tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11989583307584163572024-03-04T22:54:30.799-08:00Concord ConversationsDedicated to keeping the ideas of Concord alive. Ongoing list of events, conversations and experiences in a modern day Transcendental haven. Come along for a hike, swim, lecture, conversation and create history with us!!The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-27347710502840958282020-12-08T13:00:00.004-08:002020-12-08T13:01:32.709-08:00Working with Minuteman Media Network on a Webseries<p>Honestly, I think there is an addiction when you begin to study history. Once you start digging, you just want to keep going. And while doing research all by yourself is fun and fine, it's better when you find other people who can exist in the same mindset and time-set that you are in.</p><p>I generally prefer Concord in the 1840s, and luckily, I had a lot of friends who like that time too.</p><p>So a few of us, including my Concord friends, have been wanting to start some kind of online series, not sure if it would be a podcast or a webseries or both. We filmed something cool today. Super easy and super fun. I want it to be a way for us to hang out in the past, learn stuff and keep the conversation going. </p><p>Stay tuned for more info about how this develops!</p>The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-11509431533709808742020-06-30T17:22:00.000-07:002020-06-30T17:22:02.852-07:00#BLM Art and Former Statues#BLM Art and Former Statues<div><br /></div><div>Not only have there been gorgeous murals going up around the world in support of Black Lives Matter, but they are also painting the streets themselves. Black Lives Matter in huge letters, visible from space, or at least from small aircraft.<div><br /></div><div>And the statues, ALL the statues seem to be coming down, all the ones which lack compassion. And even the ones of old men, who might be on the good side of history. In these days, it is better to rethink everything. Even those who fought, did they not fight hard enough? Did they do everything and we are still stuck in this world? Would their ghosts be fighting for change, along with the protesters? </div><div><br /></div><div>I imagine the ghosts on the better, more equitable side of history, cheering on the living. All the energy (both living and dead) are contributing to the new world. And even the ghosts with regretful pasts, are changing their minds. Even they can change their minds, even they can fix things for the better from the grave. </div><div><br /></div><div>All the souls in the world want mercy for the future.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Even in Portugal,there is a sense of reckoning. The idea that "Portugal is not a racist country" has been brought up again-how can the country which started the slave trade and commissioned histories to define the hierarchy of races- Prince Henry the Navigator has lots of statues-but we must now understand who he really is.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/06/06/black-lives-matter-movement-to-hold-more-rallies-across-portugal/" target="_blank">https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/06/06/black-lives-matter-movement-to-hold-more-rallies-across-portugal/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://lithub.com/ibram-x-kendi-how-racism-relies-on-arbitrary-hierarchies/" target="_blank">https://lithub.com/ibram-x-kendi-how-racism-relies-on-arbitrary-hierarchies/</a></div>The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-72299914161113853392020-05-31T17:54:00.001-07:002020-05-31T17:54:29.222-07:00America is on Fire!Plenty of virtual ink has been spilled about the horrendous treatment of African Americans at the hands of the American police. Those who are supposed to protect and serve will easily kill anyone with non-white skin. This also applies to immigrants, those with accents and those with mental health issues. But African Americans were brought to this country illegally, forced to work, and have never been freed of the social idea that they can never have respect, especially from "authorities".<div><br /></div><div>This has been an issue for the past 400 years, but after 2 months of being locked up, America is bursting at the seams in trying to get the attention of the non-leaders, calling for justice for a man who was choked to death on video over a long period of 8 minutes. Earlier in the week was a black man who was birding in Central Park who videotaped a white woman who called 911 on him. She knew to call out race, to say that an African American man was threatening her life-even though she was the one who had her dog off leash in one of the few areas in the Park that requires a leash at all times. She was committing a crime, and knew that if she called the cops-he would be the one to face consequences. Her name was Amy Cooper, his name was Christian Cooper-at some distant point in the past it is likely that her family OWNED his family. She lost her job and her dog and her reputation. NYC was proud that it turned into a non-issue. But in Minnesota, everything else went wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>So the peaceful protests started. And the out-of-state white supremacists began to incite violence. Agent Provocateurs set fires, egged everyone on. It is again an excuse for white expression during continued black oppression. NYC is being destroyed, the police are being supported by the military and very soon we will be living in a police state. All to create chaos in a country, in a world that is beset by a pandemic. To keep the idiot in chief in power. And who knows what else?</div>The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-14063618027250265572020-04-30T18:16:00.001-07:002020-04-30T18:16:46.241-07:00Saving Jericho Hill Forest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Saving Jericho Hill Forest<br />
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A few weeks ago, just before this crazy pandemic got started, the mayor of Waltham put forth a resolution to take some land to add to a new development for a high school. 6 acres, to add onto another 46 acres already purchased, so that they can build a parking lot.<br />
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The whole project will also include a tremendous amount of blasting, to create a giant stone wall which will cause the costs to increase to $400 million, in the best case scenario. It will be the 2nd most expensive high school in the history of the US, just behind LA. And all this for half of the number of kids in the graduating class than the numbers they had 30 years ago. Very little of this overall budget will actually be for resources for the students.<br />
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Additionally, the construction and attitudes in this whole process demonstrate a tremendous lack of respect for the open spaces in the town.<br />
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Ironically, the forest has never been more beloved and visited as it has in the past few weeks, thanks to the quarantine. All the Waltham Parks and Playgrounds have been closed since the middle of March and everyone has been out exploring this forest, one of the last pieces of open land left to us in the city.</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-41220032184553430432020-03-31T19:46:00.000-07:002020-03-31T19:46:03.142-07:00A Brave New World Inside Our Houses-Coronavirus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, everything stopped this month, maybe around Friday the 13th.<br />
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Broadway closed the day before. Schools closed, businesses. Museums, tours, everything non-essential has stopped. Going to the store is WEIRD, you have to be wrapped up in protection. And there's no toilet paper.<br />
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In Concord, we are now pushed/incentivized to DO something online. Facebook Live, or meeting on Zoom. Creating things of value, online content.<br />
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Some people have been doing this online already, because they could. But now we have to get inventive.<br />
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We will survive!!!!<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-20672711121268596392020-02-29T20:37:00.002-08:002020-02-29T20:37:25.793-08:00Songs for a New World at the Umbrella<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As a one night only special, the Umbrella Arts Center brought a group from the Front Porch theater in Cambridge to perform Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World. The group did a tremendous job bringing this show to Concord, and I hope we see more of them more regularly. The mission of the group is to highlight people of color, especially performers-and this piece benefited heavily from having a fresh take on its standard love song material.<br />
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This is one of those shows that can really show off your Broadway/cabaret cred. Audra Mcdonald has recorded Stars and the Moon, and another song from the cycle, I'm Not Afraid, has become an audition song in some circles.<br />
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The cast of 5 singers (down from 6, one had gotten sick just this morning) were each incredible and there are enough amazing character songs to go around. The ensemble pieces are a kaleidoscope of sound; the singers did especially amazing work with the songs-to the point where the audience felt lost in the emotion of the music, beyond what JRB initially imagined. <br />
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As with most song cycles, there is the narrative thread missing that truly links each of the songs together. JRB made a valiant effort, but the more I hear the whole piece together, the less I am brought in by the connective tissue that is meant to link the songs together. The thing that stood out to me this time were the strong songs sung by women-because they were about men. All the character songs (the 2 above, plus Surabaya Santa and Murray) are about women creating their characters in response to the men-so the men are present as the major reflection of the song. Hmm. </div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-83125038101792921982020-01-31T19:14:00.003-08:002020-01-31T19:14:53.741-08:00Future Media<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm currently making plans for my summer play for the Thoreau Society. I think it will be centered around the Concord Female Anti-Slavery Society. But I'm doing research in other new media platforms as well. I'd love to literally take my storytelling to the next level.<br />
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I attended the MIT Hackathon about XR, actually called a Reality Hack. I crafted and scripted the narrative about Desegregation in Miami in 1957-specifically a story about Frank LeGree and how his family had picketers outside his house, threw rocks and eventually erected a cross on his front lawn-all in order to get him out of a neighborhood.<br />
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The video of the AR experience we created is here: <a href="https://youtu.be/C6w3e4wqwfk">https://youtu.be/C6w3e4wqwfk</a><br />
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Our team would love to do more with AR and explore this and other stories of America's growing pains further. Desegregation of schools, different neighborhoods in large cities i the 1950's. Life for a growing country and how that time period brought forth change that is still unresolved today. <br />
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Connect that period with When They See Us-and #OscarsStillSoWhite and you will see how America still exists in black and white for so many people. The best part of the Hackathon was the idea that so many different people could come together to build a new reality. One in which the only judgments issued are on a lack of imagination.</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-23643538243771589742019-12-31T19:29:00.002-08:002019-12-31T19:29:26.773-08:00Little Women, The Movie with Perspective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Spoiler alert-stop now and read the book/s or see the other movie/s. Proceed at your own risk.<br />
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The 2019 version of Little Women is told in a nonlinear way, which makes it perfect for modern audiences. Most may arrive already having read the book/s, or who have seen the movie/s.<br />
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It starts with Jo trying to sell her work. There's a bit of crossover between the character and the actual author herself. LMA would be proud of this version, of how it stays true to the characters, as well as the spirit of the current times.<br />
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An audience member whispered to her husband "Beth died in the book", when Beth recovered from her illness. Moments later-the movie stayed true to the book. I've seen devotees on FB saying that they found the time-jumping difficult to follow. But I for one felt like it told a clear story, and was always running ahead-not waiting for the audience to catch up. A perfect tempo, in fact. It leaves out any exposition or formality that had made previous versions clunkier.<br />
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Revisiting this old warhorse-I have a few questions. Was Laurie/the Professor inspired by Thoreau in any way? (An idealized male figure who would be difficult-imperfect marriage material) Why did LMA create such a great version of Concord and yet leave out Walden? (Was this version/the book purposely left open to NOT be Concord?) And the loss of Beth, reminds me that there was a low survival rate before a 21st birthday. Was it similar to other people losing siblings, like Thoreau and Twain? Another example of wanting to create something great-to capture the beloved and also speak to a larger audience.<br />
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Beth said, "Write something for me." Well, in this translation, it works.<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-71794887979681581352019-11-30T19:47:00.001-08:002019-11-30T19:47:41.029-08:00Escape to Provincetown!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Cape Cod is known not just for HDThoreau's essays about his trips, but also for Portuguese traditions.<br />
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Having spent Thanksgiving in Provincetown, with all its associated Portuguese heritage, I noticed that there is an Annual Blessing of the Fleet and weekend-long Festival at the end of June (6/25-28/2020) More information can be found here:<br />
https://provincetownportuguesefestival.com/<br />
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It's never to early to plan your time in this seaside town, especially bc it fills up so quickly in the summertime. See you then!!</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-20296421169621316002019-10-31T16:01:00.000-07:002019-10-31T16:02:50.318-07:00Toronto Counterculture of the 1960's Conference: Me and Angela Davis!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How is Henry David Thoreau connected to the Monkees?<br />
Mike Nesmith's Song: Different Drum-famously recorded by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys<br />
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They also use the quote about "the mass of men leading lives of quiet desperation".<br />
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And if that isn't enough for you, most of my focus lately has been on the Monkees, as well as HDT (and Twain). And I'm giving a talk about them and how they helped me create my own mental map of connections between great artists.<br />
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The conference is officially called <a href="https://humber.ca/liberalarts-ifoa/2019-conference-program" target="_blank">The (re)making of a Movement: New Perspectives on the 1960's Counterculture</a> and I'm presenting at it. What's more, I'll be presenting a talk about my blog <a href="https://monkeetv.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Six Degrees of Monkees</a> and the relationship map I'm creating. <insert fangirl scream of well-earned pride here><br />
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The description is below. I'm on after Angela Davis. She's a tough act to follow, but I hope to channel all my (nervous) energy into being inspired by her.<br />
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Very happy to help represent the Monkees and their importance in the counterculture movement of the 1960's!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Nov 2, 2019 | 1:<em>3</em>0 PM - 3:00 PM | Main Loft</span></h2>
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<a href="https://humber.ca/liberalarts-ifoa/2019-conference-program#tammy" style="color: #005173;">Tammy Rose, MBA, MS, User Experience Research Lead</a></h2>
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<em>Six Degrees of Monkees in a Relationship Map of CounterCulture</em></div>
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The Monkees phenomenon involved music & a TV show, and an unusual amount of connections that make it the center of American counterculture. Despite being dismissed as bubblegum, from 1965 to 1968, the brand encompassed a wide variety of non-commercial memes from Vietnam protest references to Frank Zappa to their most infamous masterpiece, the movie HEAD. An extensive relationship map visualizes any and all references to people, works and concepts to the Monkees. Almost anyone working in Hollywood prior to 1980 can be connected to the Monkees by a low number of degrees. Sex, drugs and rock and roll as well as cynicism were regularly snuck into America’s living rooms and fed into the minds of children.</div>
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-10978512181933407172019-09-29T06:00:00.001-07:002019-09-29T06:00:31.673-07:00NATURE! A Walking Play<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the past month, Emerson's great grand nephew has been evoking the spirits of the dead and the living in Concord. They are back on a return engagement and have been dealing well with the SUDDEN rescheduling of all of their performance times. Because of the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/09/26/mass-retracts-number-eee-deaths-confirms-human-case-virus/OLoLvr0FiKfhXMvG5AQH8J/story.html" target="_blank">EEE virus</a>, all showtimes have been adjusted to avoid the mosquito crowds.<br />
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My ticket is for the 12pm performance, on Sunday, Sept 29. It's always amazing to see a repertory company of performers and a strong community pulling for the celebration of our beloved local heroes!!<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-37698108976967783722019-08-31T19:45:00.001-07:002019-08-31T19:45:20.068-07:00Next Steps for Thoreau/Twain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have LOTS of plans for possible variations and more performances for Thoreau/Twain. I'd like to get the show produced more, in more different places.<br />
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I'd like for it to take the shape of a book-a wild ride-taking the reader through various places and times with the two writers. Regardless of time & space.<br />
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Also, I'd like to bring it into the classroom-get kids to interact with these writers.<br />
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LOTS to do, and more to come!!</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-66254719136197995922019-07-30T20:14:00.001-07:002019-07-30T20:14:32.194-07:00Thoreau/Twain opens the Little Pharaoh Arts Center Theater<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the tiny jewel of a town called Mt. Carmel, Illinois, just outside of St.Louis, there is a gem at the heart of the town.<br />
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The Little Pharaoh Arts Center.</div>
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It is a combination Theater, Art Gallery, Kids' Creativity Space and soon-to-be coffee shop/bar/club. John Clancy, my long time friend is the Master Builder/Creator of the Space. He is a wonder to know. <br />
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Oh, and by the way, he started the NYC Fringe Festival. Which is also where we met_I was a Venue Manager for the first few years. Like Twain-working at a first passion (for him it was printing), you learn a LOT by seeing a lot.<br />
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And I am HONORED to be the FIRST Playwright-In-Residence, for July of 2019, and my play Thoreau/Twain: Brothers on the River was the first show in the Theater space. Clancy played Twain, and our Thoreau was Cory Caswell-an amazing local performer.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clancy_(playwright)" target="_blank">John Clancy</a>, and his lovely wife, Nancy Walsh bring with them YEARS of theater experience, including SIX Fringe First Awards from the Edinburgh Fringe and an OBIE. He's one of the few Independent Theater people I know who is legit enough to have a Wikipedia page. He was able to be a dramaturg for me, as well as offer me comments from an actor's POV. If you ever get a chance to work with this guy, DO IT. His is an amazing world!!<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-65911387014833934552019-07-30T18:09:00.004-07:002019-07-30T18:09:37.942-07:00Thoreau/Twain at the Thoreau Society Annual Gathering<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm happy to report that the performance of Thoreau/Twain: Brothers in the River for the Thoreau Society was a tremendous success.<br />
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Brent Rinalli, Tammy Rose and Joel Hersh</div>
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The main performers were Brent Rinalli, who has been in and around Concord giving lectures and historical interpreting as Thoreau for the past few years and Joel Hersh, a local actor known for his varied musical ability-played Twain.<br />
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The main conceit of the show is that an Academic is trying to summon the spirits of the authors, to have them discuss a major, and underexplored parallel of their lives. Both of them had a deep relationship with a brother on the river of their childhood, and both of them lost that brother to a sudden event. This happened before either of them began to write-but both found inspiration in their brothers and documented the influences strongly in their writings.<br />
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The authors -who had never met in real life- get deep into conversation, about their lives, commonalities they share-and especially their brothers. Most of the text of the play is taken directly from journals, letters and the formal published writings of the authors-and their contemporaries. They argue with each other using their own words and get a chance to recount a major emotional moment in their lives. (No pop-psychology or therapy here-the drama comes directly from their own words and existing texts).<br />
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Thanks to the Thoreau Society and to all the amazing and attentive attendees! Especially those who took pictures and gave me feedback on new areas to explore between the two!<br />
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And extra special thanks to my fellow Tourguides who make all the research and the entire experience of Concord SO MUCH FUN!!!</div>
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-257336065214744142019-06-13T09:35:00.000-07:002019-06-28T17:00:52.195-07:00Thoreau/Twain: Brothers on the River at the Thoreau Annual Gathering, Semi Annual Thoreau Play<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thoreau/Twain: Brothers on the River</div>
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Masonic Hall, </div>
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58 Monument Sq, </div>
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Concord, MA</div>
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Wednesday, July 10, 2019</div>
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7pm</div>
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(immediately after the performance of "HDT's Heroic Journey")</div>
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<a href="https://www.thoreausociety.org/annual-gathering#Wed" style="text-align: left;">https://www.thoreausociety.org/annual-gathering#Wed</a></div>
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"Be thou my Muse, my Brother--,"</div>
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A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers</div>
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Both Henry David Thoreau and Samuel Clemens were by the deathbeds of their beloved brothers. What happens when one brother is left on the river, and the other has to complete the rest of the journey in life alone?</div>
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Come see Henry David Thoreau and Mark Twain meet under new and unusual circumstances; a meeting that never happened in history. Finally, both have a chance to recognize and reconcile their parallel journeys. </div>
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Primary texts of the play are taken directly from primary sources including A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers & Life on the Mississippi, as well as from journals & letters from the authors themselves.</div>
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Written by</div>
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Tammy Rose</div>
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and Henry David Thoreau</div>
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and Samuel Clemens</div>
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-13468447533940925402019-05-31T19:51:00.002-07:002019-05-31T19:51:41.574-07:00Walt Whitman at 200!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Richard Smith aka "Henry", to his close friends far and wide gave a grand presentation on Whitman at First Parish on May 31st.<br />
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He had several readers, all females, reading Whitman's poems and the narrative stuck to the chronology. It started with Leaves of Grass arriving in Concord, and Emerson's response-which the excited Whitman included in future editions.<br />
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Emerson encouraged Whitman to leave out the sexy part of the Adam and Eve poems, Thoreau and Bronson Alcott visited Whitman in Brooklyn, Civil War poems-Lincoln died, great poetry was made and reread throughout America.<br />
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And Whitman visited Emerson 7 months before Waldo died, a look of serenity and sweetness on his face (in the midst of his dementia).<br />
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The room was packed and at the end we all shouted "Happy Birthday, Walt!", and then had a birthday cake (candles and the birthday song made it all complete).<br />
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Concord is a great place to celebrate any birthday, especially your 200th!</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-68952972499596628442019-04-20T11:36:00.001-07:002019-04-20T11:36:30.338-07:00Why Dogs are NOT Allowed at Walden and Uncivil Disobedience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Walden is a shared resource and dogs disrupt the wildlife on the property, and they contribute noise, scent, pee and poop to an area where animals, humans and children expect not to encounter them. Plus it is the law-and the Ranger must enforce the law (and frankly, their jobs are hard enough as it is).<br />
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HDT publicly opposed an unjust law (taxation which supported the Mexican War and slavery) and sat in jail for his opposition. Should ALL laws be flaunted in his name?<br />
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Because of THAT act-people often cite it as a reason for bad behavior while visiting Walden, or use him as an excuse to break rules generally and do whatever they want to do. They cross the line of basic civility by presuming their rights and beliefs supersede those of others.<br />
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As an example:<br />
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A teacher took his students on a visit to Walden. he took his dog and when confronted by a ranger-he was proudly defiant and used HDT as his model. He also took photos of this offense and bragged about it on social media.<br />
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The original post (excluding identifying photos of the students):<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="fwn fcg" style="color: #616770; font-family: inherit;"><span class="fwb fcg" data-ft="{"tn":";"}" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: 600;"><a ajaxify="/groups/member_bio/bio_dialog/?group_id=52618154421&member_id=1553452890&ref=floc155" aria-describedby="u_3h_1" aria-owns="" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard-referer="ARQtDaGsbS_b919PCNbNb17YLz9ESIukycFyHq2GtMvXThjpL7jJzTgPbtZpgz-IZZM" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1553452890&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdC-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARDrmLp7KqxSSBuDEsmBIZSxrAVn19av2PmtzfejeHxNB_KDIkAslpo7Knzbo3uupNuhJl_o3F48xvCs%22%2C%22hc_ref%22%3A%22ARQtDaGsbS_b919PCNbNb17YLz9ESIukycFyHq2GtMvXThjpL7jJzTgPbtZpgz-IZZM%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22gs%22%2C%22directed_target_id%22%3A52618154421%2C%22dti%22%3A52618154421%2C%22hc_location%22%3A%22group%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/todd.doehner?fref=gs&__tn__=%2CdC-R-R&eid=ARDrmLp7KqxSSBuDEsmBIZSxrAVn19av2PmtzfejeHxNB_KDIkAslpo7Knzbo3uupNuhJl_o3F48xvCs&hc_ref=ARQtDaGsbS_b919PCNbNb17YLz9ESIukycFyHq2GtMvXThjpL7jJzTgPbtZpgz-IZZM&dti=52618154421&hc_location=group" id="js_3be" rel="dialog" role="button" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;">Todd Doehner</a> </span></span>Some of my students visiting the home site for extra credit.</span> I got the dog past the park ranger by explaining my duty to disobey unjust laws.<span style="font-weight: normal;"> No clue how the kid at night with the light saber got in. I did not ask and he did not tell</span></h5>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQ6d-bvxPxOp4C13K7uBsDUU1vlM-ncs-Qs7K6_6P9ccHxGKAk9dr8amTGjGhRrXFY-uKJy1_0PZcyAkY4GpVwoNxxorHXw89Kyx192zP9yhmyTEjvVctbwMUJ1fBZn9mB2hdkKEVFtlg/s1600/Dog+at+Cabin+Site.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="363" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQ6d-bvxPxOp4C13K7uBsDUU1vlM-ncs-Qs7K6_6P9ccHxGKAk9dr8amTGjGhRrXFY-uKJy1_0PZcyAkY4GpVwoNxxorHXw89Kyx192zP9yhmyTEjvVctbwMUJ1fBZn9mB2hdkKEVFtlg/s320/Dog+at+Cabin+Site.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1dk58_RZhIiM4I34HYjR8DFva-XEakJuhNh1YJnl1Y0hkSyIbPp90koFoCbGlaPP7tiz3eWUA3j9HbDBk4ohZnzd8eiQIQgO6ar-uxBOi1nvKPbuTI7YUrULtUxJjPwwkgCF0loFgFH8/s1600/Kid+with+lightsaber+on+a+cabin+post.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1dk58_RZhIiM4I34HYjR8DFva-XEakJuhNh1YJnl1Y0hkSyIbPp90koFoCbGlaPP7tiz3eWUA3j9HbDBk4ohZnzd8eiQIQgO6ar-uxBOi1nvKPbuTI7YUrULtUxJjPwwkgCF0loFgFH8/s320/Kid+with+lightsaber+on+a+cabin+post.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>
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Rangers devote their jobs to making sure that people and their animals do not destroy or hurt the public land. As one put it:<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Thoreau broke laws for just reasons. Comments like this are incredibly disrespectful to rangers who spend their life’s work protecting a resource as Emerson’s family requested. We teach students about protecting the resource, and your actions detract f</b></span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>rom that.</b> If you can’t follow the rules, please go somewhere else. After working at Walden for years, I have heard this argument before, “Well, Thoreau would agree with me on this...” It’s a TIRED excuse for doing whatever they want. Thoreau was one man on his friend’s land...we now get over 600,000 people a year at Walden. If you come to the park, you are on Massachusetts State land. Dogs are are only as wise as their owners. Regardless of what you think, other people come to the park expecting a dog-free park and this is about respecting other peoples’ experience in nature....not to mention</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">wildlife. People visit Walden from all over the world. For some people, this is on their bucket list. I guarantee that they are not coming to see your dog. It’s not really about what Thoreau did in 1845. <b>There was no germ theory of disease then, no running water, and people didn’t bathe much. Darwin’s Origin of Species hadn’t come out yet </b>(1859). Of course, there are MANY other things people do at the park that are stupid, but why add to it?</span></span></span><br />
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Another comment was in reaction to a photo of a student standing on one of the stone pillars that outlines the site of the cabin:<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>If everyone snuck in dogs and climbed on the markers, Walden Pond wouldn't be around for very long. </b>Preserving the pond is everyone's responsibility so future generations will be able to enjoy it. Do you encourage them to climb on tombstones in cemeteries too?</span><br />
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Another discussed Thoreau walking through the forests and how he knew the difference that a domesticated dog can bring to the experience.<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Would Thoreau deliberately lead a domesticated animal into a designated wildlife area?</b> I doubt it. His friend Ellery Channing owned a behemoth of a dog named Bose who sometimes accompanied them on walks. But Bose's presence drastically changed the expe</span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">rience for the human walkers, because he wasn't leashed and he went after whatever natural prompts he was attracted to. Which may have been comical and interesting at the time, but these incidents were not part of the kind of exploration that Thoreau preferred. “Each town should have a park, or rather a primitive forest of five hundred or a thousand acres, where a stick should never be cut for fuel, a common possession forever, for instruction and recreation," Thoreau wrote in his journal on October 15, 1859. Should domesticated animals be part of that instruction and recreation? Probably not. Every Bose needs to stay at home on occasion. And even dog lovers need dog-free experiences.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You could write letters of apology to all of the other visitors to Walden Pond that day. They didn't get to see the chipmunks and squirrels that they usually would have seen, otherwise, on their walks. Even the friendly raccoon that often approaches fo</span></span><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">lks was probably deterred from doing so by the presence of your dog. You deliberately altered the park experience for everyone else. And then you boasted about it on social media. Hmmmm.</span></span></span><br />
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One of the (in)eloquent responses which ALSO brags of breaking the law about public water supply:<br />
<a aria-describedby="u_25_1" aria-owns="js_b2" class="_6qw4" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=747336386" href="https://www.facebook.com/theodore.ted" id="js_b3" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600;">Miles McCloy</a><span style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f2f3f5; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="_3l3x" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Humans pick up dog poop. And only morons would be unsettled by a barefoot touching pee. Go dip your feet in the lake. Flints pons In Lincoln, where Thoreau originally wanted to build his cabin, has the best bass fishing in the metro west, but carries heavy fines as it is Lincoln’s water supply and all lincolnites have their heads up their butts. I fished there every day til I moved away from home. Relax.</span></span></span><br />
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It's one thing to disobey as a protest. Another to brag about it publicly on social media. Yet another to teach disrespect to students, especially when it comes to how to treat already vulnerable lands.<br />
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There are plenty of places for dogs and for kids to climb on things. Please stop using HDT as an excuse for bad behavior.</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-44602225926864541542019-03-31T19:36:00.002-07:002019-04-13T07:42:06.743-07:00Concord Drunk History<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm taking a Tourguide Class in Concord, and am constantly amazed at all the stories of the residents. There is the huge area of Revolutionary War events (April 19, 1775-specifically)-then onto the Transcendentalists-my favorites.<br />
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And even into the modern age, how those two periods get represented and honored. The Colonial Inn has a great trivia night and lots of fun restaurants for townies and visitors alike.<br />
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I've always wanted to encourage the gathering of Emerson's table, or the Margaret Fuller Conversations for Women (I always thought that might be more fun), but I've yet to figure out how to gather people in a room.<br />
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And then, it came to me-Drunk History. In Concord! Announce it at one of the pubs, maybe even pick a period of history-or better yet a date, from a journal-or one from Henry's, one from Nathaniel's, one from Waldo and Bronson-maybe they all have different stories of the same night. And we should tell stories-open to the audience-with a little help from alcohol.<br />
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That way everyone can help be the tourguide-and you can get better stories that aren't in the books. Let me know if you want to be part of the journey. (Picture by HDThoreau, Journal from 1854)<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-47962955901219533792019-02-21T14:44:00.001-08:002019-02-21T14:44:37.260-08:00Thoreau/Twain: Brothers Of the River<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the first evening of this <a href="https://www.thoreausociety.org/event/2019-thoreau-society-annual-gathering" target="_blank">2019 Edition of the Annual Gathering of Thoreauvian Appreciators</a> my play, THOREAU/TWAIN: Brothers of The River will be performed.<br />
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I am immensely proud to be presenting my work to such an excellent group of scholars, enthusiasts, teachers, environmentalists, historians, professors-AND this year's focus will be encouraging the ENGINEERS to come out in full force.<br />
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Therefore, not ONLY am I excited to be able to do research on both Thoreau and Twain, but also to focus on the parts of their lives which reflect their interest in innovation, technology and how things get put together. <br />
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Hint: This will involve HDT's work on developing a new formula for a graphite pencil, AND Twain's enthusiasm for a printing machine known as the Paige Compositor. Which will survive the ultimate test of engineering?<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-84294180248724756972019-01-31T18:37:00.001-08:002019-01-31T18:37:25.827-08:00Conversational Circles Revived<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I heard about the revival of the most traditional of Transcendental conversations on Twitter. Susan Bailey has an account and a website that mentions all things Louisa on a regular basis.<br />
<a href="https://louisamayalcottismypassion.com/">https://louisamayalcottismypassion.com/</a><br />
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I got in touch with her and she put me in touch with the organizer. He sent an email which contains the following description:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"In an attempt to generate interest, I have chosen a timely initial topic in terms of the renewed interest in </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Little Women</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, and the revolution of change resulting from the surgence of women into the Congress. But it is not lost on me that the idea of conversation circles modeled after those of the 19th century might seem quaint in the 21st. The spiritual kinship I feel with Alcott and Fuller and their Concord philosophical community motivates me to attempt a revival."</span><br />
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If you are interested in joining, let me know in the comments and I will send you the contact info. I wasn't able to be in town for this month, but I hope to be able to report on the events in future.</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-84971068024443752162018-12-31T17:57:00.001-08:002018-12-31T17:57:15.417-08:00New Year's Day Hike at Walden (with snacks)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Are you ready to begin the new year with some good exercise and in the wonder of the Walden woods?<br />
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The easiest way to time travel is to spend some time in nature, especially in a place that hasn't changed too much since Henry David Thoreau helped to wear down the paths created by Native Americans. You too can have the same kind of experience that he had-granted there is a parking lot and MORE trees than in day, but just as lovely.<br />
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Meet at 12 (or a little before-check out the visitor's center and the cabin), and wear weather appropriate clothing. There will even be snacks and hot cocoa afterwords! I hear that Richard (the returning Thoreau) has made the same kind of "cookie" that Henry and his sisters made for their new year's eve festivities!<br />
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There is a list of hikes throughout Massachusetts, if Walden is a bit too far for your horse/car.<br />
<a href="https://www.boston.com/travel/travel/2018/12/28/begin-the-new-year-outdoors-with-one-of-these-12-first-day-hikes">https://www.boston.com/travel/travel/2018/12/28/begin-the-new-year-outdoors-with-one-of-these-12-first-day-hikes</a><br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-4946317367341221412018-11-18T08:36:00.001-08:002019-02-21T14:28:39.889-08:00Thoreau Farm 20th Anniversary Events!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How many of us remember what 1998 was like?<br />
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Apparently, it was the year that a few like minded people decided to get together and preserve Henry David Thoreau's Birthplace. The house itself was moved down the road from its original address, but I don't think Henry would mind the new setting. If he were to visit now (and who knows, maybe he has?), he'd find a farm adjacent to the property (<a href="https://gainingground.org/" target="_blank">Gaining Ground</a>); one that is operated by volunteers who raise fruits and vegetables for food pantries.<br />
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He'd also find a replica of his cabin behind the building. There are MANY replicas now, not counting copycats from the Tiny House movement. I wonder if he'd think this one was as oddly placed as the one near the Walden Pond Parking lot. Cynics might see the Parking Lot Replica as an accommodation to tourists who can't be bothered to walk to the original site. But frankly, any opportunity to place yourself inside the cabin changes your perception of what a human needs.<br />
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The Thoreau Farm itself is only slightly more expansive, but with a full family, it probably felt very crowded. You can feel the years of history standing on the old wood planks of the floor.<br />
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If you can't come to the events, I'd recommend visiting the House (and cabin). Time travel is easier than we think.<br />
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You can view the full events page here: <a href="https://thoreaufarm.org/2018/11/5839/">https://thoreaufarm.org/2018/11/5839/</a><br />
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UPDATE OF THE EVENTS:<br />
Jack Beatty led an excellent panel discussion about Thoreau's Moral Sense of Purpose, and how important it was to be true to oneself. A spirited audience member got up and reiterated questions about staying true to one's beliefs-especially as an outsider. However, under the circumstance, he was discussing the current political climate. He was a supporter of the president, and felt seriously outnumbered and defensive. So much so that his words became forceful and angry-which also felt unnatural to the discussion.<br />
It was the PERFECT setup for the movie about Ramsey Clark, <a href="https://alifeofprinciple.com/">https://alifeofprinciple.com/</a>, a controversial lawyer who always fought for the little guy-even when it wasn't a popular choice. It is important to be reminded that things are NEVER as black and white as they sound.<br />
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The next day was a lovely gathering for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Thoreaus-Birthplace-Citizens-Rallied/dp/0999624946" target="_blank">Saving Thoreau's Birthplace</a>, and it had author Lucille Stott reading from her book about how a concerned group of citizens was able to fight and preserve Thoreau's birthplace. It is not always possible for the creators of history to gather together in one room, but that day it happened. Almost everyone had a memory of how difficult and absurd it all seemed 20 years ago-and was astonished and proud to be standing in the vibrant arts center that it is today!<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-61972760588430547632018-10-31T19:08:00.000-07:002018-10-31T19:08:02.917-07:00Little Women being shot in Concord and Harvard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There have been sightings of movie stars at Walden Pond, asking for directions to the bathroom (Emma Watson).<br />
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Also, sightings of Concord visiting the town of Harvard-or at least buildings masquerading as Concord Center for Halloween.<br />
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19th century women in boats under the famous Bridge, watched by people from the 21st century. Tracked, photographed and filmed.<br />
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The veil between the ages gets thinner and thinner everyday. Or maybe the history is getting more interesting and the costumes are getting better.</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-10090383270294614182018-09-30T04:54:00.000-07:002019-01-15T18:15:55.327-08:00Cheating on Thoreau with Mark Twain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This weekend, there was a Writer's Conference in Hartford, CT at the Mark Twain House and Museum. 2 days of authors, talks, workshops, discussions and just plain "trouble starting" (apparently in the Twain world, that's a regular in-joke)<br />
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<a href="https://marktwainhouse.org/event/writers-weekend/">https://marktwainhouse.org/event/writers-weekend/</a><br />
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I've already THOREAU-LY enjoyed one day of it (half) and am making note of a few things so far:<br />
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A) The sessions are wonderful, but the weekend seems especially small-like the size of a decent first-year attempt, but I believe this is not their first rodeo. Personally, I LOVE that it is so small, bc I feel that I can get to know each participant, and there are not too many overlapping sessions. However, I'd rather make contact with MORE people and attend as many sessions as possible-noting the possibility of sneaking out of a dull one and into something better (the grass is always greener on the other side of the classroom wall-especially when you can hear them laughing!)<br />
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B) The vast majority of the attendees/presenters are female and 50+. SO much so, that I would encourage the organizers to rethink their focus for next year. It's not a matter of Mark Twain representation-he only registers as a host in the mental conversation. It could be a female-centric weekend, even encouraging mentorships and networking. Harriet Beecher Stowe was/is an immediate neighbor and is certainly enough of a successful writer to be a part of the conversation. (And can also be a cautionary tale about not allowing your book to be adapted into a play without lawyers in place!)<br />
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C) There were a few (2?) young African American women-but no corresponding African American women presenting. Hartford has a decent population of African Americans and none/very few(?) were in representation within the sold-out Twain house tours. Personally, I would LOVE to be taught by people coming from different experiences and especially the locals. (And it's not like Uncle Tom's Cabin isn't ready for innovative and modern interpretations or even literate attacks)<br />
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D) As mentioned, the Harriet Beecher Stowe house is right next door, but my friends and I had to wander over ourselves and take a tour during lunch (We had given up our lunch hour on the first day to tour the Twain house). It should be an option for the weekend. It should be an option for a theme.<br />
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E) I've discovered several major parallels between Twain and my first love, Thoreau. They were both at their brothers' sides while they lay dying. BEFORE they became authors. And what major bond did all those brothers share? Life on the river. Sometimes life just encourages you to meet the right people, and if you are properly prepared-you can recognize why. I think it's my next big work.<br />
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The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1198958330758416357.post-63929755259889053542018-08-31T19:29:00.001-07:002018-08-31T19:29:08.222-07:00Santa's Legend is Based on Mushrooms!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In case you ever wondered how the legend of Santa Claus is specific beyond the stories of Krampus or St, Nicholas Day, there is the possibility of another explanation.<br />
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In short, in Lapland there were shamans-who would eat mushrooms. The mushrooms were red with white spots; the shaman/shamen grew to look like them if they ate enough. They visited people, bringing gifts-like any good visitor. And bc of the snows, they often had to enter through the CHIMNEY.<br />
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His story is here:<a href="http://lawrencemillman.com/santa-claus-is-a-mushroom/" target="_blank"> http://lawrencemillman.com/santa-claus-is-a-mushroom/</a>, a blog apparently written by the author himself.<br />
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And to underline his points, it also has appeared in the pages of the New York Times. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/opinion/santa-christmas-mushrooms.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/opinion/santa-christmas-mushrooms.html</a> (a familiar sounding article, but with more weight!)</div>
The Creative Tinkererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13530997513317561861noreply@blogger.com0