Anxious, curious, angry with no internet service

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

I'm experiencing anxiety.
As I begin to write this Stories and Journeys column, I am aware that I am without Internet service. That has just been confirmed with the over the phone help from my senior community services tech support person Gilbert. As of now, once I get the column written my intention is to get it printed and in the hands of Eric Hart. He is my longtime friend and neighbor who helps me each month to get the Stories and Journeys draft in shape before I send it as an attachment to an email I send to Tesha M. Christensen, owner and publisher of the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger and the Southwest Connector where Stories and Journeys gets published. For the record, Eric is the lead author of "Neighborhood by the Falls, a look back at the history of the Greater Longfellow neighborhood."
It's beginning to look like I might need a new internet service provider. Digital and tech are not my natural habitat. At times, I need a lot of tech support. And at the moment I have a growing list of tech issues. And now add to the list "no internet service." It is nearly impossible for me to imagine my life without internet service. I feel so isolated, disconnected. My desktop computer, my laptop and, for that matter, my iPhone are almost totally useless.
If you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river (flow) of life experiences which is Stories and Journeys. And by the way, dear reader, do you have any idea how to live your life without internet connection? I don't! I'm freaking out. Tell yourself, tell others or tell me via tesha@tmcpub.com

MORE IS MINNEAPOLIS FOR A LIFETIME?
DEBATABLE
I'm experiencing ongoing curiosity.
I'm arriving at Westminster Presbyterian Church for my second time attending a meeting of the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging. City council member Katie Cashman is wrapping up her conversation with the committee. When I sit down the first thing I notice is a copy of the September Messenger belonging to the person next to me. Turns out that several people have read either in print or online what I wrote about my first visit to this committee meeting. I'm starting to conclude that if I keep showing up (which I intend to do), I'm going to learn things.
Some of my takeaways from this meeting: I'm learning that while this committee does not have power it can wield influence. However, that doesn't mean that city council members and the mayor are interested in being influenced. I'm starting to wonder what would trigger their being influenced? I shared my fantasy that one day the city council chambers will be filled with seniors showing support for an action that will make Minneapolis age friendly. Maybe one way to wield influence is to just show up. Only problem is I don't go out at night anymore.
I learned that there are vacancies on this committee. However, it appears that my Ward 12 is well represented by Shelly Jacobson.
I'm learning that the Minneapolis for a Lifetime: Age Friendly Action Plan is undergoing some revisions which should be finished by the end of the year. A letter to the mayor and city council was reviewed and finalized regarding city budget items impacting seniors.
The next meeting of the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging is Oct. 10, 2024, 1-3 p.m., at Westminster.

CORPORATE GREED ENTERING THE SCHOOL LUNCH ROOM
I'm experiencing anger.
When I am connected to the Internet, I get emails from The Lever. This is an online publication to which I subscribe. It was started years ago by David Sirota, a progressive practicing what he calls accountability journalism. The Lever published recently an article by journalist, Katya Schwenk. It's headlined “The Corporation is Stealing Your Kid's Lunch Money.” But not in Minnesota, thanks to free lunch legislation passed by the 2022-23 session. Legislation keeping parents from paying corporate processors making huge profits collecting their children’s lunch money. I just went into my iPhone to find the article again and got the following message: Safari cannot open the page because the server cannot be found.
I'm thinking it's time to wrap up this column. As a reminder to myself and to you Medicare Open Enrollment is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. I intend to write about it once I get re-connected to the internet.

Elder Voices (Telling Our Stories/Sharing Our Journeys) is scheduled to meet Oct. 25, 10-11 a.m. at Turtle Bread, 4205 East 34th Street. Look for the table with the All Elders sign. If you want to celebrate anything, do show up.
In gratitude always.
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice Board of Directors.