Mining Nuggets

Once again ... he says it best

Let the light enter you

Quote of the day:

Don't turn away. Keep looking at the bandaged place. That's where the light enters you. RUMI (hat-tip to sister Sue)

I needed that quote today. For as I drove into work today thinking about last night's debate, I slowly started to realize that I had witnessed a lynching at last night's debate. The symbolism was overwhelming: A pack of vicious, white, conservative dogs with Hillary Clinton at the helm, as golden girl mouthing one more sanctimonious word after another, attacking the brown skinned candidate. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I believe I felt the ominous presence of the ghost of Karl Rove hovering, shadowing, coaxing, prodding, and guiding them.

Shame on you ABC network; Shame on you, Michael Nutter for standing by; Shame on you, Hillary Clinton; Shame on you America. "All are punished."

Let me say this. Barack Obama, if you were or are acquainted with Bill Ayers, in any way, I am even more proud to stand by and vote for you as President. For Dr. Ayers is an inspiring early childhood teacher educator whose literary works and speeches have urged me to social justice and become the self reflective teacher I am today.

Rise up, Barack Obama and return to us stronger than before. You are so much bigger than all that sleazy garbage ABC and the Clintons have to offer us. We need your vision and message of hope now more than ever. For, last night I saw the swirling, whirling storms of darkness cloud our television screens, blinding pundits and filling the cynics with devilish glee.

Someone called me on the phone for a survey yesterday morning. They said: "If the vote for the Democratic Primary was tomorrow, who would you vote for?" I answered just as I would if they called me right now this minute ...

"Senator Barack Obama."

Carl Bernstein weighs in ...

... with a view to a Hillary Clinton Presidency:

Right here.

I'm in touch!

Yes we can!

AND, UPDATE: Thanks to Winston!

Life and friendship (Update)

Quotes of the day, that arrived in my e-mail box these past two days. They feel fitting under the circumstances:

From the April issue of O, The Oprah Magazine:

Lavish [love] on others, receive it gratefully when it comes to you. Cultivate friendship like a garden. It is the best love of all. Sister Helen Prejean

From CCIE:

Every path has its puddle. English Proverb

A year ago at Mining Nuggets: A passing thought; Keep on

Update:

This just in from Ilene:

We can remake the world every day. Paul Wellstone

Seven random or weird things about me

Danny Miller tagged me for this meme (haven't I already done this some time ago?)! And I feel that I must reply. Although I must admit I am having such a difficult time coming up with 7 weird or random things about me. I guess that lately I feel that I am quite the ordinary and boring person. Mostly I go to and from work, do the shopping and laundry, cook occasionally, adore my cat and feed the birds out by the huge oak tree. There simply does not seem to be anything weird about me. Or random, for that matter! So, here goes, and I hope I do not put you to sleep with boredom ...

1. I tend to love people even more when they are being nasty to me. It is a sickness, I know. And after years of therapy I am, at least, able to identify that they are not treating me well. It took an enormous amount of mind exploration to understand: a) that a person is treating me badly, b) I do not deserve that kind of treatment, and then (and this still is the hardest part), c) to walk away from it - give it up - refuse to take it any more. But, I've got to admit it's getting better, it's getting better all the time!
2. When I am feeling happy I tend to sing out loud operatic style, interspersed with duck quacking sounds, while I am doing regular, daily chores. This has earned me the name of "Berk" by my life partner and oldest sister, around whom I tend to feel safe enough to do that.
3. I prefer the movie to the book. I just really love movies. Indeed, I watch those that I love over and over again, always finding and seeing different and new scenes, actions, behaviors, ideas, acting, sights, sounds ...
4. I adore therapy. Therapy of myself, therapy of others. It is intriguing to me - the different layers of the human mind, the way people think, feel and behave. It is better than any thriller or adventure story for me.
5. I have lived 19 years in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), 19 years in Israel, and this year it will be 20 years in the United States. But then don't you all know that by now? Wherever I live I become politically involved. I feel like a citizen of the world but believe that all politics start with the communities closest to us. I have discovered that, as Barack Obama says, with all our differences, we are also alike, with similar dreams and aspirations. Of course, I have been saying that, too, for the longest time. And so, that's why recently I sent him a copy of my book: Confronting Our Discomfort.
6. I am an atheist. But I enjoy many rituals of different religious celebrations. Mostly I am extremely interested - nay, intrigued - about anything that has to do with the human condition - the human psyche. That includes religious beliefs.
7. I have written two books (both are listed in the column on the right side of this blog under Connections and Interests). This is not terribly weird and certainly not random. But it is a fact about me that I feel like sharing here. For me, I guess it means that I have chosen writing as my way of self expression. I used to think I would be a singer, but instead have become a writer. What is weird and seemingly random, however, about both singing and writing for me, is that I become hoarse after doing either of them. Even as I am hoarse right now after writing this post!

Obama iced shortbread cookies (Update)

No, oh no. I did NOT bake them. On this easy going Friday morning, after purchasing some telephone batteries and ink cartridges for my printer at Staples in Chestnut Hill, I strolled across the street to the Night Kitchen Bakery.

I thought I'd browse a bit and find some really good multi grain bread for breakfast. There was a sign announcing some Hillary and Obama cookies. Naturally, I bought three Obama cookies. One for Tom, one for Sue and one for me! As I was rummaging in my purse for my wallet the young woman at the counter said, "It's a landslide for Obama." "What?" I exclaimed excitedly thinking she had heard some news this morning that I had not. "The cookies," she went on, "We've had to bake many more trays of cookies for Obama: one tray for Hillary and many for Obama," she said. I beamed. "Oh, how exciting!" I said finding the exact change to purchase the cookies. "Yes," the woman continued, "This morning Ted Kennedy was just down the road at the Trolley Car Diner. We thought it was Obama and we rushed there with a tray of Obama cookies. Ted Kennedy was gracious to accept the cookies in Obama's name." By now I was gasping for breath with excitement. "Ted Kennedy!" I almost yelled, "Here, at our own Trolley Car Diner? This morning?" The young woman smiled at me. "Oh my goodness, what a day!" I said with a smile extending from my left cheek all the way over to the right side of my face. Obviously delighted with my enthusiasm, she told me that Hillary supporters had been agitated to find that at first the cookies iced with her name had red icing while Obama cookies had been made in blue. "They did not want people thinking that Hillary was a Republican," the young woman told me. "So now, we are making red and blue cookies for both Obama and Hillary." I shook my head from side to side. Pennsylvania is in the thick of it. This election season is electrifying. Everyone is involved.

But for now, I am going to make a cup of coffee to accompany one of those deliciously iced shortbread Obama cookies. YUM!

A year ago at Mining Nuggets: Knowing me, knowing you, ...

Update:

This just in - an e-mail message from the owner of Night Kitchen Bakery:

Dear Tamar,
Thanks for the kind words!
This has been the greatest idea we have had yet. People are really excited and engaged when they come into the shop and see the cookies. The Obama cookies are selling 2 to 1 Hillary. We are keeping tally and will post the results at the shop the day before the election ...
The [Philadelphia] Inquirer is running a story in the food section this week. This election is so exciting!