cleanandsunny

There are two ways to build community - one is doing it from scratch, and one is finding a community and joining it. So, start with what’s easy. Are there existing communities of people you could join, based on your interests? (For example: churches, book clubs, bands, athletic groups, etc?) Since you’re a plant nerd like me, check out nonprofits that need volunteers for gardening or landscaping. Check Meetup, check local event calendars, ask your friends what they’re up to, and invite yourself along.

Building community from scratch takes time, but it can be done. It starts with introducing yourself to your neighbors. Does anyone pass by when you’re in the garden? Maybe the same person walking their dog every day? Stop and say hi to them. Learn their names. Ask for their contact info. The more time you spend outside, the more you are going to see neighbors you can “bump into.”

Once you have their contact info, email or text them when you need something, or there is a cool event. You can be cliche; ask for a cup of sugar and make small talk. Or bring cookies to that reclusive neighbor you’re never met. Here are some emails I’ve gotten from my neighbors this week: a pizza school fundraiser; a car was broken into; beach pictures from a past neighbor who moved to Oregon in 2023; someone has extra plant starts; a new restaurant just opened.

You also have to be the person that introduces your neighbors to each other - “have you met X yet?” or “do you know who lives over at 123?” Invite them over. Have a neighborhood happy hour, outside, in the street - other neighbors will come out and you can meet them too, get their contact info, and make sure they get added to the list for the next one.

I live on an extraordinary block with amazing neighbors - we watch each others’ pets, water each others’ plants, have regular outdoor happy hours, have an annual block party, go out to bars/shows/meals with each other, have craft nights, etc. They are now some of my closest friends! But it took years (and COVID stir-craziness) to get to this point. It isn’t a fast process, but now we have a real, solid community. We are ages 37-77 and I think at least 3 of them have my house keys, lol.

I hope this helps! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. A LOT of people are craving connection right now so even when it feels clunky, it’s working.

• Ireland and Italy offer citizenship by descent, but it is a long process
• The Netherlands and the US have a treaty called DAFT that allows you to start a business in NL
• France offers a self employment visa
• Check skill shortage lists for countries of interest - almost all European countries need skilled trades, truck drivers, etc. that wouldn’t require a degree
• Study abroad; it’s possible you could apply and receive funding for a degree since many countries have free education + work study arrangements for your living expenses
• Teach English abroad
• Look at international NGOs, you could possibly get hired as an admin/etc. without a degree but that might be a stretch

We have similar taste and you need to listen to Kalush (and Kalush Orchestra) - Ukrainian hip hop! The “Orchestra” group has more folk influences but all of it is just banger after banger. I don’t understand a word of Ukrainian but I love these guys.

Or push him into the train and laugh about it…

It’s all infuriating! And we keep paying these goons more and more of our tax dollars - new hires are up to $150k I think - and they can’t even be bothered to show up when a crime is happening! Or follow laws themselves?! Make it make sense. They’ve been on a silent strike since 2020 but the mayor and city council keep throwing our money at them.

Don’t you love how SPD will release video immediately if it’s good PR? It’s nice they found time to help this guy between murdering pedestrians (and then laughing about it), sexually harassing their own cops, and mocking the teenagers they shoot and kill.

(Sources if anyone wants them:)

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/us/seattle-police-officer-phone-comments-woman-killed/index.html

https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-police-5-million-claim-discrimination-sexual-harassment-hostile-work-environment-chief-adrian-diaz-john-oneill-human-resource-manager-rebecca-mckechnie-female-employees-lawsuit

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/spd-bodycam-video-exposes-mock-tombstone-teenager-officers-shot-killed/GO4HVZLPYNCXDODAKUFW6CO2ZU/

Seattle’s public library system was attacked in May, and it took about four months to restore all services. It sucked. We couldn’t use Libby, print, place new holds, or return our physical books. Ransoming hospitals and libraries is such a scumbag move. I hope librarians (and their IT folks) across the country are sharing their experiences with this so systems can get back up more quickly.

Not a “song” per se, but Black Thought freestyling effortlessly for like 10 minutes straight is impressive AF: https://youtu.be/prmQgSpV3fA

For context, that show asks everybody to freestyle and some refuse, some do a few bars, but nobody goes for 10 minutes, lol.

For an actual song, and you wanna talk art, Blackalicious - Attica Black. Really love the sampling and the musicality of it, there are so many layers and it’s fun to listen to. https://youtu.be/qHRxorG8ABs

If anyone has ever worked or talked with a refugee or asylum seeker, none of this is surprising. The US gives so little assistance to resettling refugees that it’s truly embarrassing.

They get three months of bare minimum help - often through religious “resettlement” groups who receive the funds. After three months, they are expected to get a job, pay their own rent, navigate life in the US (including driving), and speak English well enough to do all of that.

They get almost no extra healthcare, rent assistance, food assistance, trauma therapy, or anything else beyond that point unless they are able to navigate the systems to do so. And to be honest, that is difficult enough for someone born here. It’s almost impossible for a new refugee. What little assistance they do get after the first 90 days is often due to community and church groups, not the US government.

Theoretically, they have case workers etc. through the resettlement agencies, but it’s a total mess. It’s an absolute disgrace, and we can and should be doing better to support refugees and asylum seekers. Especially if they are going to get dumped in a small town with no resources. I really understand residents’ frustrations, but I also hope this ugly episode teaches people how woefully inadequate our refugee program is - and helps them advocate for change! We can do better.

I found another pic from Osborne Seed showing the color variations - will be exciting to see what color you’ve got! Sorry I can’t upload photos, it may be my instance or app bugging out.

https://www.osborneseed.com/products/cue-ball-f1-untreated-squash-seeds

To me it looks like a zucchini or squash. If it lengthens it could be a zucchini “Magda,” the color seems right. But I really think it’s a particular variety of squash (or a mutant) that is globular, called “cue ball.” I don’t know how to share a picture, so this link will have to do.

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/squash/summer-squash/cue-ball-f1-squash-seed-3359.html

The seed catalog I am looking at shows a light green, yellow, and dark green version. The dark green one is sometimes called “Eight Ball zucchini.” Light green is called “Cue Ball” and yellow is called “One Ball.” Curcubits cross pollinate routinely, so it could also be some sort of mutant - congrats on your cross breeding program! :)

I think others have covered the economies of scale and niche products creating the disparity.

But I wanted to suggest that if your grandpa is regularly eating gluten free bread, we have found that making it at home is SO much more affordable than buying a loaf at the store. (Even though gluten free flour is also more expensive.) Most of the gluten free flours have their own sandwich bread recipe, either on the bag or their website. I don’t know what flours you have access to, but they can be wildly different blends, so using their tested recipes is always best.

We’ve mastered our favorite so it takes only 15 minutes of “work” and then just time in the oven. It’s also much better than store bought! I don’t know if that’s possible for you, but it could be a lovely weekly ritual for you and your grandpa.

Also, to anyone suggesting we just eat rice and beans, I’m an old celiac. We went without bread, pasta, cake, pastries, cookies, brownies, pizza, and crackers before these products came to market. These are mostly “fun” foods that I don’t eat regularly, but usually pop up in social situations. Do you know how many sad birthdays with no cake we’ve had? How often we’ve watched our friends and family eat things we could never have? I am so grateful to the “fad” gluten free people who made it possible to have culturally/socially important foods we were missing out on for decades!!