Lydia Likes It

Mail-in ballots

When I first became eligible to vote, back in the Stone Age (on my 18th birthday), there were two ways to vote: in person on Election Day, or by absentee ballot. In order to qualify for an absentee ballot, you had to promise to be absent on Election Day: away from home (at college, in the military, etc.), or planning something more dire, like a hospital stay or traveling for work. Thank goodness things have changed! Now you can vote early in person or with a mail-in ballot, like the one I receive for every election in Boston (despite the fact that I live only three blocks from my polling place). Some states send them automatically to every registered voter; other states require a sign-up (often online). No excuses necessary! Fill out your mail-in ballot at home and send it in by the deadline, or drop it in a ballot box or at a local election office. Easy peasy, so there's no excuse for not voting.

Scarf bombing

Do you live near a great fence? Is that fence in a park, or in front of a community center or shelter or food pantry? Is there a fence around your house of worship? Now that it's officially Fall, it's time to plan some scarf bombing. Ten years ago, scarves appeared around the necks of famous statues in Ottawa, Canada, on a chilly January day. Each scarf was tagged with a note that read: “I am not lost! If you are stuck out in the cold, take this scarf to keep warm.” It was later revealed that some university students were behind the good deed. The incident went viral, and is part of a movement now known as “scarf bombing” — leaving handmade scarves in public places to warm people up during the winter months. The scarves are typically tied around fences, benches and railings, and are especially intended to support those experiencing homelessness. In downtown Boston, where I live, there are areas in Boston Common where homeless men and woman congregate, but also where lots of tourists and students walk by. I'm going to start making scarves (they might be knit or crocheted, or cut from fleece) and tying them on fences near me. If you'd like to join me, please let me know.

Oh, that view

Sunset over MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We never tire of it.

Settling in

Do you have furniture that no longer fits your lifestyle, your space, or your needs? Here's an idea: give your furniture a second life in the home of someone who really needs it. We donated this couch -- only a few years old, and in nearly mint condition -- to the International Institute of New England, which, among the many services it provides to refugees and immigrants, sets up apartments for families moving out of shelters. IINE arranged for someone to pick up the couch and deliver it to the new apartment, and they provided us with a donation letter for tax purposes -- along with lots of gratitude, on behalf of the organization and the new couch sitters. If you are planning your own move and have furniture or other household goods you'd like to donate, please don't hesitate to contact an organization like IINE.

The volunteering life {conversation groups}

After working in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes for eight years, I've been thinking more and more about testing myself in a new format. Conversation groups aren't classes per se. There's no homework. No reading challenges. No tests. Conversation groups encourage students to interact with each other and with a facilitator/teacher, to get to know each other, and to share information and opinions. I've thought of a few conversation starters: (1) a list of very broad questions around a single topic (parenting, a visit to the doctor, cooking for the holidays, travel, meeting in a gym class, crafts, places to walk); and (2) reading and discussion of a recent newspaper article about a current event. Role playing could be fun, too: we all find ourselves in a new-to-us situation. How would we introduce ourselves and find out about the other people? I'm currently speaking with two agencies about possibly starting a conversation group, for a maximum of 10 students. I'll let you know how it works out.