Good Week For Welcoming Afghan Refugees

Imagine you're a refugee from Afghanistan, resettling here because you helped American or international organizations. What do you need to become self-supporting?

Here in Puget Sound country, the ad hoc coalition of public and private entities led by our DSHS department are working as hard as they can, but there's a lot of need and we have to fill in where things get missed.

As I volunteer with SCM Medical Missions, I have learned three items in particular are both useful and in short supply

• Bicycles and bike helmets: these enable mobility!
• Sewing machines and supplies: these enable self-help (most of the families prefer making their own anyway)
• Laptop computers: these enable learning the language (using public wifi - most hosing doesn't come with internet access).

None of us can do everything but all of us can do something. I put the word out among my friends and was rewarded with two sewing machines. I got a third machine from Amazon using some credits that had sat around too long (I rarely buy from Amazon) and took my tax refund to RePC to get a used-but-functional laptop. These all went into service the same day I delivered them to the Center in Renton.

This week, putting the word out netted two laptops and a printer, all from my friends at DAV Chapter 23 - thanks you all!

Then it was time to go shopping. I stopped by RePC in Tukwila and got a Windows 10 laptop for $100. Today I stopped at St. Vincent's in Burien and was delighted to learned it had a half price sale, so I got 8 bike helmets ($3 each at half price) and 3 sewing machines (about $25 each at half price).  Who doesn't love a sale! And I had never before walked out of a store with 8 bike helmets and 3 sewing machines - have you?

If you want to contribute to my next shopping trip, contact me. With something like 1000 families resettling, we need a lot of laptops! And I can get you a 501c3 tax ID for your taxes.

If you have something to donate but are out of the area, dm me and I'll research the Resettlement Agency nearest to you - I'm sure they have the same issues because people are pretty much the same all over.

If you want to learn more about particulars, you have see the recording of my January 27 Continuing Legal Education program at this link (free registration required, but you can give it all zeros for information if you don't want to be contacted.) 

I stopped by RePC I suppose I should try to do some sort of fundraiser. 

• Bike helmets: $6
• Sewing machines: $30-50
• RePC laptops: $100-$200

Then there's St. Vinny's. They had a half-price sale so I got 8 bicycle helmets (all sizes - some kids, some adults) and 3 (three!) sewing machines. Wow!

I stopped by RePC in Tukwila and got a $100 used laptop.

I'll spend this week testing stuff, initializing the laptops etc, and thendeliver them on Friday.  Then Saturday we start the cycle over.

I suppose I should try to do some sort of fundraiser. 

• Bike helmets: $6
• Sewing machines: $30-50
• RePC laptops: $100-$200

Blue Stained Glass Flower Tree

While getting in our morning walk a while back, we found this beauty on the parking strip, ready to be given away. The girls gave it a good home on their tree for all the neighborhood to enjoy!

 

Little Cups Of Snow

It was COLD this morning (for Seattle) but I was determined to get back walking now that Hannah and Julie are back from their Palm Springs vacation. The snow was a light dusting of powder or sand that collected in leaves like scoops of sugar.

Best Einstein Quote

 

Friday at the Clothing and Hygiene Center

 Today I took a carload of stuff to the Clothing and Hygiene Center in Renton, including 3 sewing machines. Here I am posing with my pal Pamela Swearingen with sewing machine donated by my friend Franni.

I pulled up about the same time as Rita, so I helped her unload her van and discussed the laptop I was donating. She had a family in mind for it.

After I unloaded the donations into various areas (including a lot of housewares directly into Pamela's van for delivery to a newly-arrived family that she was helping) I re-filled the car with clothing that had been surplussed by the sorting process. I don't do the sorting, that's handled by more regular volunteers but since I was going to St. Vinny's anyway it was no problem for me to take the stuff there wasn't room for on the shelves.

First, I stopped by the family to drop off the  laptop and some children's book (including a wonderful encyclopedia of animals I was sorely tempted to keep for a while).

Eventually I got home and just did stuff, including write this blog!

Welcoming Afghan Refugees: Legal and Practical Issues

Here's my January 27 program "Welcoming Afghan Refugees: Legal and Practical Issues". Site registration is free, and if you don't have a Bar number just use all zeros. These, our newest neighbors, are here because they helped us over there, so let's all let's all show what kind of people we are and welcome them in practical ways!

Link:

https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3585789/A725C6F5B6D49727E97B0E4C888027DF

Trash Up!

 A few days ago, as I drove home from walks with the girls, I saw a couple of people working on the trash that cluttered the corner lot on Henderson. 

I stopped and walked over. I had worked that lot for a while using the yellow bags from the city, but felt overwhelmed when a mattress appeared. This couple, wearing gloves, was adding the mattress to the pile on the parking strip.

We chatted. They were part of a very informal local group and I suggested we get together some Saturday to do more. 

One of them texted me suggesting Saturday they had a bunch assembling, so I wrote the block watch and was delighted to see Alex and Laura join me walking to the spot today. They suggested we reserve one bag for recyclables, which made sense to me; I took that bag home to dump in my bin.

There must have been a dozen adults who formed several teams and fanned out, plus a crowd of children managed by some adults and fascinated by the grabbers.

By the end of the morning we had quite a pile of bags! I hope we do this again, perhaps monthly?

Taking A Fall And Saving Face

SAVING FACE: Long ago, I practiced the martial art of aikido for 15 years, first under DiAnne Sensei in Massachusetts (where I met Philip Traunstein), then a year with Bookman Sensei in Seattle, then with George Ledyard Sensei in Bellevue. I made too many friends to list here, but you know who you are - you are remembered!

Last Thursday on my morning walk, we stopped for our usual coffee break at the highest point in West Seattle. Looking out over the city, we drank deeply from our travel mugs, assessed the state of the world, and set out again.

Later, one of my walking buddies told me, "I saw you standing next to that low concrete wall, and thought, 'He could not possibly forget it's there and fall over it.'"

To the contrary: I possibly could!

When humans walk, we tend to project our center of gravity forward without thinking about what our lower limbs are doing. This habit works pretty well, except when a forgotten low wall blocks your feet. Suddenly my legs were way behind my body and gravity did its thing. My beautiful face headed for the cement at 16 feet per second squared.

Practicing 3 times a week for 15 years adds up to over 2,000 classes, in each of which we take (let us say) than 100 ukkemi (falls) - almost certainly more. That gives 3x52x15x100: more than 200,000 falls!

I am happy to report that Thursday's ukkemi #200,001 was as habitual as walking. I felt barely time to think, "Hunh?" while tucking into a decent enough shoulder roll, arms slapping out to minimize the impact. My stainless steel mug bounced on the pavement; I snagged it as I stood, and we walked on.

My friends just shook their heads.

Falling is something that happens to all of us sooner or later. A moment of inattention or bad luck and boom! you can get a face full of concrete and lose your coffee. How to take a fall and get up again has to be learned, you have to put in the time learning it, and you can have a good time learning while making friends.

I'm not talking only about physical falling, either. In life, everybody is going to take a fall in some way. A physical or mental shoulder roll can save your face; maybe now is a good time to start practicing.

To all my many friends in aikido and elsewhere who helped me learn to take a fall: my face is as beautiful as ever thanks to you. I appreciate that and I appreciate you!

"Thanks" Should Not Have Autocorrected To "Thanos"

 

I had no photos to post this day, but humor is always possible!

Also, while texting, I had fatfingered "Thanos" when I intended "Thanks"