Ta-da! I finished! I’ve been reading Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 in weekly installments, since March of 2022. And now I have finished it. I thoroughly enjoyed both the book and the reading experience. I have a list of doorstoppers that I’d like to approach the same way.
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wmtc: from the archives: my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the self-hating jew (a three-part story)
This seems like a good time to re-post this three-part series. It remains one of the best pieces I’ve written. Part one, my Jewish identity: my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the self-hating jew Part two, my awakening: my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the
Continue readingwmtc: a genocide is happening right now and nations are doing nothing to stop it
Right now the State of Israel is committing genocide against the people of Gaza. Many humans around the globe are horrified, grieving, raging. But people with the power to stop it are either defending it or remaining silent. And as we know, silence equals complicity. In this post, I have
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: for the win + labour book club update
Cory Doctorow’s novel For the Win may have been the most unexpected title on my Labour Book Club booklist. It’s kind of science fiction (but not really), kind of YA (but not), and it doesn’t show up on most “books about unions” lists. But it is most definitely a book about
Continue readingwmtc: national truth and reconciliation day 2023: blankets, and an apology
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Port Hardy was especially meaningful this year. Not quite as many people joined the walk as in the previous two years, but there was still a good-sized crowd of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Totem pole at Port Hardy Secondary School In Port
Continue readingwmtc: a trip to victoria: beyond van gogh, puzzle lab, library… and food. lots of food.
I had two recent experiences that I want to preserve on wmtc — a trip to Victoria, and this year’s National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremony in Port Hardy. * * * * Victoria is a lovely small city that’s perfect for us for a relatively inexpensive urban fix. I
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: delusions of gender: how our minds, society, and neurosexism create difference
When I was in library school, much ink was spilled discussing a “crisis” of “boys not reading”. Countless articles were written, studies were launched, hands were wrung. How do we get boys to read??? For a paper I was writing, I dug up the original study that launched this literacy
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: sea people: the puzzle of polynesia
If the Hōkūle’a hadn’t come to Port Hardy, this book might have languished indefinitely on my Books Universe List*. The List is very long. Often Books Universe is the place interesting-to-me titles go to die. Fortunately for me, a friend who is also excited about the Hōkūle’a asked if I had read
Continue readingwmtc: real heroes for real reasons: female athletes moving the world forward
These days I can’t blog about events or issues that are meaningful to me until they’re old news — which of course in today’s world can mean only days or weeks past. The upside of my delayed response is an opportunity to use a wider lens and see more connections
Continue readingwmtc: maya’xala: things i heard in the library, an occasional series # 40
In my ongoing efforts to make the Port Hardy Library a safer workplace, and a more comfortable space for customers, I was invited to a elders’ luncheon at the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations. Addressing the elders, I tried to convey how we have worked hard to make our library a welcoming space
Continue readingwmtc: pacific northwest labor history association conference: the young organizers
Without a doubt, the most engaging talk I attended at the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association Conference was “Young Workers Rising,” a panel of young organizers interviewed by another young organizer. I won’t try to reproduce it here, as I could never do it justice, but I can share some
Continue readingwmtc: pacific northwest labor history association conference: the keynote address
It has been on my mind, and on my to-do list, to write more about the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association Conference*, which I was fortunate to attend in May of this year. In my post twelve reasons i loved the pacific northwest labor history association conference, I listed: The
Continue readingwmtc: rip robbie robertson
The news that Robbie Robertson died hit me hard. Although he’s not the last surviving member of The Band (Garth Hudson recently turned 80), he was my last surviving deep connection to music that is so close to my heart. I rarely feel a famous person’s death in a personal way.
Continue readingwmtc: re-setting expectations: let’s all stop apologizing for not being instantly available all the time
Long ago, when emailing first became widely used, I had several long-distance friendships that were conducted entirely by email. I noticed that almost every email began the same way: “Sorry I haven’t written in so long…” or “Sorry I’ve been out of touch…” or something similar. That’s when I instituted
Continue readingwmtc: visiting hōkūle’a in port hardy
Last week, I blogged about the upcoming visit of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūle’a. I was concerned that I might miss their Port Hardy stop, but as it turned out, they were due here much sooner than I realized. Hōkūle’a landed in Port Hardy on July 30, and on July
Continue readingwmtc: moananuiākea: historic voyage for earth: coming to port hardy
An astounding event is taking place, and it seems to be happening under the mainstream radar. If I didn’t live in a Pacific coastal community, and if I weren’t actively following local Indigenous news, I doubt I would be aware of it either. Indigenous people from Hawai‘i are traveling around the
Continue readingwmtc: happy birthday to me: aging and mortality edition
I have been alive on this planet for 62 years. Somehow, inexplicably, it was June 13, 2023, and I passed birthday number 62. I find this fact stunning. I feel incredibly fortunate to be living the life I am. I’ve worked hard, taken risks, made choices, and had big assists
Continue readingwmtc: too much honesty can be a very bad thing: a story about a birthday present
This post is written with permission. Recently on Facebook I announced that Allan, my partner, turns 60 this year, and he has already chosen a very special birthday present. We are going to buy him an electric guitar and amp, and he’s going to learn how to play an instrument
Continue readingwmtc: in which an email reminds me to resurrect a very old post: join athena to change amazon
Do you support Athena? Athena is a broad coalition of people and organizations who seek to change Amazon’s practices through a variety of tools and tactics, including from the inside. In a braindump called the post of orphaned notes, I found this. athena is organizing against amazon, and you can help
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: the story of jane: the legendary underground feminist abortion service
When I first got involved in pro-choice activism, way back in 1981*, I heard about a group called Jane. Or maybe the Jane Collective. Or maybe Call Jane. No one knew for certain what they were called, only what they did. The women of Jane learned how to perform abortions,
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