I live very close to historic Concord, Massachusetts. The Concord Museum recently reopened after a major renovation and expansion and I need to go visit soon. It’s at the top of my “things to do locally” list.
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List five things you do for fun.
I’m trying to think of how to not post a completely boring answer to this prompt, but I’ve got nothing. So here’s my boring, honest answer:
Go to movies
Sing in a choir
Blog
Read
Go to museums
I do have a museum story for you. When we were visiting the Greek Antiquities section in the Louvre in December, I saw a group of French school children (around age 8) gathered around a sculpture, listening intently to their teacher. From where I was standing, I could only see the back of the sculpture — a reclining woman.
What was so interesting about this sculpture? I mean, she has a lovely bum, but why the looks of amazement?
Then I walked around to the front.
Oh, OK, now I get it.
I couldn’t help but think of the contrast with the US where a Florida principal got fired for allowing 12-year olds to be shown a photo of Michelangelo’s “David.” Parents said the quintessential Renaissance masterpiece was pornographic.
I don’t have a pet right now, so I’m going to use this prompt to update you on the chicken situation nextdoor. As you may recall, the new neighbors built a chicken coop (fine), but then they got a rooster. He squawked all day long, beginning before 6am. While there is no rooster bylaw in my town (roosters are not prohibited), it was a clear disturbance of the peace – MY peace specifically. (My early-rising husband said he liked the sound of the rooster and had no interest in reporting it. I was on my own.) After e-mailing the Town Manager and learning that technically the rooster was allowed, I contacted the Board of Health who informed me that I could file a “noise nuisance” complaint, which I did. The Board of Health spoke to the neighbor, but the rooster was not removed.
A couple weeks later, at a neighborhood Labor Day gathering, I brought up the rooster with key neighbors (a “Karen” skill for sure). They agreed that the bird is annoying and should be removed. I got a couple of them to formally complain to the Board of Health. The Board of Health came back to the neighborhood and then, one morning in September, I heard it: the Sound of Silence. Aaah. Order is restored to Suburbia.
Hopefully, the rooster is on a nice farm somewhere. The funny thing is that now his ex-girlfriends come over to visit, which is fine. They’re cute and quiet. The only potential problem (for them) is the neighborhood coyote.
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Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
I have the most common female name in the history of Western Civilization. Like many little Catholic girls in the 60s and 70s, this Mary got a second name tagged on. I posted about my double name here.
Now, as an ex-Catholic, the religious symbolism of my name isn’t terribly meaningful to me. However, when I gave birth to my son, with a midwife and no anesthesia, I remember thinking of Mary giving birth to Jesus in the manger. It’s basically ALL YOU, when you have natural childbirth. It’s hardcore and badass. I was in a hot tub, I got out, the midwife threw a blanket on me, and it happened (thanks to me)—the miracle of birth. Mary did that too. Her baby may or may not have been born to save of us all, but she gets MAJOR credit for birthing him in those conditions, with no anesthesia.
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What’s your dream job?
I had a job I loved for many years and now it’s over. I worked with inspiring leaders and brilliant faculty and made great friends.
My work as a fundraiser contributed to the mission of terrific organizations that changed lives through music and the arts. The money I earned helped pay the bills and put two kids through college debt-free.
I had my dream job. I’m grateful.
In my experience, one key to leadership is being able to inspire people. You’ve got to: a) have a vision; and b) be able to communicate your vision in a way that makes others want to get behind it. This does not necessarily mean that your vision is a “good” or moral one. Massive numbers of people have gotten behind leaders with sickening visions. Hitler is the most obvious example, but Trump is another one. He’s literally running on revenge and lies.
I learned a lot about two of the most famous leaders of France on my trip to Paris in December—Louis XIV and Napoleon I.
Louis XIV, a.k.a. the “Sun King” because the nation revolved around him, reigned for a loooong time (1643-1715). He loved his mother and the arts and had a great personality. Allegedly, he made everyone feel comfortable when speaking with him. He managed to move the entire French government out of Paris to his favorite sleepy suburb—Versailles. People liked the guy!
Napoleon, as you may have heard, was good at war. Eventually, he got cocky and went too far, but still, the French took him back. It was said that having Napoleon on the battlefield to rally the troops was equivalent to having 10,000 additional men. Clearly, he had something good going on personality-wise. Even now, he looms large in French life. A French couple asked me to take their photo, with his tomb, when I was in Paris.
Whatever it was, the 2023 film “Napoleon” starring Joaquin Phoenix completely missed it. Boy, was it bad! I hope the Oscar nominators agree. (Check out Dan’s predictions here.) As my husband said when we left Les Invalides, “The guy that Joaquin Phoenix played in the film did not deserve that tomb.” He was wasn’t the least bit inspiring – or likable. For a laugh, check out what the French had to say about the film here.
If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
Guns. I’d un-invent guns. Assault rifles, handguns, all of them.
https://www.npr.org/2023/06/06/1180416892/gun-deaths-in-2021
Yesterday, two of my former colleagues simultaneously contacted me (one by phone and one by text) to let me know that my former supervisor Danielle’s other direct report (a.k.a. “Kathy,” for those who were following along) has given her notice and is leaving Friday. She stayed less than 18 months in all.
I wonder if they’ll finally realize that Danielle is the problem and fire her toxic ass?
Related post: Work Update 4
I remember experiencing a deep feeling of being loved by my friends and family in the receiving line outside the church after our wedding. We had just said our vows and walked out onto the front lawn of the UU church, which is also the town common–a classic New England church on a big town green. It was a sunny but windy day in late May, and my long, tulle veil was blowing around like crazy. Then everyone started coming out of the church and seemed so genuinely thrilled for us. Maybe they were just happy to get outside into the sun, but I remember a real feeling of being surrounded by love.
Everyone knows there’s one really great way to declutter: MOVE. Moving forces you to go through all your stuff and evaluate whether or not each item is worth bringing to your next space. But moving is major. Nobody does it just to declutter.
Once, after a move many years ago, I developed a “policy” with my clothes and shoes. (We lived in a tiny antique house and my closet was from colonial times.) If I bought something new, I made sure to get rid of something I didn’t wear anymore. Something in, something out. It kept things in equilibrium. It also helped me see my clothes more clearly and put together outfits that I never would’ve thought of when everything was packed so tight. Eventually, I extended my policy to other things, like books and toys.
When we moved to a bigger house, I largely kept the policy. It helps keep clutter down. I have a large shelf in my closet, which I like to think of as “purgatory.” It’s where I put things I plan to get rid of. Things typically sit in purgatory for six months or so — retrievable, if I change my mind — before I donate them to Big Brother/Big Sister or to my church’s “trash and treasure” sale.
My son’s huge collection of worn out sneakers has largely been kept under control by the policy. (If he wants new sneakers, he’s got to agree to toss some old ones.) I even do it with my jewelry. If I’m tempted to buy new earrings, I’ll get rid of a pair I never wear. (They go to purgatory initially, in case I miss them and want them back, and then to the jewelry donation box at my church.)
Occasionally, I get rid of something and regret it later. For example, my son wanted to play tennis out of the blue last summer, but I had donated all our rackets to the Boy Scouts because nobody had used them in 5+ years. They were in the garage, which really needs a full “move-like” decluttering. We need to pretend we’re moving and take every single thing out of the garage, clean it, and then only put back the stuff we use.
That’s a job for the spring.
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