Asking for Forgiveness Later
American society has put layers of rules in place over its existence. Privileged people, who are generally white, have been permitted to bend those rules; while non-privileged people, who are generally people of color, have had to follow them to a T …
City Budget for Green Programs/Jobs More than Just Lacking
This is the email I sent to Durham’s mayor and city council members today regarding the city budget: I am deeply concerned by this year's city budget's lack of new investment in green jobs, particularly for the Bionomic Educational Training Center (BETC) program and the Impaired Stream Improvement Program (ISIP). In fact, I think it is negligent of the city not to provide substantial funding for these two programs, given that…
Alison Krauss and Dead Raptor Fledglings
On May 20, my neighbor down the street sent a group text that said, “Our back alley pine tree hawk nest has two fledglings. Very fluffy. So cool!” She welcomed everyone to come see. Two weeks later, she sent another group text: “Sad news. We have not seen hawk parents since the big storm Friday. One of the fledglings is now at the foot of the pine tree - fell? I am burying him this AM. Another remains in the tree and is sad…
Cultural Appropriation and NPR's 2021 Tiny Desk Contest
While at a beach in Costa Rica where many local residents were soliciting business, I suggested to my teenage daughter that she get her hair beaded. She'd done it once when she was little, and we both loved it. We'd support local business, and it'd be fun. My daughter promptly told me that I was being racist and educated me about cultural appropriation…
The Kinks, Predatory Marketing, Durham's Elf, and Feline Broccoli
Fat cats eating broccoli and other musings on another capitalistic American day.
N.C. Bill Hinders Local Tree Protection Ordinances, Underscores Need to End Gerrymandering
A couple weeks ago, our tree maintenance company requested that we contact our state legislators to oppose a NC bill requiring localities to receive state approval for future (and many existing) tree protection requirements. For decades, the state-created NC Forest Service has encouraged and assisted local governments in Developing Tree Protection Ordinances. NC State and other NC Universities have also gone to great lengths to educate local governments and the public about the importance and ways to develop tree protection ordinances. And now the Republican-majority NC General Assembly is setting itself up to negate these same local tree protection ordinances.
Gum Stump Squirrel and Asheville
Now for our (final) college update (at least for this year): Five days ago, with 36 hours to college deposit deadline, my 17-year-old son Seamus was still deciding between UNC-Asheville ($11K/year after scholarship and aid) and Berklee in Boston ($46K/year after mostly aid) in pursuit of a Music Technology/Production degree.
The College Drama Continues, Mac
My theme song today is, of course, the last college-apps composition and production from my 17-year-old son, Seamus. From everyone he/we have talked to (including Berklee grads), if Seamus wants to go into Music Production he should just move to LA, New York, Nashville, or another music city (including Asheville but with some disdain toward Boston) and actually get an entry-level job at a music production company rather than going into debt to Berklee. …
The Willow (Seamus Rooney) plus Berklee Update
Among the four Berklee Music Production grads that Seamus and I had the good fortunate to talk with (thanks Watts Hospital Hillandale Neighborhood List Serve!), the consensus is that Berklee’s pretty awesome... with these caveats…
Is Berklee Worth it? Weighing College Options for Child #2
We are still waiting for my son’s financial package from Berklee, but our online research indicates that it will cost >4 times what UNC-Asheville has offered him. We know UNC-A is a great value. This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked it the seventh-best public liberal arts university in the United States, Forbes magazine ranked it #21 in the country for "Best College Value", and the Princeton Review ranked it within the top 13% of America's four-year colleges…
Mandolin Orange, Faith, Incompetent People and Myanmar
My #ThemeSong today is a set by Chapel Hill's Mandolin Orange, a folk duo led by married couple Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, both 31. Their music is relaxing, positive, and thought provoking - perfect for the drive to or from work. (Thanks bro :-) …
Manic Monday, Everyday Jitters, and Implementation Activation
My #ThemeSong today is Manic Monday, written by Prince and performed by The Bangles. Here’s a great NPR story on how Prince came to give the song to the Bangles quite early in their musical career: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/21/734176868/how-prince-worked-his-magic-on-the-bangles-manic-monday…
Everyday Addiction
I have been off Facebook (for personal posts) for 10 weeks now. Most interesting has been the diminishing absence of the sporadic jab of anxiety that accompanies each impulse to check my notifications or post a new thought or photo…
Regarding the County Manager's Contract and Upcoming Renewal
Below is the email I sent the Durham County Commissioners regarding the current County Manager's excessive contract. If you feel remotely inclined, please send your own concerns to your elected officials and feel free to cut and paste my letter (or any part thereof). Thanks for caring and sharing, Melissa
Eulogy for My 2014 MacBook Air
Yesterday, like a sign from the Universe, I accidentally killed my MacBook Air. I felt the urge to be with my 7-year-old computer as it died there on the table. The software was still working like nothing had happened, but the hardware was clearly taking its last breaths. To pass the time, I logged into my blog and began typing the following eulogy to my old inanimate friend. …
#VoiceInMyHead Today (re Teachers)
We need to start paying teachers the salaries of both caretakers and educators if we want to maintain the system as it is. Teachers have shown they can do it, which is why we are demanding they do it now. But the current situation is not sustainable unless …
Durham Elementary Students to Return to In-person Learning 4 Days/Week (!)
My last post concerned the debate over whether Durham Public Schools should resume in-person learning in order to accommodate state legislation mandating a return to in-person instruction within 15 days (of the legislation's passing). Discussion on the topic has become heated and personal, which I find sad and incredibly frustrating. The simple question is this: After doing remote learning for nearly 12 months, why are we forcing teachers and staff back into classrooms mere weeks ahead of ensuring they are administered the vaccination we've all been waiting for?
From a Teacher in Durham, North Carolina, on the Forced Reopening of Schools
A Durham, NC, public school teacher’s take on North Carolina’s forced reopening of schools for in-person learning, and Durham Public Schools planned response.
Lauryn Hill and Microplastics
I edited a paper about the ecological impact and human health risks of microplastics in aquaculture ecosystems. My daughter is currently doing microplastics research at Eckerd University, so it was a rare instance where I had a personal interest in the subject matter. During my subsequent trip down the wormhole, I learned that each time you use a microbead-containing facial or body wash (which, for years, has been most of them), up to 94,000 plastic microbes can be flushed down the drain - each time.