Monday's Blog; We Marched Together

Our group, 38 strong, mounted a tour bus, donning our golden hats sporting our group name--The Progressive Senior Patriots, men and women from Jojoba Hills in southern California. We arrived in San Diego well before the start of the Women's Walk on Washington (and incredibly throughout the free world). We anticipated the walk in the San Diego, CA which surpassed the expectations to about 40,000 strong.

Hat and flag

YELLOW HAT with group name

Arrival in San Diego

We named our group The Progressive Senior Patriots to truly reflect who we are, all over 55 and experienced through the decades at protesting with purpose, with calm and without violence. Why do some protest groups spoil the efforts by engaging in bad language, breaking glass or further damaging property. Why revert to violence? It does not solve a thing.

There was not a hint of violence or of dissent in San Diego or world wide for that matter. We are united to retain our rights, to protect our national integrity and very democracy of our nation, to stop bigotry and torture and making certain this earthly home will last a long time to come. But, we need to keep up the spirit. We cannot stop with one protest. Long held American Values must survive.

signs galore

Our pleas for justice, for sanity and well thought out policies need to be nurtured and supported by constantly writing letters to congress and senate members, governors, local politicians and to policy makers, employers, governing agencies to keep the ball in the air for a future of hope.










The pre walk speeches were strong, heart felt, deeply motivated and encouraging. As we started the actual march, the sun gave way to a gentle rain.

BIG W FOR WOMEN

 But we were all prepared, just as we are prepared to stand up for a future of sanity and good choices, for our rights and to maintain a belief that our country can overcome adversity, dictatorship, demagoguery, despotism, false promises and lies. Hand written on our hats was the word SENIORS. 

The yellow hats, the name of our group and our appearance showing experience and purpose must have shown as brightly as the golden sunshine that smiled upon us as we neared the end of the march route(s). There were so many more marchers than anticipated that several routes were added to the end point at the wharf lined with cruise ships and yells and cheers of joy at the travelers on board watched us fulfill our purpose and expressing their joy at being there as witnesses. 

PINK HATS 

So many marchers of all ages, sizes, colors and with great warmth greeted us the whole morning long. They alluded to our "senior status" with applause and wonder. Startling to many of us because inside we think we are 40 or 50 somethings, when indeed we are 60-70-or 80 something. Healthy and active because of the good medical care we thrive on and have enjoyed for 8 years.  We know there are flaws in every policy that rules our lives, but sensible changes need to be just that, sensible but to a good end for us and our children and grandchildren.

Another pleasure was our interaction with the youngsters we spoke to or spoke to us first, some being in their 30' and 40's and asking why we still march. The common answer is we have been protesting for DECADES and know how and what works. We are teachers for you. They thanked us for that. We also responded to youngsters--be they 3 years old, 6, 10, 12, 16, 18 or in their twenties, boys and girls alike. Many thanked us for being role models for teaching them the way and nurturing their participation. 

Cruise ship interaction

In response to the march, supporters of the new regime emphasis that on inauguration day, 1/20/2017, Gas was priced at an average of $2.86 more or less per gallon, The dow was at 19,819, NasDaq at 5560.7, Unemployment  4.7. These remain good numbers riding on the shoulders of the obama regime and not the new regime at all.  presently reservoirs are filling in drought ridden California,   The average salary to date for U. S. median class households averaged from about $42,000 and more. Health care has helped many folks obtain coverage where they have had no coverage for years before Obama's plan. Many of these are Trump supporters. I have hopes for national enlightenment, for unity, for bipartisanship, for sensible and good policy changes, addressing a positive future for America reflecting our deeply seated values that have stood us in great stead for centuries. Let's continue to KEEP AMERICA GREAT. 

Monday's Blog; Gold Rush 2017

This presidential regime has made a statement. There is a golden glow everywhere. A curious fashion statement has been decreed by a rush executive order quickly signed (as soon after his inauguration as possible.) The fashion world will adopt the true color of 2017. Gold. Indeed the GOLD RUSH of 2017 is raging on. The color choice is decidedly not a surprise. We have seen gold leaf, gold nuggets, gold lame, gold dust, gold furniture, gold decor, gold domes, gold paint, gold spray, gold gold gold everywhere. Indeed in Trump tower, Mar Largo, Trump Hotels and everywhere that Mr Trump has laid his goldfinger hands--there is gold.

Now, The White House is going gold. The oval office is rid of the Crimson red drapes of the Obama years hanging behind the presidential desk, for the sake of gold. New bright golden drapes are now in place, most likely ordered for quick completion on the night of Nov 8th after the polls turned. The Trump mark has been made. Often, the white house decor changes quickly upon the residency of the new arrivals but done with forethought, style and pizzazz. Think of the changes made by Jacqueline Kennedy, Pat Nixon, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Laura Bush, Michele Obama and so many other first ladies.

I am sure there are more changes to come or in progress at this moment. But the oval office, where so many world leaders, world celebrities meet with the president. where so many treaties, executive orders, letters of condolence, letters of congratulations are issued, where so many photographs are made recording history in progress. I m not against the color gold. But wonder at the wisdom of the choice of gold.

Being a long time photographer, my eyes were blasted with the golden glow reflected by these gold hanging draperies. The faces are washed in a gold glowing cast, the effect becomes more sculptural than depicting living and breathing subjects. The room is awash in a golden glow as well, the presidential desktop radiating a strange cast and the edges of the desk a frame of golden glow. The resulting images look more painted than real. I empathize with the White House photographers shooting in these reflected tones and colors. But so be it, the gold rush will run on and on. Hopefully, the global gold mines of infamous fame will not cause further torture and hardships for the overworked, underpaid gold miners unearthing the golden nuggets.

(an aside--being of the gray-haired club, I have self declared that I cannot wear gold. beige or brown toned clothing, jewelry and such but choose clothing in tones of white, black, gray, red, orange, jade, turquoise, blue or purple so as not to clash with the yellows and golds that are off my color wheel. we all have our own personal color wheels to live by if we so choose).

For more info on changes to the white house see
Vhttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/white-house-trump-oval-office-makeover-44940453

Monday's blog; Warm eyes

What a delight, having dinner at a casual Thai/Vietnamese restaurant on a quiet night between the two big winter holidays on Main Street in downtown LA. 

Staying for a few days in the heart of downtown offered My husband and I a great opportunity to get to know this city from the inside out--art galleries, museums,  restaurants and diners, touring the Walt Disney Symphony Hall, climbing the stairs to Bunker Hill therefore, learning about Angel's Flight, the historic, now defunct landmark narrow gauge funicular that ran in the Bunker Hill district high above Downtown LA. 

Pershing Park another center point in the downtown area is a highlight as well. Who would expect to watch ice skaters trying to stay upright in Southern California, but there they were, doing their best on the ice glinting and glowing in the bright sunshine. The rink was constantly being swept to clear the melted mush from the surface. Children were using 3 foot high plastic penguins to help them negotiate sliding on the ice without a visit to the ER after a fall. 

I will never stop admiring the numerous varieties of trees, bushes, cacti and succulents that flourish in this area, seemingly surviving the many years of drought. I have good intentions of trying to identify some of the plantings and learning more about each variety.  (The good news; it has been raining, hopefully a beginning to fill the reservoirs and providing relief from the dry period of such a drought.)

There is more; we can not resist a farmers market. With the sun in our eyes, some warmth on our backs, we hauled fresh produce back to the apartment to enjoy for the days to come. As we walked, people were very friendly and open to hellos and waves as we past by, sometimes stopping to talk. Of course the state of the homeless in LA is a match for any city and hard to take. Back to our Thai/Vietnamese dinner. 

It was delicious and the restaurant was not busy, so we were not pressed to leave because of crowds. As usual, I could not nearly finish my portion of the veggie curry and had it packed to go. I asked for napkins and spoons and forks to be included. I often hope someone on the streets will ask for help therefore, offering them the take out box. 

I had identified a women in a red shawl on the way to the restaurant and I had my eye out for her. But she did not appear. A tall, thin man, wrapped in a thin blanket, with hole infested gloves on his hands and thin soled shoes on his feet, sporting curly salt and pepper hair and beard and a smile sought our attention. I began to hand him my box engaged by his pearly blue soft but blazing eyes and his very warm smile. I held my gaze on his eyes for long moments, taken in by the affect. He thanked me 3 times. How I would like to know more about him and how he keeps his spirits seemingly up and glowing. But, we moved on to our warm home. 

It is so hard to be confronted by the unfortunate people of this world not knowing really how to react, afraid to give money or advice. but feeling an ache in our hearts for them. Some choose this life on the streets, some seek change. Through the years I have embraced suggestions for reacting to encounters, give them food, give them scarfs, hats, socks, shirts, raingear and a smile. But, it is a chore to carry so much stuff when out and about in the city. 

This man with the warm eyes is ingrained in my mind. 

Walt Disney Symphony Hall