Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Why I Marched.

My sister and my niece...

Yesterday, I read a lot of whiny posts on social media, criticizing the Women's Marches. In fact, one woman actually said that the marchers were paid, especially the celebrities. She is, of course, completely out of her ever-loving mind.

Here's why I marched:

I marched because last year, I heard an interview with a woman who was assaulted by Trump, while she was in an office building, just standing near an elevator. She said that it was so demeaning. She said that she was afraid that she would see him again, every time she was in the building. She was hyper vigilant, so that she wouldn't run into him accidentally again. She was also afraid that she might lose her job if she complained. I know that feeling. I had a man stalking me for a year, back when I was getting my teaching credential. He worked in the office building, next to my apartment building. Each night, he sat in his car and watched my apartment. Soon, he was watching it during the day, as well. It progressed to him actually venturing near my apartment and looking through my windows. The police would do nothing. He broke into my apartment, but I couldn't prove it. Eventually, I went to a gun store, and purchased pepper spray. I slept with it under my pillow. So, I understand how that woman felt. There's a powerlessness in such a situation. Her words were authentic. I believed her. She felt shame, for no reason. I marched because our president is a sexual predator. 

I marched because I think that society has a polite veneer. Sometimes the veneer is thin, but it's still there. Our president doesn't realize that there actually is a veneer at all. His words and actions have unleashed racism, xenophobia, and misogyny. A president is supposed to be the best that our country has to offer. He or she is an example. He felt free to refer to the inhabitants of a neighboring country as "rapists". Is everyone actually a rapist? Everyone? Men, women, and children? Who makes sweeping generalizations like that?  It's ridiculous. During the heat of his election campaign, I was out in my front yard, pulling weeds. A car sped by, and the passengers hooted and wolf-whistled. Thankfully, we have a very long stoplight at the intersection near my house. So, I walked over to the car, and asked the young men if they had anything that they would like to say to me. They all looked embarrassed, and sat silently, not making eye contact. When I walked back to the yard, I was shaking. That is not something that I would ever do, but I felt that their actions needed to be addressed. If we live in a country where bullying and abuse are modeled in the highest office, it's bound to rub off on our citizens.


I marched in Oakland...

I marched because I can march. We live in a country where freedom of speech is a part of the law. So, if I want to make a crown of cocktail wieners and parade down Madison Avenue, I'm allowed. Guess what? No one paid me. I stood surrounded by thousands of respectful women, men, and children. Everyone had different reasons for marching and different concerns. I was amazed at how kind everyone was. There were little kids, and everyone gave them space, so that they wouldn't feel too pressed. When an elderly grandmother sat in her apartment window and waved to the crowd, hundreds roared and cheered for her. 

I marched because I know that things are going to get tough for immigrants. I know that lists will be compiled and ridiculous walls will be built. The wall is going to have to cross several states, so it will be a complete waste of money. And, people that I love will be hurt. We are a nation of immigrants. My family isn't from America. My ancestors arrived for opportunities. I am a Mormon. My people were forced to flee the United States before the Civil War, in order to escape persecution. If this president is willing to malign Muslims, where will it end? Who will be safe?

Truth is disappearing...

I marched because I love my country and I feel sad. We're better than this. Today, when I read quotes by Dr. King, they are chilling. We were never perfect. We've always been racist. But, we seem to care, as a country, about striving to do better. History has shown that it's a slow crawl, but we have been crawling forward. In our effort to "make America great again", I fear that we are doing the exact opposite.

Let right be done...

Saturday, January 14, 2017

School Lunches and Sacred Hearts


Making a sandwich and some carrots...

More for the school lunch series...

Having a treat, and making a pattern...

Securing the decorative border...

Dearest wall heart...

True love wall heart...

Friday, January 13, 2017

Learn by Doing

I stayed after school to grade rock collections...

We ended another big project in class. Project learning is always intriguing to me. When projects are open-ended, students can take their work as far as they want. They can get creative. They can shine. Or, they can completely blow off the project and fail miserably. I'm not sure which teaches a better life lesson. Because, sometimes, you look around you, and see what others have accomplished, and you realize the weakness of your effort. It's a painful way to make growth.

But, then the memories of projects that I did in school, are always memories of the projects where I "knocked the ball out of the park for a home run". It's easy to forget all of the disasters. I'm not sure that I worried too much about what the other kids were doing, as a child. My elementary school was a hotbed of project learning, back in the 1970's. It was right up my alley. 

Last week, we turned in our Native Californian coiled baskets. I didn't have a chance to take many pictures of them, but will do so before I return them to the students. Right now, they are on display in our classroom. It's fun to watch kids learn and grow. And, it's fun to vicariously feel their pride in a job well done.

We made these little guides...
Many students brought in interesting rocks...
When I got home, Percy had put Winston's bed in the hallway...
Went out for some late lunch potato flautas...
Marcello sparkles at dusk...

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

School is Cancelled

Wall plate of school lunch peas...

So, due to extreme flooding and rainstorms, school was cancelled. Our school is located very near the floodwaters. This morning, I woke up, and had to start bailing out the garage. Since the horrific installation of French drains, a few years back, all of my laborious rock shoveling has kind of paid off. My garage floods less often now. However, we've had a week of non-stop rainstorms of late. After removing a bit of water, I worked in the shed to get some pieces ready for my Open Studios application. I took last year off, but am finally ready to try out again.


School lunch dessert...
This little dude was very unhelpful...
These pieces will fit on a flea market lunch tray...
The shoulder tooth cracked during drying...
So, I made more teeth...

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Take Aways Show




Boy, do I hate taking photos. There's always a major mishap. Last time, I broke a large sculpture, right after I had finished filling out the entry form for a contest. This time, I knocked my bike over, which ricocheted into a large 6 foot wooden panel. The panel almost landed on the bike, and on Winston, my dog. I kind of threw myself into the panel to stop it from falling. Then, I accidentally deleted some nest photos. Arghhh. I guess it could have been worse!







Monday, January 2, 2017

Last Day of Vacation

Prepared some giant sculptural teeth...
I lost one tooth in the kiln over the weekend...
Winston is keeping an eye on things in the studio...
I have hardly any clay left, so I decided to make small cakes...
They are a great way to recycle slip by making icing...
These will take a while to dry...
Percy likes to check in, about every hour...
I've got lots of washing to do before my deadline...