Microblog

Plants drippered, fridge tipped, bags packed. Ready for an early morning departure. (The Vikings stadium roof is visible through the far window, glowing blue. The lighting is dynamic; for example, during the Christmas season it features a candy cane design.)

Walked home from a clinical study check-in, grateful for an eyewateringly expensive study drug in my daypack. The study, funded by the Department of Defense, promises to save many millions of dollars in cancer care. The contrast with last week’s abrupt shutdown of USAID-funded research feels deeply unjust. Thousands have been left with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies, without access to monitoring or care.

Sub-zero (Fahrenheit) sunrise this morning. The Mississippi was unusually calm, mist rising from the near-freezing water. Another day to stay inside.

Woke up to Gold Medal Park, Guthrie Theater and Mill City Museum in a snow globe. A perfect day to stay in, ride an exercycle, and start packing for our annual snowbird trip. New this year: we’ve arranged for bikes, so I’ll be gathering our helmets, locks, and some tools.

I thought I hadn’t gone for a walk today. I’d just gone about my day: coffee with friends, my monthly labs for the clinical study, and picking up ice cream for Sausage Saturday. Then I glanced at my watch and realized I had gone for a walk! (The fire symbol indicates calories burned.)

Waited at the bus stop after my Thursday class. Thanks to Google Maps’ real-time bus arrival info, I minimized my wait time on a chilly day. A temporary light pole was slowly becoming a community bulletin board. A sign advertised “Chaman y Curandero”–Shaman and Healer services. Another notice detailed a street protest against actions of the current Administration which damage our community.

For a few days it’s tip-the-fridge time. Here, I’ve assembled ingredients for a strata egg bake. We collect stale bread in the freezer, then periodically incorporate it into bakes, Italian bread salads, stuffings, etc. For the strata, I cubed the bread then dried it in the microwave.

It was too cold to walk, so I pedaled an exercycle while being unchallenged by my Japanese serial drama. Keito, the central character, is a highly ethical reporter working for a weekly tabloid that covers corrupt politicians and other scandals. As she uncovers yet another case with mitigating circumstances, she asks, “What’s the purpose of having law?”–A good question for the times we live in.

Sometimes I set a theme for my walks. Today’s was the flag of our neighbor to the north. I spotted this one next to a deflated US flag outside a downtown office building housing a consulate.

Checked on a neighbor’s plant watering system. I set it up for them in December, and it’s been working perfectly for six weeks. The controller (with a built-in pump), tubing, and drippers cost around $35. The only drawback is the controller’s battery, which needs recharging about once a month. An $8 smart plug allows them to remotely initiate charging from Arizona.

I spotted this graffiti moniker today while walking between tanker cars across the river from where we live. These markings, often including a name and date, are a railroad tradition dating back to the late 1800s.  A little online research revealed similarly themed monikers by Impeach/Mpeach, a member of the graffiti crew, AMFM. These monikers feature the same guillotine and rolling head imagery, but with different text.

On my walk, I stopped by Seward Community Co-op, owned by over 23,000 households, including our own. The large bags on the left contain teff flour, a staple for many customers with Somali heritage. On the right there’s a well-managed produce department where I can pick up a single potato if that’s all I need. I left with a heavy daypack filled with root vegetables, lamb chops, and crusty bread.

I’m glad to report that diversity, equity, and inclusion were thriving in the classroom today. Our words and actions align.

Tomorrow, I’ll be helping English language learners prepare for their Personal Care Assistant (PCA) certification test. So, I decided to take the online course and test today to earn my own PCA certificate. I’m grateful for the people willing to do this work. It can be challenging, and the pay isn’t ideal.

Today, we visited the Tibetan Shrine Room, a temporary exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Buddhist artifacts are arranged as they might be found in an affluent Tibetan home. Buddhism’s emphasis on kindness to others is a valuable lesson for our times.

Retreating from the cold wind, I sought refuge in the skyways. Here, I’m walking through the Central Library, a place I rarely visit since I primarily borrow e-books online. My mind drifted to the stunning Mediatheque in Sendai, Japan, designed by Toyo Ito. I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon there, sheltering from an inbound typhoon, experiencing how libraries can be reimagined and be relevant and popular in the future.