This morning, the downtown view from our home is completely obscured by mist, but it will eventually clear, of course. Knowing our rights are vulnerable, we got married four years ago today, a right that was won over the objections of many in our country. We don’t count this as our anniversary, our story spans 37 years. We met in a time when people like me were routinely turned away at the border.
Category: In This Together
Coffee, Donut, and Democracy
At Open Book, a building dedicated to all things book-related, The Minnesota Center for Book Arts had set up an antique letterpress machine. How could I resist pulling the lever? I’d ducked in from the rain for a coffee and donut at FRGMT Cafe. Today, the building is also serving as our polling place, though I’d already voted by mail.
Contradictions
A random walk through Downtown, guided by traffic light signals, led me to Philip Johnson’s 1972 IDS Center, a testament to its enduring design. However, Johnson’s past as an ardent Nazi supporter in the 1930s casts a long shadow. He publicly admired “Mein Kampf,” attended the invasion of Poland, and described it as a “stirring spectacle.” While he renounced these views in the 1940s, his earlier actions forever tarnish his legacy.
Classroom Distraction
Working for a few hours in this classroom made jet lag disappear, at least temporarily. Bright light, mental focus, and social interaction all helped.
Germ Transmission 101
In today’s Certified Nursing Assistant class for English language learners, the subject was germs. To illustrate the concept of germ transmission, each learner received four slices of potato, untouched by human hands. They then performed three actions: rub one slice on the floor, breathe on another, and rub the third on their hand. Next week,… Continue reading Germ Transmission 101
Back to School
It was a morning of acronyms preparing non-native English speakers for CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certification, and assisting with ELL (English Language Learning).
In This Together
As I cycled through the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, I couldn’t help noticing the lawn signs. In two cases, I ended up chatting with the homeowners. Near the neighborhood’s edge, in an industrial building, I found Twin City Maker, a 24/7 non-profit offering wood and metal shops, a laser cutter, 3D printers, an electronics workshop,… Continue reading In This Together
A Calm Place
There was ample evidence of last night’s storm, which had wind gusts exceeding 60 mph, as I cycled to meet friends for coffee. Downed tree branches littered the trail, and flashing red traffic lights indicated power outages. The neighborhood coffee shop was new to us, but the coffee was fresh, the pastries delicious, and the… Continue reading A Calm Place
Optimism in a Black Box
On my random cycle ride down the Mississippi: a motorcade of black SUVs left Eastcliff, temporary home of our Governor, escorting Tim Walz to MSP. We’re delighted with the choice of this former high school teacher whose values align with ours. He’s authentic.
School’s Out
After last night’s imagined English Language Learning classroom, I stepped into a real one today for the final day of summer school. School starts again early September when I’ll continue working with the same teacher. I enjoy working with her: she prepares thoroughly, she uses my time well, and the students love her.