by Judy Handley | Mar 12, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 71: Falmouth’s All Bands Night and More
Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Weather: Sunny, but Cooler; High Temp 46, Low 33 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
The Falmouth Schools’ All Bands Night has become one of my favorite nights of the year. I think all of the mamas, the papas, the grandmas, the grandpas, and the brothers and sisters in attendance love hearing Falmouth’s 5th grade band, 6th grade band, middle school band, and high school band, all gathered in the high school gymnasium playing music. The evening starts with the high school band playing the Star-Bangled Banner. Then the youngest musicians play one piece, and the next and the next, on up to the high school band. Just hearing the progression of expertise is always “music to my ears.” They then start over, with each band playing another piece. There is a short pause while the jazz bands at each level come forward. They each play two songs, always upbeat and a delight to hear. The evening then ends with all of the musicians playing America the Beautiful written by Falmouth’s own Katherine Lee Bates. How they pull this off with only one practice run just before the concert begins is amazing to me. It is always a tearjerker but tonight, with the situation in our country, it was even more so. America is beautiful and for just a short period of time tonight, everyone in that gymnasium set politics aside and became one. Thank you, Falmouth School District, for the opportunity you offer your students and the gift you give each of us in attendance on this one special night each year.
I started my day with an all-morning Encore Board meeting, followed by a Shamrock Luncheon at Liam MacGuire’s hosted by Newcomers. Next was an Exploring Public Policy meeting with Town Moderator and state representative speaking with us about local government and how to get involved.
In between each of these activities, I would hurry home to let Shadow out. And then the day ended with the All Bands Night. Busy, but wonderful day.
by Judy Handley | Mar 9, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 68: Taking Heart
Date: Sunday, March 9, 2025
Weather: Sunny, Still Windy, Winds 20 SSW; High Temp 42, Low 34 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Until yesterday, I had never heard of Hannah Arendt and this morning my daily feed from Robert Reich mentioned her name again as the author of THE ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM. I must find out more about her. But in case you don’t read Robert Reich daily, I have copied today’s post below. It is worth the read.
I spent part of my day cooking dinner for tonight and tomorrow night. Heather and Jed were invited out to dinner tonight, so I fixed dinner and took it over to have with the Sam, Jonah, and Ollie. Tomorrow night is Select Board and Health Board meeting night, my every other Monday night regular dinner with the boys while Heather and Jed are in meetings. Tonight, we had artichokes and matzo ball soup. And tomorrow night we will have tacos. And now for Robert Reich’s post.
Taking Heart by Robert Reich, March 9
It seems like an eternity, but Tuesday marks the seventh week of this despicable regime. Before I post my Sunday cartoon, I’d like to talk about coping with the stresses of this era. A few people I know are coping by remaining in denial. They continue to normalize what’s happening in the familiar terms of Republican versus Democrat, right versus left, conservative versus liberal or progressive.
But they’re deluding themselves. There’s nothing normal about this. We’re in a different world now. Even calling this “Trump 2.0” radically understates what’s happening. The choice is democracy or dictatorship. Self-government or oligarchy. Everyone must choose sides. Not to choose is to accept the forces now in control — to allow Trump to become even more of a dictator and his billionaire backers and cronies to siphon up even more oligarchic wealth and power.
Another coping mechanism that’s just as dangerous is giving up — succumbing to cynicism, believing everything is hopeless. Those in this defeatist camp think nothing can prevent us from an apocalypse — the end of America, the termination of civilization, the death of the planet. They’ve stopped reading or listening to the news. They’ve turned their backs on activism. But defeatism is exactly what Trump, Vance, Musk, and Putin want us to feel. They’d like nothing better than for us to give up, so they can have it all. Cynicism and hopelessness play into their fetid hands. It’s also a self-fulfilling prophesy. If we believe we’re doomed, we’re doomed. The reality is that Trump, Vance, and Musk have done truly terrible things over the past seven weeks that are already hurting millions of people.But the regime has not extinguished hope or resolve. To the contrary, it is igniting activism. It’s fueling courage. I see it all around me, as I’m sure you do as well. Let me share with you my six coping mechanisms.
First, I’ve stopped listening to Trump and even stopped trying to analyze his warped psyche. I already know he’s spouting nothing but lies. And by now I’m familiar with his malignant narcissism.
Second, I no longer pay attention to the politicians, media personalities, political operatives, and pundits who are treating what’s happening as a variation on normal partisan politics. They’re tiresome and wrong.
Instead, I’m seeking out voices who understand the stakes, who give me reasons for hope and practical ideas for what you and I can do. I’ve already shared some of them with you and will share more this week. Some are voices from the past — people who lived through Hitler and Mussolini and Stalin, or through Mao’s “Cultural Revolution” or Pol Pot’s “killing fields.” Some are keen observers of what occurred (Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism) or historians (William Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany provides a chilling account that echoes today).
Fourth, I’m interacting with people whose average age is a half-century younger than mine — my students at Berkeley and my colleagues at Inequality Media. Their energy, humor, and commitment continue to buoy my spirits.
Fifth, I’m relishing my friendships and holding my loved ones tight.
Finally, I’m writing this daily letter to you in hope that it helps you cope in all these ways — and inspires you to even more activism, resistance, rebellion, good trouble, and peaceful civil disobedience. These are familiar terms to those of us who remember the struggles over civil rights and the Vietnam War. They are as relevant for what we’re going through now as they were then.
In other words, one of the best way of coping with this nightmare is to fight it.
Keep calling the White House: 1-202-456-1414 (switchboard). 1-202-456-1111 (comments). Jam it.
Keep calling your senators and representatives. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. The switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate or House office you request.
Organize and mobilize for down ballot elections this year, and for House and Senate elections next year.
Protect the vulnerable in your community: undocumented workers. LGBTQ+ people. Vocal anti-Trumpers who may need protection from Trump vigilantes. Refugees from Ukraine. Others who need your help.
I’m sure you’ve found additional ways of fighting back. Please share them with us in today’s comments. Take heart. We will get through this and be stronger for it.
by Judy Handley | Mar 8, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 67: Lies
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny and Still Windy, Winds 15-25 W; High Temp 42, Low 28 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
The plans I had for today fell apart, so I just took the time to catch up on email communications and things around the house. I call that a catch-up day. I didn’t finish the job, so tomorrow will be more of the same. But I did have a lot of time to think, and guess where my thinking took me. Yes, right to the political mess in which we find ourselves. One of the things that bothers me the most is the constant lying. And today I saw a quote on my Facebook feed from Millionaires Quotes that I thought kind of nailed it.
“This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore. A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies. With such a people, you can do whatever you want.” -Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt was an American and German historian and philosopher and one of the most influential political theorists of the twentieth century. But when I looked that quote to see if it was valid, I found that it cannot be tracked down by scholars as a direct quote of hers. However, according to the same scholars the quote does capture her thinking. According to The Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities, the closest quote of hers in content is from an interview with Roger Errera in 1974, in what turned out to be Arendt’s last public interview. She spoke about the importance of a free press in an era of mass manipulation of truth and public lying.
“The moment we no longer have a free press, anything can happen. What makes it possible for a totalitarian or any other dictatorship to rule is that people are not informed; how can you have an opinion if you are not informed? If everybody always lies to you, the consequence is not that you believe the lies, but rather that nobody believes anything any longer. This is because lies, by their very nature, have to be changed, and a lying government has constantly to rewrite its own history. On the receiving end you get not only one lie—a lie which you could go on for the rest of your days—but you get a great number of lies, depending on how the political wind blows. And a people that no longer can believe anything cannot make up its mind. It is deprived not only of its capacity to act but also of its capacity to think and to judge. And with such a people you can then do what you please.”
–Hannah Arendt (14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975)
Today the public lies are running rampant. How do we deal with this?
by Judy Handley | Mar 7, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 66: Stand Up for Science
Date: Friday, March 7, 2025
Weather: Sunny and Very Windy, Winds 25-30 NW; High Temp 42, Low 32 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
A few hundred people gathered in Marina Park in Woods Hole this afternoon to Stand Up for Science. The Cape Cod Times reported 600 were in attendance, but I have no idea if that number is accurate. All I know is that there was a seat of scientists and people who support science in attendance.
And we were not alone. As President and CEO of Woods Hole Research Center, Max Holmes, reminded us in his remarks, there were Stand Up for Science rallies all over the US and around the world today. Hundreds gathered in the Boston Commons, with smaller gatherings in Philadelphia, in Chicago, in Atlanta, and on and on. But the largest gathering of thousands was in Washington, DC. Obviously, many people in this country believe in the absolute necessity of keeping science alive.
Heather spoke to the gathering in Woods Hole representing the Falmouth Select Board and her 28 years as a student and employee in Woods Hole. It was certainly another ‘proud mama’ moment
!
The keynote speaker was John Holdren, former President of Woods Hole Research Center and Senior Science Advisor to President Obama. There were other scientists who spoke, plus a sprinkling of politicians. US Representative Bill Keating and Thomas Moakley, who is our newest and youngest State Representative, both spoke to the group. I don’t remember who said that those of us in Woods Hole might have the windiest conditions for any of the rallies today, but whoever said that, I think they might have been right. Starting around 11 am, the wind ramped up to 25-30 miles an hour with higher gusts. Thankfully the temperature was in the 40’s, so it was cold, but not freezing.
The scientific institutions in Woods Hole have 2,000 employees. One of those institutions is NOAA. I know specifics the weather today thanks to NOAA. I learned tonight that a week or so ago there were not enough NOAA employees to send up weather balloons in Alaska. The data gathered by these weather balloons is needed to forecast the weather accurately. Today in Albany, New York, and in Gray, Maine, again, there were not enough NOAA employees to send up those balloons. That is just one little, but very essential task being affected by the DOGE reduction in staffing. And I read that on Monday, more cuts are expected to NOAA nationwide. What kind of disaster is going to have to happen to make it clear that these indiscriminate government cuts have got to stop? My sign today said, SCIENCE—Defend not Defund. Defend is what we all need to do.
Midge Frieswyk and I went to the rally together, and Christina Brodie joined us. We all came back to my house afterwards, where we had planned to just have tea. But when I realized none of us had eaten lunch, I served dinner leftovers as an impromptu lunch. It was easy and stress free, and I think all three of us appreciated the time together to decompress and process together what is happening in our world these days.
I can’t end without relaying one more little tidbit of information. Today the AP released a list 26,000 documents and photos that the Defense department is going to delete from websites due to their connection to DEI in some way. But one of the items is a photo of the Enola Gay, the first plane to drop an atomic bomb. What does that have to do with DEI? They searched for the word ‘gay’ and that is why it is being deleted. A famous plane named for the pilot’s mother is being deleted from a website because of its name. This seems unbelievable, but it is true. What is next?
by Judy Handley | Mar 6, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 65: Wonderful Visit with Friends
Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025
Weather: Sun, Clouds, Fog, Rain, Winds10 S to 20 WNW; High Temp 52, Low 29 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
The weather threw a little bit of everything at us today. I spent much of my day in Dedham, near Boston, where it is sometimes cloudy, sometimes party sunny. But when I left the Cape this morning and returned late this afternoon, it was overcast and foggy, with rain was sprinkled in here and there.
I was in Dedham visiting with good friends, Helaine and Alan Kanegsberg, this afternoon. Alan and I have back-to-back birthdays that we sometimes celebrated together, so I made a surprise visit to deliver a birthday cake to Alan. We had a long overdue visit, making it even more special.
And tonight, Heather, Jed, and boys took me out to a birthday dinner at Shipwrecked. I tried an Asian avocado salad that was really good along with sushi. Thank you, Goldstones!
by Judy Handley | Mar 5, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 64: Birthday Surprises
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Rain Late, Winds 20 SSW; High Temp 52, Low 47 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
It’s my birthday and it started off with a wonderful surprise. Justin called early to wish me a happy birthday. As we were finishing up, he told me to make sure I check my email for a little surprise. I love surprises, so we hung up and I checked. There was an email from Ticketmaster announcing that I have 2 tickets to a Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan Outlaw concert on September 7 in Mansfield, near Boston. The only item I have on my bucket list is a Willie Nelson concert, so you can only imagine how excited I was. I felt like a teenager because I actually squealed in delight and called Justin right back to thank him. He knows I love Willie Nelson, and I only hope he can make it to September! Thank you, Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco.
Getting the ticket that included Bob Dylan, I decided I would give myself a birthday treat and go see the movie about him, A Complete Unknown starring Timothée Chalamet. I am familiar with him as Paul Atreides in Dune, so seeing him in such a different role was interesting. He was so convincing in this role that I totally thought I was watching Bob Dylan, not an actor. Plus, I loved the music. I was talking on the phone with Christina Brodie about Encore business this afternoon when I mentioned I was going to the movie tonight. She said she and Warren would love to go with me and even invited me to dinner before the movie. Warren even went out and got little chocolate decadent individual cakes so I would have a birthday cake with a candle. Thank you, Christina and Warren.
As I announced last night, Heather had an emergency Select Board meeting tonight, so we are doing a birthday dinner tomorrow night. But I stopped by on my way home from the movie just to say hello. I was greeted by the Goldstone’s singing Happy Birthday and presenting me with another birthday cake. It was a great day.
