Monday, January 19, 2026

Eyes on the Prize (Hold on!)

1. Below: God's eyes, made by bink yesterday 
at the 1st Crafting in Icey Times. Watching! 

The two eyes are not attached, and I don't think she made them as a pair---I saw that they went together when they were in the jumble of twenty eyes I'm taking to hang on the fence today.
Twenty, yay!

Oh--wait--maybe I'm not taking them in just today.
I just checked the weather. 
Wind chill "feels like" temp is –28ºF / –33ºC
I will rearrange my work schedule for the week, because that's awful--even dangerous--weather to stand at bus stops. I have to transfer buses too, and connection times aren't reliable, especially in bad weather.

2. This Friday, Jan. 23 is a Day of Truth & Freedom
for an economic blackout (no work, no shopping) in Minnesota, 
and a march downtown Minneapolis at 2 PM, so I'll be taking that day off too.

ABOVE: Methodist minister JaNaé Bates Imari led the conference calling for the Day of Truth & Freedom. She said...
"I believe that this is going to rock this state in the most beautiful and glorious of ways. 
It is going to open our eyes to what is possible. 

For too long we have been told nothing is possible, bow down, obey and do whatever it is that somebody at the top says to do. 
But we know that that is a lie from the pit of hell."

--CBS report: cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-day-of-truth-and-freedom-economic-blackout-ice-operation-metro-surge
This is such a perfect action for the week of Martin Luther King Day.
Nonviolent tactics take coordination.

"
Only chain that a man can stand
Is that chain of hand on hand.
Keep your eyes on the prize.
Hold on! Hold on!"

Lotta people sing this folk song, "Eyes on the Prize". 
From childhood, I know it from Pete Seeger.

Here, a cover from PBS doc American Experience: Soundtrack for a Revolution.  
Doesn't look like that's streaming on PBS right now, but you can watch it on Vimeo, here: vimeo.com/87053287

Joss Stone (from above Soundtrack):

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3. Three people came to the first Crafting in Icey Times at my place, and with me, the four of us pretty well filled my living room. 
Crafting takes space...
 

I can rearrange the room to open up more space. Get a couple little TV trays or side-tables too, for people to set their tea and crafting stuff on.
Still, a dozen people squeeze into a smaller room at the library Needlework group. A bit tight, but that encourages chat.

So nice. Inviting people over was just the right thing. 
Being with people in tense times helps raise energy, opens airways to breathe, and reminds me that I am (we are) not alone.
(I'd often prefer to have people over than go out myself, too.)
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4.
 If you're looking to help or need help:
 
Minneapolis Mutual Aid Link Tree rounds up live links to donate to or volunteer at Organizations on the Front Lines, Food and Rent Relief, School and Church Aid groups, Go Fund Me's, et cetera.
https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

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Let's pick ourselves up and wade in the water!

3 comments:

  1. Eyes with eyelashes!!

    Good to see people pulling together in all sorts of fields. What it needs is for people to still keep doing that when this is through...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, that's the real test, isn't it,
      sustaining the long, often boring work of change, over days and weeks and years...

      Delete
  2. Bloody hell it is cold there! Freeze your lungs just going out to collect the mail!
    Pleased about three women showing up for craft day positivity- Bink's eyes are awesome!!
    Thanks for the HELP link!
    I am IN!

    ReplyDelete