Gravity

I've always been in love with physics, and now, because of my new job, this love has been rekindled.

I find physics applicable to life, even the most abstract concepts.

Image source: Pixabay

So happy! My second book is out!

Dear friends,

My second poetry book, Out of the silence, is out! I am so excited and grateful. 

All profits from my poetry go to support the vital work of environmental organizations like Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, and Center for Whale Research, as well as to support work for protecting pollinators.

Over $900 from my poetry went to protect the environment since 2018!

My books costs $15 each, and can be purchased:

• Online, at my Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/shundahaishop
• In person, at the Willimantic Food Co-op: https://www.willimanticfood.coop/
• In person, at Shundahai Farm: https://www.shundahaifarm.com/

Also, tomorrow, Saturday September 28th, I will be at the Willimantic Food CO-OP Downtown Country Fair, from 10 to 4, with both of my books. Please stop by if you’d like.

Peace

I love this woman's reaction

to Sena's speech at the Clobal Climate Strike last Friday:
(Thanks and credit to the anonymous photographer who took and shared these beautiful pictures).

Peace

Where our hearts finally meet

Peace

Compilation of news coverage about Sena and yesterday's Global Climate Strike

TV coverage from NBC Connecticut:

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Climate-Change-Rally-Held-in-Hartford-560918711.html

TV Coverage from FOX61:

https://fox61.com/2019/09/20/protests-held-across-connecticut-to-combat-climate-change/

More coverage from FOX61 News, with Sena's full speech at yesterday's rally, starting at minute 4 into the video.
Before Sena, Ruben Perez Cruz​ and Sarah Rose​ opened with a beautiful Lakota song for the earth, which I was also honored to be asked to sing.)
https://www.facebook.com/100025500349404/posts/441065033420171?sfns=mo

Article from The CT Mirror:

https://ctmirror.org/2019/09/20/climate-strikers-ask-lamont-to-take-emergency-steps-on-environment/

Journal Inquirer

https://www.journalinquirer.com/connecticut-activist/image_ec1f8d82-dc12-11e9-8052-03f9ba1646ff.html

Hartford Courant Coverage:

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-connecticut-climate-strike2-20190920-qrjqzzlcw5fkdk3jyotebkyiwu-story.html

Some screen shots of the stories that came up about her this morning. Crazy...

Peace

Non stop

Sena's been getting a crazy amount of calls from newspapers and other news outlets who want to interview her about tomorrow's strike. The Hartford Courant showed up at her school today after asking for an interview earlier in the day. She's also been getting calls from congressional and state senators asking if they could speak at the rally, to which she gently replied no. 

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-connecticut-climate-strike-20190919-juhcy74ayjhzvhaya4eunhebi4-story.html

Tomorrow!!! Show up!

Tomorrow, Friday September 20th 2019, thousands of people around the world will participate in the Global Climate Strike that promises to be a historic turning point! Show up and be a part of history making.

Show up for your children 

Show up for your future 

Show up for the earth 

Show up!

Find the closest strike location to you at:

https://strikewithus.org/

Lovely article about Sena from NPR

https://www.wnpr.org/post/young-connecticut-activist-gears-global-climate-strike

Sena's NPR interview

You can find it here, on the Sepetember 16, 2019 Episode, if you missed it this morning. Sena's part starts at minute 33:30, and it goes to the end of the segment.

She did a great job. Now on to this coming Friday's Climate Strike. I really hope that everyone comes out and shows they care.

Peace

Tune into NPR to hear Sena tomorrow

She is scheduled for 1 hour on the talk show "Where We Live", tomorrow at 7pm on NPR. 

https://www.wnpr.org/programs/where-we-live

This is a well known radio show here in CT, so we're very excited. Now if her voice would only hold up, because she's been sick and coughing, but getting better. She's giving another talk today at a synagogue.

And in other news, also related to Sena's environmental work:

She and another young man have been working very hard over the past few months, organizing the upcoming Climate Strike here in CT. So, I want to share this announcement here:

Make your absence felt wherever you work or study and raise awareness by showing up for this important event:

Global Climate Strike this coming Friday 9/20. 

Let's tell our elected leaders that we expect them to take immediate climate action.

And let's show our kids that we care about them and the world we're leaving behind for them!

To find a local strike near you, go to: globalclimatestrike.net

If you live in CT, here's the information you need:

What: Climate crisis rally 

When: Friday September 20th, 12 to 3 pm

Where: State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT

Peace 

The tides have turned

There comes a point in our lives
when we realize that we now have the power to give ourselves
whatever we've been waiting to receive from others:
love, understanding, encouragement, appreciation...

We also realize
that as we give these things to ourselves
we also need to freely give them to others.

The tides have turned.

Peace

An experience I just had

I wanted to share this experience that I just had today, which made me happy and gave me hope.

I went to Starbucks over my lunch break, to get a coffee and croissant. There was a young man with a dog in front of me in line. He ordered a cold brew, but when it came to paying, he realized that he forgot his wallet at home and had no way of paying. He told the cashier to cancel his order and was about to leave, but I overheard the exchange, and said I would pay for him. A whole bunch of people who were in line or waiting for their orders turned around and looked at me. The guy with the dog said, "Are you sure?", and I said yeah, you're just getting a cold brew, I'll pay for it. Then the woman at the cash got a little flustered, and asked me what I wanted and said a croissant and a coffee. She got the guy his cold brew first, and said that Starbucks will pay for it. Then she turned to me, and said that my croissant would be on the house too! The guy with the cold brew said that he'd be sure to pay it forward. And everyone was happy. Really! Everyone was smiling. It was such a small thing, but such a good feeling.

Sometimes it takes so little to make us happy and to connect us with each other!

Peace

Endless flow

Endless flow. Despite and throughout any apparent disconnection, isolation, separation.

Peace 

Congratulations Sena!

For scoring 1470 on the SAT, which puts her in the 98th percentile. She worked really hard for this, studied intensively, and we are really proud of her!
Here she is with Aiyana and their good friend, Ella.

Peace

The edge of emptiness

The edge of emptiness.

Empty of mental constructs, we come closer to a state of interconnectedness.

I used the word "emptiness" here in the Buddhist sense, as in empty of any fixed or permanent characteristics; instead interdependent and intermeshing with everything.

Peace 

So in love with this song

If you need something to get you out of your head, this works for me:
https://youtu.be/QFlcs8vwLK4

Lunch break

Also wishing my mom and dad a safe and fun time in Europe!

Peace 

And more changes

I sent this out yesterday to the Willimantic Food Coop Board of Directors, which I was part of:

Dear BOD members,

I've had some significant changes in my life recently, which I will talk about briefly below. As a result, after some stressful deliberation, I've decided that I need to resign from the Board of Directors.

These are some of the major changes I am talking about:

• Last week I started a full time job as an Instructional Assistant in the science department at EO Smith Highschool. 
• My daughters both started new schools, also last week. Sena started as a full time student at UConn, and at only 15 years of age, I need to make sure I am fully available to support her in this transition. My daughter Aiyana also started a new school, EO Smith, which is also a big transition for her out of homeschooling, and I want to make sure I can support her as much as she needs.
• In addition, I plant to keep and run our farm as before (to the extent that that is possible).

With all these changes, I feel that it is unrealistic for me to put in the time required to prepare for Board meetings, be involved in commitees, and in general be an active, involved director. I don't like to come unprepared to our meetings, or any event, and so, I think the right thing for me is to drop out.

I am sorry about this, and please know that this was not an easy decision for me. I have enjoyed working with and getting to know all of you, and I am grateful for what I've learned in the past year and a half from all of you.

True to you, true to myself

True to you, true to myself.

Never underestimate the impact you can have on another.

The red striped snake

That story about the garter snake with the red stripe;

How he lived in the swamp behind your house;

How you would see him when you were playing back there;

How everyone had said they wouldn't build, because it was a swamp;

And how, that time, when you came back from college, you watched them drain the swamp, start building;

How, after that, nobody saw the snake again.

You could've told me other things about yourself:

What town or city you are from

What schools you went to 

What job you do 

So on;

None of those things 

Compare to the story

of the red striped snake 

How you remember him

And how you made him come to life for me 

Enough

So that I now 

Grieve his loss too

-RM