4/27/20: Got More $ Than You Need? & Protest & Lotsa Art

APRIL 27, 2020: Got More Money Than You Need? & A Protest & Lotsa Art TO READ PREVIOUS BLOGS: TERRYBAUM.BLOGSPOT.COM  PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. Click Here to Subscribe to Blog. LEFT: AN EARLIER SPRING. THE TWO TREES ARE NOW GONE. FIRST: GOT MORE MONEY THAN YOU NEED? Not all Bloggelinis have more money than they need. In fact that is the point. Some people now have a LOT LESS money than they need. And some of those people were employed before The Pandemic, performing personal services for the folks with MORE. I am a "more" person. Yes, I have less money than I had before but I still have more than I need. There are a lot of different pleas on the internet for money for people in need. I've decided that the charity I give to will be the people I paid before the pandemic, whose services I'm not using because of social distancing. I definitely would have gotten a haircut by now. So I phoned Peter, who has been cutting my hair (and very well) for decades. I'm going to send him a check. I am paying my dog walker, who walked the pups once a week. I am paying my house cleaner, who used to come every other week. These two would be very happy to continue doing this work. But I'm careful about people coming into my house or touching the pups. For me, the more I isolate myself, the more I can relax. My landscaper and friend, Michele, has stopped sending her crew. Certainly gardening is not an "essential" activity right now. And there's no way to the garden except through my house. I've phoned her about making a contribution to her crew. For me, it makes more sense to give money directly to people I know, who I paid until recently to make my life better, than to send a donation to an organization dedicated to helping those in need. It's more efficient, and I have personal relationships with all of these people. I care about them. To the extent that I can, I want to help them. I'm suggesting that you consider doing that too, if you've got more money than you need. SECOND: A PROTEST I know, I know. I cancelled the protest at Pelosi's office. But then Mary Merryman said she was going anyway, because it was the right thing to do. So I HAD to go. And then Carolyn said, "Oh goody! If it's just the three of us, then I can go too! I'd love to see Mary!" So went we did, in Carolyn's car. When she drives, I sit in the back on the right with the windows open. Not quite six feet maybe, but close to it. Then Carolyn had to find parking, which is STILL impossible downtown! So she dropped me off. The Federal Building, where Pelosi's office is, was not a very well-traveled location. Desolate, even. Mary was waiting. I gave her signs.

Finally Carolyn arrived. She had had an anxiety-filled journey from her car in the parking garage, which included avoiding two people arguing and refusing to get in an elevator with three unmasked men. Oy vey. It's hard leaving our nice little neighborhood for the world. But she was glad to see Mary again and to hold a sign.

We shouted slogans at those who wandered past. None of the wanderers looked like they were doing well. I realized that they probably didn't even know what PPEs were! After all, it's only recently that I found out that stood for Personal Protective Equipment. So shouting to them about PPEs was pointless. I mean, how many people DO know what PPE's are? Maybe all the Bloggelinis, but then again maybe NOT! Whoa, I don't even have the right slogans on the signs I labored to make. I mean, this was surely a very unproductive protest. But it was nice to chat with Mary, who is the kind of person who WOULD insist on doing something just because it's RIGHT -- because she devotes her whole life to figuring out how she can help people. After a very short time of standing there, the three of us decided to call it a day. THEN came the fun part. I had passed some wall art I really wanted to capture, and Carolyn was excited to show me the art at the entrance to the parking garage. THIRD: LOTSA ART Catty-corner from the Federal Building is Sixth Street Photography Workshop, two powerful photos on the outer wall, and many beautiful possters behind glass.

Mary Reesman was a veteran and a serious artist dedicated to organizing art activities for children and veterans. The photo on the right is a very disturbed woman who the photographer saw step into traffic. The writing describes what he witnessed. Below are the posters, a bit distorted by reflections on the glass.

Nextdoor to the gallery was this sign:

Check out their website. It's for girls of color 14-18. Lots of mentoring and creative after-school programs. It sounds pretty wonderful. Looks like they're continuing programs online during The Pandemic. I made a little donation. Then it was on to the parking garage. "Vigil for Democracy." That's what we three had attempted.

Carolyn told me she'd read a plaque that said this gate was a map of the city of Genoa.

And through the gate, you could see the most amazing gigantic statue.

Carolyn led me around the corner to the parking garage...

...And in the courtyard were two astonishing sculptures.

According to the plaque, all three sculptures, titled "Once Upon a Time," were inspired by Canova's "Dancer with her Hand on her Hip" from 1812. You see it on the right.

And behind the two glass sculptures, you could see the enormous Dancer in the garden, whirling like a silver cyclone ...

So, although the outing was a bit of a failure as a political event, it was quite as spectacular as any museum visit. And, since all the museums are closed to this museum-lover, I was thrilled. Without further incident or inspiration, we went home. Well, Bloggelinis, I promised you an Adventure in Buddhism, but this was pretty cool, wasn't it? You gotta love the creativity of San Franciscans, creating beauty everywhere for everyone.

4/26/20: No Monday & Great Friday Demo & Walk

APRIL 26, 2020: No Monday Demo & Great Friday Demo & Stuff TO READ PREVIOUS BLOGS: TERRYBAUM.BLOGSPOT.COM  PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. Click Here to Subscribe to Blog.  FIRST: NO PROTEST DEMANDING PPEs FOR ALL TOMORROW, MONDAY. IT IS CANCELLEED. I would like to talk about why after I tell you about the great car caravan protest Carolyn and I went to on Friday. SECOND: FRIDAY'S PROTEST WITH CAR CARAVANS. This was organized by the Service Employees International Union 1021. It was totally focused on demanding Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for everyone who is working in hospitals, health centers, wherever your job particularly increases the danger that you will be exposed to people sick with Covid-19. In other words, if you're the receptionist in the office where people are waiting to be tested for Covid-19, you need appropriate protection. So people gathered in a big parking lot. There were more than 50 cars. Most of them clearly belonged to members of SEIU 1021, which is the most politically progressive union in San Francisco. We hung out in the parking lot for a while. I saw how difficult it was to remember to keep six feet from anyone. I had come there to be with people, and my overwhelming impulse was to get close and talk to masked strangers. I love the motto on the t-shirt: We are the hands that heal the city. (Their color is purple.) This is the statement from their website: "SEIU Local 1021 is a diverse, member-driven organization with members who work to make our cities, schools, colleges, counties, and special districts safe and healthy places to live and raise our families. We nurse our sick, educate our children, clean our schools, and care for our seniors and develop-mentally disabled." A photo of Carolyn & me, below. This was the first time we travelled in her car together since the pandemic. So that was a big deal. We were so happy to be at a political event. After a little while, a young woman instructed us to get in our cars and we would work on chants. So we did! As you can see, you gotta take off your mask to speak into the bullhorn. And the man who just was speaking hasn't put his mask back on. It's just really hard to think about these things when you're organizing people to protest. Anyhow, the chants were very simple but it was impossible for a bunch of people in 50 cars in a big parking lot to chant and honk in unison. But hey, this was probably the first car caravan demonstration they've done. So we were in the second group of 25 cars. We weren't sure where we were going, but we thought, what the hell, we'll just follow. And then the light changed and the leaders moved off. And after a certain amount of honking and sign-waving, I think we were supposed to go somewhere else, but Carolyn and Fortunately we were shepherded by the police to Third Street and Howard. We were so happy to see all those policepeople, I'll tell you! THEY knew where the demo was spozed to go! And we parked and honked and people stood around with signs and the people walking by witnessed our protests. I went home, quite pleased with ourselves. I was totally exhausted. Are you intermittently totally exhausted? Encountering the world is exhausting these days, except when exploring the 'hood with the pups. THIRD: WHY I CANCELLED TOMORROW'S DEMO FOR PPIs FOR ALL AT PELOSI'S OFFICE I saw how difficult it was to socially distance when you are calling together and organizing a group of people. I realized that the people who answered my call would be upping their risk for catching the virus. I first decided that Carolyn absolutely would not be allowed to get out of her car if she drove me to the demo. And from there, it was a very short step to realize that I didn't want ANYONE I cared about to come to the demo. YES, the nurses protested -- but they are in so much danger when working that protesting, to demand PPIs, made sense. And yes, all those Israelis demonstrated against Netanyahu. But that was obviously very carefully planned, with all the positions marked out so that people could more easily adhere to the proper distance. Truly beautiful. See below. But I realized, if anyone came to MY protest and got Covid in the next 14 days, I would wonder if they had contracted it when they protested. And that would be very hard for me to handle. I'm not saying it would be wrong to have a protest. I'm saying that I am not willing to deal with the possible result of the protest. SO THE QUEST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HELL I WANT TO DO AS A POLITICAL ACTION GOES ON! F0URTH: LET'S WALK! I took a nap and then I had to take the pups for a walk. I went to State Street Park, which is kinda hidden away and has a community garden along the edge. Then walking home on from the top of Douglass Street, where it begins.... ....Passing the dying Buddha....... SO, BLOGGELINI-BEANIES, THAT'S ALL. I HAVE SO MUCH I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TWO DHARMA TALKS I ATTENDED AND ASKED QUESTIONS AFTER OF THE SPEAKER. TOMORROW. TERRY

4/24/20: Car Protest Today for PPEs 11:30am

BAUMBLOG to Follow Later, for Current Subscribers. I just got this information at 3am. Unfortunately, I do not have a car. I'm sending this to EVERYONE because this is a SAFE way to protest and we MUST begin to do it -- EVERYWHERE. I'm hoping at least one person will read this early enough and attend in San Francisco. Please write me if you do. Join the Caravan to #ProtectAllWorkers on April 24 In SF On Friday, April 24, join San Francisco city workers on a caravan to the SF Emergency Operations Center at the Moscone Center to demand protective equipment (PPE) for all front line employees and universal testing. SF elected leaders, and community allies are demanding Mayor London Breed immediately invest in the health and safety of every worker doing the important work of serving SF residents on the frontlines. City workers and allies will meet at REI at 11:30 AM at 840 Brannan St. to prepare and purple-up -- if you haven’t already. Then we’ll caravan to the Emergency Operations Center at the Moscone Center, at 747 Howard, for a honking action and program where frontline union healthcare and other public workers will share how a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) is endangering their ability to keep themselves, SF residents and larger communities safe.  Caravan Timeline 11:30 AM – Meet at REI parking lot 840 Brannan Street to prepare  12:00 PM – Caravan to the Emergency Operations Center at the Moscone Center at 747 Howard. 12:45 PM – Action ends.   Cover UP and Purple UP Before you Roll UP This is a CAR ACTION. We will be observing social distancing and safety precautions. Everyone should bring a face covering.  Purple-Up your car before you get to the REI parking lot. Here are some ideas to show a united front on a caravan: hang your purple t-shirt out the window, write and post a sign on your back window, use liquid shoe polish or window markers to write a message on windows and show pride for your department and workforce. At the Moscone Center, we will park in front and along the building. Honk, chant with our windows rolled down – showing support for 1021 members across the city and demanding the proper PPE and testing.   RSVP by calling the Member Resource Center: 1-877-687-1021

BAUMBLOG: 4/23/2020; Link Day & More Focused Demo & Stuff

APRIL 23, 2020: Link Day & A More Focused Demo & Stuff TO READ PREVIOUS BLOGS: TERRYBAUM.BLOGSPOT.COM. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. Click Here to Subscribe to Blog. LEFT: Spring is happening! FIRST, THE POLITICAL STUFF: I feel that we need to meet and demonstrate about something more specific than EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING WRONG AND MUST BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY! That is too long a list. Of course, Lesley, who is sharing this project, immediately questioned the wisdom of demonstrating about EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING WRONG AND MUST BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY. And I scoffed at the PUNINESS of her vision compared to MINE. But then I woke up in the middle of the night and realized she was right. This is not an unusual occurrence for me. Perhaps I might learn to pause and think before scoffing. I am so VEHEMENT. So. I think the most immediate issue is the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all health care workers -- which is what the nurses were protesting. It is a complete outrage that the people who are dedicated to helping us survive the pandemic are NEEDLESSLY risking their lives. I mean, this is insanity on a really high level. Agreed? Agreed. We will meet (or at least I will meet) to mourn those health care workers who have died needlessly and to demand that these deaths stop. We are protesting/mourning/demanding at the office of our Representative, because the House of Representatives is the only democratically elected institution we have at the national level, and it is our last best hope, since it is majority Democratic Party members. I would suggest that EVERYONE in the Bay Area join me in San Francisco, since Rep. Pelosi is by far the most powerful Democrat in Congress, as the Speaker of the House. Please join me: Rally to Demand All Health Care Workers Receive PPEs For Safety Monday, April 27 @ Noon In Front Of Congresswoman Pelosi's Office 90 7th Street, San Francisco This will be a socially distanced demonstration, and please be masked. Now some of you may be reluctant to gather to protest, exactly as the right-wing science-be-damned idiots are doing. But the nurses have already done it. And look at this inspiring photo from Israel, where people gathered to protest the continuing rule of Netanyahu: Thanks to Adrienne Lauby for this photo At this moment, we cannot abandon demonstrating publicly. If we are only supposed to leave our shelter for essential activities, this is one of them -- exercising our right to free speech. We cannot abandon this right to the right-wing. (Speaking of which, how the hell did WE get stuck with "left" when THEY got "right"?!? It's so unfair. "Right" has so many positive connotations -- as in BEING RIGHT as opposed to wrong and STANDING UP for a RIGHT -- which is essentially whatever society has agreed everyone should be able to do or have. What does "left" give us? Exactly nothing except being LEFT OUT. And I'm not "left" anyhow. Being a liberal Democrat makes you "left?" Ridiculous. I think we need to define ourselves as the CENTER! Let the mainstream Dems be Center-Right!) HOT LINKS! HOT LINKS! GETCHER HOT LINKS RIGHT HERE! Tara Ayres shared her favorite dance videos: This first one, to the song "Footloose," is hilarious. This second dance video, from the Ballet de l'Opera de Paris, is beautiful, moving. I must turn you on to Alexandra Petri, a brilliant satirist who writes for the Washington Post. I subscribe to her column, so I get every one in my inbox. Here's one of her recents: Give Me Liberty AND Give Me Death From Rosalia Stamatakos in Morocco, where they're lucky enough to live in a monarchy with a benevolent king, here's Maya Angelou, performing her poem Still I Rise. I did not expect to be so moved and inspired. Silly me. AND STUFF.... Better photo, don't you agree? Not quite so obvious that my eyes are different sizes. Barrie Grenell sent me this photo, from Kite Hill, near my home. She said when she arrived, there was nothing. Forty-five minutes later, she left, and there it was -- a heart maze. The next day, it was gone. Very lovely. I do hope the sidewalk chalk drawings don't come to an end when the pandemic does. They are such a gift. Dear Bloggelinis, I hope that SOME of you are thinking about protesting with me! Terry I know this is a bolo tie, not an actual necklace. But a decoration worn around the neck. Same category. My father gave me many bolo ties. He acquired them because he felt he should wear a tie to work, and he didn't feel like wearing a tie to work. Since he was the boss, he could do whatever he damn well pleased. Bolo ties were the compromise that satisfied him. When he retired, he gave me all his bolo ties. He also gave me two jackets. It was his way of acknowledging that I was a lesbian -- giving me his (male) clothes. I thought that was so sweet. He couldn't say out loud, "I accept that you're a lesbian." And in fact he DIDN'T totally accept it. But in this way, he kinda sorta did.