Friday, August 19, 2011

Thing

German thing, in a relief of a column of Marcus Aurelius (AD 193)

I'm off to Washington D.C. to attend an advisory council for Project Access, a consortium trying to improve the lives of children with epilepsy and their families.  All week, I've been reminding my friends and family that I'm going to That Thing, and I was suddenly reminded of a trilogy of books I read more than twenty years ago by Sigrid Undset, a female Norwegian Nobel Prize winner (1938). Kristin Lavransdatter was about life in Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, and I read the books avidly, one after the next.  I remember descriptions of The Thing -- a name that fascinated me and still does. The Thing was a governing assembly, made up of free people. You can read more about The Thing here. Interestingly, if you scroll down the wikipedia site, you'll see a modern Thing in Glarus, Switzerland -- the tiny canton where The Husband has his roots. When I called to him to come see, he exclaimed that he'd been there, right in the middle, there, voting. It appears that the Swiss have a much more direct version of democracy than we do in the United States.

It's their Thing, I guess. Our Thing is to throw as much money as possible at a candidate in the hope that more money will buy more influence. At least that's the kind of Thing going on today.

So, I'm going to That Thing for a couple of days. I hope to post, but I might very well be wrapped up in solving the epilepsy world's problems. And other things.

See you soon!

9 comments:

  1. I wish you were in charge of every THING.

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  2. safe travels! i will be thinking of you at your thing.

    wv: progras

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  3. Make some sound at that thing so everyone hears it loud and clear!

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  4. Journey mercies, Elizabeth. I love that your Thing is to lead with your heart and speak loudly.

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  5. I can't think of anyone more perfect for that thing. Safe journey!

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  6. I'm with Mrs. Moon. I've been saying it for a long time. You are so incredibly smart and capable. I'd vote for you. I'd probably go around knocking on doors for you or stand on the street with a clipboard. Gosh. I've never made that offer before. I can't imagine being one of those people, actually. Maybe I could throw money at you?
    Have a good trip.

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  7. And I am sure that you will be a strong and forceful advocate for that which is just....

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  8. Blessings to you and upon your trip! xoxoxoxo

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  9. I also read Sigrid Undset about 20 years ago, have you read it since? Hope you got out of the airport, and that your trip is going well.

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