Getting free

First some free books! In the wake of the election results, Haymarket Books decided to offer people some free books to build love and resistance. The print versions are highly discounted and the e-versions are 100% FREE for download. I already have Let This Radicalize You, How We Got Free, Freedom is a Constant Struggle, and Class Struggle Unionism, and cannot recommend them highly enough. I'm interested in some of the other titles too.

Next, if you're looking for a nice respite from news of political appointees in the coming year and so on there's uplifting news from the queer world--20 trans and non-binary election night winners say or forever stamps featuring gay icons Keith Haring and Betty White--you can find some nice tidbits in the LGBTQ Newsletter.

We think our freedoms are about to be curtailed. But it could be so much worse. A former student from Russia, who took a women and gender studies course a year ago, asked for a recommendation letter. They have decided to focus on gender and linguistics for their grad studies but say they cannot "conduct any research" on the topics of their interest as "they are currently against the law" and that all of their "professors here in Russia refused to write or sign any documents" for their applications as they are "prohibited." I told them things are about to get tougher here in the U.S. too, but that academia will probably put up a good fight for a few years yet, so to "come on over and help."

Nu is not yet free of fever and still registering a temperature of 102, but their oxygenation is at 99% so Big A isn't too worried; if the fever persists tomorrow, Urgent Care it is. At is sick also but at their own place, and didn't want me to show up with soup or anything, and I know fewer details (so that's extra, extra worrisome). Grandbaby is better! Just jaundice monitoring now, and that feels fairly standard. The upshot of all this illness in the kids is that my reading has come to a screeching halt. I was reading Lincoln in the Bardo, which starts with the death of Lincoln's son, Willie, from a fever--and I... can't.

Pic: A grumpy gyrfalcon (I think?!) I spied while out on my walk today.

"The Only Way to Survive is by Taking Care of Each Other"

Nu's fever spiked to 102 degrees, the grandbaby was still in the NICU, the skies were as gray as the consequences of the election looming over us... I dragged myself out for a walk hoping to clear my head.

When I checked the mailbox on my way out, I found a treasure trove: postcards from Engie and bestie KB, a just-because gift from SD, and a bookmark and button from LB--each with a feisty message to remind me we're going to fight and that we're not alone.

Yesterday, while in Detroit, I got posters with the Grace Lee Boggs quote, "The Only Way to Survive is by Taking Care of Each Other," to put up at home and in my office... and this was my beautiful community taking care of me. 

Time for me to pay it forward and pass it on... I have such a mental block about going to the post office, but I'll learn to get over it.

Pic: A collage of today's goodness.

CAP-ital

 

Nu is better; the grandbaby is here! (But in the NICU, so haven't seen them yet.)

And I had a nerdy time at NWSA. 

One minute I'm squealing because I just saw a conference friend, the next I'm squealing in my head because I saw a feminist icon. It was terrific to be able to say "land back" or "cite Black women" or wear Palestinian support without controversy. It was terrific seeing former students--especially JV, who came all the way from Kalkaska. 

Both my panels went well. Really well, actually. My first panel with EM on "Critical Connectivity" was in a plenary room and it was quite full and very engaged. The second on "Narrative Medicine" was at 5 when people usually head off for dinner but it was still well attended.

Pic: And of course SR and I took our annual Madras Madcap photo as we have since 2017. (We both had some college years in Madras and love wearing hats, so we bring hats to wear for this photo--not a stretch since it's usually in November.) She gave me the bracelet I'm wearing, it's made of an engraved coconut shell.

everything (three things) everywhere (in three places) all at once (and all tomorrow)

It's not quite at the same volume as the movie, but it does feel like I have to be in three places tomorrow: Nu is sick and has to stay home, it's my big NWSA day in Detroit, and BL is in labor in a Lansing hospital.

Today a coach at Nu's school died in a car accident. Apparently, he had been saddened by the student's suicide last week, so the community is wondering if he'd been distracted by that when the accident happened. He was a basketball coach and Nu is... decidedly not on the basketball team. So when I first got the email from the school informing me, I didn't even know if Nu knew him. But when I got home, Nu was full-on crying, their face swollen and snotty, and they were really quite inconsolable. And they felt warm to the touch, and sure enough they were running a temperature. Aaron will be home from work around the time I have to leave for Detroit tomorrow, so I think I'll be able to leave as planned...

... for NWSA! As it is, I'm not going for the whole four-day affair. And as it is, I've already gotten texts from friends I see only at conferences asking if I want to have dinner with them, etc. Alas. But both my panels and my caucus meetings are tomorrow, so my day trip tomorrow will have to do. Perhaps I could go in on Saturday too, if Nu is better and I have the energy and I'm not needed...

...At the hospital where BL is laboring to give birth to my honorary grandchild! I won't be in the delivery room, but I can at least be in town, right? I'm SO EXCITED!!

Pic: I was full of nervous energy + Nu felt like cake, so I baked some banana-pumpkin muffins. It turns out this was the project I'd been holding on to the hibiscus-sugar (that SD brought me when she visited in 2022) for.

Things (and I do mean things) making me happy (a little bit) and lessons I could take away

In order of expense, I suppose:

1. Bluey is back! My little big all-electric S.U.V. is back from the dealership! I dropped it off in JANUARY because the battery wasn't responding. When I wrote about missing my teal-blue Bluey back in May, Nance was horrified it had already been that long. But here's the thing. We got this all-electric thing in 2019. And we were early Elon Musk haters, so it's not a Tesla.  And by January 2024, it was out of warranty. But it was a first-gen vehicle and the dealership was quite kind in setting me up with a loaner and working on it till they got it right... and they didn't charge me anything for the loaner or the repair. They even joked on text once in a while. Lessons: Things take time; people are doing their best. 

2. The kitchen faucet gave up during our Diwali bash, and we just had it replaced. The faucet itself only cost about forty dollars. Afterward, we marveled at how strong the stream of water gushing out was whenever we turned the handle. Although the handle on the old one had been wonky for over a year, I kept putting off the repair, and somehow--probably because it had happened gradually--we had gotten used to the slow flow. Lessons: Fix things promptly; don't settle for less because of the "slow boil."

3. Lavender oil has been my mainstay for a long time. A few drops in the household laundry before it goes in the dryer (rose oil for my clothes); a few drops on pillowcases, and extra for the people who can't fall asleep easily; rubbed into skin as a pain reliever for small sprains and bruises; a sprinkle on a cushion as a room freshener; and on and on. I've recently started using it as a hair detangler too--and I think it leaves my hair glossy. When I use it on damp hair and air dry as usual, it really defines my waves. Lessons: Keep it simple; go with what you know to be good.

4. The open can of coconut milk I found in the fridge. I love my Big A. And I love that he made me cauliflower wings with Thai seasoning. But apparently, the recipe called for a tablespoon of coconut milk, so the rest of the can got shoved into the fridge? Anyway finding the the open can helped me de-spicy-fy the Thai Tom Yum I made for dinner. For a half-Indian child, Nu doesn't do spicy very well... Lessons: Use what you have, even if sometimes it's someone else's "mistake."

Pic: Max is almost camouflaged in the leaves here. Gah. This week, I wish I could disappear too.

mid-night, mid-life, mid-everything

Do you remember how childhood used to be real and we lived inside it?

I just got off the phone with my mom... we were chatting and having a great time, but suddenly she did some time math (it's around 3:00 am here, 1:30 pm in India) and told me to go to bed. 

She also said she would send me 100$ to buy "something nice" on my December trip with my sister and I suddenly felt about 12 years old. When I did the currency math, $100 is like 8400 rupees, and I demurred, but my mom won't let me refuse. 

Something about being hustled off to bed and the delight in my mom's voice about treating me makes me feel precious and small and cared for. And it makes me want to cry. But of course this week, everything makes me want to cry.

Pic: Sanford Woods last week. 

orison for an apocalypse

let us praise the ghosts

tired as they return 

home to us 

let us pry open a time 

until nothing is left

unremembered

let us pray we can shine 

redundantly into a day 

already radiant 

let us practice coming 

to the reopened door 

with hope

___________________________

Pic: This is my favorite thing--sorry not the dead flowers and the gunky birdbath--but yes, the flaking Buddha statue with the verdigris and faded prayer flags and the accidental hole in his thigh and the CHIPMUNK FAMILY WHO SHELTERS INSIDE HIM.