Tag Archives: advocacy
The Optimism of Uncertainty
Every January for the past several years I’ve joined activists in front of the White House to protest the indefinite detention of 40 Muslim men at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. This year, January 11 marked the 18th anniversary of … Continue reading
“Killing People is Too Superficial”
I love riding my bike, but lately I’ve noticed that within minutes of setting off on a ride in the city, I usually want to kill someone. I love the feel of the breeze, and the ease of getting around … Continue reading
Balancing the Terrible and the Beautiful
Anyone involved in social justice work of one sort or another, whether providing direct services or advocating for better laws and policies, will find themselves spending an awful lot of their consciousness wallowing in the world’s muck. It can be … Continue reading
You Can’t Own It All
When I go on vacation, I like to find a remote and quiet spot. In fact, much of the reason I go on vacation is to escape the sounds of sirens and jackhammers and car alarms and blaring music I … Continue reading
Advocacy + Complexity of Mind = Patience
One of the hardest things about being an advocate is the slow pace of change. As advocates, we assume we know the answer to how to fix some vexing problem, and it’s just incredibly frustrating that the powers-that-be don’t seem … Continue reading
If Dogs Run Free . . .
If there isn’t a name for it, there should be: that feeling when you come back from vacation in a beautiful place and wonder why you don’t just live there. I know, this is a privileged person’s problem. Still, travel … Continue reading
How To Be Of Service
I belong to a local food co-op, and for the privilege of buying really good food at reasonable prices, all members have to work there once a month. Although I usually whine about it before I actually head over there … Continue reading
Finding Joy at Work
I joined a meditation group in my neighborhood recently, and the other night the teacher’s talk was about Joy. Joy. It’s not something many of us tend to think about much. We focus on getting work done, on what’s annoying … Continue reading
Tweaked Out On Twitter
After a couple of days of Twitter frenzy last week, I came down from my high and felt a bit sick – not unlike the aftermath of a sugar binge or a hangover. What had I just done with my … Continue reading