Common Sense on the Senate Floor

Found this on CommonDreams.org :)

You Gotta Love Her

I'd never heard of Sen. Claire McCaskill, Democrat from Missouri, before Friday. But who could argue with her hammering of bonus-glutted Wall Street fat cats on the Senate floor?

"They don't get it. These people are idiots. You can't use taxpayer money to pay out $18 billion in bonuses... What planet are these people on?"

McCaskill proposed legislation to cap executive pay at any company getting federal bailout money at $400,000, or the U.S. president's salary. "Right now, they're on the hook to us. And they owe us something more than a fancy waste basket and a $15-million dollar jet. They owe us some common sense."

Okay, her language was refreshingly direct, but in truth she could have gone further. She could have capped their salary closer to many of the rest of us, say, $20,000 or $30,000. And she could have used, not only the "i" word, but the "c" word. Can you spell c-r-i-m-i-n-a-l?

--Abby Zimet

SUMMER 2009 - IN MOTION!

SUMMER 2009 - IN MOTION

Dance • Drama • Visual Art
at
CONTRADICTION DANCE

Get your kids IN MOTION this summer at Takoma Park's Contradiction Dance studio. We offer 8 weeks of summer programs for students 3-12 years. Featuring our "Stories in Motion" curriculum, blending creative writing, drama, story-telling, visual arts, costume making and dance education; Contradiction Dance is "An Exchange Between Life & Dance."

Full & Half-Day Programs
June 29 - August 21 • 8 weeks:
6/29-7/3 • 7/6-7/10 • 7/13-7/17 • 7/20-7/24 • 7/27-7/31 • 8/3-8/7 • 8/10-8/14 • 8/17-8/21

9am - 12pm, Half-Day Mornings • $250/week
9am-4pm, Full Day (6-12yrs only) • $425/week

Pre-Register by March 31 and SAVE $25/week
Registrations after May 31 will be charged a LATE FEE of $25/week
To Register: EMAIL contradictiondance@gmail.com

The Stories in Motion curriculum was originally created for Montgomery County's S.A.I.L. Program by Story Tapestries founder, Arianna Ross and Contradiction Dance's founder, Kelly Mayfield. We are pleased to bring it to you!

Contradiction Dance
7014 Westmoreland Ave, A
Takoma Park, MD 20912
phone - 240.450.2420
email - contradictiondance@gmail.com

www.contradictiondance.com

Melancholy Revisited

Below is a poem I wrote a while ago, depicted by a drawing Shallom made a while ago. It's a good example of how we collaborate: distinct voices + common subject + complimentary style = result I am pleased with... though, in this example we didn't set out to make this collaboration at all - it is "found art" of sorts.

Sentiments on melancholy: Well, it's a place I go sometimes - and a place of lot of creatives visit. It's not a happy place, but it happens. Usually I land here in periods between inspiration, while I'm waiting on the muse to reappear. I revisit this poem as a reminder that these moments are temporary.

The image - a self-portrait of Shallom (charcoal on paper) is the exact shape I found myself in taking a bubble bath this week. Clearly, some states of being take us to familiar physical shapes. If I asked you to "raise your hand if you've been there" I suspect you'd all raise a hand. Men, I don't know... been there? Or, is this a female thing? Or, is this a creatives thing? I'm curious.

I consider it all a part of being. It's not good or bad, it just is. And it passes.

Thoughts?

charcoal on paper, 2007
self portrait

She Creeps

My brain is loud, then silent.
These emotions a raging ball of tempestuous urge, desire, and need.
Spirit low and empty, then full of light and optimism.

This is far better than the creeping, dreadful and loathsome melancholy. Melancholy laced in apathy, she whispers to my heart while I rest. I wake to remnants of a sorrow so vast and black, the emptiness is blaring loud in its oppressive silence.

I fear I will not wake from the dreams she offers my beating heart. Or, worse, awaken to a dank, cold void as reality.

I choke back tears and realize I’m grateful for them; sadness is better than nothingness.

I long for better dreams, aching to find a new home for her pale whispers and silently screaming darkness.

And yet, she remains. Cold, alone and creeping…

26 March 2007

Regarding Children

My mom sent this my way...

Drinking Coffee = Lower Dementia Risk? Read On...

Look kids! Drink up! ... for those of us who drink the dark stuff... have another cup! Thanks Seth :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/health/research/24coffee.html

Coffee Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Published: January 23, 2009

Drinking coffee may do more than just keep you awake. A new study suggests an intriguing potential link to mental health later in life, as well.

Pics from "Art of Change Ball"

These were taken by an attendee... enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilymildew/sets/72157612845310396/

poetry of the moment

Gentle Lion
Roared Whispers
Chaos landing
Like snowflakes
On the window
Mind reeling
Body stirred
To frenzy
Soul Still, Silent
Unmoved
Until it is time
To cease the
burdens of mind
And body
Then soul, moves
Quickly - with efficiency
Unmatched
Pouncing, with a
Great earthquake of
Thunder and hail
Change is
Near