Connecticut State Capital

Connecticut State Capital - Hartford, CT

Gold Dome on Hartford's State Capital Building

Connecticut State Legislative Office Building - Hartford, CT

   Our tour of the State Capital actually began at the Connecticut State Legislative Office Building. The two buildings are connected by an underground concourse. Guided tours are one hour long. They begin  hourly at 15 minutes past the hour. You can also go on self-guided tours.

Lobby - Connecticut State Legislative Office Building

The doors are one of many places you'll find exquisite craftsmanship & attention to detail

Connecticut's state insect? The praying mantis of course!  "Mantis" is Greek for prophet or diviner. This praying prophet is a friend to farmers since it feeds on crop-destroying-pests. The praying mantis symbolizes the environment's importance to our survival.  On other doors, you'll find the state bird, a wreath of mountain laurel, and other symbols of CT.

Connecticut's seal is everywhere - even on the door hinges!

Here the state seal is on the carpet in the middle of the Senate room. The grape vines bearing fruit represent thriving colonial citizens who were transplanted from England and Massachusetts. There are three to represent Connecticut's original three colonies: New Haven, Saybrook, and Hartford. The motto "Qui Transtulit Sustinet," means "He Who Transplanted Still Sustains."

Members of the State Senate sit in the round. Each desk has a name tag, a place to store things under the desk top, and a wooden box containing voting buttons. Visitors can observe proceedings by sitting in the gallery above. While the Governor speaks from the front of the room, the Lieutenant Governor is seated behind him in the "Wishing Chair." 

When it is time to vote, Senate members lift the lid and vote with a YEA or NAY button.

We had great fun posing in the "Wishing Chair." Here's Donna in the Lt. Governor's seat, called the wishing chair, because she is probably wishing she were Governor!

Here I am wishing Republicans and Democrats would work together to balance the budget in a way that benefits both those in need of services, as well as those struggling to pay their taxes.

Here's Linda showing the magnificent carvings on the wishing chair. It was carved from the remnant's of Connecticut's famous "Charter Oak" Tree.

Connecticut's House of Representatives Room

Our tour guide explains the seating arrangement, and points out visitors are welcome to observe from the gallery above and behind the speaker's podium.

Each desk has a name tag that includes the number of the district being represented. "REP. " stands for Representative, not Republican. Republicans sit on the right, Democrats on the left. Party leadership decides where each member will sit. New Representatives are often seated near senior Representatives.

The Genius of Connecticut once graced the gold dome of the Capital Building. Today her replica stands inside the rotunda. In this case, "Genius" does not refer to intelligence, but a protective symbol signifying the people's spirit of innovation

Take a look at those ceilings!

A closer look under the dome

 Our state hero, Prudence Crandall and her student Sarah Harris

Nathan Hale's famous last words, " I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

The underground concourse connecting the State Capital and the Legislative Office Building, holds a display of statues, photos and other mementos honoring our states veterans.

Vietnam Memorial statue

   After our tour, we ate lunch in the cafeteria at the State Legislative Office Building. We thought we might run into a Representative of the House or Senate, but it turns out they are only in session from February to May.

See books by Laura S. Pringle on Amazon

 The Pringle Plan is a series of educational guides.

 ©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.

How to Support a Sexual Crime Survivor

   Today we are finally in a place where sexual crime victims and survivors are being taken seriously. For too many years of my life this was not the case. Women were ignored because men were somehow entitled to take what they wanted, the woman must have wanted it, or some other ridiculous excuse. Those excuses are now falling away as more people realize sexual crimes are committed not by men, but by predators, not by people in authority, but by people abusing the power of their positions, not because women, men, and children want it, but  because they have their right to refuse disrespected and taken away. As I listen to all the news reports regarding the #MeToo movement, I can't help feeling an important piece of the conversation is missing. It's not just fear of the abuser that has caused under reporting of sexual violence, it is the way victim's and survivors are treated by law enforcement, courts, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances and strangers. Today, I'm adding to the conversation. Here are my 12 steps to supporting a sexual crime survivor.

 1. Words matter. Sexual crime victims and survivors are normal people who had something bad happen to them. There is nothing "wrong," "creepy," or "suspicious" about the survivor. Those adjectives describe the predatory thoughts and behavior of the perpetrator. Use proper terminology. A crime victim is a "victim" at the time the crime is committed. After that he or she is a "survivor." Continually referring to a person as a "victim" makes them feel weak. Referring to someone as a "survivor" is empowering. The person who committed the crime is the "perpetrator." This helps to clarify who perpetrated the crime (it was not the victim). The perpetrator is a criminal predator who may be mentally ill, or may feel entitled to abuse his position of power. 

2. Understand what the crime was without demanding the survivor supply you with details. Here are brief definitions from https://www.justice.gov  

 Sexual Harrassment: Sexual harassment in employment has been defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct that enters into employment decisions and/or conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. 
    Sexual Assualt: The term “sexual assault” means any non-consensual sexual act proscribed by Federal, tribal, or State law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.              

  Rape: The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. 

  Stalking: The term “stalking” means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress.

   Voyeurism: Laws vary by state and often fall under Right to Privacy Laws. An example of a legal definition of voyeurism from Delaware : A person is guilty of violation of privacy when he (1) trespasses on private property intending to subject anyone to eavesdropping or other surveillance or (2) installs in a private place, without consent, any device for observing, photographing, recording, amplifying, or broadcasting sounds in that place.   https://www.cga.ct.gov/PS98/rpt%5Colr%5Chtm/98-R-1034.htm 

   According to Wikipedia, "Non-consensual voyeurism is considered to be a form of sexual abuse. When the interest in a particular subject is obsessive, the behavior may be described as stalking.

   The United States FBI assert that some individuals who engage in "nuisance" offenses (such as voyeurism) may also have a propensity for violence based on behaviors of serious sex offenders. An FBI researcher has suggested that voyeurs are likely to demonstrate some characteristics that are common, but not universal, among serious sexual offenders who invest considerable time and effort in the capturing of a victim (or image of a victim); careful, methodical planning devoted to the selection and preparation of equipment; and often meticulous attention to detail."

   In other words, Voyeurism is not just a harmless little crime to be laughed off. Suggesting the survivor feel "flattered" is both repulsive, and a sign of your ignorance. Victims are having their sense of safety, security, and privacy violated, and may be in very real danger of physical harm.   

3.  Understand that the survivor did nothing to cause the perpetrator to victimize him or her. The perpetrator chose to victimize someone he or she perceived to be weak (regardless of whether or not weakness exists). Victim-blaming is never helpful or supportive.

4.  Follow the survivor's lead. Everyone is different. Some survivors will want to talk to you about their traumatic experience, others will choose to talk to someone else, or seek professional help from a licensed counselor trained to guide crime survivors through the healing process. Others will choose to pursue their own path of healing with the use of self-help books, journaling, meditation, and exercise. This is a personal choice - Respect it. While a sexual crime victim is in the midst of having their body violated, they are being stripped of their rights. They are experiencing a lack of respect for their person-hood, as well as their right to refuse to participate. They are experiencing extreme distress, a sense of helplessness and even hopelessness. Help and support the survivor by respecting their choice of healing path. In doing this, you will be giving them back their rights, restoring their strength, and empowering their sense of hope for a happy and healthy future.

5.  Be thoughtful about where, when, and why you are thinking about bringing the subject up. Is a crowded workplace cafeteria really an appropriate place to bring up another person's personal trauma? What is your purpose in bringing up the subject years later? Why do you think you need to bring this subject up? Re-read step #4 - Follow the survivor's lead. It's one thing to provide a hug and an offer to listen immediately after a trauma, it's quite another to refuse to allow the survivor to chose when, where and with whom they want to talk to. Allow survivors to move past the trauma and get on with their life at their pace, not yours. Ask yourself: Am I really trying to help the survivor, or am I the one who still hasn't move forward? What is my motive? Am I curious, titillated, hoping for an entertaining story, victim-blaming, victim-shaming, belittling, abusive, or fearful? Am I the one who needs therapy? What other way can I address my needs, while still respecting the survivor's needs and choices?   

6.  Be mindful of the fact that it is not the survivor who has explaining to do. It is the criminal perpetrator who owes an explanation for victimizing. It is not you who is owed an explanation, it is the survivor who is owed an explanation, an apology, and restitution.

7.  Understand legal terms like "Restitution," and "Compensation." Both are about the criminal perpetrator paying the survivor money to "restore to whole," or to compensate for damages done. A few examples of damages may be physical harm, mental or emotional harm, loss of wages, medical expenses, and legal expenses. Understand that the amount of money asked for, offered, or awarded is none of your business. Whether or not the survivor chooses to accept compensation is also none of your business. Most importantly, how the survivor uses the compensation is none of your business. The survivor is under no obligation to share or donate the compensation. The sole person entitled to compensation is the survivor. Respect that. Respect his or her financial privacy, and respect his or her right to spend, save, invest, give away, bury or burn as he or she chooses.

8.  Support the survivor by cutting short malicious acquaintances who spread stories and use terms like "victim," "damaged," "slut," and other shaming words to describe the survivor.

9.  Understand that survivors do not want or choose to now spend the rest of their lives being viewed as a victim. If you tell other people about the crime the survivor endured, without their consent, you are again turning him or her into a victim by causing these new people to see them as such. Ask yourself, "Why am I perpetuating the victimization of this person?" If you can't answer the question, seek professional help for yourself to find the answer.

10. Understand that some survivors have never spoken about the trauma they endured. For them, coming forward and speaking publicly may be the most empowering and healthy thing they can do for themselves.

11. Understand that in order to move forward, survivors sometimes need to stop talking about the experience. To officially put it in the past, and choose to move forward is one of the most empowering and healthy things a survivor can do for him or her self.

12.  Treat the survivor like they are normal. Assuming you can mind-read and "just know" they are thinking about this horrible crime is absurd. Survivors have other concerns. They may be thinking about a family health issue, a work issue, or how they are going to find time to get the grocery shopping done. So, have your normal conversations, and do your normal activities and routines together. Follow the survivor's lead and look for moments to have fun and share a laugh as you always have. In doing this you will be helping the survivor regain a sense of normalcy.

   You may notice I have not mentioned forgiveness. That's because forgiveness is a whole other topic. Forgiveness is for the benefit of the survivor, and occurs along the survivor's path to healing, at his or her own pace. 

Find it in your heart to accept the survivor's choices. You may never be the one chosen to listen. That's ok. Just spending time together for comfortable, familiar conversation and activities is far more constructive than you may realize. Effectively supporting a sexual crime survivor requires you to be caring, knowledgeable, thoughtful, respectful, reflective, understanding, and kind. My hope is that you will never need any of these tips. My hope is that as we move forward into a more enlightened era, all human beings will be caring, educated, healthy, respectful, able to handle rejection, empowered, and kind. My hope is to live in a crime free society where all humans care not just about themselves, but about all living beings.

See books by Laura S. Pringle on Amazon

 The Pringle Plan is a series of educational guides. 

 ©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.

Mattatuck Museum

Notice the surveillance sign in the corner - LOL!

Look who greats you in the parking lot of the Mattatuck Museum - The surveillance team!

   The Mattatuck Museum is located in the heart of Waterbury, Connecticut, directly across from its quintessential New England Town Green. On this visit, we saw Lesley Dill's Poetry Dresses, the American Art Gallery, and the Button Collection.

Poem Dresses by Lesley Dill

   Lesley Dill's exhibit ran June 24, 2018 – September 2, 2018. Dill is a Brooklyn-based artist whose work reflects the poetry, prose, and declarations of early New England figures. Tall thin figures represent John Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Anne Hutchinson, Sojourner Truth and Walt Whitman.  Emily Dickinson, whose poetry inspired Dill’s use of text in her art, is also featured on the dresses. These icons are represented by the strength of their words.

Mattatuck Museum American Art Gallery (Connecticut Magazine)

   The Mattatuck Museum began acquiring paintings in the early 1900s. Connecticut art and subjects became the focus of the collection, along with many portraits of prominent Waterbury and Connecticut families. Waterbury city scenes and Connecticut landscapes provide a visual history of the region and its artists. Beginning in the 21st century, the Museum enlarged its mission to include all American art. Prominent artist's works in the collection include Frederick Church, William Jennys, John Kensett, Charles Ethan Porter, John Vanderlyn and John Ferguson Weir. Twentieth-century and contemporary artists include Anni and Josef Albers, Alexander Calder, William Glackens, Jasper Johns, Sol LeWitt, Kiki Smith, and Doug and Mike Starn. 

A small sample of the Mattatuck's button collection

   A fun part of visiting the Mattatuck, is going up to the top floor, and opening all the drawers of buttons! The city of Waterbury takes great pride in its manufacturing history. Buttons have been a big part of the Waterbury story for more than 200 years. The manufacture of buttons, both by hand and later by machine, has been a constant of this areas economy due to expertise in the elaborate working of metals. Large military contracts and the demands of changing fashions resulted in the importance of button manufacturing for many area companies. These miniature works of art reflect changing artistic influences. They have been made in a variety of materials, including glass, porcelain, pearl, metal, bone, paste, wood and jade. More than 3,000 buttons are on permanent display. 

See books by Laura S. Pringle on Amazon

 The Pringle Plan is a series of educational guides

. 

 ©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.

Teaching Children To Follow Your Directions Around The House (Or Classroom)

Stock photo from Pexels

    Meals and snack times; cleaning up and getting dressed; nap time or going somewhere? These are just a few of the times it can be frustrating trying to get kids to follow your directions. The key is a combination of consistency - so kids know what to expect, and light-heartedness so it's fun to participate and follow your lead. Use rhyming words to cue that you are about to give an instruction. Have them repeat a word that rhymes with your direction. Young children love non-sense words. It's all articulation practice, and they'll start to recognize the sound and rhythm of rhymes. After all, why not teach some language skills at the same time you teach your child to follow directions?  Here are a few tips from one of my books, The Pringle Plan For Following Directions.

AROUND THE HOUSE

 (OR CLASSROOM)

• Students repeat a word, and then follow your direction for any of the following occasions.
• Demonstrate each direction, until students have learned how with just a verbal instruction.

Meal and Snack Times

Say, “Wakefust.”  It’s time for breakfast.  (Nod yes.)

Say, “Lands.”  Let’s wash our hands.

Say, “Clown.”  Now please sit down.

Say, “Quack.”  It’s time for snack.  (Nod yes.)

Say, “Zands.”  Now wash your hands.

Say, “Kale.”  Please sit on your tail.

Say, “Munch.”  Let’s have our lunch.  (Nod yes.)

Say, “Bands.” Please wash your hands.

Say, “Whale.” Now sit on your tail.

Or

Say, “Pine.” Now get in line.

Say, “Winner.”  Let’s get ready for dinner.  (Nod yes.)

Say, “Sands.” Go wash your hands.

Say, “Gown.” Please sit down.

Clean Up Time

Say, “Mash.” Let’s throw out our trash.

Say, “Keen.” Now help me clean.

Say, “Deep.”  Please help me sweep.

Getting Dressed

Say, “Care.” Let’s pick out something to wear.

Say, “Zare.” Now put on your underwear.

Say, “Tants.” Now put on your pants.

Say, “Dirt.” Now put on your shirt.

Say, “Fox.” Please put on your socks.

Say, “Dues.” Now put on your shoes.

Going Somewhere

Say, “Floor.” Please wait by the door.

Say, “Better.” Now put on your sweater.

Say, “Boat.” Now put on your coat.

Say, “Far.” Now get in the car.

Say, “Pup.”  Let’s buckle up.

Activities

Say, “Name.” Let’s play a game. (Nod yes.)

Say, “Joy.”  Pick out a toy.

Say, “Care.”  Remember to share. (Nod yes.)

Say, “Look.”  Let’s read a book. (Nod yes.)

Say, “Wide.” It’s time to go outside. (Nod yes.)

Say, “Guess.”  Have fun at recess. (Nod yes.)

Going Home

Say, “Yesk.” Please clean off your desk.

Say, “Bolder.” Put your papers in your folder.

Say, “Nack.” Now pack your back-pack. 

Say, “Care.” Please push in your chair.

Say, “Goat.” Now put on your coat.

Say, “Gus.” Please listen for your bus. (hand to ear)

Nap or Bedtime

Say, “Red.” Now hop in bed.

Say, “Cap.” Now take a nap.

Say, “Peep.” Now go to sleep.

The Pringle Plan For Following Directions, Laura S. Pringle

More books by Laura S. Pringle on Amazon

 The Pringle Plan is a series of educational guides.

 ©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.

Mystery Tour at Camp Oakdale

Mystery Tour (a Beatles Tribute Band)

  The Montville Parks and Recreation department hosted Beatles Tribute Band, Mystery Tour, Sunday August 5th at Camp Oakdale. Admission was free, and a game of corn hole was set up for early arrivals.  Originally scheduled for Saturday night, the performance was postponed to Sunday due to thunderstorms the day before. 

It was a nice surprise to run into friends Francis and Tim

      The turnout was surprisingly low, possibly due to 94 degree heat. However, I wasn't the only die-hard Beatles fan willing to go a.c. free for this event. Neighbors and other town folk showed up as well. We all used the old-fashioned type of air conditioning - shade, readily available under the trees at the edges of the football field. As the evening wore on and the field shaded over, we moved up and closer to center!

George and Paul look-alikes?

  It was great fun to sing-a-long with all my old favorite songs. My first introduction to the Beatles was when I was about 5 years old. My friend's teenage sister brought home a Beatles album. Her mother wouldn't let her play that music in the house. However, she did let us go out to the garage with a portable record player, and danced with us! Fun memories! 

Ringo and John?

    Mystery Tour dressed in costume and wigs for most of the show, but when wearing their Sgt. Pepper uniforms became unbearable, the audience was understanding. For more info on Mystery Tour click here.

A change of costume becomes...

...Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band!

They braved the heat.

Fortunately the field shaded over,

and Mystery Tour continued to play!

  My husband and I love to dance around the house to music, or I should say - he likes to laugh while I attempt to dance! Below, a young couple doesn't care who is watching, they're dancing and having a great time!

Fans got up and danced!

See books by Laura S. Pringle on Amazon

 The Pringle Plan is a series of educational guides. 

 ©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.