A character from a previous Y a wanna hassle me? Get in Line post rolled in again this week to The friendly Neighborhood Center for Extreme Computing RantWoman was very glad to see this customer, to hear that she has made huge progress, that she is using technologies that make sense and work, and that she is ready to work the next steps of her goals.
This is where RantWoman asks to have situation held in the Light and does not specify technical minutia or goals. But first an excursion into a world of circumstances that fall between the cracks of several government programs, illustrate culture gaps among different strands of service providers, and cause RantWoman to scratch her head about confidentiality issues.
By way of intro, RantWoman is feeling her age, musing about an old song line: Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money. Actually posting a link to the song would not enhance the narrative. Keep it simple.
Lawyers?
Check. The kinds of lawyers needed for gnarly personal matters or when someone whose job description is to facilitate certain legalities is not doing their job. Sigh. The challenging personal circumstances seem at least to be moving forward. RantWoman already knew there might be data to be collected about the job description thread. RantWoman would not have minded being wrong. Sigh.
Guns?
Yep! A veteran involved so access to guns is NOT A PROBLEM. Suffice it to say RantWoman's attitude toward guns is dissimilar to the views of the average veteran. RantWoman's assessment: reference to guns understandable for a situation., whatever rantWoman's preference would be. So far, no indication of any inclination toward gun irresponsibility or self-harm.
Money: Rules. Finances. Falling into the cracks between programs. Enough technology acquired without help from the Friendly Neighborhood center that we or at least RantWoman see clearly how some of what we do might help, at least enough to try again about one source of financial assistance.
This constitutes a good day.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Camas Friends Discerns Way forward
Camas friends Rejects Authoritarian Path
RantWoman posts this link as:
1. Mental note to hold NWYM and all presently or in recent past affiliated with it in the Light. RantWoman is humble about thinking the word soap opera might somehow be applicable. Hold that point in the Light as well.
2. Appreciation of Divine sense of humor: somehow God plunked the two most theologically divergent strands of Quakerism as embodied by North Pacific and Northwest Yearly Meetings right in geographic proximity and told them both they are Quakers and then told them they are supposed to get along about it.
Along with everything else on RantWoman's hold in the Light list today...
RantWoman posts this link as:
1. Mental note to hold NWYM and all presently or in recent past affiliated with it in the Light. RantWoman is humble about thinking the word soap opera might somehow be applicable. Hold that point in the Light as well.
2. Appreciation of Divine sense of humor: somehow God plunked the two most theologically divergent strands of Quakerism as embodied by North Pacific and Northwest Yearly Meetings right in geographic proximity and told them both they are Quakers and then told them they are supposed to get along about it.
Along with everything else on RantWoman's hold in the Light list today...
Friday, March 17, 2017
Erasure stops here: March Announcement and History
The short version:
There is a march tomorrow, Saturday march 18 at 5 pm at 23rd and Union in response to the situation at the Umoja Peace Center.
This is an important way for Friends to show up for racial justice and to increase awareness about Seattle's history of race-based redlining for all the people streaming into Seattle.
Here is one video about this history.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=european%20dissent%20seattle
Here also is a link to a Seattle Times about related real estate issues.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/central-area-eviction-of-activist-spurs-protest-as-redevelopment-looms
Here is a statement from the Seattle Black Book Club facebook event
Gentrification must stop here!
This week the Sherrif's and Seattle Police Department participated in an illegal eviction of long time resident and elder, Omari Tahir-Garrett along with the Umjafest Peace Center from the Midtown Block in the Central District. The comes on the heels of recent attempts by Hugh Bangasser of Bill Gates Sr. firm K&L Gates to switch the locks to Black Dot without legal authority to do so.
Africatown has received investment and has the opportunity to purchase Midtown property, one of the most underutilized city blocks in the city, for Black ownership and development. However, wealthy developers of Seattle are illegally doing whatever they can to prevent this from happening. We must not let the developers win, we need all good and decent people to show up and help keep our community rooted.
For too long we've allowed Black bodies to be exploited in this economic system, which was built off of the most extreme form of exploitation of our ancestors. We will not sit idly by and allow this process of abuse to continue to our communities. The Central District is a historically Black neighborhood, and we are demanding inclusive development to keep Black communities rooted in the city.
While we've received public support and denouncements of the illigal displacement taking place at Midtown from Seattle elected officials, we know this is not enough. We must have a presence in the CD, and put political pressure on the ultra-wealthy developers that believe Black people and communities are disposable. We are calling for a demonstration this Saturday, March 18th, at 5 pm to say that we are not disposable, and that we will no longer stand for the continued abuse of the Black community by the elites of Seattle.
We demand that GENTRIFICATION STOPS HERE!
Come to 23rd and Union this Saturday, 3/18, @ 5 pm. Show up, come out, and spread the word. We need all hands on deck with this one!
For those that can't join us, please donate what you can, and share this event far and wide.
www.fundedjustice.com/saveumojafest?fb_ref=share__66WsRe
RantWoman personal comments, uncharacteristically in first person:
The video covers really important history of direct action in Seattle. It touches on Redlining. The CD is historically african american because the rest of the city was closed to people of color, basically. I learned from the video that the UW was one of the first universities in the country to include covenants in real estate sales agreements saying people could never sell to African Americans.
It is vital to lift up this history for all the people new to Seattle. I would love to see this lead to steps that prevent further displacement and make sure there continues to be a place in the new Seattle for people who are part of this important history.
The Times article makes no mention of proposals in another video including community land trust or community partnerships to develop more affordable housing in the area. The article does mention disputes and real estate deals that keep falling through so MAYBE there is opportunity to take steps that prevent displacement AND increase the supply of affordable housing.
I feel personally connected to this story because I lived at two different locations near the Umoja Peace center in the 1990's. It was in the middle of the crack epidemic. When I dod not want co-workers to be frightened I told them I lived in West Madrona. One of my small acts of witness was to refuse to sign an invitation the police department left me,. They wanted me to authorize them to investigate any signs of intrusion without me calling them. I did not really own anything worth stealing: if someone wanted to carry away my way underpowered corporate surplus desktop computer, they deserved the back pain of lugging it around.
More recently, I got a market research call about my interest in having a Metropolitan Market at either 23rd and Union or 23rd and Jackson. I said, not so much. It just seems like one more thing making the area unaffordable. Plus there are two perfectly good Safeways and a number of other stores already in that area. though I do not know what will happen to the Promenade at 23rd and Jackson as that gets redeveloped.
It has been a long time since I caught the #48 bus at 23rd and Union to go to Meeting. Now I catch it earlier in the route and the most interesting religious moments come from an Ethiopian Orthodox church down the block from "my" bus stop. But as a person of faith who strives to live my faith in public engagement, I need to offer some further reflections.
Often while I waited I would watch well-dressed African Americans arrive for services at Mt. Calvary Christian Center I asked some of them where they lived: many had already moved out of Seattle to places like Renton though they clearly were willing to make the drive back for Sunday church. I have no current information about congregational life or about the work that church does to help steer youth away from crime and drugs.
And talk about ironies: now instead of the Philly Cheese Steak shop, at the corner now there is a legal weed shop. The Philly Cheese Steak shop, an important point of contact for queer people of color has moved further south, closer to where I live now.
But here we are venturing into the realm of calorie hazards, usually reserved for my other blog. There I promise further meditations on appalling foods such as chicharrones! Crisis! WHERE will I send people for chicharrones if Promenade goes away?
There is a march tomorrow, Saturday march 18 at 5 pm at 23rd and Union in response to the situation at the Umoja Peace Center.
This is an important way for Friends to show up for racial justice and to increase awareness about Seattle's history of race-based redlining for all the people streaming into Seattle.
 |
| Alright, alright I will add a caption for people who don't detect the Alt Text: Map of Redlining in Seattle |
Here is one video about this history.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=european%20dissent%20seattle
Here also is a link to a Seattle Times about related real estate issues.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/central-area-eviction-of-activist-spurs-protest-as-redevelopment-looms
Here is a statement from the Seattle Black Book Club facebook event
Gentrification must stop here!
This week the Sherrif's and Seattle Police Department participated in an illegal eviction of long time resident and elder, Omari Tahir-Garrett along with the Umjafest Peace Center from the Midtown Block in the Central District. The comes on the heels of recent attempts by Hugh Bangasser of Bill Gates Sr. firm K&L Gates to switch the locks to Black Dot without legal authority to do so.
Africatown has received investment and has the opportunity to purchase Midtown property, one of the most underutilized city blocks in the city, for Black ownership and development. However, wealthy developers of Seattle are illegally doing whatever they can to prevent this from happening. We must not let the developers win, we need all good and decent people to show up and help keep our community rooted.
For too long we've allowed Black bodies to be exploited in this economic system, which was built off of the most extreme form of exploitation of our ancestors. We will not sit idly by and allow this process of abuse to continue to our communities. The Central District is a historically Black neighborhood, and we are demanding inclusive development to keep Black communities rooted in the city.
While we've received public support and denouncements of the illigal displacement taking place at Midtown from Seattle elected officials, we know this is not enough. We must have a presence in the CD, and put political pressure on the ultra-wealthy developers that believe Black people and communities are disposable. We are calling for a demonstration this Saturday, March 18th, at 5 pm to say that we are not disposable, and that we will no longer stand for the continued abuse of the Black community by the elites of Seattle.
We demand that GENTRIFICATION STOPS HERE!
Come to 23rd and Union this Saturday, 3/18, @ 5 pm. Show up, come out, and spread the word. We need all hands on deck with this one!
For those that can't join us, please donate what you can, and share this event far and wide.
www.fundedjustice.com/saveumojafest?fb_ref=share__66WsRe
RantWoman personal comments, uncharacteristically in first person:
The video covers really important history of direct action in Seattle. It touches on Redlining. The CD is historically african american because the rest of the city was closed to people of color, basically. I learned from the video that the UW was one of the first universities in the country to include covenants in real estate sales agreements saying people could never sell to African Americans.
It is vital to lift up this history for all the people new to Seattle. I would love to see this lead to steps that prevent further displacement and make sure there continues to be a place in the new Seattle for people who are part of this important history.
The Times article makes no mention of proposals in another video including community land trust or community partnerships to develop more affordable housing in the area. The article does mention disputes and real estate deals that keep falling through so MAYBE there is opportunity to take steps that prevent displacement AND increase the supply of affordable housing.
I feel personally connected to this story because I lived at two different locations near the Umoja Peace center in the 1990's. It was in the middle of the crack epidemic. When I dod not want co-workers to be frightened I told them I lived in West Madrona. One of my small acts of witness was to refuse to sign an invitation the police department left me,. They wanted me to authorize them to investigate any signs of intrusion without me calling them. I did not really own anything worth stealing: if someone wanted to carry away my way underpowered corporate surplus desktop computer, they deserved the back pain of lugging it around.
More recently, I got a market research call about my interest in having a Metropolitan Market at either 23rd and Union or 23rd and Jackson. I said, not so much. It just seems like one more thing making the area unaffordable. Plus there are two perfectly good Safeways and a number of other stores already in that area. though I do not know what will happen to the Promenade at 23rd and Jackson as that gets redeveloped.
It has been a long time since I caught the #48 bus at 23rd and Union to go to Meeting. Now I catch it earlier in the route and the most interesting religious moments come from an Ethiopian Orthodox church down the block from "my" bus stop. But as a person of faith who strives to live my faith in public engagement, I need to offer some further reflections.
Often while I waited I would watch well-dressed African Americans arrive for services at Mt. Calvary Christian Center I asked some of them where they lived: many had already moved out of Seattle to places like Renton though they clearly were willing to make the drive back for Sunday church. I have no current information about congregational life or about the work that church does to help steer youth away from crime and drugs.
And talk about ironies: now instead of the Philly Cheese Steak shop, at the corner now there is a legal weed shop. The Philly Cheese Steak shop, an important point of contact for queer people of color has moved further south, closer to where I live now.
But here we are venturing into the realm of calorie hazards, usually reserved for my other blog. There I promise further meditations on appalling foods such as chicharrones! Crisis! WHERE will I send people for chicharrones if Promenade goes away?
Thursday, March 16, 2017
On Carrying a Concern: VERY cool resource
WAY Cool resource.
On Carrying A Concern
The Podcasts
On Carrying A Concern Podcast Episodes
Hiccup from the intro:
"We don't want this stuff to be Google-able?"
Why the hell not?
RantWoman has a twitch about true presentation in the streams of google. RantWOman has this twitch partly because RantWoman deals far too much with Google autocorrecting incorrectly.
Earth to RantWoman if you insist on Blog as Quaker Journal, you get to just accept what comes along and interact as led.
Podcasts are a great good thing, with two comments.
--Despite RantWoman's longstanding geekiness, RantWoman is somehow twitchy about downloading and cataloging podcasts. RantWoman does not particularly think sorting this out is particularly the job of any podcaster, but ...
--Voices with normal human inflection are generally preferable to computer generated voices. Okay, yeah, but RantWoman has the blind person adaption to accelerated speed and admits she may sometimes be impatient with voices at normal speed.
One technological hiccup which RantWoman notes and will celebrate when gone:
RantWoman hopes and expects that when she listens to something on a site that there will be keyboard controls for whatever media player is embedded in the site. RantWoman did not find any such. Once the podcast downloaded, RantWoman knows how to deal with Windows Media Player.
RantWoman GREATLY appreciates the intro and statements about support, the language, and the stories included. RantWoman means to check back or figure out subscribing.
On Carrying A Concern
The Podcasts
On Carrying A Concern Podcast Episodes
Hiccup from the intro:
"We don't want this stuff to be Google-able?"
Why the hell not?
RantWoman has a twitch about true presentation in the streams of google. RantWOman has this twitch partly because RantWoman deals far too much with Google autocorrecting incorrectly.
Earth to RantWoman if you insist on Blog as Quaker Journal, you get to just accept what comes along and interact as led.
Podcasts are a great good thing, with two comments.
--Despite RantWoman's longstanding geekiness, RantWoman is somehow twitchy about downloading and cataloging podcasts. RantWoman does not particularly think sorting this out is particularly the job of any podcaster, but ...
--Voices with normal human inflection are generally preferable to computer generated voices. Okay, yeah, but RantWoman has the blind person adaption to accelerated speed and admits she may sometimes be impatient with voices at normal speed.
One technological hiccup which RantWoman notes and will celebrate when gone:
RantWoman hopes and expects that when she listens to something on a site that there will be keyboard controls for whatever media player is embedded in the site. RantWoman did not find any such. Once the podcast downloaded, RantWoman knows how to deal with Windows Media Player.
RantWoman GREATLY appreciates the intro and statements about support, the language, and the stories included. RantWoman means to check back or figure out subscribing.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Stand with the Sikh Community Saturday March 11
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Gas. Oregon. Kiswahili
RantWoman dedicates this blog post link to her facebook troll, one of many Christians RantWoman observes saying what RantWoman considers vile uninformed xenophobic and islamophobic things about Muslims.
The Prophet Jesus Peace be upon him would like to buy your gas today
#NoBanNoWall
The Prophet Jesus Peace be upon him would like to buy your gas today
#NoBanNoWall
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Gonic Friends Meeting: No Ban No Wall. Gonic Meeting Welcomes All
Go New England Yearly Meeting.
RantWoman thanks her Twitter / messaging feed for bringing her this lovely example of:
--concise Quaker witness including several examples of appropriate Quaker vocabulary
--publishing Truth in a more modern ( and accessible to RantWoman) medium than dusty pamphlets.
And while we are at it, a lovely topical item too important to keep cooped up in a private email list.
AFSC 4 tips for talking about ...Muslim Ban
RantWoman thanks her Twitter / messaging feed for bringing her this lovely example of:
--concise Quaker witness including several examples of appropriate Quaker vocabulary
--publishing Truth in a more modern ( and accessible to RantWoman) medium than dusty pamphlets.
 |
| What does Love Require of You? NEYM Advices and Queries neym.org |
AFSC 4 tips for talking about ...Muslim Ban
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Looking for Quakers who want to go see Bad Panda.
RantWoman thanks her Facebook Feed for serving up the following opportunity. RantWoman means it about wanting to find a clump of people to go with. RantWoman also wants this post to stay clean and focused. But RantWoman has A LOT to say about some other things and GUESSES she is supposed to be grateful for the opportunity to say what is on her mind. Bless us oh lord in thy abundance. But first, Bad Panda:
Our heartfelt and hilarious season begins with Bad Panda, a play by Megan Gogerty of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop that’s been performed from Beijing to Baltimore and is receiving its Northwest Premier in Seattle directed by Kate Huisentruit!
When Gwo Gwo and Marion become the last two pandas on earth, the heat is on as they attempt to repopulate. There’s just one small problem- Gwo Gwo has fallen in love with Chester, a crocodile.
When Marion ventures out of the enclosure and returns with a bouncing baby panda and Gwo Gwo begins to examine the difference between predator and prey, the three must navigate the challenges of co-parenting, identity politics, postpartum depression, and what it takes to be a Good Pan...da.
Join us for this zoological exploration of non-traditional families playing March 23rd through April 8th in association with Theatre Off Jackson.
THE CAST
Gwo Gwo: Richard Sean Glen
Marion: Helen Martin
Chester: Michael Ryan Blackwood
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Kate Huisentruit
Stage Manager: Jordan Talbot
Dramaturg: Claire Koleske
Lighting Design: Keny Dutton
Costume Design: Eleanor Withrow
Scenic Design: Caitlin McCown
Props Design: Emma Ambacher
Sound Design: Erik Siegling
Choreography: Anthony Pallozzi
Build Crew: Konstantin Lazarov
Run Crew: Kayla Reynolds
Theatre Off Jackson
409 7th Ave S, Seattle WA 98104
SHOW TIMES and DATES
Doors open at 7:30 and show starts at 8pm
Thursday, March 23rd
Friday, March 24th
Saturday, March 25th
Thursday, March 30th
Friday, March 31st
Saturday, April 1st
Thursday, April 6th
Friday, April 7th
Saturday, April 8th
TICKET PRICES
General Admission: $20 in advance / $25 at the Door
TPS Member: $15 in advance / $17 at the Door
Student/Senior: with ID $12 in advance / $14 at the Door
OUR MISSION
Fantastic.Z is Seattle’s LGBTQ theatre company. An artist founded and run company presenting the Puget Sound with quality theatre focused through a queer lens. In addition to our community outreach and education programs, Fantastic.Z strives to bring fierce, entertaining and passionate theatre while giving a voice to the LGBTQ community and its allies. Fantastic.Z Theatre is a not for profit 501c3 company.
When Gwo Gwo and Marion become the last two pandas on earth, the heat is on as they attempt to repopulate. There’s just one small problem- Gwo Gwo has fallen in love with Chester, a crocodile.
When Marion ventures out of the enclosure and returns with a bouncing baby panda and Gwo Gwo begins to examine the difference between predator and prey, the three must navigate the challenges of co-parenting, identity politics, postpartum depression, and what it takes to be a Good Pan...da.
Join us for this zoological exploration of non-traditional families playing March 23rd through April 8th in association with Theatre Off Jackson.
THE CAST
Gwo Gwo: Richard Sean Glen
Marion: Helen Martin
Chester: Michael Ryan Blackwood
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Kate Huisentruit
Stage Manager: Jordan Talbot
Dramaturg: Claire Koleske
Lighting Design: Keny Dutton
Costume Design: Eleanor Withrow
Scenic Design: Caitlin McCown
Props Design: Emma Ambacher
Sound Design: Erik Siegling
Choreography: Anthony Pallozzi
Build Crew: Konstantin Lazarov
Run Crew: Kayla Reynolds
Theatre Off Jackson
409 7th Ave S, Seattle WA 98104
SHOW TIMES and DATES
Doors open at 7:30 and show starts at 8pm
Thursday, March 23rd
Friday, March 24th
Saturday, March 25th
Thursday, March 30th
Friday, March 31st
Saturday, April 1st
Thursday, April 6th
Friday, April 7th
Saturday, April 8th
TICKET PRICES
General Admission: $20 in advance / $25 at the Door
TPS Member: $15 in advance / $17 at the Door
Student/Senior: with ID $12 in advance / $14 at the Door
OUR MISSION
Fantastic.Z is Seattle’s LGBTQ theatre company. An artist founded and run company presenting the Puget Sound with quality theatre focused through a queer lens. In addition to our community outreach and education programs, Fantastic.Z strives to bring fierce, entertaining and passionate theatre while giving a voice to the LGBTQ community and its allies. Fantastic.Z Theatre is a not for profit 501c3 company.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
We're Still Not There: A Practical Guide to Resistance | Full Frontal wi...
Awesome and pretty old-school inspiration to keep on keeping on.
Really UP way to celebrate Black History Month
Really UP way to celebrate Black History Month
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Worship: Bus, oatmeal, bananas
Has RantWoman mentioned the spiritual and physical gifts of bus ridership, in say the last 10 minutes? By Gifts, RantWoman means: time for things other than driving, an above it all visual perspective from riding in the biggest passenger vehicles on the road, much greater physical comfort at least for RantWoman than in many cars, the always spiritually enriching er challenging frisson that comes from finding that of God among which ever strands of rolling anthropology project one is travelling among on a given day, and never to forget that sometimes blurry line between bus reality and worship.
Never mind. Time for another journey, involving various modes of transportation, to exotic Planet RantWoman. RantWoman was on one of her cyclical bus journeys from A to B. RantWoman opened one of the daily bible apps on her phone. And the Lord Spake Unto RantWoman....
The Lord said "Okay RantWoman, this time the Text to Speech will work. We will not ask whether the reason it did not work last time you opened the app was something you and your device did or something that someone else complained about and got fixed. The point is this time it will work and you will be grateful.
"It will work and you will be grateful and then, when you are already praying for things to soothe your soul and not further inflame your need to elder others, when you are on fire with concern about divisiveness and the logistics of trying to round up immigrants and the human rights outrage of the day, in the daily meditation I will send you Rwanda, and Rwanda at and after the period of fear mongering and genocidal killings among people not very different from each other."
Holy CRAP God, can't we just tell people to use their search engines on the phrase Africa Great Lakes Initiative stick to conflicts and soap operas closer to home.
Apparently not.
RantWoman went about the rest of her day and the activities due at her destination and then at home. First activities presided over by the Queen of Spades, She who Will NOT be disregarded, She who Demands a minimum daily requirement of Human cat furniture time. Laundry was also involved. So was missing an always wonderful Quaker event. Sigh.
And lo, the next day the Lord or at least NPR Spake unto RantWoman. First it was the 75th anniversary of #EO9066, the executive Order that led to the internment of over 100,000 Americans of Japanese Descent.
Then a death notice, a death notice for a convicted terrorist. Even convicted terrorists deserve lawyers, but this convicted terrorist got stuck in RantWoman's mind because of issues to do with the last of his lawyers and her interpreter. The short version: the lawyer and the interpreter both wound up facing charges. Court interpreting was not the interpreter's regular beat. One thing led to another and the interpreter wound up being a code of ethics case study of many things not to do for a professional association meeting RantWoman once attended. And the lawyer lingers in RantWoman's highly unusual sampling of Life Experiences Involving Lawyers.
Lo, the Lord again spake unto RantWoman. The Lord suggested that since RantWoman had not gotten her act together to tend to various matters of breakfast food supply, RantWoman should go in search of ...oatmeal at a nearby newly remodeled fast food emporium, and this before it was time for Oatmeal people to ride the bus to Meeting.
The bus ride and other events transpired and RantWoman settled into worship.
The Lord again spake unto RantWoman, several times: "RantWoman don't go to Rwanda today. Your audience will not get there with you."
"And the lawyer message: that's a message for another moment."
As it was, God served up a seriously Quaker banquet:
A lengthy message from a travelling visitor exhorting those worshipping together to get over / examine / repent of unearned privilege. The ministry went on a good while with several pauses. It earned at least 3 audible eye rolls from Eye Roller friend, but the speaker seemed not disturbed.
Two messages related to the Internment. deal with history, moral ambiguity, and how much human gestures like treating the people in the camps like human beings, spending scarce fuel and tire resources to bring necessities to the camps and being willing to hire them after the war mattered
RantWoman does not remember whether there were other messages during worship, but Joys and Concerns overflowed with a headier mix than people's individual prayer requests and celebrations.
RantWoman finally was given the right Please hold in the Light words to speak both about moral choices in the matter of mass undocumented immigrant roundup logistics and about a personal connection where she can do exactly NOTHING except pray
Then another Friend, new to Meeting and ardently eloquently seeking spiritually, also offered passionate ministry about how by the hundredth time someone calls one a Nazi it gets a little tiresome and we need to love listen to.. people who voted for and support The Orange One (RantWoman's term; the speaker was more respectful than RantWoman is capable of being.)
RantWoman DEEPLY reveres Love Our Trump Voters Friend but is going to have to season how to say more or what will respond to his specific seeking.
Start Small. Yep. RantWoman has a goodly number of Trump voters in her life as well. And yep, "how to be a better Christian" around such people also seems like a HIGHLY topical question.
RantWoman is not clear to Blog about Love our Trump Voters Friend's highly exotic to RantWoman transportation issue except to insert her own perspectives: RantWoman really DIGS having elbow room while travelling at times when the bus is not overcrowded. RantWoman also acknowledges some inconvenient truths about this problem. RantWoman promises to season. In the meantime, RantWoman's quest after the latest iteration of transportation conversation: how to get both the bananas and the eggs home unscathed by bus.
For now, may the Lord bless and keep the bananas and the clerks who best just hand the bananas to RantWoman to bag!
Never mind. Time for another journey, involving various modes of transportation, to exotic Planet RantWoman. RantWoman was on one of her cyclical bus journeys from A to B. RantWoman opened one of the daily bible apps on her phone. And the Lord Spake Unto RantWoman....
The Lord said "Okay RantWoman, this time the Text to Speech will work. We will not ask whether the reason it did not work last time you opened the app was something you and your device did or something that someone else complained about and got fixed. The point is this time it will work and you will be grateful.
"It will work and you will be grateful and then, when you are already praying for things to soothe your soul and not further inflame your need to elder others, when you are on fire with concern about divisiveness and the logistics of trying to round up immigrants and the human rights outrage of the day, in the daily meditation I will send you Rwanda, and Rwanda at and after the period of fear mongering and genocidal killings among people not very different from each other."
Holy CRAP God, can't we just tell people to use their search engines on the phrase Africa Great Lakes Initiative stick to conflicts and soap operas closer to home.
Apparently not.
RantWoman went about the rest of her day and the activities due at her destination and then at home. First activities presided over by the Queen of Spades, She who Will NOT be disregarded, She who Demands a minimum daily requirement of Human cat furniture time. Laundry was also involved. So was missing an always wonderful Quaker event. Sigh.
And lo, the next day the Lord or at least NPR Spake unto RantWoman. First it was the 75th anniversary of #EO9066, the executive Order that led to the internment of over 100,000 Americans of Japanese Descent.
Then a death notice, a death notice for a convicted terrorist. Even convicted terrorists deserve lawyers, but this convicted terrorist got stuck in RantWoman's mind because of issues to do with the last of his lawyers and her interpreter. The short version: the lawyer and the interpreter both wound up facing charges. Court interpreting was not the interpreter's regular beat. One thing led to another and the interpreter wound up being a code of ethics case study of many things not to do for a professional association meeting RantWoman once attended. And the lawyer lingers in RantWoman's highly unusual sampling of Life Experiences Involving Lawyers.
Lo, the Lord again spake unto RantWoman. The Lord suggested that since RantWoman had not gotten her act together to tend to various matters of breakfast food supply, RantWoman should go in search of ...oatmeal at a nearby newly remodeled fast food emporium, and this before it was time for Oatmeal people to ride the bus to Meeting.
The bus ride and other events transpired and RantWoman settled into worship.
The Lord again spake unto RantWoman, several times: "RantWoman don't go to Rwanda today. Your audience will not get there with you."
"And the lawyer message: that's a message for another moment."
As it was, God served up a seriously Quaker banquet:
A lengthy message from a travelling visitor exhorting those worshipping together to get over / examine / repent of unearned privilege. The ministry went on a good while with several pauses. It earned at least 3 audible eye rolls from Eye Roller friend, but the speaker seemed not disturbed.
Two messages related to the Internment. deal with history, moral ambiguity, and how much human gestures like treating the people in the camps like human beings, spending scarce fuel and tire resources to bring necessities to the camps and being willing to hire them after the war mattered
RantWoman does not remember whether there were other messages during worship, but Joys and Concerns overflowed with a headier mix than people's individual prayer requests and celebrations.
RantWoman finally was given the right Please hold in the Light words to speak both about moral choices in the matter of mass undocumented immigrant roundup logistics and about a personal connection where she can do exactly NOTHING except pray
Then another Friend, new to Meeting and ardently eloquently seeking spiritually, also offered passionate ministry about how by the hundredth time someone calls one a Nazi it gets a little tiresome and we need to love listen to.. people who voted for and support The Orange One (RantWoman's term; the speaker was more respectful than RantWoman is capable of being.)
RantWoman DEEPLY reveres Love Our Trump Voters Friend but is going to have to season how to say more or what will respond to his specific seeking.
Start Small. Yep. RantWoman has a goodly number of Trump voters in her life as well. And yep, "how to be a better Christian" around such people also seems like a HIGHLY topical question.
RantWoman is not clear to Blog about Love our Trump Voters Friend's highly exotic to RantWoman transportation issue except to insert her own perspectives: RantWoman really DIGS having elbow room while travelling at times when the bus is not overcrowded. RantWoman also acknowledges some inconvenient truths about this problem. RantWoman promises to season. In the meantime, RantWoman's quest after the latest iteration of transportation conversation: how to get both the bananas and the eggs home unscathed by bus.
For now, may the Lord bless and keep the bananas and the clerks who best just hand the bananas to RantWoman to bag!
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