Step Back in Time in Sharon CT to Glean Ideas for Today

The Sharon Historical Society in Sharon CT has a new exhibit up about the Jewish living experience from 1920-40 in the neighboring town of Amenia NY. Check their website for information on hours and more on their offerings. It never hurts to take time for those who have journeyed before us, paving the way and figuring out what can help one survive even in modern times when living and getting good care should not be challenge, yet still is at times even in more recent decades.

I wrote the following to one of the coordinators, noted author Carol Ascher who is a woman of much talent and experience. She and I have the honor of sharing Vassar roots and even Garden Club ties.

 Dear Carol, I will pay attention to the exhibit when I get a chance. When reading again briefly, when you said they 'took in borders' I imagined them cutting back on their town territory. Would that be boarders? I met a professor at Columbia who says her students were exploring the idea of intergenerational living to help people make ends meet..whether family or just mixed needs getting match up. That old mix and match formula is not only for wardrobes but for those lucky enough to have clothes on their backs.The former times likely need to be appreciated for how they can inform our modern day 'challenges' and opportuniTIES.

 Why not share about a museum or event you have enjoyed this summer of 2016.?Savor the flavor of every season, and of course, great food and gardening ideas can be shared as well. I enjoyed a backyard BBQ of chicken and burgers which had to move indoors due to rain.  Fresh corn on the cob and cole slaw rounded out the meal along with  fruit salad fixins such as cantelope. pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and razzleberries (raspberries, one of the favorites of our local bears so they could be called raspbearies too.

For fun I likley will play around with the idea of getting people to enjoy time at their li-bearies too, as well as their lion-braries as other posts promote.

While I was lucky to get to the Norfolks Farmer's Market (where one can find tickets for a raffle or two also with good prize money or other prizes) which offered great ambience and lovely veggies and edibles, I didn't buy much since I was on my way to see Ralph Nader in Winsted near his Tort Museum in Winsted where he was helping host a huge impressive sale of advocacy books.  I got to share some of the main points of this blog and shake his hand.

I think Mark Twain would approve of Mr. Nader's efforts, though some still blame him for 'throwing the election when Al Gore was running. That George Bush landed in the White House and started the Iraq War with no indication of banned weapons there, does not cast poor Ralph in the best light either. He shouldn't be blamed for all of that, but some do want the connection made. Likely we all need to think very carefully about what 'letting Trump  in the White House' would really do in terms of carnage on the planet to innocent people and those he deems not fitting that criteria even if the rest of the world does.

We are likely all involved more than we can comprehend in the cycles of 'karma' or generational payback or balancing acts, not necessarily as punishment but more of a mathematical or even voluntary effort to learn and grow spiritually. Hitler did not arise in a vacuum but by the time people realized how far gone his thinking had taken his country they all seemed stuck to turn the tide. Being very reverent for the gift of life and making decisions as Americans in all aspects of our lives could help people get back on track and face the mounting problems with courage and teamwork. Political leaders are supposed to follow the will of the people.

Yet most accept that big business and their lobbyists have Congress bought and paid for, so the political arena is not open and available to all. If Americans could review the findings by experts in the domestic abuse field which indicate most courts and states are biased Against Women who are being Abused and in court there has been found a 'gender bias against females' then steps could be taken to remedy this.

There is no government oversight to correct such difficulties. Similar to Planned Parenthood clinics being closed on technicalities in Texas and elsewhere, the important options for all American women are not clearly spelled out and provided for. That is not to say there may be physical, emotional, social and even spiritual consequences for a woman ending a pregnancy when not medically indicated or for reasons that could have been avoided. Ideally birth control, serious helpful education and discussion about all aspects of male and female sexuality and developmental markers to help people determine and have support in understanding whether they are really ready to have a serious or involved relationship. There are more posts on this blog about this too often taboo topic.

But overall, the idea that our national government is yet another uneven playing field and likely will continue to marginalize women and minorities and most men while serving the interests of the very wealthy and 1% needs to be clarified. The strategy to turn the ship around while there is a safe and sensible way to do so as in Before The Election in November could be supported by all citizens who want to see our country succeed in a more fair-handed manner.  A little help to all people, as is done in Canada, for housing and healthcare and some food if not transportation to work or school could be wonderful investment particularly for young people.

They are our future and frankly, energy and health can decline over midlife years even with all the latest ideas for staying healthy and slowing down the aging process. Too many drugs (prescribed and illegal especially alcohol and nicotine) continue to take a toll on our population, and sadly many otherwise healthy young people. Caring is the first way to show one is not afraid and can make a difference. Actions have to be weighed so one is not played and not burning oneself out.

That's where working in teams and with buddy systems such as explored in other posts make sense. For now, I will return to the weekend adventures in the Northwest Corner of CT, where parties were held as well for Hillary Clinton when she accepted the Democratic Nomination for the first female President of the United States! While many, including me, had really hoped (an in my case ran a quarter mile in the heat to help secure a perimeter in a crowded rally to open up another area) for Bernie, Bernie, Bernie to win, that was not to be. He's backing her now and that does seem to me that right way to go, having made important contributions and hopefully waking up the country to the power of now and of VOTING IN NOVEMBER!!!

Back to my weekend in CT. I got to see Big River  which was a musical hit in Sharon CT at Tri-Arts this July 2016. I asked one African American lead, who played Jim the runaway slave in this Huck Finn- Tom Sawyer, if he had been accused of stealing the show, because he did..and I saw him do it. He smiled and humbly took my compliment.

There were many stand outs with the leads and some African Americans soulfully singing a slave song and other Caucasian actors playing parts that required more jovial acting with long complicated parts that kept the action flowing as Tom and Huck had us keeping track of one rampage after another. The dancing and amazing music kind of blew the roof off the raft or set the raft afloat not only on the river of the stage but above the rafters. Thus I must deem give it a high rating, a Mark Twain above sea level, if I am recalling that the pen name was indicative of a certain depth of water. 

I will share that my Dad Dale Palmer Sr and I watched  television show of one of Mark Twain's tall tales, the story of his life with some embellishment as I think back to a Father's Day well over a decade back since my Dad crossed to the  other great shore in 2007. My Dad enjoyed it since it hearkened not only to days of old but to the West whence he came (New Mexico.)

 I mention in other posts I think that my Dad's father, Alma James was respected by the Navajo around Ship Rock near Mesa NM, north of Farmington NM. When Alma, the father of 16 biological children and a step-father to four others, passed a few hundred Navajo came out to be near his funeral. I think my Dad said 600 but I'll have to check those numbers with those who keep accurate records. The Big River play also brought to mind our son Kaelan who was at the center of a Huck Finn type real-life adventure.

The Falls in June 2009 served as the setting that can bring people to a new level of awareness even from video of them let alone ever seeing them hopefully only from a safe distance when they are running. Seeing a dozen or more young guys sing and dance their hearts out and plan some adventurizing against good advice reminded me that as many say 'Boys will be boys' is an American mantra we are all grappling with, even the guys.

Someway, somehow we have to find a happy medium (and maybe even a few mediums) to help US All consider that while we don't die spiritually after our mortal life we shouldn't push out luck and could perhaps try to take a later exit than what earlier ones may be on our possible growth list. In the magazine which is online called Our Berkshire Times I  recently read an article about medium Bill Phillips ( March 2011 issue).

As Marc Anthony and other mediums have provided amazing books, Bill Phillips has authored Expect the Unexpected and he means that mainly in a good way, to expect miracles and ways to feel connected to loved ones. An overriding message in many traditions is to allow one to see with one's heart and insight, to allow one's dreams and imaginations and hopes to speak to one and even a group of people.

When in a theatre, the audience has to buy into the whole concept and suspend the workaday real-life limits and rules (for the most part) to glean the meaning and enjoy the show that's being presented by actors and musicians who are putting their energy and wits and bodies to the task of birthing a tale. It is a joint effort and overall a cool metaphor for life, to play it as though others were watching and to be ready to craft your part to highlight your dreams, ambitions and if called upon, super powers alone or as part of a team

. I saw the Big River musical, playing out in Sharon CT where I had also seen many other cool shows including Camelot which was seeming a mirror of too many people's lives at the time (think of poor Gueneviere as being threatened with death for having an affair as Queen..have times changed much when abusive men still kill about a thousand women a year who they supposedly 'loved' or had children with? While King Arthur was portrayed as conflicted and depressed, too often even today such afflicted people in control can run savage over victims in their familiy and community circle. What is even more perplexing is that most aspects of a social circle and society allow for that.

A victim or advocate for the person can be blamed not only by the unbalanced person, but by their own family, friends and supposed community supports. Confusion and derision seem to reign as a person sincerely tries to shed light on the matter. The same likely is happening when politically unbalanced people are assessed by more intelligent and consistent analysts. The writings by Lundy Bancroft such as in Why Does he DO That? and Should I Stay or Should I Go explore the dynamics of a controller-pleaser or victim relationship. It is not as much fun as many who blame victims think it is for women, especially those with children, to stay.

It is sad more regular people do not take a vested interest in comprehending the complexity of a victim learning the need to detach for safety and sanity reasons and to be consistent long term in maintaining good boundaries. Most professionals and societal systems try to maintain an engaged family ethic but when there is an abusive male in the mix, that is not 'best practices'. Still, those arguing for joint custody as the main course of action even for abusive males, assuming that he will stop once apart from his victim, can sadly be 'dead wrong.'

This kind of drama is not like the fast talk in a Huck Finn, it's the real misery facing many women, plenty who 'never see it coming' whether violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault, threats to take the children legally, or forbid a mother to see her children or the more egregious direct harm to children and the victim with threats of harm or actual taking of their lives. All of this should make headlines not only when there is a loss of life as is typically the case, but should be covered as a mandated course for public safety online and as it is safe for women and children to learn about how to handle an in-home terrorist. There is more on this in other posts, such as The BlogPost that Changed the World. Most health problem and homeless issues are linked to male abuse against females. I almost thought of running for politicial office just to get this message out.

Maybe if we do what I say on that post, another person ready to handle the job could benefit from seeing how much we can do voluntarily on our own then they could tend to other matters with more success. Now would be a good time to implement the self-accountability and buddy system ideas on those and other posts. We need to uphold the inherent value in every person and network like never before (groups o 10 or 20) would be good to help each other feel strong about following through on short-term goals and getting some traction under our feet as we begin the race for Presidency with cohesive efforts state by state to get everyone to a voting place in November...and then not forget one another as the winter and other seasons unfold. See the United Nations for the forecast of what the world is facing in the coming decades.

The UN paints make or break scenarios for many, so all good minds and efforts are needed to stay afloat. One advocate summarized the idea that people of color, particularly Black People are being put in prison because big money is made off their imprisonment moreso than educating them. Some states allow prisoners a chance to attend classes and earn credits (Minnesota I believe) whereas others such as Florida, do not.

I consider both as a tribute to all heroes who rise above racism, traditions that trap people in dogma or have us refusing to reflect on deeper meanings and better ways of living, learning, loving and even leaving one another as may be needed or required on some level.  To honor one and all and the divine, let's keep the lessons and blessings flowing to honor all those in spirit, in fiction and in reality as well as those still on stage with us upon the earth and the newcomers too. I reckon most folks would take kindly to that notion here and in heaven, whether they ever learned to read or had a long time to live or not.