Help with conversations on health care reform

Posted on November 18, 2009 | 2 comments

Last week I was at the National Communication Association Convention in Chicago. As I rode the shuttle from one location to another, I overheard a gentleman pontificating about the “fact” that the overwhelming majority of Americans oppose health care reform. He continued in this vein the whole trip back. I sat there, struggling with myself.  One side of me said “It’s been a long day…This guy isn’t going to listen anyway… If he’s going to blatantly make up statistics that are totally contrary to the findings of actual polls with actual people, there’s no room for discussion….They’re not talking to you anyway and it would be rude to interrupt.”  The other side of me was saying “Seriously, if you don’t challenging these uninformed blowhards at every opportunity, people will accept what they say with such confidence even if it IS blatantly inaccurate”….”You’ve got the stats, call him on this!…. “Seriously, speak up!!!!!”  The tired side won out.

However, that means that you, dear readers, who may have found yourself in similar circumstances and chose not to speak might benefit from the attached powerpoint.  Tammy Allen, Lynn Stephan and I developed this for The Group in Wichita and thought we might share it here. Let us know what you think. Agree…. disagree…. whatever you think.  For us the critical issue is that we engage….which I regret to say I did NOT on the bus ride in Chicago.  

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Health care reform and the role of insurance companies “why we NEED a public option”!

Posted on October 27, 2009 | 2 comments

I wrote my first speech about the need for health care reform and the contributions insurance companies were making to skyrocketing medical costs when I was a freshman in college.  Very little has changed in the 3 decades since.  … Except in the negative direction.

What I’m sure about:

1)  I am sure that relying on big insurance companies to monitor themselves hasn’t worked in decades and that our health care costs have continued to skyrocket. In the last decade alone the increase in health care costs has been – 119% which is 3 times as fast as wages and 4 times as fast as inflation (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2009).

2) I am sure that these increases is unsustainable and hurt American families. In 2007, nearly 2/3 of personal bankruptcies were linked to medical expenses; 80% were people with insurance (Journal of American Medical Assn., 2007).  1,500,000 American families lose their homes each year due to medical costs (Health Matrix, 2008).  In 2008, about 57 million Americans were in families that had problems paying medical bills, and nearly three-quarters had health insurance coverage (National Coalition on Health Care, 2009).

3) I am sure that these increases are unsustainable and hurt American businesses. The current system decreases American manufacturers’ competitiveness. We spend: $2.38 per worker /per hour for health care costs   vs.$0.96 per worker /per hour for US trading partners (Heritage Foundation, 2008). While some would say the problem is that we pay benefits that are too high to labor union workers, this misses the point! Passing on the costs to workers hurts workers (see numbers above) and does NOTHING to make the cost of health care sustainable. The problem isn’t workers, it’s that COSTS ARE TOO HIGH!  Health care costs are the fastest-growing business expense in the U.S. (National Coalition on Health Care, 2009). They drag down earnings and wages, slow job growth,  and decrease dollars available for research and development.

4) I am sure that shifting the burden of health care insurance and health care costs to American families is NOT the answer (see #2 above). For those firms providing coverage, nearly 3/4ths of those surveyed (73 percent) say they are struggling to continue to provide coverage due to high insurance costs (Small Business Majority, 2009). In the Hewitt Associates 10th annual health care report, results of surveys with 343 executives “found that over half (52%) of employers believe the economic downturn will affect their health care programs in 2010. In addition, 19 percent of these employers are planning to move away from directly sponsoring health care benefits in the next 3 to 5 years, which is almost 4 times as many who reported this in 2008” (National Coalition on Health Care, 2009).

5) I am sure that increased competition is critical. From where I sit the provision of health insurance in many states looks a lot like a monopoly and one that rapidly is growing.

In 2007,  the American Medical Association reported that a single insurance carrier controlled at least 30% of the insurance market in more than 95% of insurance markets.  For 15 of the 44 states reporting, the top two insurance providers controlled 75% or more of the market. Twenty-two more states have 50%  to 74% of the market controlled by the top two insurance companies. For a breakdown of the percentage of the market is controlled by the top 2 insurance providers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, see  Health Care for America Now, available at http://hcfan.3cdn.net/dadd15782e627e5b75_g9m6isltl.pdf

A look at the Government Accountability Office report on Small Group Health Insurance Carriers by State released in February, 2009 comparing 2002, 2005 and 2008 results illustrates how the dominance of a few insurance companies is growing:

In 2008,

•   The median market share of the largest carrier in the small group market was about 47%, with a range from about 21% in Arizona to about 96% in Alabama. In 31 of the 39 states supplying market share information, the top carrier had a market share of a 1/3rd – 33% or more.
•   The five largest carriers in the small group market, when combined, represented 3/4ths – 75% or more of the market in 34 of the 39 states supplying this information, and they represented 90% or more in 23 of these states.
•   Thirty-six of the 44 states supplying information on the top carrier identified a Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) carrier as the largest carrier, and in all but 1 of the remaining 8 states, a BCBS carrier was among the 5 largest carriers.
•   The median market share of all the BCBS carriers in the 38 states supplying this information was about 51%, with a range of less than 5% in Vermont and Wisconsin and more than 90% in Alabama and North Dakota.

In comparing what states reported in 2008 to what they previously reported to GAO in 2005 and 2002, they found:
•   The median market share of the largest small group carrier has increased to about 47% in 2008 from the 43% reported in 2005 and the 33%  in 2002. Twenty-four of the 29 states providing information in both 2002 and 2008 saw increases in the market share of the top carrier that ranged from about 2 to 39 percentage points. In contrast, the top carriers in 5 states lost market share with decreases ranging from about 1 to 16 percentage points.
•   The number of states with a combined market share of the 5 largest carriers of 75% or more has also increased since 2002. The combined market share of the five largest small group carriers represented 75% or more of the market in 34 of 39 states, compared to 26 of 34 states reported in 2005 and 19 of 34 states reported in 2002.

The full report can be found at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09363r.pdf

6) I am sure that it’s time we stand up to insurance companies who DO NOT have our best interests at heart – as evidenced by CEO compensation packages. Below from the Seton Hall University School of Law, Health Law and Policy Program website http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2009/05/20/health-insurance-ceos-total-compensation-in-2008/ are the total compensations for CEOs of insurance companies for 2007 & 2008.  Following is a “humorous” analysis of just how much money this is!

“Perhaps a slight bit of context is in order, however: it has struck me that Aetna’s Ronald Williams received $24,300,112 last year. That’s $467,309.85 per week. That’s a house. Maybe not a house that Mr. Williams would live in, but a house nonetheless. The man makes a house a week. And interestingly enough, if Mr. Williams were to eschew the purchase of a house on any given week and instead look to deposit the money in a bank– in order to remain FDIC insured (up to $250,000)– he would actually need to open more than one account–every week. Lest we lament the fate of the other CEOs on the list, in 2008 Ms. Braly had to get by on $189,311.76 per week, and Mr. Hemsley had to somehow manage on $62,327.73 per week (but perhaps he was able to save a little from last year when he made $253,164.02 per week).  May 20, 2009 by Michael Ricciardelli Health Reform Watch weblog Seton Hall University.”

Ins. Co. & CEO With 2007 Total CEO Compensation

  • Aetna Ronald A. Williams: $23,045,834
  • Cigna H. Edward Hanway: $25,839,777
  • Coventry Dale B. Wolf : $14,869,823
  • Health Net Jay M. Gellert: $3,686,230
  • Humana Michael McCallister: $10,312,557
  • U.Health Grp Stephen J. Hemsley: $13,164,529
  • WellPoint Angela Braly (2007): $9,094,271
    L. Glasscock (2006): $23,886,169

Ins. Co. & CEO With 2008 Total CEO Compensation

7) I am sure that a public option that will offer competition to private insurance companies, and if properly formed, will help bring the cost of health care insurance down.

The following video by Robert Reich (Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, Professor at UC Berkeley outlines succinctly the points that it’s not too late to get a public option and that insurance companies want it to fail.

http://pol.moveon.org/call/oneoffs/index_1165.html?cp_id=1165&tg=FSKS_1.FSKS_2&id=17692-17258418-IqgG0_x&t=1

8 ) I am sure that it is up to us, the American people, to hold our Congressional leaders accountable and to demand that this decades old problem be addressed, that a workable solution be found, before we permanently damage the economic viability of families and business nationwide. Phone, tweet, blog, email, write your Congressional representatives and demand that they get the job done on health care reform.

Health care should be a right, not a privilege!

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Dear Senator Reid – GET A GRIP!

Posted on October 1, 2009 | Leave a comment

As a long time Nevadan and recent transplant to Kansas, I would like to express the sincere and deep displeasure of myself and many Americans with the sorry state of the U.S. Congress. For the first time in a long time democrats have the majority, have the capacity to make real change to benefit the American people, and have failed to show the leadership necessary to carry that change through. Unfortunately, historically this has been too often the case.

The opposition utilizes clear, concise (often blatantly erroneous if not flagrantly false) statements to support their positions. The democratic response is to pretend these are reasonable claims and to try to answer them – illegal immigrants covered under the reform plans, euthanizing your granny, the list seems endless. What the democratic leadership and the democratic members of Congress NEED to do is state clearly what they stand for and work for real, quality, necessary change, not chase phantoms designed to distract, dissemble and disable quality initiatives.

The democratic desire to compromise on basic principles is flawed and futile as evidenced by the Senate’s inability to support a public option in health care reform. The American people gave President Obama a clear mandate by both electing him and giving both houses democratic majorities. The American people in poll after poll have told you they want a public option in health care reform. You are squandering that mandate to the disadvantage of the American people. You are not acting in the best interests of the American people.

Get it right, Senator Reid. You are wasting the capacity you have as Senate Majority Leader and it is the American people who will ultimately pay for this.

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Reflections on 9/11/01 and my life since

Posted on September 12, 2009 | 4 comments

Eight years ago, in the midst of my busy, getting-ready-for-school morning, my ex-husband called and said “turn on the TV”. I asked, “what station?” He said, “any of them”. I asked, “what is it?” He said, “I can’t talk about it. Just turn on the TV. You’ll see.” And I saw.

I awoke this morning, eight years later, to a lovely sunrise. Colors muted by a light fog.  It was ethereal. I smiled.  As the morning progressed, it got gray and overcast. Appropriate, it seemed, for this day.

I decided to take  time to reflect on that morning eight years ago and my path since to where I am now. First, I paid tribute to that day. I pulled up facebook and YouTube and searched for tributes. I read what my friends were posting on twitter. I listened to music. I cried.  It amazes me sometimes how something that long ago can still have such a powerful impact.

I am reminded how the difficult, as well as the lovely moments, both take our breath away and define our lives. Mine will never be the same.

The feeling of despair and fear was overwhelming that morning as I watched repeated images of the planes flying into the World Trade Towers, and later, the images of the towers falling, the plane in the Pennsylvania field, the damage to the Pentagon. I felt such vulnerability for myself, for our nation. In the days following, I was so proud of how we, as a nation, as a people responded. I was gratified at the kindness and compassion of the rest of the world. I felt more tuned in to both my place in this nation, and my place as a citizen of the world. I felt humble. I strove to understand.

I vowed, as many did, to live more fully in the present, to move more slowly, to make more thoughtful choices, to make certain that those I love always know it. It seems like a good time to reflect on how I’m doing.

Since 9/11/2001, I’ve made many changes in my life. I moved to Ohio for six months, back to my home town, so my daughter could go to school with her cousin. My daughter and I moved to Kansas so I could take my dream job. I purchased my dream house. “Invested” in real estate (I can’t sell my Reno house because the market is so bad, so that’s how I’ve decided to frame it for myself). I left my son in Reno to pursue college and dance. I could not have imagined how much I would miss our day-to-day patterns of living together. I’ve watched my daughter move from elementary school to high school and marveled at the amazing people my children are. I’ve recently become almost painfully aware that my time as a full-time mother is coming to an end. It’s amazing how years can pass in mothering, filling the gaps and the empty moments with “kid” activities. My daughter drives now and while we share a car, her independence is growing.

For the first time, I am required to take time to think about what I want for the next phase of my life, my post full-time mommy phase. Today seems like an appropriate day to review and reflect. So back to those vows I made to myself on that overwhelming day eight years ago.

1) to live more fully in the present

My prior to 9/11 self could easily be described as a multitasking over achiever. I juggled a significant number of tasks ALL the time. I could never say “no” and my mantra was “I can do that”. I didn’t always know HOW, but I knew that somehow I WOULD do whatever needed to be done. There are a number of characteristics of this style that I ultimately viewed as problematic. I was always focusing on the future. I didn’t take time to appreciate what I had accomplished and was instantly off to the next thing. That meant both that I didn’t appreciate what I had accomplished as it was just something to cross off the list and, more importantly, because I was always focused on the future, I didn’t adequately appreciate the present – except as the space within which I was “getting something done”. Don’t get me wrong, these characteristics have helped me accomplish all I have in both my professional and personal life and in many ways I’m grateful to have had that approach. That said, it became clear to me that I noticed and enjoyed the  awe inspiring  moments, sunrises, sunsets, the sound of my daughter’s laughter, watching my children perform. Those moments could bring me up cold, stop me in my tracks as it were. I was not so good, however, at noticing the beautiful in the everyday, mundane, process of my life. I was not so good at “being” in the moment. I had to either be “doing” or observing, OR and even worse, if I could make myself just stop, just be, I felt guilty for NOT getting anything done, for WASTING time. Historically, I lived too much in my head and not nearly enough in the “real” world.

2) to move more slowly

Related to living more fully in the present is slowing down. When I multitasked, I moved very quickly. When that happened, I  missed the details of what was going on around me. I forgot to eat. I slept poorly and for only 4-5 hours a night. I sat for hours at a time at my desk, my computer. I worked through sickness, exhaustion, I stayed up all night to complete a task. I told my students, “make me make eye contact if you need my full attention”. I told my children, “you’ll likely need to tell me that again because I might not remember”. Productive, yes. Fulfilling, no.

3) to make more thoughtful choices

I’ve always been thoughtful. What I hoped for was to take more time to think through choices. My strategy in my prior life was to take every opportunity that came my way. It was fun, exciting! It led to the multitasking thing I mentioned earlier. I had always had goals. Now I wanted to take time to consider alternatives more carefully, to choose my path.

4) to make certain that those I love always know it

This has probably always been one of my strengths. Those I care about know it. I say it. I show it.

I’ll close for now, at 7:54 p.m. on September 11. In my next post, I’ll assess how I’ve done.

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Wichita Photo Walk July 18, 2009

Posted on July 18, 2009 | Leave a comment

First of all, as a “relative” newcomer to Wichita, I can affirm that a photo walk is a GREAT way to explore an adopted city, especially if you take one early on a glorious summer morning. This morning was not to hot, not too cold, sunny, in short wonderful for photographing areas of interest. I do not profess to be the best photographer in the world, but I like to take pictures. I’ve taken a lot of art classes, so I tend to see things in angles and texture. I don’t always get what I see the first time, hence a few repeat photos. My favorites are the brock building reflected in the pond and the clock. Let me know which version you like best. Clearly all three ask the question “Does anybody really know what time it is?” but I’m undecided which does it most successfully. I also like the photo of the cupola upward, and those through the disintegrating awning, and finally the tree grate and the overpass. No idea of their real names. That’s my next task.  Enjoy and let me know what you think. Thanks to @WichitaCindy for info about the walk on twitter and facebook. It was an excellent adventure. See my pics at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/DBallardReisch/WichitaPhotoWalk?feat=directlink No, I haven’t retouched anything yet, just threw them up for fun. Enjoy!

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Reflections on Mother’s Day and other holidays

Posted on July 3, 2009 | 5 comments

I know, Mother’s Day was over a month ago and I should be asleep, but I’ve been reading blogs and decided there are some things I want to say about Mother’s Day and holidays in general.

First, I love being a Mom. I’ve told two of my Mommy stories in other venues.  This post will not be (completely) about that. It will be about THIS Mother’s Day and about holidays in general. In context, I’ve given birth to three children. My first son died at birth in August, 1984. He was three months premature. I can’t describe the devastation and pain of that loss. We were so close. I KNEW him; I felt him; we moved together and suddenly he was gone and I was alone. Abandoned. All my dreams and hopes, my most intimate connection, gone. My husband was amazing, wonderful, my partner through all the joy, hope, pain, loss. I was NOT… really… alone.

My second son, Stefan was born in May, 1988.  My pregnancy with him was scary, stressful. I didn’t trust my body. I didn’t trust doctors. I was fearful, anxious, on drugs that made me feel transparent. I was teaching full time until late at night. I was monitoring contractions with a Tokos belt twice a day for an hour. If I had too many contractions, I had to drink a lot of water, lay on my left side, wait another hour, monitor again, and then go to the hospital if I was still having contractions. I can’t remember how many times I ended up in the hospital for observation late at night being poked and prodded when all I wanted was sleep.

There’s a line in the movie Hook where one of the lost boys recognizes a grown Peter Pan and says “ah, there you are, Peter”. It was like that for me with Stefan, I looked at him and KNEW him “ah, there you are…”.  That knowledge has been a consistent part of our relationship.  We KNOW one another. We feel one another when we are apart. We KNOW on a deep level that we are both in the world. Our connection is transcendent. I admire Stefan’s presence in the world. He is talented and fearless. He is giving and loving. He makes others feel good. He also has my tendency to wonder at times (usually the most ridiculous times) if he is good enough. Some times he doubts. There is no need.

Two days shy of five years later, I gave birth to my daughter. I wanted her with an ache in the center of my being. My pregnancy with Alyssa was so different from my prior two. She and I were together in such a calm, comfortable way.  Everything went smoothly.  I was confident. I trusted my body. I KNEW nothing would go wrong. (Well, that’s true if I don’t count the five days between having an amniocentesis and getting the results. I’m a talisman person. I purchased a silver heart necklace that I wore constantly from the afternoon of the test until I got the results back. I still have that necklace. When she turned 14 I gave Alyssa a lucite heart to commemorate her having mine. Someday I’ll give her the silver one.)  When she was born Alyssa  made the most amazing cooing sound and my heart was hers. Our connection is different. She doesn’t feel me when we are apart. She is not confident that I am in the world with her wherever she goes. Our relationship is often contentious. I adore her! Though she lacks Stefan’s groundedness in the world, Alyssa is totally grounded in herself. She has a fierce sense of fairness and justice. She is a ferocious protector of those she loves and the most honest person I know. She is talented, gifted and capable of doing anything she sets her mind to. I look forward to the choices she will make.

For Mother’s Day, Stefan was in Reno finishing up the semester. Alyssa and I were here in Andover.  She made me a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and milk, then took me to Tanganyika Wildlife Park. We fed lemurs, petted pregnant red kangaroos, snuggled rabbits, petted a sugar glider (my family’s favorite creature – next to otters – but that’s a story for another time). We walked arm in arm and enjoyed the marvels we saw. Then we went to Freddy’s for burgers, then home, then to the Star Trek movie. We had the most incredible, engaged day. We were both fully present.

Alyssa’s mantra of the day was “It’s Mother’s Day”!. When her friends called to invite her to play soccer and eat pizza, she said “It’s Mother’s Day”. She was single mindedly committed to being with me the whole day and we had a marvelous time. Many people disparage holidays. “We should treat our loved ones with care every day”, they say. While this is true, holidays are special. They are reminders to take the time to show those we love that they are precious to us.  That is what Mother’s Day meant to me this year – time for my daughter and I to hang out to be together, to take the time.

This weekend is the 4th of July, another time we can take the time to gather with those we love. Again my son is in Reno (we’ll go there to see him perform next week) and my daughter and I are home in Andover. We’ll have a cookout with friends, play yard games, shoot off fireworks (we’ve never lived anywhere we could do this before – we love fireworks!) and revel in being together, being citizens of this amazing country, making memories, marking important moments, together. Holidays are important. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, they remind us to pause, to take the time, to be in the moment. Enjoy the holiday! Enjoy all the moments!

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Darfur discussion

Posted on June 29, 2009 | 4 comments

I wanted to add my thoughts to the ongoing conversation between Sierra Scott and Todd Ramsey regarding Sierra’s Darfur video.  First, I need to admit that I have not been to Darfur.  My thoughts come from my experiences in Russia, Central Asia, and regions of Africa.  I have taught judges throughout these regions and come to some conclusions about transparency, particularly with U.S. Americans.

From my perspective, I think it’s critical that any time we interact with other cultures, particularly in conflictual areas, we realize that our access is inherently limited. Those who invite us have agendas. We see what they wish us to see and even “open access” is suspect as we cannot know the threats those in authority have made to those with whom we are allowed contact. I saw this very strongly in my experiences in Zimbabwe. Two young female magistrates took me to a bazaar (an outdoor market) so that I could see how Zimbabweans really lived.  The whole afternoon I heard hissing wherever we went. The magistrates told me it was nothing. People were polite, solicitous, and friendly to me throughout the day. At the end of the day, the magistrates admitted that they were the target of the hissing, that because they were dressed in western clothes (jeans, t-shirts, baseball hats) the locals were letting them know of their displeasure. They told me that had I not been with them they would likely have been assaulted. I was shocked! My presence seemed a flimsy security. As I did further research when I returned home, I learned that women had been stripped, beaten, and chased through the streets in Harrare for wearing western dress.

So what is my point? Caution is critical in claiming “truth” in conflictual international situations. “This is my perspective”; “This was my experience” is simply a more prudent approach. I lived in Russia for a year and have visited many times. Never would I claim based on all the experiences I have had in that country or all the research that I have done to KNOW the truth of Russia.  There are too many complex reasons for people to tell me either what they think I want to hear, or what they want me to believe. A short fact-finding trip is simply not adequate to ascertain truth.

My final thought is that caution is necessary when one concludes that care about one region of the world negates concern for another region that is also experiencing atrocities. It is a straw-man argument to say “It’s worse over there, so why are you concerned about what is happening here”. Concern for one injustice does not negate or diminish another. To become a more humane world, we need voices speaking out about injustice and atrocities wherever they are found. I look forward to this continuing discussion.

I commend Sierra for her interest in returning to the areas of Darfur she was not able to visit the first time and for sharing her experiences.  I commend Todd and Hayley for their forthright questioning and willingness to indict truth claims with counterevidence.

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I want my country back!

Posted on June 10, 2009 | 1 comment

I feel I have lost my country and I am disheartened by this fact. If we do not live by our ideals we can no longer claim those ideals. When our country, founded on the belief that our government is supposed to be responsive to the citizenry, allows that government to make decisions that violate the constitution, that violate the rule of law, that violate the humane treatment of prisoners, I fear for the future of our nation.  When we violate the basic tenets of our legal system including the right to face accusers, the right to trial by a jury of our peers, the right to due process, we unravel the fabric of who we are as a nation. When we can say the behavior of our soldiers is too inflammatory to be seen by the general public, when we can’t try detained individuals in our legally constituted courts because our elected officials claim that our courts do not have the capacity to handle the charges, we unravel the fabric of who we are as a nation.  When we say our federal prisons which have housed terrorists for years suddenly are not safe to house convicted terrorists, we unravel the fabric of our nation.

These positions speak of patriarchy and fear. We, the people, do not know enough to make informed decisions, they say. Our elected officials need to protect us from uncomfortable truths and make decisions for us, they say. We should trust them and not ask questions, they say. It’s for our own good, they say. It’s for our standing in the world, they say. When these excuses are given, when these explanations for why we need to give up our constitutional rights are given, we, the people, need to reclaim our government. We need to vote in elected officials who remember what we stand for. I had hoped that we had done so by electing President Obama. Now I am not so hopeful.

We, the people, can deal with the errors in judgment made in our name by former administrations. We, the people, can deal with the fallout of those choices. What I fear that we, the people, cannot deal with is any more hiding, failing to take responsibility for our actions, and holding ourselves to a different standard than we expect from the rest of the world.

If we are the change we seek, we must seek change that elevates our nation, that elevates the rule of law, that elevates humanity. Yes, these are difficult times, but our ability to weather them will, in my humble opinion, be determined by the quality of our character and the example we set, areas in which we have been woefully lax in recent years.  I want my country back, a country based on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I want my country back, a country based on justice, the rule of law, and due process. I want my country back!

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Reflections on the candlelight vigil for Dr. Tiller in Wichita May 31, 2009

Posted on June 2, 2009 | 3 comments

I know many people have written about Dr. Tiller’s murder. I know that his death will galvanize and polarize those who supported as well as those who disagreed with his beliefs and actions. I did not personally know Dr. Tiller, but I was compelled to attend the candlelight vigil last night.  I was impressed with the civil, thoughtful, compassionate assembly.  Those in attendance were kind to one another; members of Dr. Tiller’s church passed out candles and walked through the crowd of around 400 people relighting candles that were blown out by the wind.  Strangers stood side by side and shared their sadness, their determination for the future of women’s health, their fears for the future, and lit and relit one another’s candles.  People met and embraced friends who shared their sadness at this tragedy. I left when the singing began with a greater appreciation for Wichita. I appreciate both diversity and conviction. I keep being surprised by both here. I appreciate the careful, thoughtful way those who spoke talked about Dr. Tiller’s life and contributions to the community and to women’s health choices in general. I appreciate the courage of conviction and ability to look at the bigger picture of those who spoke.  It’s always easier not to make waves, to choose the safe, nonthreatening path.  Dr. Tiller lived for years consciously, publicly taking the most difficult of paths, living the courage of his convictions. I am saddened that such a tragedy occurred in my adopted city. I am heartened by those who attended and spoke at Dr. Tiller’s vigil.   In the face of a tragedy, Wichitans in Old Town last night pulled together in thoughtful compassion and proved that the actions of one man did not reflect the views of many. On balance, Wichita earned positive marks from me yesterday.

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Saturday Old Town farmers’ market in ICT

Posted on June 2, 2009 | Leave a comment

I’ve only been twice so far, but my new addiction is the Saturday morning farmers’ market in Old Town, Wichita. The market takes place until noon on Saturday mornings in front of the Museum of World Treasures http://www.worldtreasures.org, and has an array of interesting crafters, food merchants, providers of fresh flowers, plants, produce, baked goods, and a knife sharpener who is an expert in the care and feeding of wild birds. Last weekend (May 23) my favorite finds were gorgeous fresh cut flowers, garden plants, and fresh veggies, in particular purple heirloom tomatoes and fresh cucumber.  When the fresh dill was added to top them off, delicious! That first weekend I only gave myself an hour – NOT LONG ENOUGH! As I arrived Trent Wagler & the Steel Wheels were playing. I’m not sure how to describe their music except to say they sang about big rigs, women who done them wrong, and I LOVED their sound. They call their music Original Americana Roots Music. I bought a cd on the spot! Check them out at http://www.trentwagler.com. As I was leaving a swing band started to play at the other end of the square and couples were DANCING!  I regret that I didn’t catch the name of the group, but how cool is that on a Saturday morning?!

This weekend (May 30) I went with some friends. Unfortunately I had only 1 hour this Saturday also. Great finds: homemade pasta by Pappardelle’s pasta. I confess, although I LOVE pasta, I’ve never been one to pay for gourmet pasta.  That said, if you have a reason to splurge, Pappardelle’s is worth the investment. I picked up some Italian blend that when combined with fresh heirloom tomatos, cucumber, black olives, onion, fresh dill, pine nuts, parmesean cheese, and Robusto Italian Salad Dressing made one of the best pasta salads I’ve had in years! We noshed on it for two days! They have so many interesting pasta flavors.  I picked up a four pepper fettucine and a dark chocolate dessert fettucine. I haven’t tried them yet, but will keep you posted.  Pappardelle’s also has FABULOUS dipping sauces. I’m especially partial to the fire roasted tomato balsamic. Their website boasts delicious sounding pasta recipes. Check them out at http://www.pappardellesonline.com.  YUM! There was also a young woman selling fresh vanilla extract.  I haven’t tried it yet, but needed some vanilla. The bottle was lovely! I got more fresh flowers, a couple cinnamon rolls and a stromboli from Great Harvest Bread Company, and we called it a morning.

I’ll be there this Saturday too! Not sure what I’ll find, but I’m looking forward to more yummy surprises! I think I’ll drop off my kitchen knives for sharpening when I arrive and grab them on my way out.  Functional and fun! Check out the Old Town farmers’ market this Saturday.

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Posted in Wichita treasures