew that chattel slavery was an integral part of its history. Still, the sign shocked me, particularly the frank description of the site being used as a "slave pen," a term that reinforces the notion that enslaved people were considered a lower form of life, more similar to pigs and cows than to other human beings.

And it was good to be provoked out of my somnambulant state where the scenery otherwise provided views of small but well maintained townhouses dating back to Colonial days.

The sign was posted as part of the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project.  While you can get to their home page, unfortunately, there seems to be a problem if you try to dive deeper into information about specific sites and tours.  I did find another way to learn via the Commission on Fine Arts website:  this document includes a map and information about the project's work to date.  Add an African American history tour to my to do list.

Smell-o-vision

Seems like a lot of those gadgets featured in futuristic shows like The Jetsons are now just a part of our everyday lives. Camera phones? Check.  Electric cars? Check. An electronic assistant to play your music, make your shopping list, and eavesdrop on all your conversations? Check (well, not for me but you know what I mean).  

But as far as I know, smell-o-vision still doesn't exist or if it does, it hasn't reached the mass market.  So you'll just have to imagine the sweet fragrance of these lilacs. Heavenly! But catch it quick -- it won't last for long.

Ah Spring!

It’s my favorite time of the year—love the feeling of warm sun on my skin, the progression of blooms from crocuses to roses, longer days, the promise of a newly planted garden. 

After growing up in the South, I was excited to go to college in New England for the snow. But I so missed spring which didn’t arrive until it was time for finals. I’ll take the flowers over the flurries.

Face Plant

 

I am not exactly sure what's going on here.  I sometimes see garbage trucks with a teddy bear strapped to the front grill but this? I can only imagine what it must be like to ride shotgun in that Jeep.

Back in the Saddle

It's been over a decade since my last post -- how can that be?!  In the intervening years, I had two different jobs, sent two kids off to college and saw them launched into adulthood, survived the global pandemic unscathed, and finally decided it was time to retire.  

So I'm back.  Not exactly sure yet how often I'll post or what random thoughts will turn into longer meditations on life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc.  For now I'll leave you with this one photo. Not exactly sure what the person depositing the banana had in mind.