The Advocate

( Attribution )   "Your life has been one long thread of hurt. Now, what will you mend with that thread?" — Paraphrase of @sagescrittore Sorry for the delay in posting! Take note and take care.

(Credit: Banksy) It's a new dawn and a new day in San Leandro as our City Council voted for a slew of progressive initiatives that will bring truth, justice, and support  to our community! To start with, April 18 of every year will now be known as Steven Taylor Day in San Leandro, in recognition "that the City of San Leandro City Council recognizes April 18 as a day to honor the Sanctity of Steven Taylor’s Life and other lives lost to violence ... that the City of San Leandro does not tolerate the use of deadly force by a police officer." Next up was the approval of a Steven Taylor park in the Marina area to honor his life and those of others lost to racism, bigotry, and violence. This park will feature monuments to key ideals such as healing, justice, and learning, as well as the power of nonviolent resistance. There will even be an informational kiosk that can help direct visitors and others to critical community support services! After that, there was an ordinance to

Well everyone, it has been an intense and harrowing year, filled with tragedies both local as well as national. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, issues across the socio-political spectrum have exposed deep fissures of suffering, bigotry, and injustice. There have also been bright spots, from adventures in Zoom to community charity events, but these have largely been muted by the overarching reality that has faced us starkly and unavoidably. In no way has this been more painful than in the lives of approximately 450,000 Americans who have died as a result of the coronavirus. That said, here are my resolutions for 2021: 1. Healing my mind & body. This goes from exercise to diet to medical treatment to therapy and beyond. As I move through my mid 30's with my wife and children, I can't be as cavalier about these issues anymore as I was in my 20's. 2. Cultivating habits for happiness. I mean really reprioritizing professional and personal activities with better boundar