The Sleeping Giant Stirs in Everyday Ramblings

This afternoon I crossed the big street near my place to get to the bus stop I need to use to get to my regular grocery store because the regular closer bus stop has been decommissioned in response to the endless work going on with the remodel of the old gym into offices for Under Armor. There was frozen snow all over the sidewalk by the bus stop.

Days after pretty much everything had thawed. Kes thought the little patches of snow in odd corners were kind of picturesque yesterday as we were taking the cats to the vet for their annual well kitty exams.

To me those frozen icy patches are a reminder of what was a fairly traumatic weather event. It is all a question of perspective. Last night even though it was cold, it was clear and I could see stars as I walked home freely from class. It is so great, such a luxury not to have to watch every step taken to remain upright.

The cats are fine. I had them treated for parasites and vaccinated but the best news of all was that their weight is healthy and I don’t need to modify their diet. I was concerned about that because they want food all the time. I don’t give them treats (well they get a few after their monthly treatment for fleas) and they certainly don’t eat human food.

We had quite a breakthrough on Sunday night where we oven steamed some lovely salmon and they let us eat it and our roasted cauliflower and pan fried sweet potatoes unmolested. Last time I cooked salmon I had to lock them in the bedroom so I could eat it!

I met a guy at the above icy bus stop that is quite a character, many miles on him, and an artificial hip and an aneurism in his forehead who says he grew up in a house I walk by almost everyday and knows a lot, a lot about the neighborhood. God, I wanted to ask him a million questions. I hope this is a story that is to be continued.

On the way home, at the bus stop near the store where there is an exit from our main freeway there was a guy juggling flat shiny things that looked like big knives. He was very good. It was fascinating. He had a sign and was asking for money.

I am not sure exactly why but I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of this sort of thing in the next four years.

You know I have been very careful, so close to retirement, about expressing opinions publically because I have concerns that easily available information could lead to me not getting chosen for a job if I were to lose the one I have. And with my brother unemployed now and my niece seriously underemployed, those of us in the family that have jobs need to keep them.

But with the inauguration something has changed in me and I feel like I can’t not speak out and utilize what rights I have as a citizen of a democratic country so I went to the march where I assumed my picture would be taken and today I signed a petition with my name and email address asking that our President release his tax returns on… the White House website.

Eek. I don’t think it is just me…I think there are a million of us or so…who are waking up to the fact that if we care about not only the people dying of exposure on our city streets but also the legacy we leave for the young people who are coming into their own…we must take risks and speak out and make sure with our actions the we are heard.

The sleeping giant stirs.

May we be the change we want to see.

And survive to tell the tale.