Tag: community

end of #JusJoJan26

I don’t have enough brain to manage Stream of Consciousness Saturday this time, but I will do a final Just Jot It January post.

I’m relieved to have made it through the month posting every day. I wish I could say that I will continue to do so but I know that I can’t manage it. I’ve also got a bunch more medical tests and appointments coming up in February, for which I’m grateful, but they also take time and energy.

Sending thanks to Linda for convening Just Jot It January once again and to the blogging community participants who have contributed prompts and posts to the effort. I’m honored to be in your (virtual) company.

And, as always, thanks to all of you who took time to visit Top of JC’s Mind. Leisure time and attention are in short supply for many of us and I appreciate your including me in your day or evening.

(Even though, it’s the final day, you can still join in the fun of Just Jot It January. Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/30/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2026-daily-prompt-for-jan-31st/.)

prompts or not

Linda and the Just Jot It January blogging community kindly provide daily prompts to help people generate posts.

And I often go off and do my own thing…

Today, though, the prompt is “prompt” so I’m going with it.

I had hoped to write a post in my occasional JC’s Confessions series but that will take a lot of brainpower that I don’t have today. I’ve had a couple of medical appointments this week that need follow-up of various kinds and I’m struggling with some pain issues, not helped by the very cold weather we are having this week.

So, thank you, Linda and everyone, for the prompt today.

Write on!
*****
To find out more about how to join Just Jot It January, visit here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/29/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-29th-2026/

#JusJoJan26

Well, now that we are a third of the way through January, I’m finally getting around to thanking Linda for, once again, offering Just Jot It January.

The basic framework is to start the new year off by posting every day in January. There are daily prompts to assist people, although I most often do my own thing.

One of the things that I particularly enjoy about Just Jot It January is its flexible design. You can join at any time with a post of any length or even just a captioned photo. All you need to do is put in a pingback to that day’s prompt post on Linda’s blog if you blog on WordPress or put the link to your post in the comment section if you blog on a different platform.

The idea is that other participating bloggers will see your link and have the opportunity to visit your blog. I’ve found many blogs to follow through Just Jot It January and it’s great to reinforce my sense of belonging to a blogging community as the new year begins.

While the goal is to participate every day in January, it is not a requirement to participate. Even if you only do one January post, you can join in the fun!

Just visit Linda’s blog to get started: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/11/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-11th-2026/

holiday singing

After two very successful concerts of Lessons & Carols for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend with the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton, a smaller ensemble prepared for two Christmas-themed performances on December 12th. In the afternoon, we sang at a local nursing home. In the evening, we sang as part of the Roberson Museum’s Home for the Holidays exhibition.

It had been many years since I had done this kind of small group singing out in the community. I was happy that skills I had learned in high school, when I first did that kind of performance, came back to me all these decades later, although, fortunately, we did not have to also do choreography as we did back then.

Singing at the nursing home was especially meaningful. In their later years, my parents had lived in a senior community and experienced various levels of care, so I could recognize some of the challenges that our audience there was facing. The ones who were missing being able to attend church and concerts as they had before health problems intervened. The one who was able to sing along, even though she was no longer able to carry on a conversation because music learned long ago is stored in a different part of the brain. The woman cuddling her baby doll that never leaves her side. The man with his eyes closed who seems to be asleep but who is letting the familiar tunes wash over him. It was a privilege to bring some music to the residents that touched their hearts as they prepared for Christmas.

The evening performance was more lively. We sang in the library of the historic mansion that is part of the Roberson Museum complex. There is a beautiful grand piano to use for accompanied pieces and singalongs and the room houses several of the dozens of trees decorated by various community organizations that are part of the Home for the Holidays exhibition. While some of the audience sat in the library and listened to the whole hour-length performance, others strolled through as they toured the mansion, listening to a piece or two before continuing on their way. There were people of all ages, but everyone was in a festive mood and enjoyed the performance.

I hope that I will have more opportunities to sing out in the community next year with the Madrigal Choir. It’s nice to be spreading cheer in a more intimate setting. It reminds me of singing with the Drury High School Girls’ Ensemble at Rotary Club luncheons, Hadassah teas, and nursing home monthly birthday parties.

Music brings meaning and emotion to performers and listeners alike. It’s wonderful to be close to the audience and see the joy in their eyes while we sing.

Celebrating Community

At noon yesterday, Rebecca Solnit convened a live online event entitled “The Way We Get Through This Is Together: Celebrating Community.” It was much more uplifting than watching the inauguration. You can view it here.

Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/21/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-21st-2025/

Vote for Democracy ’24 #10

on gun violence and public health

(Photo by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash)

Today, the United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared firearm violence a public health crisis. His advisory gives an overview of gun violence, contributing factors, and impacts on communities, children, adolescents, and families. It concludes with a section on taking a public health approach to reducing risk and preventing gun violence.

I’m grateful that Dr. Murthy has called out the scourge of firearm violence in the United States and framed it in the context of public health. While mass shootings are surely horrific and generate the most press coverage, most gun deaths and injuries in the US are either self-inflicted or among families/communities. The trauma they cause lasts for years. It is very much in the interests of public health to work to avert as many instances of gun violence as possible.

One of the criteria I use in evaluating candidates is their views and record on gun safety and violence reduction. Two years ago today, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which has increased prosecution for gun trafficking, made more firearm sales subject to background checks, and funded community safety programs and red flag law initiatives. President Biden favors further tightening of background checks and a ban on civilian ownership of military-style assault weapons. By contrast, Donald Trump spoke at the National Rifle Association convention in May and promised to roll back any of the Biden administration initiatives on guns.

It is also important to look at the views about guns expressed by candidates for Congress, given that national legislation is the clearest way to protect people and communities. The Supreme Court has overturned executive orders and state level laws that were meant to promote gun safety but national law is likely to be more durable.

In a first for a presidential candidate, due to his 34-count felony conviction in New York, Trump’s firearms license has been revoked. This would stay in effect during any appeals process. Of course, as a former president, the Secret Service protects him at all times. Still, I find it sobering that he is legally barred from owning a gun. If he is not trustworthy enough to own a gun, how could he be trustworthy enough to decide important matters about public safety – or anything else?

1,900

Another (small) milestone!

I just noticed that I have 1,900 followers for Top of JC’s Mind. Yay!

I suppose that is a small number for a blog of ten years but I am notoriously averse to checking stats, doing publicity, blogging on a schedule, etc. so I’m taking it as a win.

Of course, I realize that some of my followers have read exactly one post, hit the follow button, and never returned – which is fine because there are thousands upon thousands of blogs and very limited time for browsing and reading – but I especially cherish those of you who visit on a regular basis, like posts, write comments, or just send good vibes in my direction.

Life is complicated and I appreciate being (a tiny) part of the blogging community. I also like that I am able to write about whatever is on my mind. Well, at least, some fraction of what is on my mind because my mind is a busy place without an off switch. It helps to get thoughts organized and onto the screen.

And, if you are reading this post and would like to be follower 1,901 or 1,902 or whatever, welcome and thank you!

Just Jot It January ’24

For the tenth time, Linda G. Hill of Life in Progress is hosting Just Jot It January! She invites all bloggers to participate in the challenge to post every day in January and link back to her blog so we can easily find participants’ posts. The rules, though, are flexible, so you may join in whenever you like with whatever you like (although there are some extra precautions to take if your post is not G-rated). Linda will be posting prompts but their use is optional. I tend to do my own thing, unless a certain prompt really strikes me. Others (the vast majority) faithfully use the prompts for their posts.

Thanks, Linda, for the opportunity to welcome the new year with daily posts! Come, All, and join the fun!

SoCS: creativity

It’s important to me to create.

These days, I create poems. I create posts here at Top of JC’s Mind.

I also express myself creatively in less obvious ways. Through cooking. Through taking photos (on occasion. I’m not one to be constantly photographing.) In conversation. While singing. In correspondence. In my own thoughts as I’m puzzling through a complex situation and trying to find options.

I love my role in creating my family.

I also love being part of creating community, whether that is on a small, local level or something much broader, like the global community working on climate change. Even though I am a very, very tiny part of such a large community, I realize that my creativity and energy are adding to the effort.

An aspect of creativity that was very important to me as a young adult was writing music. That part of my creative life was lost to me in 2005 when we went through a crisis at my Catholic parish that fractured my relationship with it and my music ministry. Because I wrote music for them, my impetus to use my creativity to write music also broke. I think that rupture may be part of the reason I turned to poetry as a means of creative expression. That artistic energy needed somewhere to go.

Will I eventually return to writing music? At this point, I don’t anticipate that happening.

But creativity is often surprising and unpredictable and wondrous and glorious, so…
*****
Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week is “create.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2023/11/10/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-11-2023/

The inauguration of President Sarah

Over the weekend, my alma mater, Smith College, inaugurated Sarah Willie-LeBreton as their twelfth president in a joy-filled celebration.

For those of you who may not be familiar, Smith was established in 1871 in Northampton, Massachusetts as a women’s college that would provide an education for women equal to that which had long been available to men. It has continued that mission through the years and has in recent decades worked diligently to make a Smith education possible to promising students in underserved communities, such as those who are the first generation in their family to seek higher education. For example, it has eliminated student loans from its financial aid packages and gives grants to students in need to help them obtain essential items like computers.

I was a Smith student during the tenure of the first woman to be Smith president, Jill Kerr Conway (1975-85). We affectionately referred to her as “Jill” although we would always have addressed her as President Conway in person. It felt right to me to hear an alumna during the inauguration refer to Dr. Willie-LeBreton as “President Sarah” so that is how I am thinking of her now.

President Sarah is a sociologist, a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers), a Black woman, and an experienced educator and administrator. She exudes joy and elicits it in others. Her official inauguration, coming several months into her tenure as president, was a joyous celebration of the history and heritage of President Sarah and of Smith College and how they are entwined as a community for the present and the future. I loved the greetings and involvement of other college presidents, who were so welcoming of President Sarah in their remarks. I especially appreciated the video appearance of Ruth Simmons, who was Smith’s first Black president – until she was stolen recruited by Brown University to become the first Black president of an Ivy League institution.

President Sarah’s inaugural address was impressive. I appreciated her strong support for liberal arts education. She emphasized how our knowledge must be in conjunction with our values. She says:

We are at our peril when we teach rote memorization without collaborative problem-solving and when we encourage the fusion of identity with grades, rather than with what challenges students and brings them joy. We are at our peril when we nurture cleverness without providing the opportunities to consult our moral compass, without providing opportunities to do for and with others. The liberal arts education we provide is the perfect antidote to the division, threats to democracy, diminishing of rights and freedoms, violence, and natural catastrophes to which we wake up on a daily basis.

(The inauguration ceremony is available online here; President Sarah’s remarks begin at the 1:12 mark.)

I would have loved to attend in person, but, like many alumnae, could only watch virtually. Smith did a good job of including us, even though we couldn’t be there physically. One way that they did this was to invite us to send a photo and caption of where we find joy. The photos were assembled into an interactive mosaic. The mosaic is searchable by name, class year, or key word to find specific photos in the mosaic. I sent a photo of my granddaughters, ABC and JG, heading out on their new school year. I’m honored to have them represented as we all share and, in so doing, multiply our joy.

Congratulations, President Sarah! I look forward to years of connection, love, commitment, and joy as a continuing, if geographically distant, part of the Smith family.

(Photo is of my first and most enduring Smith friend, my roommate Mary, and me, on tour with the Smith Alumnae Chorus in Slovenia in 2019.)