Overall, I don't really do well at funerals. This is especially true when I knew the person well. I've rarely cried over the last ten years, but that doesn't stop me from getting teary at some of the more moving funerals we've had.
The point of my post here is not to be depressing but to be the opposite. But after attending a funeral last week I really feel the urge to write this, as short as it will be. On observation I've made over the last two years is that we seem to be having more funerals. But on further thought, I doubt that we've had more funerals, but really that the services are getting more attention. Quite a few of them are held at our Tribal gymnasium, and others are St. Michaels. In my time on Council, the level of aquaintence I've had with many of these departed friends ranges from just that, aqcuiantence, to good friend.
I want to say that I am proud of how close-knit our Tribal community has become over the last few years. Nowhere is this more evident than when we all say good-bye to a fellow Tribal member or community resident. Funerals are events. People speak and remember fondly. They meet afterwards and feast together. Daily events are put on hold and large crowds amass to say good-bye, regardless of how well or not well they knew the departed.
It takes years to get to know everyone here in Grand Ronde, in fact I don't even know if such a thing is possible. But to what degree we know or don't know a person here, there is a bond and sense of community here that goes unspoken often. You see that bond when the community says good-bye. It is undeniable.
It reminds me of what a famous writer once said when describing in as few words as possible how life is in a small town. She did it perfectly in four words: You would be missed.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Understanding 24/7
I just read an article on blogging, appropriately. The fellow interviewed is a habitual blogger. He goes on to explain many of the nuances of blogging, but what he focuses on mostly is time, or rather how the hobby of blogging consumes so much of it. His is almost a daily blog. Much of what he actually writes is his own material, but on many occasions he just posts links to other websites, including articles that are pertinent to the subject of his blog, which right now I forget.
Right now I am also not exactly sure of how many readers I still have on this blog. The internet is a tricky thing, especially when used as a mechanism for communication. Like a daily newspaper, you have to have constant change. What people read today they don't want to read tomorrow, or in some cases even a few hours from now. That might be why print media is suffering at the hands of the internet. If people are trully hungry for news, and sports and scores are a good example, they can practically get up-to-the-minute accounts on numerous websites of their choosing. None of us should be surprised what a difference this has made in our country and world over the last decade. It has been particularly interesting to watch the presidential elections/primaries this year, as the polls change daily, one day McCain leads Obama, the next Obama leads him. An ill-advised comment is made and webcast and the polls dip. The effect of some information, it seems, it instant.
I question to what extent our own situation in Grand Ronde might change if we were subject to this kind of ongoing scrutiny. My personal guess is either the politics would be cleaner, our Council would behave better, and more members would be involved, or there would be a complete crackdown on the coverage, kind of like what we've seen happen in places like China or the Soviet Union.
I will undoubtedly sound like a broken record when saying this, but members would be very alarmed over what gets said and done on a daily basis that would forever change their perception of what they know about our Tribe. I don't want people to think we are in chaos over here, but once again certain incidents recently have left me at a loss for words. Nothing that would change people's lives, but the kind of things you have to at least shake your head at, if not in disgust then confusion.
It is funny that the general idea out here is that we, as Tribal leaders are 24/7, because we are not covered like other politicians 24/7. If we were, my own suspicions are everywhere Tribal members would be familiarizing themselves with YouTube. You see, we consider ourselves working 24/7, but not covered and held accountable for what we do 24/7. And while our meetings are generally open to the public, we rarely get taken to task for our decisions or comments, some of which can be doozies, outside of Wednesday night meetings or General Council meetings. It is the time away from those meetings, I believe that many of the most critical decisions or historical turns of events are happening. We just don't have the press corps to report that.
I really hope that one day we can webcast every meeting, and record every word spoken on the record, either publicly or in chambers, in front of only staff. Some day, I think, some historian will be listening to all of our work sessions, and Council meetings. And he'll laugh some times at what he hears.
Right now I am also not exactly sure of how many readers I still have on this blog. The internet is a tricky thing, especially when used as a mechanism for communication. Like a daily newspaper, you have to have constant change. What people read today they don't want to read tomorrow, or in some cases even a few hours from now. That might be why print media is suffering at the hands of the internet. If people are trully hungry for news, and sports and scores are a good example, they can practically get up-to-the-minute accounts on numerous websites of their choosing. None of us should be surprised what a difference this has made in our country and world over the last decade. It has been particularly interesting to watch the presidential elections/primaries this year, as the polls change daily, one day McCain leads Obama, the next Obama leads him. An ill-advised comment is made and webcast and the polls dip. The effect of some information, it seems, it instant.
I question to what extent our own situation in Grand Ronde might change if we were subject to this kind of ongoing scrutiny. My personal guess is either the politics would be cleaner, our Council would behave better, and more members would be involved, or there would be a complete crackdown on the coverage, kind of like what we've seen happen in places like China or the Soviet Union.
I will undoubtedly sound like a broken record when saying this, but members would be very alarmed over what gets said and done on a daily basis that would forever change their perception of what they know about our Tribe. I don't want people to think we are in chaos over here, but once again certain incidents recently have left me at a loss for words. Nothing that would change people's lives, but the kind of things you have to at least shake your head at, if not in disgust then confusion.
It is funny that the general idea out here is that we, as Tribal leaders are 24/7, because we are not covered like other politicians 24/7. If we were, my own suspicions are everywhere Tribal members would be familiarizing themselves with YouTube. You see, we consider ourselves working 24/7, but not covered and held accountable for what we do 24/7. And while our meetings are generally open to the public, we rarely get taken to task for our decisions or comments, some of which can be doozies, outside of Wednesday night meetings or General Council meetings. It is the time away from those meetings, I believe that many of the most critical decisions or historical turns of events are happening. We just don't have the press corps to report that.
I really hope that one day we can webcast every meeting, and record every word spoken on the record, either publicly or in chambers, in front of only staff. Some day, I think, some historian will be listening to all of our work sessions, and Council meetings. And he'll laugh some times at what he hears.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Lady Washington
I haven't given up on my blog. However, the last three weeks have seen me more on the road than at home. This week I was neither. I was out at sea. A friend from a Washington tribe, the Chinooks, invited me to sail on the Lady Washington for three days from Newport to Astoria, Ilwaco actually, just across the Columbia. Our purpose was to get a feel for the "old days", and I mean really old--Wednesday in Ilwaco harbor we recreated the meeting between Robert Gray and the Chinooks from 1795, if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately, as I was down below in a canoe, I couldn't secure any photos of that event, which took place on deck (I was one of the subordinate Indians).
For anybody how follows the nautical world, the Lady Washington was used in Pirates of the Caribbean. It was the HMS Interceptor. There were many modern amenities missing, which might be part of the charm. On the other hand, going three days without a shower is rarely comfortable.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
D.C. Days, again
Washington, D.C. is very very expensive. I would compare the cost of just being in D.C. with some of the more expensive places I've been fortunate enough to travel to, including New York City, Tokyo, and Switzerland. The cost of three days at my hotel is more than what I pay for rent back in Oregon. The restaurant I ate at with my fellow Council members had entrees which ranged from $28 to $100 for a five-ounce Kobe beef steak. The price only reflects the dish. The usual accompaniments, salads, potatoes, pasta, what have you, cost extra, as does dessert and drinks, which is not all that unusual. A pint of beer, something that I use to measure the costs of different places, costs at minimum five dollars, and if you like microbrews, like me, then you're looking at six maybe even seven dollars. Breakfast at my hotel is never less than $10 for the usual suspects--french toast, eggs benedict, eggs florentine, granola and yogurt.
Some people reading this are probably scratching their heads and wondering what on Earth I am whining about. But if you live in Oregon, which I am convinced due to lack of a sales tax must have one of the lowest costs of living in the country, then these prices are kind of steep. Not break the bank expensive, but complain on a blog costly. Really, that is what I can't help but think about every time I go to D.C., money. More specifically, how money is time and time is money, and everywhere in D.C. somebody is vying for both from somebody else of importance.
It may sound as if I don't like D.C. Truth is I don't. But that is not to say I dislike D.C. However I just see the pluses and minuses, the pros and cons of a city that is basically the eight-cylinder engine of our national government, with all the gears and mechanics to boot. There are though plenty of reasons to like our nation's capitol. For one you feel as if you are right there in the heart of everything of pertinence in this country. Cab drivers all seem to have their radios set on public radio or some news station. For a city with teams in almost every major sport category, I've heard almost no talk about any of them, even in bars and restaurants with games being broadcast live. Conversation everywhere seems to be about politics, during this week Barack Obama's pastor is getting more attention than anything, really.
That still doesn't stop me from carrying his red, white and blue pin on my Timbuktu bag. But that two-inch diameter discus draws a lot of glances, ones that I can't help but notice. Very few people say anything, although one Oregon representative with whom we met was genuinely excited about it. I might even say it was a major icebreaker, as his face and posture lit up. On the other hand, a couple of Hillary supporters find it fuel for jokes, telling me that is why I keep getting stopped by security at every other building entrance, ya know, because in supporting Obama I am basically supporting Muslim extremism. Speaking of security...
Many people don't know this, but at the entrance to almost every government building in D.C., at least the ones we visited, there are security guards and metal detectors, just about the same as in airports. I can't count how often we must repeat the ritual of emptying our pockets of cell phones, removing our belts, and walking through those detectors. Some times this is not a big deal, but if you are unfortunate enough to get behind a tour group, then pray you've got a nice time cushion.
What may also don't know is that a lot of these same buildings are connected by a network of underground tunnels and passages, some of them quite old. Not all of them are the walking variety either, there are some weird trams carting people in between buildings as well, roofless but with glass sides. I must admit these remind me somewhat of an amusement park more than our Federal government. In some ways I doubt that comparison ends there either.
Before flying to D.C. for this trip I stopped by Macy's and forked over a couple hundred clams for some new dress shirts, jackets and pants. I still don my chocolate matte Skechers when throwing the new suits on, which like my Barack pin attracts some odd stares, but given the amount of walking we do during these trips maybe I can be allowed a minor rebellion to make it easy on my feet.
The funny thing is that while it I feel pretty proud of myself for the step up in professional attire, an afternoon on Capitol Hill reminds me of how what is a special occasion for me is a daily endeavor for many of Washington's residents. The man that doesn't wear a business suit would really stand out here. I would like to know the total value of tailored suits walking around D.C. on any given day.
on second thought, maybe not. That whole money thing again...
Some people reading this are probably scratching their heads and wondering what on Earth I am whining about. But if you live in Oregon, which I am convinced due to lack of a sales tax must have one of the lowest costs of living in the country, then these prices are kind of steep. Not break the bank expensive, but complain on a blog costly. Really, that is what I can't help but think about every time I go to D.C., money. More specifically, how money is time and time is money, and everywhere in D.C. somebody is vying for both from somebody else of importance.
It may sound as if I don't like D.C. Truth is I don't. But that is not to say I dislike D.C. However I just see the pluses and minuses, the pros and cons of a city that is basically the eight-cylinder engine of our national government, with all the gears and mechanics to boot. There are though plenty of reasons to like our nation's capitol. For one you feel as if you are right there in the heart of everything of pertinence in this country. Cab drivers all seem to have their radios set on public radio or some news station. For a city with teams in almost every major sport category, I've heard almost no talk about any of them, even in bars and restaurants with games being broadcast live. Conversation everywhere seems to be about politics, during this week Barack Obama's pastor is getting more attention than anything, really.
That still doesn't stop me from carrying his red, white and blue pin on my Timbuktu bag. But that two-inch diameter discus draws a lot of glances, ones that I can't help but notice. Very few people say anything, although one Oregon representative with whom we met was genuinely excited about it. I might even say it was a major icebreaker, as his face and posture lit up. On the other hand, a couple of Hillary supporters find it fuel for jokes, telling me that is why I keep getting stopped by security at every other building entrance, ya know, because in supporting Obama I am basically supporting Muslim extremism. Speaking of security...
Many people don't know this, but at the entrance to almost every government building in D.C., at least the ones we visited, there are security guards and metal detectors, just about the same as in airports. I can't count how often we must repeat the ritual of emptying our pockets of cell phones, removing our belts, and walking through those detectors. Some times this is not a big deal, but if you are unfortunate enough to get behind a tour group, then pray you've got a nice time cushion.
What may also don't know is that a lot of these same buildings are connected by a network of underground tunnels and passages, some of them quite old. Not all of them are the walking variety either, there are some weird trams carting people in between buildings as well, roofless but with glass sides. I must admit these remind me somewhat of an amusement park more than our Federal government. In some ways I doubt that comparison ends there either.
Before flying to D.C. for this trip I stopped by Macy's and forked over a couple hundred clams for some new dress shirts, jackets and pants. I still don my chocolate matte Skechers when throwing the new suits on, which like my Barack pin attracts some odd stares, but given the amount of walking we do during these trips maybe I can be allowed a minor rebellion to make it easy on my feet.
The funny thing is that while it I feel pretty proud of myself for the step up in professional attire, an afternoon on Capitol Hill reminds me of how what is a special occasion for me is a daily endeavor for many of Washington's residents. The man that doesn't wear a business suit would really stand out here. I would like to know the total value of tailored suits walking around D.C. on any given day.
on second thought, maybe not. That whole money thing again...
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