I always have been fond of the Jefferson Airplane, and would get a kick at seeing Paul Kantner holding court at Cafe Trieste when I used to go there. Fare you well, sir. The Airplane song Volunteers is more about uniting for a revolution as protest during our involvement with Vietnam in '69. The B-side, We Can Be Together is a good song too. But Volunteers speaks to me today about the revolution of being selfless
for others.
A big piece of this is having time to do this, and maybe finding dedication to get yourself to just do it.
I thought about working with a company in Oakland called the Bread Project, impressed with their enthusiasm when the SF Google office chose them as one of the community organizations they wanted to support, but didn't see where I could be of assistance. Their baking skills being much better than mine! Down the road I might work with the Marine Mammal Center, even cleaning the seal pens - a nice drive to get there, especially before winter returns. Exploring volunteering at the local animal shelter (with cats) led us to instead adopt Honey Mumbles, which is a volunteer job gig in itself (see today's visit to the vet, where they were reluctant to confront her nervousness. We took comfort in that Honey went to Oliver and me to help her. They decided that we should return in two weeks hoping then she is more willing to have her temperature taken and of undergoing an exam).
I've already been volunteering at two places, the Alameda County Food Bank (which I confused with the more local Alameda Food Bank) and with Friendly Visitors, affiliated with Meals on Wheels. In one I'm helping tackle the enormous amounts of donated fruits and vegetables, sorting and bagging for distribution. I'm not sure how anyone can claim that people from other countries are taking away jobs like this from Americans because even volunteering for a 3 hour day is completely enough for me. It's kind of fun on one level just to see how much food there is, how much will be donated, and how different sets of people come together to help.
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| There's about 15-20 of these giant crates, of which as many oranges that can be sorted into red net bags and placed into the boxes next to the crates. Today was oranges and apples. Not looking forward to mushy plums. |
My visits at the rehabilitation center are with two seniors. This place is mostly depressing to me (it's so noisy; moaning, yelling, many of the residents seem lifeless, and the rooms are small) My two guys are with their challenges (vision, girth) but full of spirit, and humor. I am enjoying getting to know them- one is easier to sit with but mostly watches television (Andy Griffith in particular) but did ask me to bring back a blonde from Canada (I failed) and the other often asks me questions about travelling or if we decided on getting the dog from the shelter. I've learned a little about their lives, and hobbies. One, used to play the tuba, crochets and enjoys watching endless hours of Tom Selleck's new show. TV is big here. The other is fascinated with technology from his ham radio days and working with the first cell phones. Today I introduced mango to one of the guys and he liked it.
I once asked one of the gents where his roommate was and he told me that "he died, last night." He spoke of how it happened and how the roommate was a good to know, except the dying part. I guess you just get used to the possibility, just as you would the noise and the bright lights.
I hope to do more. I should do more. I've always admired our friends that find time in their very full schedules of work and family to do what they've done, for years. I thank them for their inspiration.
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Here's to Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks as well. He died in March at the age of 74. Sort of Western Swing mixed with kooky and I don't know what else.
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