The Social Security Administration was once my employer, and in Los Angeles I returned to the organization, but to the El Segundo branch. This is not an office that directly serves the public, but deals with cases sent to it. What a difference between that and my old Crenshaw office! This one is much smaller, with, it seemed, much more friendly and cohesive staff. They all put down their forms and their mice and listened to my PowerPoint presentation about West Africa, after which they had prepared a delicious potluck lunch. A former colleague from Crenshaw, Anne Sekino, had arranged my visit as she now works at El Segundo, and she had arranged for a surprise visitor: Eleanor Williams, a former colleague of ours, whom I had not been able to get in touch with. What a pleasant surprise!
That was the only booking I had in the L.A. area, but I spent the rest of the time meeting old friends for lunch or dinner. I hardly had any meals with Sara Meric, my host in Santa Monica. Had a wonderful Indian meal at the home of an Indian-Ghanaian former student, along with another former student. Met my nephew James and his wife Ana at a restaurant, and got to see my great-niece Caitlin for the first time. What a lovely, sweet baby!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Reaching California
Another interesting drive: Tucson to the San Diego area. West of Tucson the desert changed completely to a SANDY desert, which I hadn't seen before. Like in the movies we watched as kids. Then hills covered with boulders that looked like huge potatoes and little vegetation. Once over the hills I noticed how lush the growth was becoming, and it became moreso as I approached San Diego. Such greenery! I appreciated it with green-starved eyes, but also kept thinking of how much water it took to keep it that way.
Stayed with my friend Fern Gordon in nearby San Marcos, and she threw a wonderful luncheon after which I spoke and sold some books. Also spoke at Oceanside Library one evening. About 10 teenagers and an equal number of adults (half of them friends of mine) attended, but by half-way through all the teens had left. What a testament to my winning ways with words! I was told that some of them had to get home before it was very late, which was some comfort.
The drive to Los Angeles was long, on a crowded freeway, but there were some lovely views of the Pacific Ocean. I'm so glad I don't have to drive in such traffic at home.
Stayed with my friend Fern Gordon in nearby San Marcos, and she threw a wonderful luncheon after which I spoke and sold some books. Also spoke at Oceanside Library one evening. About 10 teenagers and an equal number of adults (half of them friends of mine) attended, but by half-way through all the teens had left. What a testament to my winning ways with words! I was told that some of them had to get home before it was very late, which was some comfort.
The drive to Los Angeles was long, on a crowded freeway, but there were some lovely views of the Pacific Ocean. I'm so glad I don't have to drive in such traffic at home.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Co-Housing in Tucson
Driving to Tucson from El Paso showed me an interesting change in landscape. Whereas El Paso's desert is dry with scattered scrubby plants, approaching Tucson I saw sajuaro cacti, tall and noble, often with one or more "arms," which don't start to grow until the plant is at least 50 years old. Other, shorter cacti were visible. On a vist to the wonderful Desert Museum I learned a lot about these and other living things of the desert.
I stayed with former Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) Jackie Day in Milagro (Miracle) Co-Housing Community whose unifying principle is "To live lightly on the land." Interesting place: about 28 residences, some of them duplex, occupied by young families with small children up to retired folks. Each house has a solar unit on the roof that provides heat for the water supply, and large tanks are at each house to catch rainwater off the roof. Their grey water is piped underground to a "wetland" where a certain kind of reed has been planted to clean the water. The black water from toilets eventually goes there too, after settling. All this is piped back to water the plants in the community, most of which are local and therefore don't require much water. But they do have some citrus and fig and some other fruit trees, I think.
One would expect to see a community garden there, but as with almost any community with voluntary membership, there are a few who don't want to go along with the majority, and there is no garden, though some individuals do grow vegetables on their own property.
I attended a vegetarian dinner at the home of another resident and talked to about ten women about West Africa, showing my artifacts. Ten-year-old resident Emily modeled carrying a baby on her back.
At a thrift shop in Florida where I had hoped to buy a baby doll for such demonstrations I learned that baby dolls can't be sold unless they are tested for lead in the paint. So my "baby" is a teddy bear.
I stayed with former Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) Jackie Day in Milagro (Miracle) Co-Housing Community whose unifying principle is "To live lightly on the land." Interesting place: about 28 residences, some of them duplex, occupied by young families with small children up to retired folks. Each house has a solar unit on the roof that provides heat for the water supply, and large tanks are at each house to catch rainwater off the roof. Their grey water is piped underground to a "wetland" where a certain kind of reed has been planted to clean the water. The black water from toilets eventually goes there too, after settling. All this is piped back to water the plants in the community, most of which are local and therefore don't require much water. But they do have some citrus and fig and some other fruit trees, I think.
One would expect to see a community garden there, but as with almost any community with voluntary membership, there are a few who don't want to go along with the majority, and there is no garden, though some individuals do grow vegetables on their own property.
I attended a vegetarian dinner at the home of another resident and talked to about ten women about West Africa, showing my artifacts. Ten-year-old resident Emily modeled carrying a baby on her back.
At a thrift shop in Florida where I had hoped to buy a baby doll for such demonstrations I learned that baby dolls can't be sold unless they are tested for lead in the paint. So my "baby" is a teddy bear.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
School Experiences
It's been a long time since I was in a school, but I got a good dose this past week here in El Paso, as I talked to three schools in three days. Two of my experiences were with LITTLE kids, pre-K to 5th grade, who assembled in their schools' libraries; I talked to six groups each day and showed an abbreviated version of my PowerPoint presentation. I sold about ten books to teachers in those two days, and had a great time. The kids enjoyed dancing the African hilife.
The third day I was in a high school, speaking in the auditorium to four different groups of humanities students. Also a good day. Their questions and responses were more insightful and interesting, but few of them danced.
I'm looking forward to Tucson tomorrow, as I'll be staying with a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) in an Intentional Community, but they call it co-housing. As friends at home are hoping to establish such a community, I'm interested in seeing how this one is organized.
The third day I was in a high school, speaking in the auditorium to four different groups of humanities students. Also a good day. Their questions and responses were more insightful and interesting, but few of them danced.
I'm looking forward to Tucson tomorrow, as I'll be staying with a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) in an Intentional Community, but they call it co-housing. As friends at home are hoping to establish such a community, I'm interested in seeing how this one is organized.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Snow in Texas
You guys up north think you have a corner on the snow market! Driving from Ft. Stockton to El Paso, up in the mountains, there was snow, but the wind was blowing so hard it didn't get a chance to land on the ground. Actually, snow in El Paso is not unusual.
The wind carried dust and tumbleweeds with it that reminded me of my years in Wyoming.
That same wind was a headwind for me, and I'm sure my hybrid used about a gallon of gas for every 15 or 20 miles, as opposed to its usual 39 mpg. I was surprised when the fuel signal came on, and had to drive about 50 more miles to find a gas station, coasting down hills to save gas. The gas at that little outpost on the prairie was $2.22/gallon, but it saved my hide.
Am staying with my nephew Daniel and his family. His wife Sandra is a teacher, and she has arranged for me to speak at three schools in three days. Today I was at a K-5 school, and spoke to six different groups of little kids, 1/2 hour each. It was fun! Am also enjoying my two great-nephews, ages nine and two.
Just as the pandhandle of Florida is in Central time, the panhandle of Texas that's El Paso is in Mountain time. This time the change gave me an unexpected hour on my way to Daniel's house, so I found my way to a Cracker Barrel to return two books on CD I'd borrowed back in San Antonio. Will pick up a few more as I move west, but must beware, as there are no Cracker Barrels in Nevada or California. How will I manage?
The wind carried dust and tumbleweeds with it that reminded me of my years in Wyoming.
That same wind was a headwind for me, and I'm sure my hybrid used about a gallon of gas for every 15 or 20 miles, as opposed to its usual 39 mpg. I was surprised when the fuel signal came on, and had to drive about 50 more miles to find a gas station, coasting down hills to save gas. The gas at that little outpost on the prairie was $2.22/gallon, but it saved my hide.
Am staying with my nephew Daniel and his family. His wife Sandra is a teacher, and she has arranged for me to speak at three schools in three days. Today I was at a K-5 school, and spoke to six different groups of little kids, 1/2 hour each. It was fun! Am also enjoying my two great-nephews, ages nine and two.
Just as the pandhandle of Florida is in Central time, the panhandle of Texas that's El Paso is in Mountain time. This time the change gave me an unexpected hour on my way to Daniel's house, so I found my way to a Cracker Barrel to return two books on CD I'd borrowed back in San Antonio. Will pick up a few more as I move west, but must beware, as there are no Cracker Barrels in Nevada or California. How will I manage?
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Lone Star State
One thing I learned at deFuniak Springs is that Florida's panhandle is in the Central Time Zone! My first day there, dinner was scheduled for 5 p.m., kinda early, but I showed up at 4 because I didn't know I should have changed my clock. After waiting an hour I was hungry.
I also was surprised to learn that Florida is a big cattle producer, and I did see lots of them along the way.
It's a two-day trip from there to San Antonio, through a little bit of Alabama and Mississippi, then Louisiana and a long way through Texas. But it was all (except for skirting New Orleans and San Antonio) on U.S. highway 10! I remember remarking to friend Jack Lord long ago that I was pleased that Boerne, Texas, the place I was moving to from Los Angeles, was on Highway 10 that starts in Santa Monica and L.A. He said he in Santa Monica and his brother in Jacksonville, Florida hold down either end of that road.
Here in Boerne I've spoken at the local library and the senior citizens' center, and on Sunday will do so at the clubhouse in the development where my sister Helen lives. Chautuauquan Rainy Evans invited about 15 friends to her lovely house in San Antonio, and I spoke there. Several of them had already read my book (and liked it) and two women brought their children.
Boerne, where I once lived for five years, is of course bigger and has heavier traffic than in the past, and I guess that's true everywhere. But, as in Ghana, what strikes me most is the familiar: the house I once owned, the place I worked and mostly, of course, old friends. One of them, Lily Thomas, is now 91 and still a volunteer at the Senior Center's thrift shop. As I get on in years, older people are an important inspiration.
I also was surprised to learn that Florida is a big cattle producer, and I did see lots of them along the way.
It's a two-day trip from there to San Antonio, through a little bit of Alabama and Mississippi, then Louisiana and a long way through Texas. But it was all (except for skirting New Orleans and San Antonio) on U.S. highway 10! I remember remarking to friend Jack Lord long ago that I was pleased that Boerne, Texas, the place I was moving to from Los Angeles, was on Highway 10 that starts in Santa Monica and L.A. He said he in Santa Monica and his brother in Jacksonville, Florida hold down either end of that road.
Here in Boerne I've spoken at the local library and the senior citizens' center, and on Sunday will do so at the clubhouse in the development where my sister Helen lives. Chautuauquan Rainy Evans invited about 15 friends to her lovely house in San Antonio, and I spoke there. Several of them had already read my book (and liked it) and two women brought their children.
Boerne, where I once lived for five years, is of course bigger and has heavier traffic than in the past, and I guess that's true everywhere. But, as in Ghana, what strikes me most is the familiar: the house I once owned, the place I worked and mostly, of course, old friends. One of them, Lily Thomas, is now 91 and still a volunteer at the Senior Center's thrift shop. As I get on in years, older people are an important inspiration.
Monday, February 2, 2009
deFuniak Springs Chautauqua
Yes, there are other Chautauquas, and one of them is at deFuniak Springs, Florida. It has only one building, also housing the Chamber of Commerce, in a lovely spot near one of the two round lakes in Florida. The events of the conference were held there, at the nearby Methodist and Presbyterian churches, the Community Center and the Fairgrounds.
There were a number of exhibits, but the best was one in which each of the 53 African countries (I think there are 54, but maybe Fernanco Po was left out) was chosen by a local elementary, middle or high school class and illustrated in a 6' by 10' space. The exhibits were imaginative and informative--a great project.
I DID get to be a speaker after all, as there was a last-minute cancellation and I magnanimously stepped into the breach. (I had been disappointed when I learned of the conference too late to be on the speakers' list.) I showed my PowerPoint presentation and the cloth and artifacts that I hadn't used to decorate the Tea Room at the Community Center, and there was much interest and many good questions.
I did sell some books and had a good time, learned a lot and met many interesting people. I had a homestay with a lovely lady, and all in all it was a worthwhile visit.
There were a number of exhibits, but the best was one in which each of the 53 African countries (I think there are 54, but maybe Fernanco Po was left out) was chosen by a local elementary, middle or high school class and illustrated in a 6' by 10' space. The exhibits were imaginative and informative--a great project.
I DID get to be a speaker after all, as there was a last-minute cancellation and I magnanimously stepped into the breach. (I had been disappointed when I learned of the conference too late to be on the speakers' list.) I showed my PowerPoint presentation and the cloth and artifacts that I hadn't used to decorate the Tea Room at the Community Center, and there was much interest and many good questions.
I did sell some books and had a good time, learned a lot and met many interesting people. I had a homestay with a lovely lady, and all in all it was a worthwhile visit.
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