Gutted, Gentrified And Gone

Re-imagined, Reinstated, Regretted

Today many libraries are closed because of…..ahhh!

 For a few, today is Christopher Columbus day and with it being removed many have fought for it to remain as part of Italian’s contributions and mark on the U.S. But that’s stupid, whenever Christopher Columbus was celebrated or taught we learned about how he sailed for Spain and ate Turkey with Native Americans—not his Italian Heritage. Instead join in on the celebration and reflection of Indigenous people and the Native Americans slaughtered and create a separate day truly for Italian Americans as a whole or focused on the many Italian-American Nobel winners (six, who are literary focused and whose work is noted as different tones of their heritageà https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/six-italian-nobel-prize-winners-in-search-of-a-national-identity/) by dropping the loser who GOT LOST at best.

 So why is this being mentioned during National Book month or as part of this celebration and spotlight on libraries? I wasn’t taught this distinction in class, I learned it on my own. After being taught and performed a play about how Christopher Columbus discovered America it was mentioned quickly that the Vikings discovered America and questions about the contradictory lessons were ignored and I looked on my own where I could. So thank you books on shelves up high, heavy and beaten. Thank you for making HIStory not the only story left

Professor McGonagall

Today is the birthday of Professor McGonagall, our stern but motherly figure while attending Hogwarts, especially for those in her house, Gryffindor. While off topic, as JK Rowling stated she wanted English actors only to portray the Hogwarts students, she also stated that she always wanted Maggie Smith to portray Professor (Minerva) McGonagall who not only played the part but held it as dear to her heart as we do, as she continued to film both Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II. 

Professor McGonagall was always a great mother figure to me as she was clearly an independent woman; she was also strict and fair: important qualities for someone who is going to need to guide young wizards, teach, and be a guardian at a boarding school. She was also a role model, maybe not directly as Hermione Granger was, but she taught all of her students (readers included) to stand up for themselves, believe in themselves, and be honest and truthful about yourself, to yourself, and your surroundings. 

Some of my best moments with her will always be in regards to Neville, who throughout his years as a students at Hogwarts she repeatedly told him that all he needed was confidence. She further pushed this when after the O.W.L.S. she stood up for him to himself, reminding him that he should be proud of his accomplishments and not base his happiness on his grandmother. With these developments, and her change from guardian to friend as our Hogwarts friends grew older, there was much to admire and adore and want in a personal relationship with Professor McGonagall, all before getting to her history and heartbreak pre-Hogwarts years and her odd relationship with Dumbledore. She was force to be reckoned with, her and her Maggie Smith, and I encourage all to re-read the books and explore her history more to understand how truly Brave, Clever and Kind she was. 

OH MY GOODNESS and her AND her patronus was a Cat!!! <3

                                    Alyssa Alhadeff (14)                  

                                       Scott Beigel (35)

                               Martin Duque Anguiano (14)

                                  Nicholas Dworet (17)

                                    Aaron Feis (37)

                                Jaime Guttenberg (14)

                                   Chris Hixon (49)

                                   Luke Hoyer (15)

                                 Cara Loughran (14)

                                 Gina Montalto (14)

                                Joaquin Oliver (17)

                                  Alaina Petty (14)

                              Meadow Pollack (18)

                                 Helena Ramsay (17)

                                 Alex Schachter (14)

                              Carmen Schentrup (16)

                                    Peter Wang (15)

I don’t know these people, and now I never will. But I don’t have to know them, to know that they are pleading, they are crying, they are begging 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

let me be the last one, let my death bring more than just pain. Talk about me, talk about how I died too young for no reason at all, about how I should have been protected

PLEASE, let me be the last one to join this club

** Side note: there have been comments about how survivors have “stepped up”; they have not stepped up. That is to imply this was their battle and their responsibility to handle; what they have done, is risen above. Risen above the adults those whose jobs it is to protect them and ensure their safety but discarded them and their safety, their innocence and their futures. So thank you, not for stepping up, but for rising above the rest of us and demanding more, demanding better for yourselves and others than others have for you xoxo

I still read

but I definitely read for different reasons now as there is less companionship that I need to fill in books or stories from far away

Relatable

Gabe Lewis

Gabe’s Best Moment: Season Seven, Episode Sixteen: PDA 

When he designs the Treasure Hunt for Erin for Valentine’s Day. There’s a jigsaw puzzle, she gest to visit Darryl, he puts up stars for her, gets her sparkling cider (not champagne) and a cookie that brings her right to him.

Gabe’s Worst Moment: Season Seven, Episode Twenty-Five: Search Party Part 1 

When he signals to Toby and Jim if they would ‘wrap up’ Kelly’s interview and then explaining to her that she’s not qualified or considered a serious candidate.

Gabe’s Best Line: Season Eight, Episode Four: Garden Party

In response to everyone thinking Andy throws the Garden Party to impress Robert California (as we see later it was more to impress his parents) Gabe gets annoyed because that’s a ‘classic Gabe move’

“Hey Andy, how about you don’t steal my business strategies and I won’t dress like my life is just one long brunch” (Season Eight, Episode Four: Garden Party)

Gabe’s Most Memorable Moment: Season Seven, Episode Fifteen: The Search

When Gabe sets these ground rules for the Caption Contest

1.      No captions that insult the company

2.      No pop-culture references

3.      To use the stick-quips

Trayvon Martin

When I think of Trayvon Martin, this is the image I see in my head. The kid in the hoodie, the young boy, the typical teenager. He was one of the first I heard about as US civilians and officers started to receive more public backlash against the murdering of Black teenagers, Black youth, Black men, Black America.

There is a lot I could say about Trayvon Martin, and the impact his death had on his community, the US and the world--but it’s not fair. It’s not right. He should not have had this impact from his death, the choice of how he should live his life and the impact his life would have on the world were choices stolen from him by his murderer and those who let his murderer go free. 

Today I think in pain about his parents, who have pushed forward his spirit and his loss trying to give something back to their son that they should still have with them. It’s been 7 years, and the part that is the worst, the part that sticks with me today is that he is physically gone. Skin cells take an average of 7 years to live and replenish. After 7 years today I will continue to hold his soul and say his name, but after today even those who tried to save his life will not have had physical contact with his body at any point in their history. Any hugs or kisses from his family, hi-fives from his friends, all are gone. But will not be forgotten. 

Rest in Peace young man

A Little Princess

I first saw A Little Princess (1995 version) probably with my parents around the time of its release. With no film background, I will say, did a great job at ageing the film as I always am surprised to discover that it’s not as old I thought it was (something that has happened repeatedly). While somewhat a romantic, fairy-tale type story the core parts that stick with me are the beauty within the story, particularly when Sarah and Becky are imagining a great feast and the colors of India in the very beginning of the film.

The images created in this film are stunning and completely breathtaking on their own and an amazing job is done using the colors in the fil to show the contrast between what we want our world to be like and what we don’t, the stories are even more real. Yes, the fairy-tale elements of her father remembering her just before she’s about to be arrested (she’s a child but ok), and dramatics of him ending up next door to where she lives, and how regardless of everything she insists on being a kind princess are all good and honorable it is the story of the neighbor that hits the most. Both the bleakest, most realistic, connecting, accurate and somewhat breaking is the father next door who tries to be kind during a war and is grateful for closure when he loses his son and his surrogate son (and in a way granddaughter). I think this is why I saw it with my parents, and so frequently. While there are many stories that accurately portray war, this is one that focuses on being kind in the homefront and probably portrays what they experienced living separated, but closely connected to war and genocide. 

There was no good photo to symbolize the story of the neighbour, but part of the theme of kindness is quoted below

Another unrelated shout-out that connects to a Little Princess to me, shout out to Shirley Temple who will never be bested even by those who manage to get their pets Instagram famous

Brick Heck, The Middle

An odd guy, no doubt. But you know....he knew who he was...

...he didn’t play to anyone else...

...and he learned to appreciate what he had when he had it. 

Thank you Brick, for knowing what’s important and how to cherish it and where your home was

me, with a vague plot idea, 1 (one) character name, and an outline that consists of mostly question marks: