Lisa > Recent Status Updates

This was a worthwhile theory but written as a book with too many boring gossipy details. I'm just not interested in them and don't think I'll read any more of it.

I'm reading this book in French with a reading group of the Alliance Francaise. It'll be months before I finish.

I'm not into this book right now. I'm going to read something else.

I'm reading this book with my French class about 10 pages per week. Le Chapeau de Mitterand (Mitterand's hat) is a wonderful fable telling of the effect of power on one's self-confidence and self-image. More about it when I finish the book.

I've been reading this one with my French class a few chapters at a time. We should be finished reading it by the end of the year.

We read about people from various cultures from all over the world. Once a year, I have the opportunity to meet them in person at the Skokie Festival of Cultures. This was the 29th year of this event. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

We spent a beautiful three days in Savannah, Georgia. The azaleas were in bloom and the weather was perfect. I had read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and it added to the trip. When we came home, we watched the movie again. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

You can find my blog about minorities in Panama at www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

It is interesting reading about people from different countries and even more exhilarating visiting them. I love visiting people in the subgroups as we did in Panama. www,listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

It's hard to understand how connected all of us in the Western Hemisphere are. Visiting Panama, we were at the center of it and it gave us a new perspective. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

Traveling home from South Florida, we stopped in Montgomery, Alabama to visit the Civil Rights sites. It's hard to believe that 63 years have passed since Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

This book is fascinating but too heavy and much for me to read right now. I have too much going on. I'll get back to it at a later date.

I'm in mourning and outrage for the events that have happened in the United States of America this week. We all need to think about what we can do to turn our country around. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

We enjoy visiting the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. They have some really good exhibits there now. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

It was so good to see first time voters voting for the first time at Chicago's Women's March to the Polls this past Saturday. Remember, if you don't vote, you don't get to complain. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

I was reminded of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie when I attended some Indigenous Peoples' Day events at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Illinois. For once the Indians won. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

We've all read about the amazing Harry Houdini and I was amazed to learn that he spent part of his childhood in Appleton, Wisconsin. We had a good time there seeing the exhibit that memorialized his life at the history museum. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

I'm reflecting on the anniversary of Charlottesville. Do you think we're out of the woods? And what can we do to promote racial/ethnic justice and equanimity? I'd love to see your comments. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

Most people read Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates as children. People often think of Holland as the quaint place of windmills and wooden shoes and tulips. Yet, it is a country that's doing amazing things to adapt to climate change. It was great to travel there and see what they're doing. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

"The Diary of Anne Frank" has been read by people from around the world. I was fortunate to visit Amsterdam and her hiding place. It really made me think. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

I'm still basking in our trip that we took this summer. Going through Germany was interesting on many different levels. It's hard to avoid thinking of the parallels between America now and the prelude to the Holocaust. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

The French have taken back the Statue of Liberty. Oh no! www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

I remember the days when nuclear annihilation was on everyone's mind all the time. Too bad that we're going back there. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

There are a lot of great things to see on the Chicago Architecture Foundation Must See Chicago walking tour. If you're ever in
Chicago, I give it a lot of stars. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

One of the book clubs that I'm in is Diversity in all its forms. We are trying to reading books from all over the world from A to Z. I have to say that I am lucky to live in a place where diversity is celebrated and I get to live diversity in all its forms every day. This weekend was the annual Skokie Festival of Cultures where multiculturalism is celebrated. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

On Monday, I attended a hearing in Chicago on the bill that would have Illinois finally ratify the federal ERA. It's not too late, Illinoisans. There's a hearing right now in Springfield. Call your state representatives. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

In our increasingly polarized society, I stood with the YWCA against racism. It felt more imperative than ever. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

The play Lettie at the Victory Gardens Theater poignantly portrays the plight of women getting released from prison. Go see it if you can. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com

All my life I've been visiting Florida and hearing about Manatees but I never saw any. I was excited to go to the Manatee Viewing Area in Tampa. It was worth the trip - I guess. www.listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com.

"And Still I Rise" on PBS did a great job of showing us how far we've come in race relations since the Civil Rights Movement and how much we've been losing during the past year. It was the eve of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination. I've read a few books on the subject and went to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. The Brooks Museum is also worth a visit. www,listeningtomytravels.blogspot.com