I recently heard (second-hand) that one of my progressive organizations’ board leaders said, “I have no more time for 15-minute organizers.” By this I take to mean, they have no time for anyone who is: NEW TO THE GAME or NOT ALL IN ALL THE TIME or NOT ON BOARD WITH ALL THE ISSUES or I don’t know what else. And I think that by making this statement, they are drawing a lines that excludes basically everyone I know, excepting (perhaps) the local paid employee of that organization. It certainly puts ME out of the game, and I’ve been historically committed to the progressive fight. But more importantly, I think that it fundamentally undermines the way in which the organization ITSELF functions, in terms of how it teaches its people to reach out around issues.

15-minute organizers might be: new; time-limited; single-issue; or operating under under other constraints. If they are NEW, then OF COURSE they should be taught. Expecting someone new to immediately be a fulltime 24/7 activist is akin to throwing someone, not into the deep end of the pool, but into the ocean out of a boat and driving away. If they are time-limited but still WANT to participate, then why not let let them? If you want an ENTIRE organization of fulltime paid employees, then better get a much better budget. And if they are issue-driven, see below:

If ISSUES, not people, are truly what drives us, and we are supposed to be lead by those AFFECTED, then 15-minute organizers ARE VALUABLE. They are going to be issue-driven and motivated. IF they find that the work of organizing is effective and powerful, then they might transition into more long term members of the organization or move to find other progressive outlets that they can work with. IF we can get them to turn out for SOMETHING, then we have a chance to persuade them to return for other things. But even if they do not, then that thing that they DID turn out to help with still gets the benefit.

I hope I have made my case for the value of 15-minute organizers.

Stop talking about going back to normal.

Things won’t be like they were.

Get your head out of the sand

Or wherever else you have it located.

Grow up, for the sake of the rest of us.

THIS is life now.

We will have to be more careful for each other.

Caution and distance will be built into function.

And PPE will become fashion accessories.

Get ahead of the curve.

Wear your fucking mask.

100,000 DEATHS

As of May 28th, 2020 and counting……

I say I’m going to jump.

What does this mean?

Will I jump for joy?

Highly unlikely,

But perhaps I will.

In a brief moment of happiness

Probably whippet-related.

Will I jump to a conclusion?

I try not to do so,

Being of a rational turn of mind,

Or so I like to tell myself (but don’t we all?)

Will I jump off the edge?

Now this is more plausible,

Given the current state of the world

And my dystopian worldview.

I’m jumping now.

The buildings are tall indeed.

I’m not very good at humaning right now.

I bristle at all who dare to approach.

I run from the light to seek out the shadows.

I disdain the melodic in favor of drone.

I find sustained contact to be painful.

I feel wrong for feeling like I do.

I feel it none the less.

Dear Sirs:

I am writing to you concerning Resolution 2020-17, the Resolution In Support of Washington County Returning To Work, to urge you to AMEND this Resolution. In the Resolution as it now stands, there is ONLY a mention of the need to re-open businesses and other institutions and NO mention of the health constraints that should be followed, if they choose to do so. I’m sure you have all kept up with the latest recommendations from the CDC and our own State health department’s guidelines on how to SAFELY go about re-opening the town and wish to see these followed. And the thought that Abingdon and surrounding Washington County are tourist destinations with the summer approaching must factor into your calculations…and fears, if you have them. (I must say that I have some trepidations right now about visitors. Yes, a source of income. But potentially also a vector.) I am not asking you to abandon the Resolution entirely, but please revise it to urge all who re-open to do so in a responsible and medically safe manner. We need businesses, churches, and other places, yes. But unless we feel (and ARE) safe while patronizing them, then these same places will not flourish, and more importantly, we the inhabitants are at risk.

Thank you.

Kel BasAvraham

I don’t want to see you. Or you. Or you. Or you.

Not in person. Or via Zoom, Skype, Google Meet.

I am staying away from ALL,

Inside with suitably stygian Finnish dramas on Netflix

Or re-reading The Plague by Camus,

While listening to Kraftwerk drone in glorious techno.

I might accept a phone call or answer a text,

Depending on the time of day and my mood.

But right now I’m in isolation mode,

Dancing alone.

Abingdon Abraham Lincoln Alabama alt-right Appalachia atheist autumn breathe Buddhism buddhist change Christian Christianity Civil War compassion connection death depression Donald Trump gratitude grief Hillary Clinton home illusion immigration impermanence kindness LGBTQ love meditation memories mental health mountains mourning path poem poetry pouncepunk art challenge practice suicide tea tears Texas Trump wisdom

Abingdon Abraham Lincoln Alabama alt-right Appalachia atheist autumn breathe Buddhism buddhist change Christian Christianity Civil War compassion connection death depression Donald Trump gratitude grief Hillary Clinton home illusion immigration impermanence kindness LGBTQ love meditation memories mental health mountains mourning path poem poetry pouncepunk art challenge practice suicide tea tears Texas Trump wisdom

Abingdon Abraham Lincoln Alabama alt-right Appalachia atheist autumn breathe Buddhism buddhist change Christian Christianity Civil War compassion connection death depression Donald Trump gratitude grief Hillary Clinton home illusion immigration impermanence kindness LGBTQ love meditation memories mental health mountains mourning path poem poetry pouncepunk art challenge practice suicide tea tears Texas Trump wisdom

Abingdon Abraham Lincoln Alabama alt-right Appalachia atheist autumn breathe Buddhism buddhist change Christian Christianity Civil War compassion connection death depression Donald Trump gratitude grief Hillary Clinton home illusion immigration impermanence kindness LGBTQ love meditation memories mental health mountains mourning path poem poetry pouncepunk art challenge practice suicide tea tears Texas Trump wisdom

Can I hide behind my mask?

Or does it make me more conspicuous in the streets, the stores, the transit?

Certainly the graphics do stand out.

When paired with my black hoodie and Docs,

I look like a dark character from some illustrated novel.

Which is exactly the effect I aim for:

A disaffected dystopian wanderer.

Not Mad Max. Just weary and wary.

There’s a wonderful Hans Christian Anderson quote: “Where words fail, music speaks.” I think of that often these days. Music has always been a lifeline to me during times of trouble. (Right now I’ve Aoife O’Donovan playing, doing her wonderfully poignant cover of Springsteen’s album, Nebraska.) I grew up in a household that revolved around music and books and  good food, so these things became my things also. When you are an introvert kid who doesn’t play well with others, these are your escape. And when you grow up into an equally awkward adult who still doesn’t quite get how to human, these became even more essential.

And now, as my usual springtime depression settles in on top of COVID-19 problems, quarantine difficulties, and my other myriad physical health issues, MUSIC is speaking quite eloquently indeed. I would have lost it (what ever “it” is) multiple times over, had it not been for: Eminem; Dan Tepfer; X.T.X.; Gangstagrass; Aoife O’Donovan; Kraftwerk; Jason Isbell; Street Academics; Disturbed; Against Me; Bad Bunny; and so many others. The site of Bandcamp  needs its own mention. Check it out, if you want to get educated and support great music and musicians!

DJT has called us (but not him, bone spurs, you know) “warriors” in the fight to reopen the country, in hopes that this will ease the death toll and other hardships that are ensuing. The reckoning is upon him and his admin but falls upon the rest of the country to pay, as he denies, denies, denies responsibility for ANY of this.

Dear Mary:

The days grow longer, and time weighs heavily on me. I’ve read many books from the e-library and watched every show available on all three major streaming services. I might have to resort to Tiktok videos. I’ve baked loaves of banana bread, peanut butter bread with chocolate chips, and am STILL losing weight. Probably from the anxiety-pacing. (I’m keeping my steps up that way. Ha.) I trust the bread tastes okay but don’t know, as I haven’t regained my ability to taste or smell yet. My doc assures me it will return (but doesn’t really know this). Even Miss P, my beloved companion, is showing quarantine-related weirdness. She has become the very definition of “high maintenance” in regards to her food and will not eat from her bowl unless I’ve washed it and scooped the food straight out of the bin WITH the bowl. (I take some small comfort  in that others have reported that THEIR animal companions are also displaying their own oddities during this time.) I just read this morning that we are being directed in the line of duty to go back out into the world. My uniform is ready: gloves, masks, and of course, hand sanitizer. I just hope that those I will  be marching with have been suitably equipped. But of course they have! This is the U.S. of A!

Missing you always,

Kel