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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Save money, live green, and be healthier too!
Great suggestions from Yahoo. I already do many of these.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Cherry Blossom Festival
So I had a "treat day" Friday before last. instead of sleeping late, doing laundry, catching up on my email and so on, I went into Washington DC and experienced the National Cherry Blossom Festival. I didn't take my camera as thunderstorms were forecast, so no pictures! Not by me anyway.
I took a "Cherry Blossom Secrets" tour. I'd already learned the basic story from the festival website, but getting extra bits of the story and visiting cherry trees all around (they're all over the city, not just at the Potomac Basin) was delightful.
The first tree was a lovely weeping cherry tree in a Smithsonian Institute garden that's modeled on a Chinese monastery's garden. The picture of the Moongate Garden on the Smithsonian's website is taken from the vantage point of that tree so you can't see its beauty. Though the rest of the garden is lovely and restful in that understated East Asian manner.
Some of the secrets: The champions of the trees were mostly women--two world travelers (one was a travel writer herself), the third was Pres. Taft's wife. All 3 had visited Japan and were captivated by the Cherry Blossom festival, especially the trees. The first set of trees, paid for by a Japanese-American doctor, turned out to be diseased and had to be burned. 18 somehow went missing, but it seems that the local National Park Service headquarters has trees of that age in the front of their building. Hmmm.... The first two trees in the second batch (carefully checked in Japan; you can imagine the political hot potato the "diseased trees" were) were planted in 1912, the day after they arrived safe and healthy. We got to see them--rather gnarled but still blossoming beautifully. Most cherry trees last about 50 years but these have been lovingly tended for decades.
Walking under the trees that surround the Potomac Basin is sooo lovely. I don't have the words to describe it: it has to be experienced. They arch over the walkway circling the basin. When I went they were past peak, but that meant petals were falling in a most romantic fashion. No wonder the trees are both a sign of first love and of the fleeting beauty of life.
And just as in Japan, people picnic under the trees. Families come by the hundreds to visit and walk. (I took photos for one family).
I didn't make the sake tasting (which sells out early) and had only a lame quasi-Japanese lunch, but I did see one of the cultural performances at the Jefferson Memorial, Rhythmaya. They're an East Indian fusion dance troupe that also gives classes. I'm pretty sure this picture is of them. You can see the Potomac Basin and the lovely cherry trees in the background. After their last dance they called up people to do it with them. Guess who was the second one up? I even went on stage, though mainly because I figured the back of the stage would be a safe place to stash my purse since there was no one to hold it. Such fun, and their teacher/leader was excellent. I was wondering how we'd do one move, but she called out "light bulb"--and yes, the way you moved your hands was just like screwing in a light bulb!
After the dance, I hit the Freer and Sackler galleries for some Asian art. The Chinese porcelain was probably my favorite, though I also enjoyed seeing a variety of images of Buddhas from around East Asia.
I definitely want to go next year. Who's coming with me?
I took a "Cherry Blossom Secrets" tour. I'd already learned the basic story from the festival website, but getting extra bits of the story and visiting cherry trees all around (they're all over the city, not just at the Potomac Basin) was delightful.
The first tree was a lovely weeping cherry tree in a Smithsonian Institute garden that's modeled on a Chinese monastery's garden. The picture of the Moongate Garden on the Smithsonian's website is taken from the vantage point of that tree so you can't see its beauty. Though the rest of the garden is lovely and restful in that understated East Asian manner.
Some of the secrets: The champions of the trees were mostly women--two world travelers (one was a travel writer herself), the third was Pres. Taft's wife. All 3 had visited Japan and were captivated by the Cherry Blossom festival, especially the trees. The first set of trees, paid for by a Japanese-American doctor, turned out to be diseased and had to be burned. 18 somehow went missing, but it seems that the local National Park Service headquarters has trees of that age in the front of their building. Hmmm.... The first two trees in the second batch (carefully checked in Japan; you can imagine the political hot potato the "diseased trees" were) were planted in 1912, the day after they arrived safe and healthy. We got to see them--rather gnarled but still blossoming beautifully. Most cherry trees last about 50 years but these have been lovingly tended for decades.
Walking under the trees that surround the Potomac Basin is sooo lovely. I don't have the words to describe it: it has to be experienced. They arch over the walkway circling the basin. When I went they were past peak, but that meant petals were falling in a most romantic fashion. No wonder the trees are both a sign of first love and of the fleeting beauty of life.
And just as in Japan, people picnic under the trees. Families come by the hundreds to visit and walk. (I took photos for one family).
I didn't make the sake tasting (which sells out early) and had only a lame quasi-Japanese lunch, but I did see one of the cultural performances at the Jefferson Memorial, Rhythmaya. They're an East Indian fusion dance troupe that also gives classes. I'm pretty sure this picture is of them. You can see the Potomac Basin and the lovely cherry trees in the background. After their last dance they called up people to do it with them. Guess who was the second one up? I even went on stage, though mainly because I figured the back of the stage would be a safe place to stash my purse since there was no one to hold it. Such fun, and their teacher/leader was excellent. I was wondering how we'd do one move, but she called out "light bulb"--and yes, the way you moved your hands was just like screwing in a light bulb!
After the dance, I hit the Freer and Sackler galleries for some Asian art. The Chinese porcelain was probably my favorite, though I also enjoyed seeing a variety of images of Buddhas from around East Asia.
I definitely want to go next year. Who's coming with me?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Freedom of Religion
For the past several months I've been reading about how conservatives, usually identified as Christians, have objected to doing work in their field that goes against their religious beliefs: prescribing or handing out emergency contraception to rape survivors, providing fertility treatment for lesbian couples, and so on.
I understand how they feel. As part of my job I have to pleasantly search for and provide materials offensive to my religious and social beliefs. I do it because I believe, as a librarian and as a human being, that people are entitled to hold their own beliefs as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. In my opinion, they need to find a workplace to that is in keeping with their beliefs without denying patients or customers their rights (many of those complaining worked for a publicly-funded organization or were the only provider available in that place or time.) I don't blame them for having the courage of their convictions--I blame them for blocking others from living according to their own beliefs and needs.
"But what about their freedom of religion?" some might say.
Religious freedom. Could someone please give it to my friends and acquaintances? One couple I know were married in a Quaker ceremony much like mine and Ken's but have none of the legal benefits of marriage as our supposedly "free" government doesn't recognize it. The same is true of thousands of couples married in many United Church of Christ, Unitarian, Jewish, Pagan and other religious as well as secular ceremonies. You know what I'm talking about. I'm still trying to figure out how gender is a central concern in marriage these days. Centuries ago, marriage was for merging, holding and passing down property, and ensuring (or trying to) the parentage of children. These days families don't usually merge their property by marrying off their children. A paternity test can determine parentage. Women can keep their own money and property. Many married couples can't or don't have children. Marriage now is about love, commitment and security. Couples need to know they can be by each other's sides in the ICU. Children need to know that both their parents can pick them up at school in an emergency.
Even if you don't support same-sex marriage personally, think about this. Do you support freedom of religion? The Constitution of the United States?
I understand how they feel. As part of my job I have to pleasantly search for and provide materials offensive to my religious and social beliefs. I do it because I believe, as a librarian and as a human being, that people are entitled to hold their own beliefs as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. In my opinion, they need to find a workplace to that is in keeping with their beliefs without denying patients or customers their rights (many of those complaining worked for a publicly-funded organization or were the only provider available in that place or time.) I don't blame them for having the courage of their convictions--I blame them for blocking others from living according to their own beliefs and needs.
"But what about their freedom of religion?" some might say.
Religious freedom. Could someone please give it to my friends and acquaintances? One couple I know were married in a Quaker ceremony much like mine and Ken's but have none of the legal benefits of marriage as our supposedly "free" government doesn't recognize it. The same is true of thousands of couples married in many United Church of Christ, Unitarian, Jewish, Pagan and other religious as well as secular ceremonies. You know what I'm talking about. I'm still trying to figure out how gender is a central concern in marriage these days. Centuries ago, marriage was for merging, holding and passing down property, and ensuring (or trying to) the parentage of children. These days families don't usually merge their property by marrying off their children. A paternity test can determine parentage. Women can keep their own money and property. Many married couples can't or don't have children. Marriage now is about love, commitment and security. Couples need to know they can be by each other's sides in the ICU. Children need to know that both their parents can pick them up at school in an emergency.
Even if you don't support same-sex marriage personally, think about this. Do you support freedom of religion? The Constitution of the United States?
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