Proud to be from Wisconsin

I wish I was in Wisconsin today. I’m so proud of my fellow Wisconsinites for standing up to Governor Walker’s union busting/stripping of all union-based rights budget bill. There’s an excellent article on the Rally that occurred at the capitol today. It sounded amazing. The bill is so awful and would affect so many Wisconsin residents and families. I hope that some of the Republicans get the message and vote no. It’s actually a pretty close vote and it wouldn’t take too much to cause the bill to fail. I’ve always been proud to be from Wisconsin. I love its natural beauty. I love how friendly people are and that it is possible to make friends on the street, at the grocery store, or in line at a movie theater. I love the fact that we have the history of Fighting Bob Lafollette and the birth of the progressive party in our state. And I love Madison, of course. But, this rally has brought people from around the state, some of whom probably voted republican, voted for Walker. But, when it comes down to the fact that their teachers would be losing so much income and benefits and the right to allow unions to work in the way in which they are supposed to work, they came out. From everywhere. And now, I’m even more proud to be from Wisconsin.

 

my little old “luxury” car

I drove to Madison this past weekend. It was a big weekend–my sister’s first photography show. And I sat in traffic driving out of the city on a Friday (the amount of traffic on both Friday and Sunday indicates that people have opened up their country houses once again), I listened to my car and worried. It sounded like a jet engine, as a friend recently commented. When I’ve given rides in the last couple of months, I’ve been careful to warn people that my car is a little noisy. I tried to get it fixed, but the place I went to didn’t have the right guy there when I had made an appointment. And someone reassured me that if the “check engine” light wasn’t on, it wasn’t a problem.

On Saturday, I told my dad that I hoped he would listen to the engine while I was home. I was worried and tired of listening to the noise on 3.5 hour long drives. After a family discussion and a quick call to the muffler repair place, I dropped my little old car (it’s about 9 years old) off. And I was so glad that I did, because I definitely needed a repair or I could have been fumigated (by car fumes inside the car). My fuel gasket had a leak and some piece of pipe or something was worn out. When I picked the car up later Saturday afternoon, I was shocked to hear how quiet the engine was. I got out of the car back at the photo show and announced to my dad that it felt like I was driving a luxury car! He laughed, of course.

The thing is, is that while I’ve been embarrassed and kind of concerned about my car’s well-being, I didn’t feel like it was urgent. Not to be cheesy or melodramatic, but I think that this sort of thing happens in all sorts of ways in our lives. Those moments when we finally acknowledge a feeling of unease with an experience we are having, a friendship or relationship we’re in, or the way our body feels. And then,  we decide to check in, whether with a mechanic, a friend, or a doctor and there’s that epiphany moment after we make the change, like the one where I felt like my little used car from 2001 drives like a luxury car.

the men in the room

Sitting at Sequoya library where I do my school writing the recession resonates with me deeply. It’s not that the recession doesn’t effect me every day in different ways, because it does. My dad’s unemployment is a constant reminder. And the New York Times always has an article or two, as does Slate. If I turn on the TV, there will inevitably be a news story about the recession. It’s everywhere. Today I was reading an article about the impact the recession has had on Madison, which has been far more significant than expected. Typically, Madison is insulated from economic downturns through its predominate employers: state government and the University. But, the article listed all sorts of ways that the Madison was effected, from the furlough days that the state and university employees have had to take to the lay-off of 20+ scientists that worked for a research company that left. Not to mention the closure of the GM plant in Janesville and the fallout from the housing bubble which has led to less work for construction workers and less transfers of property which affects a legion of professionals.

Here at the library, I am reminded of unemployment. I’m sitting in the “reading room” where there are comfy chairs with outlets for computers (I wanted a table but the ones with outlets were occupied). Everyone in this room is a middle-aged man, except for me. 2/3s of the people at the tables behind the stacks were middle-aged men, too. They are working on computers, reading magazines, and newspapers. Last time I worked here (last week), that stats were similar. It’s a lovely library, and I think that it’s great that the community utilizes it with great gusto. But, it is sad. I know that a couple of years ago, I didn’t see this many men at the library in the mid/late afternoon.  This is what the recession looks like.

A little reprieve

I went home to Madison on Thursday afternoon. It was planned. My parents are out of town and my sister has the dog and house to herself. So I went to join her. It was just relaxing to leave Hyde Park and my apartment with all its inherent tensions (piles of books, the boxes waiting to be packed, the papers that need to be written) behind and drive the 3 hours.

I was joyously welcomed home by the house pooch. And we took ourselves and the puppy to Wingra Park for dinner. We picnicked facing the lake and the trees. So so nice. Afterwards we took the puppy on a stroll on Monroe street (not the business district part) for his walk.

Friday, after my sister went to work, I read for paper-preparation. But, we didn’t read in the library, the apartment, a coffee-shop, or the div school reading room. I read on the screened porch in the perfect sunny weather.  I was also able to take a short break (love the lack of traffic in Madison! and the closeness of things) to buy some moving supplies and walk the dog. After work, we put together a quick picnic and headed to the union to sit by the lake and listen to Jazz Fest until the sunset.

And now, I’m back in Hyde Park with all its inherent tensions and expectations. One week to go. I move out a week from Sunday and then this year will finally be over.

First Hike of 2009

Here in Chicago I’ve been craving the woods. Everywhere in the city there are people, even if you don’t see them. They are there, living in the 3 flats and high rises, walking along lakeshore path, or driving down the street. Even though I knew that I’d see some people on a trail in the woods, I figured it would be a good place for peace.

I went home on Friday evening, arriving just in time for Shabbat dinner. Yum! Saturday was a lazy day, beginning with laundry and Riley’s graduation from “teenager” class at obedience school. I’m so proud. I ran errands and then in late afternoon my sister and I got ready for a hike. We had planned to go to Governor Dodge, which is our favorite state park. But it wasn’t going to work out timewise. We tried out a new park: Indian Lake County Park which was about 20 minutes outside of town. It was perfect. There was a pretty lake and it was situated on the edge of the driftless region, which always makes things interesting.

We chose the easiest hike as we were still short on time. The hike was about 1.3 miles. Although labeled as easiest, at other parks it would at least be considered a hike of medium difficulty. There were lots of steep hills. The views were great, and we saw many fallen trees. My sister and talked and walked and she took some photos. Here are a few that Allison took:

And sisters on the first hike of 2009: