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I just finished reading A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi, a romantic book that took me back to this most magical “water kingdom,” complete with sounds, smells, and sights. The story won’t appeal to everyone due to its introspection and little action, but the imagery made me long for Venice, and the exploration of the mid-life romance between two strangers, one a divorced American chef and the other a Venetian banker, was thought provoking and affirming—not to mention the actual recipes included at the end of this true love story.

Read a glimpse of the protagonist as she ponders her life: “Terror, illness, deceit, marriage, divorce, loneliness had all come to visit early enough in my life, interfering with the peace. Some of the demons just passed through, while others of them pitched tents outside my back door. And they stayed. One by one they went away, each leaving some impression of the visit that made me stronger, better. I’m thankful the gods were impatient with me, that they never waited until I was thirty or fifty or seventy-seven, that they’d had the grace to throw down the gauntlets when I was so young. Gauntlets are the stuff of every life, but when you learn, young, how to pick them up, how to work them against the demons, and, finally, how to outlast if not escape those same demons, life can seem more merciful.”

Later, as she acknowledges what she has achieved despite her fears and self-doubt, she realizes she can let it go: “The really precious parts of my life are transportable, not conditions of geography. Why shouldn’t I go to live on the fringes of an Adriatic lagoon with a blueberry-eyed stranger and leave no trail of biscotti crumbs to find my way back? My house, my fancy car, even my native country were not, by definition, me. My sanctuary, my sentimental self were veteran travelers. And they would go where I would.”

Today’s newspapers are reporting that after record job losses, Congress will move toward providing “a short-term rescue plan” for the nation’s top automakers.  I’m no expert, but whatever funds are provided should come with an equal load of stipulations—from payback plans and executive salary caps, to a focus on developing fuel-efficient, alternative-energy autos. Earlier today, I overheard this comment: “What’s wrong with the Democrats is they’re always kowtowing to the unions” as if the need for the bailout is the fault of the auto unions. Is it the unions who shoulder the brunt of blame regarding the terrible mess that is the U.S. auto industry? After four years of working on the other side of the table with a variety of school-related unions, I am not naïve to the downsides of the power unions wield, but I find it difficult to fathom that this mess is their doing in any significant way. Although I don’t have details regarding the benefits and salaries auto workers receive, I got a compelling email from an acquaintance, which I share below:

“The anti-union organizations and the Bush union busters want you to believe the lies that they have saturated the media with. They want you to believe that the United Auto Workers are the cause of the downfall of the auto industry. They want you to believe that union workers make $70 an hour and that’s why the auto industry has failed and needs a bail out. Lies, and more lies. The average auto worker and machinist starts at about $14 an hour…The UWA union, in order to help the industry, took pay cuts and reductions in medical coverage, and more, while the CEOs continued to make millions of dollars—all while producing gas-guzzling cars no one wanted.” 

Determining the reasons for the industry’s failure are important because before Congress provides one cent to this cause, American taxpayers deserve a plan to turnaround the mistakes of the past, restrictions on how the funds are used, and a payback schedule.

Before the onslaught of media technology, folks used to visit each other in person, gathering around a piano to sing or in a parlor to discuss the day’s events. Today, we have the internet, which gives each of us the power, with a few keystrokes, to communicate with others globally. We now have podcasts, streaming video, and a host of other technology-driven outlets that enable us to sit in our kitchens with the world at our fingertips, literally. But the need for human connection is still there—perhaps stronger than ever.  It’s depressing to hear about the end of UML’s Sunrise show because it is a loss for our community, especially as an outlet for voices not heard in the mainstream. It seems there might have been other options, as Lynne mentions in LiL, such as a push toward a more volunteer- or student-based production and perhaps we’ll see that happen. In the frenetic world we live in, however, it’s difficult to find time to volunteer, which is why kudos go to the staff of the new LTC cable show, City Life, produced by John McDonough with co-hosts George Anthes and Tom Byrne. The time and effort required to produce a show consistently is daunting, and these guys deserve credit for putting such energy into this project. And like Cliff Krieger—our latest local blogger—each new voice expands our perspectives and understanding of our community. These endeavors become especially important today because they use technology to connect us with our neighbors through idea sharing rather than isolate us in techno-cocoons of our own making, which is, of course, a downside to the text-messaging, ipod, laptop, blue-tooth-laden world we live in.

Back in October, Jackie wrote about feeling baffled that people she respects and admires hold such radically opposite views from hers on important political issues (since I have Libertarians in my family, this really resonated for me). After the vicious political polarization of the last eight years, it seems important to try to open up some lines of communication with friends and family members or even strangers from across the aisle, thus my idea that each of us Dems should adopt someone with different political viewpoints and keep up a civil dialogue. Such exchanges can only improve the political climate and keep all of us on our toes regarding our biases, opinions or gut reactions. The danger of living in an intellectual echo chamber – you with your Fox news, me with my Daily Show – was pointed out in a recent Globe article (Ideas, Sunday, November 23, 2008) which quoted Harvard Law profesor Cass Sunstein’s opinion that “the Internet can have detrimental influcences on democracy, as people retreat to their virtual bubbles.” To that end, I promise to read the clippings from The Weekly Standard sent along by my Dad and I will challenge him to read the occasional article from The New Yorker. I also try to read The Economist for its more worldly, often right-wing perspective. And, right here in Lowell (no pun intended), I hear there’s a new conservative blog in town, so I will add my welcome to that of fellow bloggers at LeftiniLowell and Richard Howe to right-side-of-lowellwritten by local Republican activist, Cliff Krieger.

Just for fun, check out this link to the new must-have portable electronic device – well, it’s a phone, but so much more!

After watching President-Elect Barack Obama’s press conference today announcing his national security team, I was relieved to see wisdom in action. As he introduced his team and explained the reasoning behind his decisions, including keeping incumbent Defense Secretary Robert Gates (a Republican) and adding Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, it was clear that Obama was going to lead with strength and logic. During his remarks, he mentioned he “welcomes vigorous debate” from his team but will set the policy and be responsible for the outcome.  In response to a reporter’s question, Obama noted that “outside the heat” of campaigning, he and his former Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton share the view that “strength and diplomacy together will advance American interests.” His choices for national security team also include General Jim Jones as National Security Adviser (a respected leader and close friend of Republican presidential candidate John McCain), further demonstrating Obama values bi-partisan team building and surrounding himself with strong thinkers. As he put it, the team he selected comprises “tough, smart and disciplined” folks who “share my core values” while also noting that he saw “group think” and “no dissenting views” as weaknesses in leadership. Today’s announcement reminded me of a great Frontline biography from PBS on Obama and McCain, which is well worth watching. The Choice 2008 examines, among other things, Obama’s appointments when he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. At that time, Obama also crossed the aisle by mixing liberal and conservative chair appointments, apparently with the priority being strong and effective leadership rather than simply paying back old friends or peppering the Review with yes-men. Perhaps there is hope after all.