Don’t Give Up What You Love

The Lottery

I was never too fond of happily-ever-afters, and as I got older and learned how fictitious they were I became more annoyed by them as I felt, and feel, that they present a falseness that others allow themselves to remain within at the cost of others. But before the true fairy-tales of Cinderella or the Pillowman, the first story is Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”.

This story brings us more into a different perspective than most, like Samuel Jackson’s character in Unbreakable. We start off just seeing a small town coming together for this very important event, how this is an important event in this town and others big and small. While we don’t know what the event is and an entire town meeting ina square seems odd to us now, we know it used to happen and draw connections to how the children act the adults’ gossip, and the changing of the event over time. As the story continues, an undertone becomes more prevalent, young men are just starting to draw for their families, and a woman mentions about how fast time goes by, using the event as a marker and how some towns don’t participate at all. 

What I love about this story is how much our perception changes as we learn more. We enter the story neutrally, then get excited and then try to hold onto that as we learn more. True artistry here comes from being able to challenge, surprise and have your reader’s perception and world be altered; and it is all down here. 

The Lottery: 

http://sites.middlebury.edu/individualandthesociety/files/2010/09/jackson_lottery.pdf

Dreamed, Desired, Determined

Tripzilla, a Southeast Asia Travel-Media company, created a list of the 10 libraries you must visit around the world. (https://www.tripzilla.com/10-bucket-list-libraries-you-must-visit-once-in-your-lifetime/27470)

Stadtbibliothek in Stuttgart, Germany

With a bit of an Escher vibe, I love it, though I highly doubt it looks this way all the time. Everyone in Germany can’t be this neat.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos in Mexico City, Mexico

This one looks a little scary, both what I would imagine being stuck at a microscopic size in a large industrial machine but also in the engine room of the Titanic but I can see through walls. Looks nice, but I think I’d spend most of time fearing a book or something else was going to fall and kill me

Liyuan Library in Beijing, China

Well that was dumb, I didn’t even think about going to a library when I traveled and my guess is that for the most part I won’t be going back. I love the homey and natural feel of this mountain-nestled library.  It definitely looks like a place where you feel welcome to sit and read all day with some tea.

Benediktinerstift Admont in Admont Abbey, Austria

This one, for me, is just one to look around in. Along with the distraction of the ceilings and insane molding, I’d be too afraid to drop something and make a mess (after my Belle swing on a ladder and sing about books moment of course)

New York Public Library in New York, U.S.A

Ehh. I’ve been here but while it’s beautiful and I guess famous it’s also incredibly strict, convoluted to get through and the true library portion of it is a small floor in the basement

Musashino Art University Library in Tokyo, Japan

So, maybe it’s because it’s the Art University library and maybe this is for better planning but all I can think is, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SPOTS WITHOUT BOOKS! Nope, not a fan.

Librije Zutphen in Gelderland, Netherlands

Okay, this is more for the historic obviously than for the actual bibliophile or community. But at the same time, maybe not the worst idea given the books, movies and other items that somehow never make it back

Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch in Taipei, Taiwan

Surrounded by just a bit of nature and peace, this library is a true haven for the local community who want to get an escape from the chaos of city and modern life. Not only made entirely of wood and glass, it is also a certified  green building with plenty of space and freedom to restore yourself

Villanueva Public Library in Casanare, Columbia and Min Buri Old Market Library in Bangkok, Thailand

These libraries are what it’s all about. Both intricate and developed by the community, for the community the Villanueva was designed and built my students and organizations in the community with locally-sourced materials and is meeting place for many of the community’s social events and activities.

The Min Buri Old Market Library was a small (3 by 9 meters) unoccupied space that residents spruced up into a library with local books, a small reading and garden space in the back and workstations “upstairs”.  

Nasjonal bibliotekdag

The population of the entire country of Norway (less than 5.5 million) is less than NYC (8.4 million), allowing for greater oversight of resources and focus on what these resources can do. First off, have a lot of resources. Following the insight of someone who has been to Norway; (1) their libraries focus on the community and this is first highlighted in their listed priorities (2):

To argue and emphasize the importance of libraries in the democratic process and promote freedom of information and speech

 To ensure the principle of the free lending right, independent of technological and political changes in society

To develop and strengthen libraries as promoters of knowledge, information and culture

To develop and strengthen libraries in building and supporting education, and as an arena for learning, research and innovation.

To promote an effective and robust library service of high quality.

To ensure development and innovation in the Norwegian library sector, amongst others promoting the realisation of a Norwegian digital library

To build alliances and co-operate with relevant national and international organisations within the fields of research, education and culture.

Their priorities are noted by strong examples of free access. While they close like all libraries, there are over 800 public libraries; therefore a minimum of one library per every 6,875 people. While that would be a lot of people to all be in one library at once, that is easily one library per small town not including University libraries that are open to the public. This access is increased as one library card gets you access to any and every library in the country including mobile libraries that increase access to those far away.

As of April 2019, the US is the highest GDP in the world, account for 23.6% of the global economy. Taking away the other top 9, the rest of the world still makes up less as 21.2% (3). While both countries have overall well educated and successful; Norway is getting a lot more bang for their buck and has tried to make sure all members of their country and communities are succeeding and have access to opportunities.

(1)    https://www.lifeinnorway.net/libraries-in-norway/

(2)    https://norskbibliotekforening.no/om-foreningen/about-norwegian-library-association/

(3)    https://www.investopedia.com/insights/worlds-top-economies/

Pomona Sprout

Professor Sprout was the embodiment of Hufflepuff, mostly pertaining to her love of Herbology, sweetness, and lack of need to be worshipped. Plenty of potions need the careful, dedicated and complicated treatment of plants that is based in Herbology; something that Professor Sprout hints at but does not boast about. Her brilliance was shown not only in her famous care of Mandrake’s to help petrified students be restored, but the year before when she used Devil’s Snare to help protect the Sorcerer’s Stone so that the one who tried to get it would not need only intelligence but the ability to remain calm in a panic.

Similar to her brilliance, Professor Sprout also showed her generosity as the many lessons she taught the students in harvesting she gave to Madam Pomphrey to help students with all types of ailments from being petrified, to common acne or used for other aspects of her class (unlike other Professors). She also showed her loyalty and bravery not only to what was right in protecting her and other students in the year that Death Eaters had control of the school, but also to Albus Dumbledore in her agreeing that the school should be kept open after his passing. Most importantly, she didn’t care whose house you were in—she loved you all the same

Remus Lupin

Unlike Hagrid, Lupin, had a very hard time getting over eveything that happened to him, which is part of why I’m always very sad when I think of him. Similar to Harry and Hagrid, Lupin’s life started out with difficulty and made him more of an outcast than either, getting bitten by a werewolf. 

Going to Hogwarts, he made good, true friends, but had to keep this secret from them; when he tells them, they accept him but then he deals with the guilt of betraying Albus and allowing his friends to break every benefit and precaution that allowed him to come to Hogwarts, along with the reputation and status of the school if anyone else found out. Then the First Wizarding War came but during that time his friends got married and had a child and the war only ended with the murder of his friends, the orphanage of their son, and the betrayal of another. 

The majority of Lupin’s life was between the two Wizarding Wars, when he was all alone. For over 10 years Lupin believed that one of his best friends, had betrayed not only his friends, but for power and out of hate, while he was left all alone. While the truth was similar, considering the bond Sirius and James had, and the possibility that they knew Peter wasn’t always at their level, there was a small reprieve when Lupin learned the truth. But again, the return of his friend lasts only two years before he is murdered and in that time the Second Wizarding War had begun. Again overcome with loss, loneliness and guilt, he holds himself back from love and happiness until he accepts, continues to feel guilt and shame when his child is born and soon after he and his wife are murdered.

There are many things that were so great about Lupin, he was honest, a good man, a good father, great friend and teacher. He was strong, brave, compassionate; he is a man who deserved and should have had it all but whose life was plagued, and spirit his overshadowed by ridiculous judgement and personal grief. Today is Trans Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebration of one’s true self and highlighting the cruelty and misguided hated those who are Trans receive. When I speak of Hagrid, I speak of how he was able to overcome his misfortunes, but Lupin was not; this, is not on Lupin. He should have had it all, he deserved to have an amazing life but was never given the opportunity to truly shine or love himself. It was not planned that I’d write about Lupin on Trans Day of Visibility, but the message I would say about both are linked.

Do Good, Be Good. While we can learn so much from Lupin, what the world needs to understand is how much they miss out on by judgement, prejudice, hate and fear. Bullying and discrimination do not bring peace, safety or justice, but they do put people at pause, holding back so much from the world and stealing from us all true love, prosperity and happiness. 

图书馆

China is an extremely complex country, while many question why Chinese are okay with censorship and high government regulation, others understand that there are positive and negatives of why they operate and how. I do not extend this to the current situation in Hong Kong, where the people re adamant about wanting to remain separate from China as promised but with the pros and cons of any decision and particularly the decisions and lifestyle in the mainland.

While in some ways more advanced, early last year China’s public libraries were ordered to have a major overall with a standardization of access to all. This included set open hours of operation even during holidays and on weekends, open public spaces, service programs and easy access to information. (1) Additional focus was put on protecting individual’s research and information protected from hackers, special services and safety access for the elderly and disabled and educational activities focused on children. These activities are also multicultural, physical and conversational with centers including family reading campaigns, foreign language training, art and culture exhibitions including books and other community activities available in various foreign languages. (2)

Multi-layered, China has successfully educated and increased their residents access to certain aspects of information and has promoted the access and diversity of information that does not hold the mirror close

 (1)    https://news.cgtn.com/news/7859544d35637a6333566d54/share_p.html

(2)    https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/librarians/management/viewpoints/china.htm?part=5

So, because only about 0.05 of generation Z is actually eligible to vote...I can’t get those numbers. But, grouping together the younger half of millennials and those eligible with generation Z 

Official numbers still aren’t available, but multiple records have been stating that the turnout is already more than seen before--especially with early voting. While the youngest eligible voter turn-out was still lower when compared to most others (as it is with EVERY generation) I can’t imagine someone denying the use of social media, door-to-door outreach and campaign done by the youth--even those not eligible to vote for years to come contributed to the increase: by making sure people easily knew how to register, by the summer campaigns, by the advertisements on tv or by celebrities and those just opening discussions with those who had the ability to vote. 

So for the average 10,805 babies born yesterday, your generation is already making the world a better place for you

Basically every Millennial owes it to every underage Gen Z to get out there and vote. In the absence of voting power, we are seeing these incredible Gen Z activists advocating for their own safety. They shouldn’t have to. These are children being forced to fight for their lives, and we owe them so much better. 

Millennials have a huge amount of legislative power. Millennials make up more than 30% of those eligible for vote. 

Millennials own 30+% of national voting power.

We outnumber the boomers. 

Millennials outnumber boomers.

But traditionally we vote at lower rates. That statistic is changing, and it needs to change faster. 

At this point I think we can all agree, millennials are morally obligated to use their voting power to protect a younger generation that has, like us, been failed and abused by the boomers. Get out there, register, vote, speak. Do not fail Gen Z the way our elders failed us. 

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