Weekend of St. Patrick's Day
Friday March 17
Jason headed to the eye clinic for his after surgery checkup. His right eye is slightly "undercorrected." The MD's said come back in 6 weeks, we'll see how it looks and we can "tweak" the correction. Remember The MD's only cut one muscle under Jason's right eye. Jodi got to the room about 11 after having some trouble driving up from National Airport. She had difficulty finding WR.
Friday Jason and Jodi headed to Silver Spring for a visit to Borders, lunch out and to see a "good film, The Hills have Eyes." Saturday Jodi and Jason travelled to DC's Chinatown. This was Jodi's 2nd visit to Chinatown with Jason. They saw, "V for Vendatta, a very thoughtful film" Jason's review. They ate at the Matchbox as "I really like the pizza" and stopped for a beer before returning to WR. On Sunday, Jason and Jodi headed to Dupont Circle (probably the same time we were having lunch and visiting the Phillips Art Musuem). They ate at a Thai restaurant recommended by Jason's PT Kyla "The food was good." Jason went with Jodi to Reagan airport where as Jodi was checking in they sited Dave Chappelle of Comedy Central fame. Jason was impressed that Dave travels by himself, "just like a regular guy," no entourage. Jason said, "All the agents recognized Dave and flocked over to help him check in." Jason returned to WR after taking Jodi to the airport and said that his eye is still hurting after surgery. He will take percocet when he goes to bed today. I asked him if he thought anything was going on beside, "after surgery hurt" but he said, "No."
The Kindness of Others to Jason is the Kindness of God
Jason told us of the kindness of the taxi driver who returned him to WR after taking Jodi to the airport. Jason hopped into a cab at National and entered into conversation with the cabbie from Ethiopia. When they arrived at WR, the cabbie said, "Let me help you soldier, there is no charge for the ride." His generosity surprised Jason and he gave the cabbie a $20 tip. Blessings on all those who are kind to American soldiers.
Katy's weekend:
Friday, I left Jodi and Jason discussing weekend plans and headed "down into the city" to see what I could find of interest. And what interesting events I found. The Bradford pears are in full bloom as are many daffodils, hyacinths and flowering shrubs. Just to walk the streets of DC was a blessing of beauty. I took the Metro to Capital Hill and the Sisolaks took me to their neighbors on 7th street, Jim and Bernadette who would host my stay. After getting settled, I joined the Sisolaks, including their sons Michael proud father of a new born girl, and Bryan who lives in the District. Both men in their twenties are computer whiz's and are employed in the field. We had a wonderful dinner at an Old Town restaurant including Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carmalized Pear with Pistachios for dessert. After we took a drive around and Bill showed me the "restaurant where I proposed to Vira" sad to say now a Starbucks, but still a restaurant. Old Town also has transformed an WWII torpedo factory into space for crafts and the arts. It is bustling and popular. Everyone agreed that I would have to visit there on one of the weekends this spring.
Saturday morning I received a call from friends Laurie and Alison in the Peace with Justice movement who were in DC to honor the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq War. We decided to meet at the newest museum on the Mall, the Museum of Native Americans. I asked them to join me for a performance by another wounded soldier's mom, Diane Benson from Alaska who is of the Tlingit clan of American Indians. She performed a one-woman show presenting the actions for Civil Rights for American Indians in Alaska. The performance When My Spirit Raised its Hands: The Story of Elizabeth Peratrovich and Alaskan Civil Rights reflects the actions surrounding legislation and the passage of the Anti Discrimination Act in 1945. The most startling section for me was the audio of the arguments against passage of the bill. Diane talked with members of Elizabeth's family and persons who were eyewitnesses to the times and studied the transcripts of the discussion before she wrote the dialogue recorded by actors. Comments by Alaskan representatives included, "I don't want Indians to sit next to me, they stink...They want to stay in their villages...White women are doing a good job of not making mixed breed babies." Through time and culture, the motivations for discrimination against another are the same.
Elizabeth raised her hand and spoke eloquently concerning the experiences of Indians and the bill passed after her statement. Thus Alaska became the first "state" to pass such a bill. In 1988 The Alaska State Legislature established February 16 as the annual Elizabeth Peratrovich Day-- to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act. If you have a celebration or educational event where this one woman play would be appropriate don't hesitate to contact her.
A young woman stood up after the performance and very happily thanked Diane for her "beautiful presentation honoring my Great Aunt Elizabeth." We all clapped again to honor her too. We enjoyed the play so much we decided to return for the second presentation which was followed by another set of work performed by Diane. This included a Poetry Manifesto which included poems concerning Diane's own soldier son and his experiences in the Army including his wounding. Each very touching and telling. Both performances were to "full houses." What a wonderful day to spend learning about the culture and experiences of the American Indian peoples and to support Diane's effort to be with her son.
After, Alison, Laurie and I ate at Union Station and then headed to a concert for peacemakers at St. Aloysius Church. We enjoyed the music that touched our hearts as we sang of peace and healing and justice for all the peoples of the world. By the time we left after 10:30 we knew it had been a full, full day.
On Sunday, we returned to St. Aloysius to attend the Gospel Mass at 9:30. The liturgy was filled with wonderful gospel music and a great homily by Deacon Willis who called us to follow the "radical Jesus." After the mass, a Sister of the Holy Family, an African American order of religious sisters who have been in New Orleans for 200 years shared the experience of the flooding of their Mother House located there. It was good to hear the report from a "survivor" of this natural disaster and the difficulties still being experienced by the members of the larger community. I also met a Jesuit priest from Nicaragua who has ministered there during the Contra War. He knew of the work of Quixote Center and their ministry of journeying with the people of Nicaragua. The liturgy was not finished until noon.
Alison had to leave us but first drove us to the Phillips Collection at Dupont Circle where we spent time with Degas, Sickert, and Toulouse-Lautrec: London and Paris, 1870-1910. The exhibit "explored the largely unrecognized creative dialogue between French and British artists at the beginning of modernism....By the 1890's Degas' notorious nudes, engaged in private activities, awkwardly posed, and seen from unflattering angles, had given license to younger artists to explore the subject with unprecedented candor." We enjoyed our time amongst the artists and their works. Then it was time to say "Goodbye" to Laurie for the day and to head back to WR.
I had left my suitcase with Jim and Bernadette at their home. Vira, living around the corner, had picked it up and generously offered to drive me back to WR instead of my having to take the train. Thanks to all who continually support Jason and all us, his family members and friends. May you be forever blest. I pray that we all have a happy spring filled with new life and creativity.
Jason headed to the eye clinic for his after surgery checkup. His right eye is slightly "undercorrected." The MD's said come back in 6 weeks, we'll see how it looks and we can "tweak" the correction. Remember The MD's only cut one muscle under Jason's right eye. Jodi got to the room about 11 after having some trouble driving up from National Airport. She had difficulty finding WR.
Friday Jason and Jodi headed to Silver Spring for a visit to Borders, lunch out and to see a "good film, The Hills have Eyes." Saturday Jodi and Jason travelled to DC's Chinatown. This was Jodi's 2nd visit to Chinatown with Jason. They saw, "V for Vendatta, a very thoughtful film" Jason's review. They ate at the Matchbox as "I really like the pizza" and stopped for a beer before returning to WR. On Sunday, Jason and Jodi headed to Dupont Circle (probably the same time we were having lunch and visiting the Phillips Art Musuem). They ate at a Thai restaurant recommended by Jason's PT Kyla "The food was good." Jason went with Jodi to Reagan airport where as Jodi was checking in they sited Dave Chappelle of Comedy Central fame. Jason was impressed that Dave travels by himself, "just like a regular guy," no entourage. Jason said, "All the agents recognized Dave and flocked over to help him check in." Jason returned to WR after taking Jodi to the airport and said that his eye is still hurting after surgery. He will take percocet when he goes to bed today. I asked him if he thought anything was going on beside, "after surgery hurt" but he said, "No."
The Kindness of Others to Jason is the Kindness of God
Jason told us of the kindness of the taxi driver who returned him to WR after taking Jodi to the airport. Jason hopped into a cab at National and entered into conversation with the cabbie from Ethiopia. When they arrived at WR, the cabbie said, "Let me help you soldier, there is no charge for the ride." His generosity surprised Jason and he gave the cabbie a $20 tip. Blessings on all those who are kind to American soldiers.
Katy's weekend:
Friday, I left Jodi and Jason discussing weekend plans and headed "down into the city" to see what I could find of interest. And what interesting events I found. The Bradford pears are in full bloom as are many daffodils, hyacinths and flowering shrubs. Just to walk the streets of DC was a blessing of beauty. I took the Metro to Capital Hill and the Sisolaks took me to their neighbors on 7th street, Jim and Bernadette who would host my stay. After getting settled, I joined the Sisolaks, including their sons Michael proud father of a new born girl, and Bryan who lives in the District. Both men in their twenties are computer whiz's and are employed in the field. We had a wonderful dinner at an Old Town restaurant including Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carmalized Pear with Pistachios for dessert. After we took a drive around and Bill showed me the "restaurant where I proposed to Vira" sad to say now a Starbucks, but still a restaurant. Old Town also has transformed an WWII torpedo factory into space for crafts and the arts. It is bustling and popular. Everyone agreed that I would have to visit there on one of the weekends this spring.
Saturday morning I received a call from friends Laurie and Alison in the Peace with Justice movement who were in DC to honor the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq War. We decided to meet at the newest museum on the Mall, the Museum of Native Americans. I asked them to join me for a performance by another wounded soldier's mom, Diane Benson from Alaska who is of the Tlingit clan of American Indians. She performed a one-woman show presenting the actions for Civil Rights for American Indians in Alaska. The performance When My Spirit Raised its Hands: The Story of Elizabeth Peratrovich and Alaskan Civil Rights reflects the actions surrounding legislation and the passage of the Anti Discrimination Act in 1945. The most startling section for me was the audio of the arguments against passage of the bill. Diane talked with members of Elizabeth's family and persons who were eyewitnesses to the times and studied the transcripts of the discussion before she wrote the dialogue recorded by actors. Comments by Alaskan representatives included, "I don't want Indians to sit next to me, they stink...They want to stay in their villages...White women are doing a good job of not making mixed breed babies." Through time and culture, the motivations for discrimination against another are the same.
Elizabeth raised her hand and spoke eloquently concerning the experiences of Indians and the bill passed after her statement. Thus Alaska became the first "state" to pass such a bill. In 1988 The Alaska State Legislature established February 16 as the annual Elizabeth Peratrovich Day-- to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act. If you have a celebration or educational event where this one woman play would be appropriate don't hesitate to contact her.
A young woman stood up after the performance and very happily thanked Diane for her "beautiful presentation honoring my Great Aunt Elizabeth." We all clapped again to honor her too. We enjoyed the play so much we decided to return for the second presentation which was followed by another set of work performed by Diane. This included a Poetry Manifesto which included poems concerning Diane's own soldier son and his experiences in the Army including his wounding. Each very touching and telling. Both performances were to "full houses." What a wonderful day to spend learning about the culture and experiences of the American Indian peoples and to support Diane's effort to be with her son.
After, Alison, Laurie and I ate at Union Station and then headed to a concert for peacemakers at St. Aloysius Church. We enjoyed the music that touched our hearts as we sang of peace and healing and justice for all the peoples of the world. By the time we left after 10:30 we knew it had been a full, full day.
On Sunday, we returned to St. Aloysius to attend the Gospel Mass at 9:30. The liturgy was filled with wonderful gospel music and a great homily by Deacon Willis who called us to follow the "radical Jesus." After the mass, a Sister of the Holy Family, an African American order of religious sisters who have been in New Orleans for 200 years shared the experience of the flooding of their Mother House located there. It was good to hear the report from a "survivor" of this natural disaster and the difficulties still being experienced by the members of the larger community. I also met a Jesuit priest from Nicaragua who has ministered there during the Contra War. He knew of the work of Quixote Center and their ministry of journeying with the people of Nicaragua. The liturgy was not finished until noon.
Alison had to leave us but first drove us to the Phillips Collection at Dupont Circle where we spent time with Degas, Sickert, and Toulouse-Lautrec: London and Paris, 1870-1910. The exhibit "explored the largely unrecognized creative dialogue between French and British artists at the beginning of modernism....By the 1890's Degas' notorious nudes, engaged in private activities, awkwardly posed, and seen from unflattering angles, had given license to younger artists to explore the subject with unprecedented candor." We enjoyed our time amongst the artists and their works. Then it was time to say "Goodbye" to Laurie for the day and to head back to WR.
I had left my suitcase with Jim and Bernadette at their home. Vira, living around the corner, had picked it up and generously offered to drive me back to WR instead of my having to take the train. Thanks to all who continually support Jason and all us, his family members and friends. May you be forever blest. I pray that we all have a happy spring filled with new life and creativity.
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 3/19/2006 06:39:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home