My Mandela Moment

February 11, 2010 markes the 20th anniversary of the release of South African political prisoner and father of a revolution, Nelson Mandela.

This morning I sent members of my family to South Africa for 5 days of festivities that my friend Duma Ndlovu and the South African government have planned. Because of a very serious business commitment, I could not go (sob, sniffle, wail). But I will definitely enjoy hearing all about the thrilling events to come including trips to Parliament, dinner with MosDef and President Zuma, events with Nelson AND Winnie Mandela, a symbolic walk from that dreadful prison where so many dissidents were beaten, tortured and murdered, speeches, teach ins, song, dances and great food.

No doubt had I gone, I would have found the Be Sweet folks and spent many hours fondling their lovely goodness!




So tell me, what was your Mandela Moment?

Coming in From the Cold

I've been missing in action, burying my face in CSPAN programming watching everything and anything associated with the new White House trying to convince myself that while the economic sky is falling it is way better than listening to those clowns from the former administration f%$#up the country. Now, with that said, and to keep from indulging in a full on pity party, this is some of what I've been up to.

went to visit son #1 in North Carolina to hear him sing with the North Carolina Symphony


This is a partial sound recording of the Carmina Burana. Not my favorite choral piece, sort of reminds me of a scary movie but it was my chile singing so...




Got caught in the historic nor' easter snow storm. Tried to get out of town before it hit and the lady at the airline checkin said, "honey, if anybody in North Carolina thinks it's gonna snow, we close down the city! Better find you a hotel and sleep in." Well, after I checked out of my very nice hotel with a great wine list and midnight cheese and fruit platter room service -


I found myself thankful for any room at the airport hotel. Even the crows were confused.

Made this gorgeous Radiating Star Blanket as a baby gift (pattern found on Ravelry).

Tried to follow the Harlot's advice with the stash...

FAILED

Why did I keep these??

There were months that brought me little or no joy - except for this occasional backyard visitor.

My pal Phyllis tried hard to lift the gloom, we explored yarn stores and old fashioned soda fountains. I had my first vanilla ice cream soda in many years!




She even baked me a cake and brought me some noro sock yarn and those cool square needles!

I pulled myself together long enough to host one of those local Obama house meetings.

There were a few of them around my town. My friend Arlene, a professional chef, did one with desserts and champagne!

Went to hear a Cornel West lecture with my boys. That was a really good day.

Attended my town's library's author luncheon. Guess who?

I auctioned off several baskets with baby hats. And, the poster below from the Democratic Convention's Women's Caucus that Michelle Obama presided over.

So, hope still remains and is perhaps all that is left when we succumb to our darkest worries and can't seem to see the light. Thanks to all of you who have written to encourage me to write again and to report on my whereabouts. I'm sorry I've been gone so long.

P.S. if you would like one of these historic posters, I have another that I would like to share so, just comment here with your name and I'll do one of those random selection thingies and send one to you, sorry, it is not signed and I won't be able to frame it.

Time...

Next month I turn 50. I've been thinking about time a whole lot. What have I achieved in these adult years and have I healed from those childhood fears?

I tend to look at everything with a sociological lens, so obviously much has changed but I wonder about those pitfalls, you know the ones that keep us divided, away from our common selves, our human selves? I've grown a lot since those post Jim Crow years.

That's me on the right with my bestest friend, Toni. It's my 8th grade graduation from P.S. 11 - an all white school black children were bussed to. Wasn't fun.

Can I imagine a post racial world? I've been reading Randal Robinson's, The Debt. Trying to understand the ways in which I may have been damaged because of America's ugly past. How have I been affected by the exclusion of Africa's contributions to world history? Has this affected my sense of self?

I saw this sign while visiting the New York Botanical Gardens. Finally, the story of my culture, my history are unfolding in the places I so adore

Will time help me to figure out how I can embody the hope that President Obama is challenging us all to realize? How is it we teach our children the best ideals that we, ourselves, have difficulty believing?

My middle son, Andrew, watching the inauguration. My oldest son was there somewhere in the crowd!

So, I wonder about time. Nina Simone's, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, echoes in my mind more frequently now. I recently found this picture of me taken when I was 21 and my first trip to the Caribbean. I've always remembered the water, it's clarity and the warmth but now, looking at me standing there, I wonder why I can't clearly remember what it was to be so young...


Well, one thing has improved, if nothing else. I couldn't knit then!

My favorite felted bag

My curious case of benjamin buttons hat, knitted while sitting spellbound watching that movie!

Well maybe there is still more to learn. I can't seem to be able to knit a tam that isn't too small or too damn large!

A New Day in the United States of America

Check out the new White House website!

Our national nightmare is finally over...

A New Day

It is safe to be smart again

It is safe to learn about other cultures again

It is safe to be humane again

It is safe to know who we are again...

...and where we came from

It is safe to know the immigrant in all of us again

It is safe to love our President again

We all have work to do now. We must work together to heal our country. We can't leave that burden to President-Elect Obama alone.

Fear and Loathing in New Jersey

Anything can happen with this election. Stuff has been happening, voter purges, vote flipping, false information, threats and long ass lines.

I'm not one for doing the fear thing. But, on the front page of my local newspaper last week featured some stuck in the past people invoking fear. They went on about how America should be fearful of a black president and that as white people, they can't bring themselves to vote for a black man. Nevermind that I've been voting for white men ever since many black and white people died so that white people would finally allow me to vote.

Anyway, fortunately for most Americans we are all trying to deal with this race problem in more constructive ways. Ron Howard has weighed in to share how he is dealing with this election:

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

Regardless of the outcome of this election, Obama's candidacy has moved this country forward finally after having gone so far backward in these past 8 years under Bush. Now is the time to get to work and clean up this mess for our own sake.

Car pooled democracy

Well folks, you heard it. America is now supposed to go from a guy that guys want to have a beer with to a woman we can call up to car pool. No thanks. I prefer my country and my corporations to be run by smart people. Dumb people create Savings and Loans fiascos and FEMA diasters. If you are not sure if a bar boy or a hockey mom can fix this mess, start by checking out America's balance sheet after 8 years of the bar boy's reign...

Hard to find words after such a spectacle last night, but silly speeches ain't gonna get this country out of the mess created by the bar boy and his incompetent, greedy cronies.

Anyhoo, here are more pictures from the DNC convention.

If any of you are CSPAN addicts like me, you are familiar with Code Pink. A group of women who have decided to respond to our nation's wacky priorities by using wacky tactics to protest.

Now, I've seen many protests in my day but I must admit that this Code Pink lady used one of the best tactics I've ever witnessed. She got off of her bike when she saw these two policemen. She told them that they were so cute and strong, that she'd hate to know that they would be shot up in Iraq or ravished by sand fleas just so Halliburton could make another billion dollars. Not only did she get a 'rise' out of them, she got them to smile!

Did I tell you that there is a Starbucks on nearly every corner of downtown Denver? So much better than a bar on every corner like so many neighborhoods in Jersey. Here, right next to a Starbucks, was one of the DNC's credentials pickup offices. My first day in Denver, I stood on this line for well over an hour but it was cool because I got to drink coffee, have a great conversation with two women from Ms. Magazine and I got to knit!



One of the places I had the privilege to watch the Convention from included a popular actor who was getting a bit chilly in her lovely satin dress. I gave her my shawl that I had in my knitting bag.

my son snapped this picture of me wearing the same shawl at an outdoor festival in Denver on our last day there. Now my son thinks my shawl has been touched by hotness. I thought about giving the shawl to my son's hearthrob but it was made from Karabella's silky something or other and done in one of my favorite lace patterns - the candle flame shawl, I couldn't part with it. Can anyone guess who the actor is?

Well Kumar brought his own shawl, 'er vest. Actually he was volunteering and working quite hard too. He was trying to be inconspicuous but my son recognized him straight away!

One of the best dynamic speeches given during the entire convention was Congressman Dennis Kucinich's speech. He reminded us all that people can make change if we would just stand up!

Now, after watching the RNCs totally boring convention these past few days, I thought this picture my son took from the floor of the DNC best illustrates the difference in each party. Can you figure it out?

'nuff said

Mile High Emotions

I cried. I think my entire section was crying. A mother of a very blue eyed little girl and a Mississippi Delta lawyer were standing together cheering and crying. Yeah, I know Obama's acceptance speech felt like a Disney produced tent meeting but after these past tragic 8 years of Bush government, it was a moment of pride again, of exuberance again, of possibility again.

There were a few moments that were like WHAT? moments, such as - can anyone tell me what the hell is "clean coal"?

And the whole thing with pursuing the terrorists to their caves (which, by the way, were constructed with the assistance of the USA during the Russian/Afghan war so that the American sponsored terrorists could hang out to attack the Russians - but I digress...) I guess politicians say that kind of stuff.

All in all, I'm hopeful again. Not necessarily for nirvana or good government but for 'smart'. Hopefully something smart can come out of the white house again...

I've had one of the best weeks of my life. It does something to your psyche when you see thousands of people interested in making life better for others, whose activism is not about their careers but their conscience. Falling off the wagon, never felt so good!

News we could use...

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

I really need to consider becoming a vegetarian...

About a dozen pigs, including this one, escaped from a flooded Iowa farm and made it to a levee. But they were shot and killed by authorities who said the animals threatened to weaken the barrier.