Other stuff

Before I left California, the day after the moovers boxed up all of my stuff, I went to La to visit my cousin. Unfortunately, I had to leave Christi at home. I surprised Catherine at lunch time and after that we decided to go for a walk. It's mighty warm in Los Angeles at noon, so we sat in the shade on the patio and talked and drank lemonade. I meant to post this sooner, so I would write down what we talked about, but I waited too long and now it's foggy in my mind. she asked about my plans and Christi's. We talked politics for a while. She asked something about the welfare sate. I said something to the effect of the welfare state and human needs being eaten by capitalism. she said, "I can't tell you how much it warms my heart to hear you say things like that."

Is it any wonder that she's my favorite cousin? She's always been a role model of mine, ever since she got arrested blocking the entrance to the Oakland federal building while protesting a US-backed massacre in South America. She brought the plastic crowd control handcuffs to dinner at easter or Christmas and talked about how wonderful it was to feel solidarity with other protesters and how something had to be done about US-backed attrocities. This speech may have been lost on the rest of my family (my grandmother was horrified, if I remember correctly, but I was very young, so I probably don't.), but it's inspired me ever since. I'm kind of embarassed that I've never been arrested.

Anyway, on the recent visit, we did some more walking and talking. I promised to send her the contact information for the Lums, which I have not yet done, and one more piece of information which has now slipped my mind entirely. I wrote it in sharpie ink on my hand and recited it to myself as we crossed the utah desert, and hopefully it will come back to me, but probably not.