Book Review, Frozen Lakes, and more Cat Pictures

As you might know, the northeastern part of the United States has been harangued with excess snow, record-breaking low temperatures, and more completely frozen over lakes then we know what to do with (which, as you'll see is kind of cool).  Yesterday when I got to work there were small icicles on my eyelashes.  ICICLES ON MY EYELASHES! Now tell me, when was the last time that happened to you?  Anyway, I've undertaken an abundance of indoor activities during this time, including catching up on my massive reading list.  One of these days, perhaps I'll just post my reading list instead of an actual blog entry, and I bet it will be the longest blog entry in the world. This week, I finished reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette? a novel by Maria Semple.


This is the cover art.  As you see it features a woman who looks like she stepped out à la 1962, with a hair scarf and large dark glasses.  I was definitely into the cover art.  I also love the title, because it just leaves you with so many questions such as:
1. Who's Bernadette?
2. Where did she go?
3. Why did she go there?
4. Who is looking for her?
5. Why should I care where Bernadette went?

And so on.  Needless to say, with all the blurbs on the cover about how delightful the book was, I decided I would definitely give it a shot.

To tell you the truth, this novel was not what I was expecting at all, which actually made me like it even more!  It is first and foremost a satire about a dysfunctional family who live in Seattle (ergo, some of the satire directly targets certain aspects of Seattle culture, I'm not sure how accurate this part of the book is since I've never visited Seattle, or even the West Coast in general, so I can't even draw regional comparisons).  Semple tells this story from the perspective of Bee, Bernadette's daughter who is putting together stacks of documents including emails, faxes, letters and other correspondences from Bernadette, her husband and Bee's father Elgie, doctors, administrative assistants, busy body neighbors, and everyone in between as she tries to figure out why her mother disappeared, and where she may have gone.  I've met some people who have told me they "just didn't get it."  I can empathize with this, at the start of the novel, Bernadette is portrayed by her neighbors as certifiably insane.  She's anti social and wears dark glasses everywhere, she doesn't participate in the PTA like other parents (a travesty!), and she allegedly ran over another mother's foot with her car.  When you read the emails from Bernadette, her topics of conversation imbue a practically stifling level of weird quirkiness that may possibly be covering some ongoing mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, but you also have the distinct impression that she's a freaking genius.  I really liked this book because practically all the characters become better people by the end of the book.  Even the terrible neighbor character about whom I had an immediate horrible visceral reaction at the beginning of the novel, delightfully surprised me with accepting accountability for some of her more devious actions, and taking steps to make amends with the people she affected.  When the day's over, this book has a happy ending, not a perfect ending, but a happy one with the promise of continued positive change.

Moving on to the weather.  It. Is. COLD.  Last Sunday, I started a new job (yippee!!) and after the training session I had the rest of the afternoon to myself.  Since my new office is right on the Lakefront, I decided to take a stroll out on the lake.  Yes, I walked on the frozen lake because, you know, everyone else was doin' it.  But actually they were, there were families, old people, young people with dogs, college students, tourists, and me strolling around the lake, and contemplating walking all the way to New York (probably, I don't know for sure).  What an amazing experience though, I'm not normally a picture taker, but I took some pictures of the sun pouring through the clouds, and of the vast expanse of completely frozen over Lake Champlain.

 So this is a patch of ice someone scraped the snow from.  It's quite black, or perhaps a very very dark green.  Either way, it was eerily look down and see basically nothing.  It's almost disorienting, and like Anne of Green Gables, I could imagine I was floating through space, unhindered, weightless, without a thought for the suffocating confines of life on earth.  I'm not sure Anne would ever have imagined anything quite like that, there wouldn't really be any context for space travel in 1880s Prince Edward Island, it's more of the "imagining" part to which I found parallels.

 If you've ever been to Burlington and visited the water front, you may remember being at the ECHO Center, the Spirit of Ethan Allan, or even the boardwalk and seen a rocky wall apparently sitting in the lake.  I still am not quite sure what that's for, I bet I could easily find out if I asked someone at the ECHO Center.  My point though, is that is picture here to the right is of that wall, and I was standing on it because I walked across the ice to get to it. 

 No words for this one really, I just think it's gorgeous.

I really have nothing else to say about anything except I hope Vermonters vote on Town Meeting Day next Tuesday (March 3), and LOOK AT THESE PICTURES OF MY KITTY!!

She's just so absolutely adorable I don't know what to do about it.  So there.  I'm sorry this was a pretty anti-climactic ending.  I didn't even write any poems this time (yay! says the audience).  Anyway, practice makes perfect, and hopefully I'll have a better, more uniform post that will capture your hearts and minds, and tire my fingers with my furious typing!

Get Excited, It's Almost Election Day!

This past week my head has been filled with jack-o-lantern designs, Harry Potter-themed dinner party ideas, and of course, the Mid-Term election occurring on November 4 this year.  I imagine that most of you readers are now groaning audibly over the mention of the midterm election.  I myself have just about had enough of most of the coverage by our big national news stations.  HOWEVER, voting is perhaps the most important part of living in a representative democracy, and if you are a United States citizen THIS IS YOUR CIVIC DUTY.  Seriously, voting is awesome.  I love watching my ballot getting sucked into the ballot box (fun fact, we still use paper ballots in Vermont). 


I hadn't planned on covering the election in my blog at all, but in light of some recent words spoken by certain people about a certain demographic that I fall under, I feel inspired to write not about specific candidates and issues that are important in this election, but to give you, the voter, as much information as possible about the election schedule, polling places, ballot issues, and candidates so that you have all the tools you need to cast an informed vote.  On that note, this article will be most pertinent for Vermonters/Burlington residents, so if you are reading this from outside the 802, my apologies, this only sort of applies to you (cause I expect those of you who are able to vote in the US to do so no matter where you live).  Here is a list of several important things Vermonters need to know before heading to the polls on NOVEMBER 4th.

1. Register to Vote!!!
Are you registered to vote in the city or town that you live in?? If you are not, why not?  One of the first things I did when I moved to Burlington, besides getting a library card, was to register to vote in Burlington.  It's really easy.  I went online to the City of Burlington's website, clicked on the section for the Office of the Clerk/Treasurer, and there's a link where you can download a registration form.  Simply fill out the form and mail it to City Hall on Church Street. Or you can register to vote in person simply by walking over to City Hall (the Town Clerk's Office is open until 5pm). 

Keep in mind that the deadline to register to vote for this coming election is OCTOBER 29TH, which is in 2 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!  So if you haven't registered yet, you have less than 48 hours in which to do that.  Also, if you are not 18 (the legal voting age) by October 29th, but you WILL be 18 by November 4th, you need to fill out an Intent to Register form so your name can go on the registration checklist.  Woot!

2. Polling places
I hope many of you are asking me, "Kristen, where do I go to vote once I'm registered?"  Well, that's a great question!!  Burlington is divided geographically into wards, and each ward has its own polling place.  Here's a list of all the polling places in Burlington by ward:

Ward 1 Mater Christi School 100 Mansfield Avenue	Ward 2 H.O. Wheeler School Corner of Archibald and Walnut St.
Ward 3 Lawrence Barnes Elementary School 123 North Street	Ward 4 St. Mark's Youth Center 1271 North Avenue
Ward 5 Burlington Electric Dept.   585 Pine Street	Ward 6 Edmunds Middle School 275 Main Street
Ward 7 Robert Miller Rec Center 130 Gosse Court

If you're not sure what ward you live in, click here and find out!!
 
3. Early/absentee voting
If any of you have found yourself going, "Crap! I'm (insert explanation here) on Tuesday and I just can't make it to the poll," never fear, you can request an absentee ballot or vote early!  In Vermont, early voting starts 30 days before the election, which means you can go vote RIGHT NOW, or AS SOON AS THE TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE IS OPEN AND BEFORE 5:00pm ON NOVEMBER 3RD.  I was studying abroad in Morocco during the 2010 midterm election, but I filled out a request for an absentee ballot.  I got a nice big paper ballot in the mail, I filled it out, sealed it up and mailed it back.  Obviously, if you do submit an absentee ballot by mail, please ensure that your ballot will make it back to the Town Clerk's office before polls close on election day.

Fun Fact: The Town Clerk's Office will be open from 9:00am-Noon this Saturday, November 1st for early voting, so yeah, go vote!!

4. Rides/Accessibility to polling places
I fortunately can walk to my polling place, but if transportation is an issue for you in any way shape or form, you can either make the decision to request an absentee ballot or vote early, or have your ballot delivered to your home on election day (but please, only if you truly can't leave your house, don't be lazy).  The CCTA bus will surely go near all of these places, and you can absolutely bum a ride from your friend too, which ensures that there will be at least two more people voting instead of one.  Did I mention Vermonters with disabilities have the option to "vote by phone"! 

5. Candidate/Issue Research
Here we go, the "hard" part; the homework part.  Ideally, before you cast your ballot you should have at least some idea of who or what you are voting for.  In fact, I strongly urge you to do your own research before voting.  Don't know who's running?  Fear not!  You can download a sample ballot for your own ward so you know not only who's running for what, but also exactly how your ballot is going to look on election day.  Pretty sweet right?  Most candidates running for political office these days have websites, so a quick Google search should square you away if you want to check out the issues they care about.  If you don't have access to a computer at home, the public library is a great option AND the librarians will be able to help you out if your computer starts getting all freaky.  You can also look at various print media like Seven Days or the Burlington Free Press, which have offered some election/candidate coverage.

Well, there you have it.  Please vote.  When you register to vote, and when you actually DO vote, please be sure to follow all written and verbal instructions you may receive (ie: please mark your ballot correctly, follow signs to correct rooms, etc).  Additionally, if you feel that I've left out any important information regarding the voting process, and to this upcoming election PLEASE let me know.  I want everyone to have access to the most accurate, up-to-date information possible.  Make me proud!

Resources/Relevant Websites

Vermont Secretary of State
City of Burlington, Clerk/Treasurer's Office
Rock the Vote

October is Conflict Resolution Month in Vermont!

October is such a beautiful month for those of us who live in Vermont.  The leaves are starting to turn, the air is crisp and chilly, and some of my favorite foods (squash, apples, parsnips) are coming into season.  October is also Conflict Resolution month in Vermont.  All over the state, schools, book shops, local governments and non-profit organizations will host events commemorating Conflict Resolution month, which will hopefully train us to think about how we manage conflict in our own lives.  Now, just take a moment before reading further and think about the strategies you use that help you manage conflict.  Did you think about it? Good, you may now proceed.

Whenever I encounter conflict, I try to think about it from a restorative point of view, rather than from a punitive mindset.  Why do I think this way?  Well, one fine Saturday, I was perusing the Burlington Farmer's Market when I beheld a table nestled under an awning with a big sign reading "Burlington Community Justice Center."  Having recently graduated from college after spending a year working on a thesis about interfaith dialogue and its application as a peacebuilding tool, I was yearning for some real-world experience using real-life-honest-to-goodness peacebuilding strategies.  I walked up to the staff person at the table and stated, "Hello, I'm interested in learning more about what you do at this place."

Turns out, the CJC has a LOT of programs that are available to Burlington residents who have encountered varying levels of crime and general conflict.  The Restorative Justice panel program stood out in particular.  I have now been volunteering on a Restorative Justice panel in Burlington for the past year, and it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I've had since moving back to Vermont.  Restorative Justice grew out of the need to address some of the limitations and failings of the traditional Western justice systems.  When someone is "brought to justice," what picture pops into your mind?  For a lot of people, that picture consists of the state (ie: country, state, community, town province, etc) punishing a person for breaking a law.  The offender is tried in court, and is sentenced by a judge to undergo a punishment that is equal to his or her crime.  This model is called a punitive system of justice.  Rarely is the voice of the victim heard.  Rarely is the relationship between the transgressor and community examined, and rarely do any of those people feel true justice is achieved in such a formulaic punitive sentencing.  Restorative justice sees conflict as the infliction of harm upon an individual or community (I'm sure most of you are like, "duh, that's the definition of conflict).  What makes this justice restorative is that is seeks to repair that harm by attending to the needs of the direct victims and the community.  Restorative practices put the victims first, and makes sure that their needs are attended to, including providing information about the motivation of the offender, and sometimes bringing the victims face to face with their offenders if this meeting is desired.

Last year, my bike was stolen from work.  Someone cut right through my (very thick) chain and rode away.  I was devastated because someone had taken away my primary form of transportation, and I had just spent a lot of money getting it outfitted with lights, a rack, and odometer so it would be more utilitarian.  Sure, I was angry and hurt, but what I really wanted to know was why.  Why did this person make this choice?  Even though this happened over a year ago and I've recovered and moved past this incident, a part of me would love to know the answers to these questions.  Part of me hopes that if I had the chance to share my story with whoever stole my bike, they would feel so remorseful they would never steal again.

So, on the restorative panel I volunteer on, the victim is contacted and asked if they want to participate in this process.  The victim can choose to participate in person and attend panel meetings, they can write or send a victim impact statement outlining how they felt at the time of the incident and what has changed for them since the incident happened, they can just be kept informed about the offender's participation on the panel, or they can choose not to participate at all.

Secondly, restorative justice involves the offenders by holding them accountable for their actions (more about this later), encouraging some sort of personal changes and education so they do not re-offend, and providing support from the community so they can reintegrate and reconnect with the community, which can also lower the rate of recidivism (re-offending).  The panel I volunteer on engages offenders by bringing them before a group of volunteers (including me) and we ask them to take responsibility for their actions and work with them to create a legally binding contract in which they outline a strategy for repairing the harm done to the victim(s), the community, and learning opportunities for their own personal growth.  Anything can go on our contract, so long as it achieves the goal of repairing the harm done.  In my opinion, the most creative contracts we write have the biggest impact on the offenders and are the most successful.  Part of the reason this happens is because we, as a panel, spend a chunk of time getting to know the offender beyond his or her crime.  This allows us all to examine the strengths, talents, and passions of the offender and come up with a contract that will be extremely meaningful and dare I say, restorative, to all parties.  I've seen a lot of beautiful artwork that offenders have made in an effort to repair the harm their actions may have caused the community.

In the last year I've seen numerous people who've committed numerous different crimes within the community from retail theft, to disorderly conduct, and a few cases of petit larceny and drug possession.   The participants (offenders) have come from many diverse backgrounds.  Participants are referred to us from the police, or the Department of Corrections.  Some are completing the program as part of the terms of their parole, and others see us with a deferred sentence, or pre-charge, which means that if they complete our program successfully then this incident will be struck from their record.  Needless to say, this is a wonderful opportunity for our participants to avoid the court system and to learn from their mistakes and maintain a clean criminal record.  It is hugely stigmatizing and debilitating to have a criminal charge on your record.  It's hard to find a job, and many convicts lose their right to vote; it leaves people positively unable to lead a normal life. 

I would argue that nobody I've met on the panels deserves this isolation.  Most people I've seen have taken accountability for their actions, and are ready to learn from this incident and move forward with their lives.  Some accept accountability right away, but other cases are more challenging.  This is why victim participation is so hugely helpful.  Many of our participants have absolutely no idea of the actual effect their actions had on the physical/mental/emotional well-being of the victims, and I've seen participants make a 180 degree turn around after listening to one of the panel members read a victim statement.  I've seen offenders brought to tears by the victims' statements.  This may have been the first time learn the extent of the consequences of their actions.  Restorative justice procedures really strive to humanize not only the victims, but the offenders, and I think this really does help repair the harm and rebuild the positive community connections many of us cherish.

Let me be clear, there are definitely challenges to this kind of work.  Sometimes I'll meet a participant who's just not ready to take accountability for his or her actions.  Restorative justice is most effective for the offender when they actually take responsibility for their actions, and when someone isn't quite willing to do this, we (the panel) often just end up going around and around in circles.  It feels as if my time is being wasted, and I'm sure I'm not the only panel volunteer who feels this way.  I will also sometimes see participants glibly taking accountability for their actions.  The words are often exactly what we want to hear, but their sincerity is doubtful, and that is unfortunate. 

Yet another challenge arises when the participant does not take this panel as seriously as he or she should.  They often forget, if they fail to satisfactorily complete the terms of the contract, we will violate them, and their case returns to court, where it will stay firmly affixed to their records for forever and eternity.  This is probably the most frustrating challenge I've faced.  Part of this work entails meeting people where they are in life, and that may involve some concessions or re-evaluations of what I expect from some people.  The middle class college student with the possession charge, and the shop lifter who struggles with homelessness and drug addiction will be at very different points of their life, and I can't hold them each to the exact same standard.  Their restorative processes will look very different.

I'm also the type of person who wants to see everyone succeed.  Sometimes in this process you have to be a hard ass, which is a personal challenge for me.  If a participant has come to a check-in meeting without even starting to work on his or her contract, or their work so far is shoddy, incomplete, or clearly thrown together at the last minute, then we will have words.  I really want this process to be meaningful for everyone we see, and I've learned in the past year that some people are just not ready for this process.  That's hard to watch.  It's hard to watch someone technically fulfill the terms of their contract, but do so in such a hollow manner that you really aren't sure what was accomplished over the 45 to 60 days they participate.  Harder still is when we've violated someone for not fulfilling the terms of their contract.  Even though that has been one of the least enjoyable parts of this work, one of my fellow volunteers pointed out that those violations are learning experiences as well, and hopefully this will finally prompt participants to reflect on their behavior and actions.  I know I've grown and learned a lot from failures and setbacks in my own life, so I would hope that these others will also grow from their own negative experiences.

So now I've shared with you my experiences working/volunteering in one small corner of the beautiful, lush, and vast field of conflict resolution.  It is a wonderful way to connect with my community, and to meet other community members I would otherwise have never met.  Its challenges contribute to my personal growth, and have greatly influenced my ongoing vocational search.  In fact, one of the many reasons I started this blog was to write about my first forays into restorative justice, no joke.  Creating this blog in October, which just happens to be conflict resolution month, may be one of the most serendipitous occurrences in my recent memory. 

Seriously though, if you want to learn more about restorative justice, I would suggest reading The Little Book of Restorative Justice by Howard Zehr, who is one of the first serious proponents of Restorative Justice in the academic world.  It's short, to the point, and extremely accessible to pretty much everyone.  In honor of Conflict Resolution Month, I would also like to challenge you to Reach Out by practicing one or several of the suggestions listed by Conflict Resolution Month Vermont that will help develop and improve your conflict resolution skills.  Remember that there are also lots of events and displays all over the state, and I encourage each one of you to try your best to attend one of these events.  I am very interested in hearing your thoughts, and especially your experiences with conflict resolution.  If you do try to "Reach Out", let me know how it goes! What did you learn about yourself and your community?  Were there any unexpected encounters or challenges you faced?  Were you able to identify and deconstruct any assumptions or prejudices you have that was holding you back from resolving one of your own conflicts?  Did you attend an event...and have fun?  I'd love to hear your stories!