a little red hen

Eileen Brady, another woman Mayor for Portland?

If you read here regularly, it's pretty clear that my best fantasy would be a future with many, many more educated Democratic women in public office.  Not a surprise then that I was pleased when Eileen Brady, a newcomer to Oregon politics declared her run for Portland Mayor a year ago.

Today was the last day of the primary.  If you waited this long to do it--and many did just that--it was necessary  to deliver your ballot to one of the special mailboxes around town.  We waited till yesterday.  I still do not like voting by mail (unless one has a serious handicap or is out of town).  Something is lost in a democracy when we no longer stand in line with our neighbors, catch them between textings, hear their hopes and disappointments for the City's future.

Enthusiastic at the outset, I'm pleased to have had the chance to introduce Eileen at our retirement community early in her campaign.  Like many others, I've found electioneering on a national level wearing. I'm sure that has bled over into peoples' attitudes about local races.  It must be exhausting for the Portland mayoral candidates though they have been quite polite with one another.  Out of the 23 who ultimately entered the race (not a typo), there are two other Democrats, men, who are running close to Eileen. 

Over time I have spoken with her again, heard her improve in presenting her case at a campaign event halfway along. Talking her mother, Sue, who'd been very active in suburban Chicago community politics, was a reflection of my own influence on my daughter's trajectory. 

Is she the perfect candidate?  Do I agree with her about all-things- Portland?  Am I being an essentialist feminist (25 pages in this link) in supporting her?  No, no, and possibly.  At the moment the idea of a Democratic woman who successfully managed single motherhood early in her life, who has been a partner to her second spouse in running a large food business with excellent values, who has put much energy into non-profits dealing with the environment and health...this is a woman who can learn things from those of us who have supported her.  She could even be open to change.  

And this is not the end.  None of the three leading Democrats will get 50 percent so two of them face a runoff.  Then the final election in November.  If Eileen is not one of them, I hope she finds another avenue for her liberal politics and great energy. 

Let's Hear Our Big-Girl Voices: ERA NOW!

Looks kind of old-fashioned?  Did not come from Emily's List...did not come from Feminist Majority (source of the 17% button I wear daily).

Top of my inbox from Daily Kos: "91% of Americans agree on this." Could it be?  Feeling so marginalized in my opposition to America's wars, my opposition to the war on women--clearly I could not be part of 91% of the people on a really important issue.

Surprise:  that's how many say "Yes," to the outrageous question:

Do you think the Constitution should grant equal rights to men & women?

Who was the pundit recently asked why there is such disparity between what is happening in the House and Senate and what polls show Americans want?  

ERA sitting in House and Senate for a very, very long time.  How about signing this petition that could possibly (yes, we know it's been tried before)  move it along?

The ERA amendment has been waiting since 1923.  That's before I was born, before most of the old lady readers of a little red hen were born.  I has been re-introduced by courageous Congresspeople...read the whole story HERE.

Thanks to Kalli Joy Gray at Daily Kos for the email and to Chris Hayes at UP for showing this video of another wrong that could be righted by the ERA amendment.

  

 

 

 

Perigee Moon seen from Salmon Street, PDX

They work too hard our daughter and spouse.  We were baby sitting last night and they arrived home early around 10 p.m.  Opened the door, "Come see the super moon!!" After a few tries, handed camera to Ron.

 

The Rachel Maddow Lesson: Feminist Repels Abuse

 

 

Did you miss this?  Here's how we must respond to sexism.

Thanks, Rachel.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

Beads from my son...

Somehow it had moved.  The old cream bottle filled with beads, all from Florence when our son was in Italy.  He brought back a great selection of them and more on a necklace. I'd never take it apart, only wear. It was the 1980s; all dates escape me more and more. I spill them out to look again--it's been a long time.

We'd arranged that I'd give him $100 to buy beads for the jewelry I was making then.  People ask, on the few occasions I wear one of my Ceremonial Neckpieces, the collection of weathered shells, hardware, beads--below with a coin from Bhutan--why don't you do this now?  Why would I?  There's not enough room to keep the ones I have; not interested in selling them; each required intensity, better vision.  

On our recent visit to northern California, on our first day in San Francisco, we threw ourselves into Chinatown walking and looking. We felt at home again, each of us connecting to our early histories. 

Mine as a child in the 1930s, Manhattan's Chinatown entirely different, more crowded, fewer tourists. Eating in tiny restaurants with my father who would later try to teach himself Chines.  Ron's first high school teaching was at Seward Park on the lower east side, near Chinatown.  Many of his students--in the 1960s-- were recent immigrants from southern China. Much was familiar from the Chinatowns in Manhattan, and the newer ones in Queens, and Brooklyn.

Primary-colored cords in a shop window drew us in. This one is silk, adjustable.  Would not require a closing or stringing of beads.  If I'd simply wire on some shells as in this picture.

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Once in a while the idea of making more another neckpiece, far less labor-intensive than what I did 20 years ago.  I still have so many beautiful beads and shells.  Maybe.