#16 - Back Home Again
Kara Monroe
Back Home Again
If you are, like me, not a big motor sports fan, then the spectacle that is the Indianapolis 500 might pass you by without a thought. And yet, the month of May has been characterized by “the biggest spectacle in racing” for as long as I can remember. Why? Because as a native Hoosier, May is always supposed to end with the running of the Indianapolis 500.
I returned Saturday from a beautiful, restful, and very warm 7 night cruise in the Western Caribbean. As I walked through the airport around 5:00 on the Saturday evening before the race, I noticed the airport didn’t look as busy as I expected it to look. And, while I love the Indianapolis airport, it looked a little shabby with several spaces closed for remodeling. I assume much of this is the lingering after effects of COVID as many renovations and changes to stores and restaurants that were planned for the airport got put on hold and are just now getting completed.
Yet, as we made our way to the central concourse, there were those iconic signs of the Indy 500 - the cow statues advertising Indiana’s proud diary tradition, and actual Indy Car, and, of course, the Indy 500 merchandise stand.
As we were making that walk, a gentleman behind us said to someone else as they were admiring the Indy Car - “is the race coming up soon?”. I leaned to my friend Gayle and said, “Clearly he’s not from around here.”
It made me think of the knowledge we take for granted because of where we’re born, our race, our class, and all of the things that we had no control over when we were born - but that determine so much of our lives. I was born a white female at a time and place where I could own property, hold down a job - even if I’d gotten pregnant- and more. That wasn’t always the case for women like me in my own country and it certainly isn’t the case today for many women in many parts of the world.
What do you have that others might want but can’t have right now because of their circumstances? What knowledge comes with the place you call home? How do you express gratitude for the simple opportunities you have each day?
What I published this week?
By design, I published NOTHING this week - gotta love vacation. I did do a lot of writing though so next week there will probably be a full compliment of blog posts about the trip as well as my normal writing activities.
What I'm Reading
I’m adding a new section to hold myself accountable to reading more. I’m going to try to add some fiction as well but I’m really, really bad at reading fiction.
Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady eBook : Quinn, Susan: Kindle Store
While stuck in the hotel on a rainy day at the start of the trip, Gayle and I binged Showtime’s First Ladies. It inspired me to want to learn more about Michelle Obama, Betty Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt. I’ve already read Becoming and so decided to learn a bit more about “Mrs. R” next. This books has been delightful so far.
Tips, Tricks, and Tools
The 2022 Summer Reading Guide is here! – Modern Mrs Darcy
I started reading a new book on vacation (see above) so I was pleased as could be to see that the Modern Mrs. Darcy (MMD) 2022 Summer Reading Guide was ready when I got back home. I take a bit of time every summer to take a look through this and see if anything catches my interest. If you want to read more, MMD is a wonderful resource of newsletters, podcasts, and articles to inspire your reading taste buds.
MonumentalTrees.com · an inventory of big and old trees worldwide
Kona and I need to walk over 300 miles this summer to fulfill a pledge we made and so I’m planning to get my Indiana Parks pass so I can once again go to Fort Harrison State Park near us. I may be posting several tree photos from those walks on Monumental Trees. Identifying tree species is something I know very little about and I’d love to learn more.
Diversion
There was really no other choice what this week’s diversion had to be. Jim Nabors singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” to kick off the Indianapolis 500.
Jim Nabors - Back Home Again In Indiana (1988 Indianapolis 500)
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Kara Monroe, 11640 Winding Wood Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46235