It's that time of year again where I try to remember at least as many things that happened over this past year of my life as I have years. Last year I was 37 so I came up with 37 things that influenced me one way or another. Perhaps you'll find yourself in here somewhere, too.
1. I know I count it every year but it’s because it’s an
important one every year. Every visit with friends who make the time to catch
up and stay in contact means so much to me. The kind of friends who just get you and put
up with you and love you no matter what. I am eternally grateful for you all.
2. I got to reconnect w/ a friend I hadn’t seen in years and
that was a lovely thing.
3. Took a trip to Vancouver, BC, with Jenn, her first trip to
Canada and my first trip to Vancouver. Had a really great time. We stopped to see the tulips in Skagit Valley on the way back, too. Lovely!
4. Attended the grand opening of the Indian Residential School
History and Dialogue Centre in Vancouver on that trip. It was a great
experience to be able to be at the grand opening and to see the incredible work
they have been doing and will continue to do at this center.
5. Went to the Mat Kearney concert in Spokane on my birthday
weekend with some friends. I don’t go to many concerts but I really enjoyed
seeing Mat Kearney perform with Needtobreathe the year before and couldn’t pass
up a chance to see him last year.
6. Bought a riding lawn mower! Yay!! Using a push mower to mow
my large lawn was exceedingly unpleasant. So far, the riding mower has been
great.
7. Attended the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)
march/walk in Toppenish in May. It is a march to honor those Indigenous women
who have gone missing or been murdered and whose families have seen no justice.
This is an epidemic across the Americas and it has largely been ignored.
Indigenous women and children are being victimized and targeted and the
perpetrators are acting largely without fear of imprisonment or other
punishment.
8. Planted more than 50 trees and shrubs on my property, some
that have survived, so far, and some that didn’t. I don’t like planting things
but I want things to be here and to grow so I gave it a shot. I am excited to
see what comes alive this spring.
9. Went to an art talk by Matika Wilbur about her Project 562.
She started a project to travel around the country and photograph the 562
federally recognized Native tribes as well as tribes that are/were not
federally recognized. The number of federally recognized tribes in the US has
increased since she started her project. She does beautiful work and has a
wonderful infectious laugh.
10. Went to Ocean Shores, WA, for the first time. I love the
coast and enjoyed a long weekend there exploring the area. My solo trips are
some of my favorite times.
11. I don’t watch movies in theaters very often. There aren’t many
I care to pay that much to see but I went to see Oceans 8 in the theaters with my
sis Amanda. I really enjoy those movies and enjoyed seeing this one in the
theater.
12. Went to the Families Belong Together rally/protest downtown
Yakima that was in response to the governments’ forced removal and separation
of thousands of asylum-seeking children from their parents at the border. There
are still thousands of children separated from their families with no end in
sight of the trauma and abuse that has been inflicted on them and their
families.
13. My kitties are a constant source of joy and stress-relief
for me. They are fun and funny and annoying and snugly and talkative and they’re
always waiting for me to get home. It’s not that I’m very exciting or anything,
I don’t always go out and play with them but they still continue to great me on
the sidewalk or at the door. I am so glad to have them.
14. For years I have dealt with several problems related to my
period. I have always had very difficult periods complete with excruciating
cramps, among other symptoms. But these past maybe 7 years things seemed to get
worse and worse. It wasn’t just pain from cramps anymore, something I could
usually treat with some strong doses of Tylenol. I began to have nausea and
vomiting from the pain as well and it began to increase in frequency and the
vomiting got worse. There were times when I lost count of how many times I
threw up and would be taking days off from work to deal with this. I didn’t
know why it was getting worse or how to stop it and eventually started seeing a
doctor about it. If it were up to me, I’d remove the whole mess of things in
there that have made my life fairly miserable at times but there don’t seem to
be practical options for such things, something I find unacceptable in this day
and age. I imagine there are many women out there who deal with worse and
doctors refuse to operate or whatever it takes to prevent these issues. I ended
up getting an ultrasound to see if there was a procedural or surgical option
for me. Turns out I have a fibroid growth that pushes on some part (I’ve
forgotten all the specifics they told me) that causes such pain and discomfort
for me during my period. These fibroids are common and are non-cancerous and
many women get them, though they vary in how they may affect someone. Removing
this growth might minimize the problems for me but it would just grow back. I
was essentially told that the best option was to take birth control to stop my
periods and hopefully stop the vomiting and pain. I should have asked for a
second opinion at the time but didn’t. So I started taking birth control. It
hasn’t exactly worked the way I was lead to believe it would, though it has
stopped the pain and vomiting, thankfully. I’ve only begun this process and
have a long way to go to understanding all of it but I feel it is important to
talk openly about this issue, something that is frequently taboo to talk about.
When there are women dying in menstruation huts in various parts of the world
for lack of access to education and health care, there is no excuse for being
silent on such things. It is something that affects half the population of the
world and as one of those people who it affects directly, I believe the more we
talk about it, the more it will become de-stigmatized and recognized as a real
issue women face.
15. I attended a luncheon at the arboretum to hear state rep
Gina Mosbrucker talk about a bill she had helped get passed in WA state,
HB2951, which ordered “a study to determine how to increase reporting and
investigation of missing Native American women.” This was the first bill of its
kind in the country to get passed.
“The Washington state patrol must conduct a study to
determine how to increase state criminal justice protective and investigative
resources for reporting and identifying missing Native American women in the
state. The state patrol must work with the governor's office of Indian affairs
to convene meetings with tribal law enforcement partners to determine the scope
of the problem, identify barriers, and find ways to create partnerships to increase
reporting and investigation of missing Native American women. Collaboration
with tribal governments must be conducted in respect for
government-to-government relations. The state patrol also must work with the
federal department of justice to increase information sharing and coordinating
resources that can focus on reporting and investigating missing Native American
women in the state. (2) By December 1, 2018, the state patrol must report to
the legislature on the results of the study, including data and analysis of the
number of missing Native American women in the state, identification of
barriers in providing state resources to address20the issue, and
recommendations, including any proposed legislation that may be needed to
address the problem.” Read the full text, 2 pages, here:
http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2951.pdf.
16. As a result of this bill being passed, there were meetings
set up around the state to gather information and I went to the one they had in
Yakima in October. It was a powerful and emotional event with people sharing
their stories of loss and also of frustration with the system and the way they
and/or their loved ones were treated in some of the worst moments of their
lives. It is certainly a broken system long overdue for massive changes. I am
hopeful that this bill is a good start.
17. I enjoy going to outdoor art shows and had a fun time at the
Art on the Green event in Coeur d’Alene this year with a few friends. They have
so many arts and crafts, local and otherwise. It’s fun exploring and seeing
what unique things you can find. I found a few artists whose work I really
enjoy.
18. I went to the Needtobreathe concert in Portland last year.
They are my favorite group and it’s always a treat to get to see them live.
Honestly didn’t love this concert, though. They seemed to play lots of songs
that aren’t my favorite and the blinding lighting gave me a headache. Still,
love their music.
19. On that same trip, I made my first visit to Powell’s books
in Portland. Wow! I don’t even know how many sections they have but how fun to
explore their selections!
20. I’ve always loved old trunk and suitcases. Something
wonderful and nostalgic about them. At an outdoor antique/art show thing at the
fairgrounds in Yakima I found 2 old trunks that I couldn’t leave behind. After
buying them and bringing them home I found out a little more about them and
found a new hobby. I hope to restore them and be able to use them for storage
and decoration.
21. I’ve been wanting to volunteer places and have never really
done that consistently but I started volunteering with Northwest Harvest once a
month. It’s generally boxing up food that has been donated and will be sent to
food banks in the area. It’s a small start but it’s a start.
22. I heard about a free 6-week online class I could take from
the University of British Columbia on Reconciliation through Indigenous
Education, and decided to take it. There was so much information packed into
those 6 weeks, I wished I could take a full course on it to really absorb
everything we learned. There are probly thousands of free online classes people
can take from reputable universities and colleges and I look forward to seeing
what else I can take a class on. Never stop learning.
23. Yakima has a trolley that still runs, mainly in the summer.
It’s a small, one-car trolley that runs on tracks and wires that run 2 routes,
I think. I had been wanting to go and get some photos of it for my Yakima
postcards so I went last fall when they were doing a Halloween weekend event.
It was a short route and took maybe half an hour round trip. They also have a
route that runs to Selah but they only do that one in the summer. Hoping to try
that out and get some more photos. More of a novelty than anything else but the
cars are beautiful inside and it was fun to do.
24. I had been hoping to take a trip to Scotland with my sister Jenn, a
place she’d been wanting to visit for a long time and somewhere I hadn’t been
and wanted to see, too, so in November after finding some really good flight
prices, I booked our flight to Scotland. May 4 – 17
th. Gonna be
epic! It’ll be her first trip overseas and my first trip to Scotland. We have
been having a great time planning and plotting our adventure. We hope to meet
up with our oldest sister who lives in England.
25. Family Christmas is always a fun event. My sister Amanda has
been the host for several years and does a wonderful job. We have done the
white elephant gift exchange and after a few years of doing that, we’ve gotten
pretty good at it and it’s a fun time.
26. During a shopping trip, I found a cabinet half off and decided to get that as well as some
wainscoting to finish Mom’s bathroom. With the help of my younger sister and
her larger vehicle to transport the purchases to our house, and the help of my
older sister and one older brother, we were able to get the cabinet and
wainscoting installed. There isn’t a lot of storage space in our house and we
have a lot of stuff so any additional storage space we can manufacture is a
good thing. Turned out pretty nice. I also had some help from a couple other
brothers of mine to fix the front step and install a handrail. I really do
appreciate the talents and skills of my family and their willingness to help
out when they can. Couldn’t do it without their support and help.
27. I continue to be humbled and excited by my postcards selling
at the local independent bookshop, Inklings. It is fun to go in and restock
them and see that they have indeed sold! I couldn’t quit my job and live off
the proceeds but it helps pay for the restocking of the cards and other photo
expenses that come up. And it’s a joy to get to share something I love with
others, even if I don’t ever meet them.
28. I entered a few photos in the fair this fall and one of my
photos won 2nd prize, which was fun. I’ve entered others before and
not won anything so it’s fun when they do win.
29. Christmas eve was a rough day. My beloved Mini Cooper,
Nikita, didn’t start when I had to go to work. I wasn’t too concerned about it,
thought maybe the battery was the problem. Sadly, that was not the problem.
After getting it towed in to the shop, thanks to my brother Tom, I was told
that the engine needed to be replaced. Again. They think the timing chain
slipped, though without taking the engine apart they couldn’t be 100% certain.
These cars are notorious for this problem and there has been a class-action
lawsuit about this very issue. As much as I have loved that car, despite its
many, many issues, I couldn’t really justify pouring another $6k into getting a
3rd engine put into it so with a very sad heart, she was towed home
and here she sits until I decide what to do with her. I know it’s just a car
but I have had an emotional attachment to it that isn’t easily undone. She
broke my heart before when the engine went out and she broke it again this
time. Brings me to tears even now.
30. I was only 2 payments away from having her paid off, too.
She is now paid off.
31. With Nikita dying on me, I was forced to go car shopping,
something I was hoping to put off until after our trip. I hate salespeople of
any variety. I avoid them when at all possible and I have no love or much
respect for car salespeople. I have never been to or heard of any dealerships that
have much integrity. Now, I haven’t met many and have known some friends who
have or currently do that work and I don’t include them, but the majority of
them have a bad reputation as a whole and my experience did nothing to improve
my opinion of them. I just don’t understand how you can do good business
without disclosing any and all issues with a vehicle or without even bothering
to do more than maybe change the oil and put new tires on a car. Just
mind-boggling that this type of business is so big and that there seems to be
so little accountability for shady places. Point being, I hate car shopping and
hope to not have to do it again for years.
32. If I hadn’t have had the help of my brother, Michael, I
would still be driving Mom’s car, which I am grateful we have. He helped me
figure out what were the best ones for me and went test-driving a few with me.
When I finally found one I wanted, he helped get the price down and get it
checked out by a mechanic before we bought it. I now own a dark cherry 2007
Acura MDX. It feels like I’m driving a monster truck after Nikita, but it’s
nice and has lots of fun things to get used to. Course, it has some issues that
aren’t fun that I didn’t know about before I bought it that I don’t relish
getting used to, one of which is a stereo system that garbles the music half
the time, no matter if it’s the radio or a cd or an mp3 player. Not sure if a
speaker is out or what but that’s gonna be an extra expense to get fixed at
some point. And it seems the GPS system has some glitches, too. Yet another
undisclosed issue. Still, I’m glad to have it, especially since we’ve been
getting snow dumped on us for the past 2 weeks. I wouldn’t have been able to
get out of our drive without it. And now I’ll be able to haul my own purchases.
33. I attended 2 marches in one weekend in January. The women’s
march here in Yakima was on a Saturday and was again led this year by Native
women with an emphasis on the MMIW. I will continue to support this community
in any way I can and bring awareness to these issues. The Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. march was on Monday and I went to that one for the first time. I feel
that it is important to me, especially as a white person, to show up and show
support for events like these. We get nowhere when people don’t show up and
speak up when support and allies are needed, and they are needed a lot.
34. I started going to a book group/bible study with a friend
who had invited me and it has been a great place to learn and to also share
some of the things I’ve learned in regards to justice issues and ways to take
action to bring about change. It has been a real relief to be in the company of
these women and talk about real issues going on in the world and in our
community. I firmly believe that silence is complicity and I’ll not be silent
in the face of oppression and dehumanization.
35. This year I am making a concerted and intentional effort to
cut back on the amount of plastic I use and buy and throw away, as well as
being more aware of my spending habits and the ways they affect the world we
live in. I can no longer contribute mindlessly to the destruction of creation
and its inhabitants. It isn’t an easy transition, I’ve only just begun, and
there is so much to think about, but it is worth it to me. It is going to take
a lot of practice and education and time, but I hope that I can get to a point
where I am contributing to the betterment of our world rather than the
destruction.
36. I signed up to participate in several Boarding School
Healing webinars done by the Native American Boarding School Coalition, of
which I am a member. They have done one already and I look forward to the
others as they have so much information and learning opportunities. If you’re
interested in them, let me know. That goes for any of the topics or issue I’ve
mentioned here. If you want more info, I’m quite happy to share what I have or
know.
37. I think we have gotten more than 2 feet of snow overall over
the past few weeks, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping. I love snow but I need
to be able to get out of my driveway. Thankfully the neighbors with their plows
have been doing a decent job of plowing it enough for us to get out.
