Category Archives: Current Events

St. Patrick’s Day 2024

My annual St. Patrick’s day statement seems more appropriate this year than ever.

I speak for no others,
only for myself.
For me, this day has
nothing to do with
green beer or
green rivers or
green clothing or
green anything,
this day has nothing to do with
pinching me or kissing me;
my bad jokes aside,
this day has nothing to do even with Jameson.
Today is a day
to remember oppression
to honor resistance
to recognize that, despite the efforts of
systems of race and racialization
to separate us,
struggles for dignity and justice,
freedom and equality,
human rights and humanity
are inseparably linked:
none of us are free until all of us are free.
for that reason, in that spirit, and in my own fashion,
I mark this day, and each 17th of March.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Fitzgerald on my mother’s side

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Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Human Rights, Ireland

8 March 2024

International Women’s Day
One Woman: A Song for UN Women
Gentle Rebellion – Rebecca Riots
Compassion – Magdalen Hsu-Li
Feel Like A Natural Woman – Carole King
Respect – Aretha Franklin
Just Because I’m a Woman – Dolly Parton
Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me!
Born This Way – Lady Gaga
I Am Woman – Helen Reddy
Independent Women, Pt. 1 – Destiny’s Child
Break the Chain – One Billion Rising
Walk Beside Me – Celtic Woman
Racist, Sexist Boy – The Linda Lindas
I Will Not Be Denied – Bonnie Raitt
Motherland – Natalie Merchant
Run the World – Beyonce
Blackbird – Emma Stevens
I AM WOMAN – Emmy Meil
And We Can Love (World) – Mary Youngblood
Ella’s Song – Sweet Honey In the Rock
Imagine – Eva Cassidy
Find Your Way – Adina Nyree
I Am a Woman – Ruby Hunter
I Am Her – Shea Diamond
Warrior Heart – Sjawmee
All That You Have Is Your Soul – Tracy Chapman
Brave New World – Sera
Crowded Table – The Highwomen
Highwomen – The Highwomen
Four Women – Nina Simone

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Filed under Current Events, Music, playlist, United Nations

2 March 2024

UNRWA Gaza 5K. Walking.
Germantown. Schnitzelburg.
The songs focus on children since the fundraiser benefits UNRWA’s work with children.
Palestine – DJ Bruno Cruz
Where Do the Children Play – Yusaf Islam (Cat Stevens)
Let My Children Be – Ruby Hunter
Children of Abraham – John McCutcheon
Song for Palestine – Nora Roman & The Border Busters
Save the Children – Marvin Gaye
We Will Not Go Down – Michael Heart
Save the Children – Gil Scott-Heron
Jerusalem – Abraham Jam
For Our Children – Bryan Akipa
Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Calling All the Children Home – Curran Reichert
Other People’s Children – Eric Bogle

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Filed under Current Events, Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist

Follow the Solidarity with the Suffering Delegation to Palestine & Israel

My friend the Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is part of the Solidarity with the Suffering delegation to Palestine & Israel organized by the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He presents this list of ways to connect with the delegation and with Christian organizations in Israel & Palestine. .

CONNECT TO THE ISRAEL/PALESTINE MISSION NETWORK

CONNECT WITH THE REV. BRUCE REYES-CHOW

CONNECT WITH SABEEL

CONNECT WITH KAIROS PALESTINE

With gratitude to those who are participating in solidarity and a witness for justice and peace, here is a prayer.

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Filed under Current Events, Friends, Human Rights, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

A prayer of thanks for simple acts

We thank you, God.

In a wounded world
filled with hate and violence,
in a broken world
where exclusion and oppression appear so strong,
in a weary world
too well acquainted with fear,
still we thank you, God.

We thank you for simple acts of
random kindness,
organized justice,
creative resistance,
radical love,
and unquenchable hope.

We thank you for
people in whose actions we see:
Good news proclaimed,
letters written,
dogs adopted,
students counseled,
calls made,
parrots rescued,
food shared,
conversations initiated,
hats crocheted,
committees served,
respect demonstrated,
demonstrations attended,
conflict de-escalated,
sorrow shared,
meals organized,
care extended,
laughter enjoyed,

insert other simple acts
you have experienced or heard about
acts that touch your heart
and feed your spirit

for these and
all the simple acts
we have known
and those we will never know,
we thank you, God.

Pour your Holy Spirit
afresh upon us,
that we too may practice
random kindness,
organized justice,
creative resistance,
radical love,
and unquenchable hope.

This day.
Every day.

We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

inspired by a dinner conversation with
the General Assembly Committee on Representation o
f the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

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Filed under Current Events, Friends, Prayer, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

1 February 2024

Walking. Apartment. Germantown.
Let America Be America Again – James Earl Jones
Why U Turn On Me – 2Pac
Kindhearted Woman Blues – Robert Johnson
Crescendo in Blue – Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
I Guess I’ll Get the Papers – Louis Armstrong
A Single Woman – Nina Simone
Spirit in the Dark – Aretha Franklin
Red River – Lead Belly
All By Myself – Fats Domino
Fading Flower – Yuna
How Sweet It Is – Marvin Gaye
The Bottle – Gil Scott-Heron
Listen to the Lambs – The Howard University Chamber Choir
Use Me – Bill Withers
Lift Every Voice and Sing – The Boys Choir of Harlem

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Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist

27 January 2024

Walking. Stretching. Solon.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Liberation VII. Free at Last – Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Duo for Violin & Viola in the Quarter-Tone System: I. Andante – Teng Li & Benjamin Bowman
Duo for Violin & Viola in the Quarter-Tone System: II. Tempo di marcia – Teng Li & Benjamin Bowman
Duo for Violin & Viola in the Quarter-Tone System: III. Maestoso – Teng Li & Benjamin Bowman
Duo for Violin & Viola in the Quarter-Tone System: IV. Allegro – Teng Li & Benjamin Bowman
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 13 in B Flat Minor – Op. 113, “Babi Yar”: II. Yumor – Russian State Symphony Orchestra
Music Written in Terezin by Gideon Klein
Piano Sonata: I. Allegro con fuoco – Jaromir Klepac
Piano Sonata: II. Adagio – Jaromir Klepac
Piano Sonata: III. Allegro vivace – Jaromir Klepac
Trio:  I. Allegro – Czech String Trio
Trio: II. Lento – Variation on Moravian folk song themes – Czech String Trio
Trio: III. Molto vivace – Czech String Trio

Dance – by Hans Krasa – Czech Folk String Trio
Four Songs on Chinese Poetry by Pavel Haas – Karl Prusa & Jiri Pokorny
A Survivor from Warsaw – Simon Joly Chorale, David Wilson-Johnson, Robert Craft & Philharmonia Orchestra

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Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Music, playlist

21 January 2024 – 2

Walking. Germantown.
New Mexico Women’s Chorus Sing a Rainbow Concert.
De Colores – John Baez
Blue Skies – Ella Fitzgerald
The Rainbow Connection – Christina Perri
Blackbird – Emma Stevens
No Color – Appleton Boys ChoirCo
Colors of the Wind – Vanessa Williams
Rainbowland – Miley Cyrus, feat. Dolly Parton
Blues for a Green Boy – Allison Girvan
True Colors – Cindy Lauper
Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
Colorful – University of Rochester Eastman School of Music Women’s Chorus

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Filed under Current Events, Exercise, Family, Louisville, Music, playlist

19 January 2024

Walking.
Happy Birthday Dolly Parton.
All songs by Dolly Parton and others as named.
When Life Is Good Again
Joshua
Coat of Many Colors
Jolene
I Will Always Love You
Please Don’t Stop Loving Me – with Porter Wagoner
Love Is Like a Butterfly
The Bargain Store
Here You Come Again
Eagle When She Flies
It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right
Heartbreaker
I Really Got the Feeling
You’re the Only One
Starting over Again
Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You
9 to 5
But You Know I Love You
Tennessee Homesick Blues
Islands in the Stream – with Kenny Rogers
Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That
After the Gold Rush with Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris

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Filed under Current Events, Louisville, Music, playlist

14 January 2024

Midwives of the Movement.
Inspired by a sermon by the Rev. Shanea D. Leonard on 10 January 2024.
Walking. Stretching. Strength work. Gym in the Apartment.
Ella’s Song – Sweet Honey in the Rock
Stand Up – Cynthia Erivo
Young, Gifted and Black – Aretha Franklin
Ain’t I a Woman – Stacy Barthe
Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody – Mary D. Williams
Walk with Me – Fannie Lou Hamer
Speak – Jhené Aiko
Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday
I Can’t Breathe – H.E.R.
Ain’t I a Woman – Pauline Jean
Freedom Day – Abbey Lincoln
Obeah Woman – Nina Simone
Think – Lynn Collins
Golden – Jill Scott
Hurricane – Grace Jones
Song 33 – Noname
BLACK PARADE – Beyoncé 
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
I Know Where I’ve Been – Queen Latifah
Eyes on the Prize – Mavis Staples
Take My Hand – Mahalia Jackson

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Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Exercise, Human Rights, Louisville, Music, playlist