First posted September 29, 2016. Ok. Let’s talk about racism since it is such a hot topic now thanks to so many including Hillary and Trump. I’m glad that the issue is coming up in the public conversation because it, like sexism, has never really been dealt with. First of all, I want to say that racism and discrimination are not the same thing. Discrimination emerges out or racism just as discrimination is an outgrowth of action relating to sexism, ageism, elitism, empiricism

First posted August 29, 2016. I have noticed some interesting new trends of late. I have noticed the most surprising saying that we need to be “colorblind” and quit singling out Blacks, Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans and people with different sexual orientation. These people saying this are going on to say something like, “We are all the same.” Interestingly enough, these are often the same or similar people who used to want to abolish Affirmative Action. Indeed, only y

First posted July 21, 2015. Tutu* Mango She stood there Hawaiian proud Hawaiian strong legs firmly rooted in her Rich Hawaiian A’ina Proud, Brave, Passionate, Generous Her fisted hands resting on her ample hips Her gaze Reaching for her Hawaiian sky Her proud girth much larger than my arms could reach a waist that would be an embarrassment to and disdained by a Haole woman (Haole – that is what the Hawaiians call white people Ha – the breath of God Ole – without Haole – peopl

First posted June 29, 2015. Can you believe that Bill O’Reilly actually said (I saw it! I heard it!) that – and I paraphrase – we no longer have a problem with racism in this country? He went on to say that there may be some (a few) deranged people who are racists and racism is no longer a systemic problem. Shouldn’t there be some kind of awareness or sanity test that is required if people are going to speak as “authorities” on television? Of course not! This is America and a

First posted May 20, 2015. When I first returned to Hawaii this year, I was here alone for two weeks. Roger, the caretaker, was here, of course, and he is wonderful and helpful if I really need something and he works and has his own busy life. So, anything I needed to do, I needed to do myself. Since my living and sleeping space had been cleaned by a wonderful friend, I did not have to face that ordeal. It seemed that my only task (other than my usual work!) was to do the foo

First posted December 9, 2014. Recently, I sat down with our “foreign exchange student,” Annika. Believe me, having a seventeen-year-old in the house when I am almost eighty-one is sooo much fun, a challenge, and an opportunity for so much remembering and learning. This week, she came home with two poems that she was supposed to analyze and compare and contrast. I love poetry and I eagerly approached both. The first one was easier and lovely. The second was eye-crossing for m

First posted September 2, 2014. Racism Revisited – Alive and Well I was recently asked by one of “my kids,” a sixteen-year-old high school student in Germany who had to do a term paper on Martin Luther King, to share my experience of that time with her. This is how I responded to her questions. I thought you might find it interesting. Dear Annika – I am on a plane taking off from Las Vegas. We have been out here meeting with a friend of mine whose cancer has returned and we a

First posted June 2, 2014. I promised to write more on this topic. Here it is. Last year, in honor of his 50th birthday and my 80th, Pete, my manager, and I were gifted with a seven-week boat trip on a Cunard ship. It went from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados (an island very dear to me), down the east coast of South America, around Cape Horn, up the west coast of South America, cruising by Rapa Nui (Easter Island), stopping at several ports-of-call in the South Pacific and endin

First posted June 2, 2014. I promised to write more on this topic. Here it is. Last year, in honor of his 50th birthday and my 80th, Pete, my manager, and I were gifted with a seven-week boat trip on a Cunard ship. It went from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados (an island very dear to me), down the east coast of South America, around Cape Horn, up the west coast of South America, cruising by Rapa Nui (Easter Island), stopping at several ports-of-call in the South Pacific and ending