V. My Buddy

vmybuddy, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

One of the great things about my job is that I not only get to help teachers, but I also get to assist kids all over the building. Over the years, I've come to grow very fond of a group developmentally delayed/Autistic children in one of our Learning Center classes. This spring they did their self-portraits in art and this is V.'s.

Picasso make a little room at the top!

Viva Mexico!

mexicopostcard, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Latest Post Card from my friend R. who returned home to visit his family in mid-May. He works on a Green Card here for Conoco Oil, but is now suddenly struggling to gain approval for his return.... He's been told it's an H1N1 Influenza thing, even though he is perfectly healthy.

Governmental beaurocracies are actually some of the most capricious organizational structures ever devised by the hearts of men.

Teaching

MCPS15YRservicepin, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Last day of school with kids today. And at the "End of the Year" assembly, I received a pin from the county in acknowledgement of my 15 years of service. It wasn't something that I expected--I thought it was only 14.....Where does the time go?

Mid-June Gardens #8

walkwaytrio, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Here's an update on my choice for the border garden in the back. From my previous post (Late May Gardens #2) on May 25th, the growth has been amazing. The monsoonal rains of late have certainly helped this aspect of my gardens. I antiscipate that all three plants: pineapple sage, Choleus, and Begonias, will double in size as the summer progresses. And the Pineapple Sage will send out wavy shoots of brilliantly red flowers that never fail to attract hummingbirds. I believe this variant of Choleus will also blossom with spikes of lacy lavender flowers. So far my instincts have not disappointed me.

Mid-June Gardens #7

scarletemporer, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

And my first little Scarlet Emporer! The color is nearly edible.

Mid-June Gardens #6

dayglo, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Another shot of those amazing Day-Glo lilies.... I'm gonna paint this one, I think.

Mid-June Gardens #5

lilyday-glohydrangeaoakleaf, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Besides the Astillbe, there are the Asiatic Lilies. The first among them to open are these amazing orange beauties. I think their common monicre is "Day-Glo" lilies.

Here, I have captured them with an Oak Leaf Hydrangea in the background. This particular bush is a transplant from a volunteer off of an original nursery pruchase that was placed in my backyard in 1999.

Mid-June Gardens #4

astillbe, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Another June, another transition of perennials in my gardens. Here is an image of my most beautiful Astillbe. I planted 5 of them 3 years ago: 1 died outright, 1 is still stuggling with pigmy-esque results, 2 are moderately successful, and then there is this one: magnificent! Such is the life of the gardener....

Olly Olly Ox In Free! -- Come Out, Come Out!

wesleyeure, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

When I try to parse out what aspects of culture had the most effect, held the most allure, on me as a kid it's gotta be TV. While it never performed the evil duty of surrogate parent, it was something that I spent a good deal of time with--with my parents, who happened to enjoy the medium, as well. And here in June 2009, yet another actor from those golden years has made his sexuality a matter of public record. Wesley Eure who played the David Cassidy look-a-like son on the Saturday morning staple "Land of the Lost," and the erstwhile David Horton on the soap "Days of Our Lives" for a decade has officially set the record clear: He's GAY. His revelation posted on the website AfterElton.com includes the year of living dangerously as Richard Chamberland's much younger lover. And to Wesley's credit, in an era that saw many closeted gay actors self-distruct, he's lived a good life with contributions to Nickelodeon TV, two children's books, the author of "Dragon Tales" on PBS, and countless hours of fundraising for causes like a cure for Breast Cancer, shelters for battered women, and AIDs. Welcome into the light. You may finally never have to worry about breathing in the foul smell of moth balls again, er, unless you like that sort of thing....

Happy Pride 2009!

newdesign, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

The Public Radio show Studio 360 did a little homage to the Gay Pride flag today and then issued a challenge to design a new one. So I bit. Here's my design. It has three components: 1) The Rainbow of the current flag, 2) The pink triangle of the Nazi holocaust against GLBT people, and 3) a new design of my own featuring a circle of 6 gender symbols in flesh tones that combine M-M F-F and M-F pairs.

Isaac Mizrahi will judge the entries. What do you think? Wish me luck.

You can judge my competition for yourself at: www.studio360.org

What I'm Reading #16

masnaviima'navi, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Still reading the tales of Jelalu Din Rumi. The translation with gorgeous reproductions of illuminations was a gift from a former student. He bought it for me in Iran during a family vacation two years after leaving my class, and the giving of this gift was such a sweet surprise. The text was written in the 13th century and is naturally heavily influenced by the Koran The tales are written like epic poems and are intended to have a moral edge. They are by and large capricious, and illogical in there presentation of events; mystical and inhumane in their judgments. Basically, they are a reflection of the author's world and religious understandings.

I couldn't help but reflect on the elections today in Iran as I read. It would seem that what is happening there is just the next step in two worlds clashing: that of the 13th century with the 21st. Why modernity frightens so many is beyond me. With but a wisp of a moment to participate in this miracle of life, one would better be served by latching onto wonder, instead of fear.

Tattoo Dreaming #10

beachtattoo, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Great Tat. Sand in the cracks!--never a good thing....well, almost never!

One Nation, Indivisible: African Americans

aamapusa, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

I like numbers. I like statistics, and I often relax by researching information of a numerical sort. Recently, I've been plotting out where minorities live in the United States. As a white guy, I've been told that within my lifetime (God willing), my demographic will become another minority in this country. I live in community where I'm already in the minority. I find this future exciting. Living in a diverse ethnic nation will so enrich us all. But just how diverse is the United States? That's the question that I set out to answer.

I know the key is hard to see, so here are the categories that I chose to create: Grey = 0% African Americans, Green = less that 1%, Ecru 1 to 14%, Yellow = 14.1 to 29.9%, Gold = 30 to 44.9%, Orange = 45 to 59.9%, Red = 60 to 74.9%, Purple = 75 to 89.9%, and Ultrmarine = 90 to 100%. There are no ultramarine jurisdictions on this map. Further, whenever a county surpassed 50%, I increased the thickenss of it's board and highlighted it in Aqua. To this end, there are 12 states and the District of Columbia with majority African American populations at the county level. For a total of 95 counties with a majority black population.

These facts are interesting, yet I find it far more interesting that such vast expanses of the United States are home to less than 1% of African Americans. And given the way our representative form of Federal governance works, there are a majority of Senators in Washington for whom the practical ability of Black Americans to effect their re-election is nil, and therefore the ability of African Americans to get their issues taken seriously is scant at best.

African Americans make up 13% of the entire population of the United States, yet they represent only 1% of the men and women in the United States Senate, 9% of the House of Representatives. On the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas comes closest to providing parity by single-handedly being 11% of that body, and yet his opinions would doubless better reflect the beliefs of aging, conservative white men than the average black person in America.

It will be very interesting to see how the legacy of our President will effect these inequities 20 years down the road. The rise of more diverse public servants and their ascendancy to Federal office may be his lasting gift to this nation.

One Nation, Indivisible: Hispanic Americans

hsmapusa, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

There are just 5 states with counties that have majority Hispanic populations: Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico and Texas. 51 combines counties in all. Again, gray areas are those with no Hispanic residents and green where Hispanic citizens form less that 1% of the total population: Maine and West Virginia jump out in this category. And the range of the ecru is from 1 to 14% and so it's a little misleading in that the ecru in Michigan represents percentages hugging 1% and those in New Jersey range closer to 12%. But I deliberately chose 14%, because I think it's a threshold percentage toward political enfranchisement. With 15% or more of the population, it's possible to have an appreciable effect on the political landscape of a jurisdiction. Below that, no so much. With majority of Hispanic Americans trending toward the Democratic Party, and the majority being younger and trending toward the generally progressive leanings of the under 30 somethings, I have my eyes fixed on Texas in the 2012 presidential election. We already know that this demographic effected the Democratic tsunami in New Mexico and the switch from red to blue of Nevada. And if I were one of the three Cuban American representatives from south Florida, I'd be watching my back for 2010.

Fern Fountain

fernfountain, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

My trend toward ferns is bearing fronds! Here's my fountain in the front yard. I have Autumn, Japanese Painted, Lady, and Mexican ferns around it. In the background is a magnificent Cinnamon fern. And just out of the image on the left is a row of Ostrich ferns that flank my driveway. And the best part? The deer don't eat them!

Sunday Funnies #24

parents, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Sunday Funnies #23

hungarianAP, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Sunday Funnies #22

viagra, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

What I'm Reading #15

lifestory, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Took time from quilting to peruse one of my all time favorite children's books. Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) created a history of our universe that gradually spirals down from billions of years to millions or years to thousands of years...... to a single year of change. Each page features a beautifully stylized illustration upon which the era, epoch, age, day is revealed like a scene on a stage. The narrator is always present, as well (reminiscent of Sondheim's narrator in "Into The Woods").

I love this book. It's factually accuracy remains unassailed, and it's detailed images demand more than a casual glance. I can't think of a better book to give a child.

The jacket cover contains this recommendation:

"Ages: To Look At 4-6; To Read Aloud 6-10; To Read To Yourself 10 up" I couldn't agree more!

War On Terrorism June Up-Date

wargraphic, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

After an autumn lull -- that was really no lull at all if you want to ask the families of the 113 soldiers who died in the field between September 1st and December 31st -- casualties have once again returned to a predictable, lullable, unexceptable average of 30 per month or one a day. And now in the first 5 days of June 13 have died. It's a rate that would lead to a month with 78 casualties if it were to continue. Isn't even one too many? Haven't we established that our aggressions in at least Iraq were unnecessary to our national security? I long for the day when we are no longer mired in that desolate land of age old conflict and allow them to either devour themselves or stand up and re-establish the heritage of art, literature, learning and prosperity as a self-determined people. We will never rid them of terrorists. Only they can do that for themselves. Our resources must be directed to our own shores and the things that need fixed here, and our courageous, obedient military needs to be reserved for the threats that are real.