A friend posts an interesting thought experiment.

"What are ten things every American—newcomer or native born, affluent or indigent—should know? What ten things do you feel are both required knowledge and illuminating gateways to those unenlightened about American life?"

It's a question from this article.

This was the best I could do:

1)I think every American should go to several places. To become more in touch. The Holocaust Museum-LA/Washington, The MET in NY (Guggenheim, Whitney MOMA), The Mall In Washington-starting with the Wall, The new museum I've only seen on TV and even lack the name dedicated to the African American experience, The National Gallery-East Wing, Carnegie Mellon Museum, The battlefields of the Civil War, Philly-Art Museum to Liberty Bell, New York City Broadway to off Broadway, Pittsburgh, AND for sure several drives across county in a car without air conditioning, in summer with very few funds. Staying with those that you call relatives of friends....and I'd hope sans cell phone.

If after going the northern route, and southern route you don't begin to take in the country as a diverse , huge, amazing place stop in the Rockies, go to the Grand Canyon.

2) Every person should take a course on the Constitution from someone that loves teaching it.
And repeat at some point in their older days.

3) There are several places where I understood differently looking through the lens of those that came before me. One was at Ellis Island. Statue of Liberty..., My children's father's people came through this place into this world-somehow i was able to find beginnings and bravery and the shoulders of giants in our immigrant traditions. I think every person should experience this photographically, in peoples stories, in family histories...and then I add the images of child labor from the end on 1890-to-2045.

4) Read about the Great Depression through the economist John Galbraith-read him. Really. Understand that time.

5) One of the greatest experiences of my awakening as a voter, American, person came from study of kindergarten, public school, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and the many, many times I dipped into the story of the unfolding of education in our county.

6) Music....Jazz, blue grass, rock the all of it is the story of our people, our country...

7) If you just read Langston Hughes-The Big Sea, and I Wonder As I Wander, surely there you can begin to unravel the debt that is owed to African Americans.

8) This is odd but to me to understand America you need to be ill-really ill. And then read Dr. Spock's autobiography-the child doc, read Oliver Sack's, read about the evolution of healthcare health insurance....to be able to vote you need to really understand the healthcare system and big pharm, AMA and the American Worker

9) The history of Labor unions....a course at least

10) Ok...I think reading John Steinbeck is just mandatory.

It's so different than the article.
I was stunned by how different.

I'm 56.
Which I remember being in my twenties thinking was fairly ancient.
Like Ocean City, Jack said yesterday
A strange non sequitur
Capturing
my being.
I'm now as old
As when I remember
Seeing my Mom less as my mother
And more for
Her arriving at a moment
Of stopping and starting,
Suddenly
the strange news
We are but temporary
flashes
Has taken hold
in my heart
Along with profound wonder.




What Do You Want For Your Birthday?

I kept it simple
An iphone 6 Plus in a jeweled case.
Delivered by a man
Who hates Apple, to his bones

But couldn't give
Me back my mother
telling me "We all have our time."
But he listened to the wish,

I was waiting on my chowder,
Thinking a world free of so
Many forms of hatreds
Would be perfect,

(and actually was annoyed by a woman holding forth
on "blacks" to the point of my sending her hate looks)
World peace I said loudly,
Schools with art and creativity,

My list was growing,
Until I realized
The gift is in surviving
To see another year.

On a beautiful planet
With so many of us
Trying to find our way
Through this challenging living maze.

 Happy Birthdays to my fellow survivors!



 Next Up
I love peas when they are fresh, sweet, bright green blanched
 Guacamole, fresh, from this one stage of avocado life I once in awhile find in the market, irresistible
Green and amazing is a staple in California life
Mixing them certainly is a new idea

I like purple onions, sliced thin on a burger, so biting
Those onions do bring me to tears
Purple grapes, fat ones, when they appear each year I always think of my daughter
Would they be a good thing, or an onion and grape juice
A dramatic new drink?

Today a new-show left on continuous loop by a fellow in my house occupied now with work out and moving on
Is announcing a poll to see where I am on the guac-pea
issue
A cute thing sweeping the country, even at the Presidential palate

My daughter has taught me that new Korean cooking
Is on the edge, combinations wild with risk and flavor
Like a chocolate mushroom truffle dessert
in a shake
Sylvia smiles at my inability to conjure an imaginary tidbit

That thing with the hotdog and corn
In a pastry I remind her, that kind of serious combination
Am I really able to live a green pea
Avocado kind of life now?
Results next up.