Last fall the voters in St. Michaels signaled their desire for change; and elected three new town commissioners. In my experience, most candidates promise change, but few deliver. The St. Michaels commissioners have rolled up their sleeves and surprised us all.

People have reacted as they typically do to change, with criticism, anger, fear, and frustration.

But it is easy to understand why residents voted for change. My St. Michaels property taxes have increased a whopping 68% in 4 years; with an average annual tax increase of 16%; despite NO property improvements. In my 40+ years of owning houses, I have never experienced even a double digit increase, much less almost 70%.  In hindsight, it is surprising that the “tax revolt” took so long.

Already, the new town commissioners have made substantial progress. They are identifying the causes of the sharp tax increases and investigating ways to remedy them. They remain focused on “righting the financial ship.”

St. Michaels Commissioners work essentially as volunteers, some not even collecting their $4,000 annual salary. Our commissioners represent the very best in a democracy. They are addressing the concerns of taxpayers, without personal financial gain, at the same time intent on keeping the character of the town. For example, they cancelled the planned town municipal building with the goal of replacing it with a more modest structure. They have initiated simple changes, like employee time cards; and are conducting a nationwide search for a qualified, experienced city manager. They are attempting to remedy areas where the residential community is shouldering a disproportionate share of the costs.

So how have their efforts been recognized?

With disrespectful, harsh, and unrelenting criticism; often from people who are not paying town taxes.

Our previous stewards created an idyllic town, appealing to businesses, tourists, and townspeople alike. But our property taxes are much higher than comparable communities (e.g., Key West, New Hope). In August, St. Michaels commissioners posted their most impressive accomplishment to date, for the first time, a small REDUCTION in property taxes.

This is not to criticize the work of our previous leaders and commissioners. They built an exciting, quaint, and charming town. But now is the time to examine the cost structure and help the St. Michaels residential property owners.

The actions of the St. Michaels commissioners have been very reasonable, and I am amazed how much they have already accomplished. So rather than brutalize these volunteers; why not focus on areas where both critics and supporters agree?

• We love this town and want to retain its character.
• The rise in the property tax rates is not sustainable.
• The residential property owners should not shoulder a disproportionate burden.
• We should work together to satisfy the citizens, businesses, and nonprofits that support this community without requiring the residential community to fund them.

Doesn’t that make more sense than nasty diatribes?

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I am very excited about a new restaurant that opened in St Michaels, Ruse (or Wildset). We have many fine restaurants (a “shout-out” to my neighbor’s restaurant, Bistro, whose crabcakes and steaks are amazing!). The Ruse chef is creative, and the food is delicious and unique. But most of all, I like the vibe; it is loud, energetic, and youthful. (Let me add that I have few credentials to make a restaurant recommendation, although I have dined in fabulous restaurants, I am a mediocre cook and do not have a particularly refined palate.)

Why do I like this restaurant, besides the spectacular food? It was built to appeal to a younger audience.

When I first moved to the Eastern Shore, I was drawn to the peaceful, placid waterscape. Its scenery was cleansing, peaceful, quiet, and restorative. The flat landscape offered a view of wildlife and an opportunity for cycling. The fresh produce in the summer and the intimacy with nature was just what I needed to heal a broken soul.

I was welcomed by the neighborhood. I have never known my neighbors before, but here there is a friendliness and kindness. Our political perspectives are different, but our concern for each other is universal.

But one aspect of this area both dismayed and perplexed me. The absence of age diversity. Kent and Talbot counties “out Florida” Florida. Our median age is 48 and 51 respectively. In comparison, the median age in Maryland is 39. Fully 49% in Kent and 51% of the residents in Talbot are over 50, compared to Maryland where 37% of the population is over 50. The popular retirement counties in Florida have a median age of 41. In Miami-Dade only 36% of its population is over 50; in Broward 38%; and Palm Beach is 44%. Per the census data, since 2010 the 50+population has growing in Talbot County at an average rate of 6%; conversely the under 50 population has been declining at the rate of 6%.

My previous home in Morristown NJ was facing a similar fate as Talbot and Kent counties. Town officials recognized that they had several factors in their favor; namely, a 35 minute commute to NYC via mass transit, good schools, and good restaurants. The town commissioners approved several apartment and condo buildings next to vacant property adjacent to the train station. Soon Morristown was “discovered” by young parents leaving NYC to provide a better life for their children. Now the town is thriving; shops, bars, and more restaurants fill the downtown; which is alive with energy and people until midnight. There is ample room for all ages

When I moved to St Michaels, I recognized the same potential. Even before COVID; many employers were allowing their employees to work virtually 3 or 4 days a week, making a 1 or 2 day commute to DC feasible. All Talbot County had to do was invest in public schools, allow developers to build some housing attractive to this community (thus drawing the population to existing housing), and invest in cycling paths. With just a few tweaks we could build a vibrant, multi-generational county.

The younger demographic is vital to a thriving community. They are more environmentally aware, spend more, are more likely to eat out, and are more likely to start businesses. Conversely my generation spends 25%-41% less. At the current rate of growth of my generation; conservative estimates indicate that this will result in $15-$18M reduction in consumer spending in Talbot County, primarily from entertainment and retail sectors. Due to our limited incomes, we are often less willing to approve expenditures on improvements and schools.

To me, it was obvious, we needed to focus on bringing younger people into this county. It took me a while to realize that many people strongly disagreed with me. Preservation groups, environmental protection groups, and “from heres” wanted to keep the rural nature intact. One preservation couple informed me that that they wanted to keep everything the way it was after they completed their own home. Fearing strip malls, increased traffic, and more demand on our fragile ecosystem; many Talbot County citizens remained unconvinced of the need for attracting a younger population and were adamant on the need for stability.

A recent column in the Spy by J E Dean asked the question about Easton. I am expanding the question, what about Talbot County? How do we feel about the graying of Kent and Talbot counties?

(There are some new opportunities to attract the younger generations. The “silos” project in Easton; and some new restaurants have been targeted toward the younger generation.)

Which brings me back to Ruse. Ruse welcomes everyone but has been developed to appeal to a younger demographic; (although I go there as often as I can). Maybe this demographic will be lured by the fantastic restaurants, natural landscape, and outdoor activities. Maybe the Bike Talbot group will be able to inspire more cycling pathways. Maybe our area will be discovered by those weary of living in metropolitan areas; and less concerned about a single day commute to the city.

I hope so.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I recently watched Allen v Farrow, a four-part documentary on HBO that makes a compelling case that Woody Allen sexually abused his 7-year-old daughter. In addition, court testimony from Woody’s maid and doorman indicated that Woody began his affair with Soon Yi while she was in High School. Soon-Yi was ripe for predation, she had never had a boyfriend or even been kissed. She was an easy mark for a sexual predator like Woody Allen.

In NY and NJ, a monthly conversation was “Which is your Favorite Woody Allen movie?” I could not participate since I stopped watching Woody Allen films after Manhattan…which struck me at the time as creepy. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time; but I found the relationship between Mariel Hemingway and Woody Allen disturbing. (Ironically that is the film that the documentary used to demonstrate how Woody has been grooming his audience to be comfortable with middle aged men dating 17 and 18 year old girls.)

Some of my friends continue to love Woody Allen movies (although his latest film was not released in the US). They believe that it is impossible to know the “true story.” They argue that an artists’ private life should not impact whether his art is consumed.

But what should we do with the art from flawed individuals? This month, R Kelly is being tried for child pornography and sex trafficking. Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, Harvey Weinstein, and Kevin Spacey are just a few of the artists whose private lives have been exposed to reveal serious moral flaws.

What should happen?

Should we let the market decide or should we demand that distributors refuse to sell their products? If so, who decides? Or should it be an individual decision?

Picasso was a well-known misogynist (who famously put out a cigarette on a model’s cheek). Jackson Pollock was a philanderer “bad boy” who appropriated the work of Janet Sobel, the first artist to pioneer the drip painting technique. While Pollock initially credited her with the “drip” technique; art historians, eager to promote Pollock’s work, claimed the technique was created by Pollock and discredited Sobel as a housewife or amateur.

Who decides what is acceptable immorality and unacceptable immorality? Is sexual predation the sole criteria? How about stealing or shoplifting? What about philandering? What about spousal and child abuse?

Do we excuse behavior of predators who were victims themselves (e.g., R Kelly)?

More often than not, we ignore personal immorality. For example, both Clinton and Trump were sexual predators. Yet we elected them to the Presidency with their moral deficits on full display.

Some believe that compensation is the most important component. If the morally deficient artist is no longer alive, purchasing their art will not financially benefit the offender.

I don’t know the answer; but I find the question fascinating.

To quiet my own conscience, I boycott products by misogynists, spousal and child abusers, and sexual predators. I miss listening to one of my favorite songs; I Believe I Can Fly. But it is a small price to pay.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I was recently at a medical practitioner’s office when a young, maskless woman rushed into the office searching for an emergency care facility.  Despite signs, and a request, the woman remained maskless. Without a “please” or “thank you,” the woman insisted that the receptionist assist her in entering the address of an urgent care facility into her phone. After the kind receptionist finished assisting her, the woman explained that she was taking her children to get a COVID 19 test. No apology for potentially exposing the administrator to the virus. To that woman, she was just one of the “little people behind the desk.”

Last month I was at a doctor’s office when an affluently-dressed man approached the receptionist.  He appeared to be a retired “master of the universe.” He informed receptionist that he had a 10 a.m. appointment in another location and since that location was inconvenient, he wanted to see the doctor in this facility. The receptionist patiently explained that his doctor only saw patients in the other location.

During the conversation, she remained cordial, but insistent, the doctor would not be ignoring his other patients and drive to that facility.  After losing this argument, the man announced that he would be willing to see the doctor in this location for his 10 a.m. appointment. The receptionist explained that the waiting room was full of people who had 10 a.m. appointments with this doctor. He was unmoved by the full waiting room, and the dialog continued for another 10 minutes or so. She remained patient, but insistent. He remained dismissive, after all, she was one of the “little people behind the desk.”

On another occasion, I watched a gentleman arrive at the wrong doctor’s office. Once he was informed of his error, he insisted that the office staff member take him to the correct facility. She explained that she needed to stay to assist her patients; but he was unimpressed, after all, she was one of the “little people behind the desk.”

These are just some of the incidents that I have witnessed in the past year; I can only imagine what these office staff have had to endure.

Yet, these employees consistently meet demands with kindness, gentleness, and firmness.  They go above and beyond to help people without many “please” and “thank you’s.” And yet, “the little people behind the desk” somehow remain friendly and helpful; ready to make the next patient feel comfortable and relaxed.

I want to thank all of you for your kindness.  Thank you for making me feel at ease. Thank you for making a difference in so many ways.

There is nothing little about you.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I have a delightful little garden. It is filled with daylilies, astilbes, hellebores, goose neck loosestrife, vinca, hosta, caladiums, azaleas, hydrangea and more. But my favorite element is a gnarled, pitted, dying, “junk tree” called a boxelder.

Boxelders have a life expectancy of 70 years; if the trunk is a guide, my tree is probably much older.

Arborists dismissively describe my favorite tree as a wild boxelder, a messy junk tree. When I ask them to trim off the dead branches, they survey it with their arms folded and reply. “Don’t waste your money on it. You need take this down.”

But I will keep it as long as I can.

Its trunk tells its story, tree cankers surround it as a reminder of the storms that lashed through it; the viruses, bacteria, insects, and mold that tried to destroy it and the lichen that coats its dead branches.

And while it probably started out as a junk tree; it is now a magnificent, intricate timber statue. Its complexity tells the story of the slings and arrows that it battled.

Sort of like us. We all bear scars. Some of ours were caused by sharp blows to our psyche, perhaps while we were growing up. Others were caused by people who hurt us. Other cankers grew slowly surrounding a wounded area and building a bark fortress as protection, like chronic illnesses and mental breakdowns. Still other cankers encase deep wounds that have left a significant scar; like death or loss.

Each of these assaults have made this trunk more intricate, more heroic, more interesting. To me, it is now a work of art.

Unlike my tree, most of our scars are invisible. We can’t point to them like I can to the cankers on my tree. Some we conquered; others we manage; and some will never heal. But all of these have built a magnificent, complicated being, much more interesting than the original tiny saplings.

I love the rough power of this tree. I love how it has resisted and survived and I do not want to end its life ignobly with an electric saw.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I am not a fan of hunting. I love animals, especially mammals and birds; I can’t even kill a mouse. But I eat meat, so I have no high moral podium from which to preach. Hunted animals probably live better lives than the animals that I eat despite their “humanely raised” designation.

It is also easy to see the value of hunting. All that you need is to compare my previous hometown of Morristown, NJ to the Eastern Shore.

Due to suburban sprawl, there is no hunting in that area of NJ; and the impact on wildlife is devastating.

Lacking predators (except cars), deer have devoured the landscape. The natural woodland undergrowth has been decimated. Landscape plantings are limited to three mediocre deer-resistant bushes, a handful of annuals and a half dozen ferns and perennials. Anyone who attempts to go outside these species must enclose their garden within a 6’ high spiked fence. We tried all manner of preventatives: sprays, human hair, even dogs; but nothing worked.

The deer stare us down when we run toward them. A deer herd stomped my neighbor’s miniature poodle to death. Desperate, my husband and I tried paint guns; but the yellow and blue splattered deer continued to savor our carefully crafted landscape. Our adopted German Shepherd kept them at bay until we went on vacation. We returned to an empty landscape.

Our health was also impacted, I had Lyme disease three times, my daughter twice, and my husband once.

In NJ, the Canada geese no longer migrate and have produced a carpet of excrement in all parks, golf courses, and playgrounds. Canada geese attack anyone who goes near their nest. Ecologists have tried coating their eggs with oil; only to discover after several weeks they just laid more eggs.

One of the first things that I noticed when I moved to the Eastern Shore was the different behavior of wildlife. On the Eastern Shore, they quickly retreat when alerted to humans.

Hunting serves to keep the population down; and it creates what scientists call a Landscape of Fear. Apex predators alter the behavior of their prey, preventing overgrazing and encroachment while reducing fertility rates. Hunters, the Eastern Shore’s apex predators, control both population and ecosystems.

Fall is approaching and soon the deer and wild turkey that I occasionally spy will retreat to their hiding places. And the sharp crack and boom of powerful guns will occasionally rip through the cool air. And I am grateful that everyone doesn’t see the world through my lens.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I am a fixer…I like to help people fix their problems.

A noble goal, but it also has a consequence. I am a bad listener. While listening, my brain is formulating possible solutions and cataloging problems into solution piles. Often, I don’t wait for the person to finish before interrupting with a solution.

I have tried to compensate by using the tool of repeating what I heard and getting clarification that I had it right. Helpful, yes, but it neglects the fundamental importance of listening. Listening allows someone to feel heard on their terms in their sphere. When I repeat the problem back to them, I am actually translating their problem into my language…and in any translation something is lost.

Many times, the solution is to simply to listen.

“Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of the other person. You listen with only one purpose, help him or her to empty his heart and suffer less.” Thich Nhat Hanh. (Thich Nhat Hanh is a renown Buddhist monk and prolific author about mindfulness and social activism.)

Deep listening (also called compassionate listening) allows the person to talk through his feelings and form his or her own solutions.

My daughter taught me the importance of deep listening. One time she called me very angry, and I started to offer suggestions and she stopped me. “Mom, I just need to vent. I will figure this out on my own; but I just need to express my frustrations to someone.”

Compassionate listening can be hard, it is difficult to hear someone being emotional without offering assistance. It takes a lot of restraint to listen when I disagree. And when I disagree, it can be difficult to summon empathy and compassion to recognize that they are hurting.

But when I can do it successfully, the person can move toward their own solution with an unburdened heart and a confidence that someone out there understands them. Here are some tips to deep listening.

1. Don’t try to fix the problem or give advice unless specifically asked. They need empathy, not advice.
2. Be patient, sometimes the speakers don’t understand what their own issue is, and even though it is obvious to you, it is not to them. They need to come to the realization themselves. Silence and patience give them their voice.
3. If the problem includes you or someone that you love, don’t get defensive. This can be hard, but these are their feelings even if you don’t agree. When their problems are with me, I respond that I can hear and understand how they feel; without agreeing with it.

Deep listening is one of the hardest tasks for a problem solver; it takes time, it takes patience. But when I can do it, it is more effective than any solution that I can propose.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

I am not a lucky person. My friends ask my advice for products and services so that they can make a different choice. Even my husband got into the act. Countless times I have heard “this never breaks” or “this has never happened before.” If it can break, it will.  I had a root canal on the wrong tooth.

But on the important things, I have been incredibly lucky. I had a long and loving marriage, I have a healthy daughter, I have wonderful friends and family.  So, I don’t pay a lot of attention to my “bad luck.” But I take precautions. I purchase the extended warranty, I keep extra pump and spray bottles (to replace defective ones), I try to avoid optional surgeries (more about that later), and I don’t waste my money on games of chance.

But as I am getting ready for a surgery to fix a botched Lasik, I started to wonder.  Is there such a thing as luck?

Well, it depends on your perspective.  Many believe that luck is probability taken personally. As a statistician, I am a big believer in probability.  One of the most common errors in judgement is the gambler’s fallacy, which is a non-Bayesian approach (e.g., what is the probability that you will get “heads” on a fair coin if you have gotten “tails” for the last 10 times…the answer, 50%). From this viewpoint, “bad luck” is merely focusing on bad events and “good luck” is counting the good ones.

Many traditional practices, such as voodoo and hoodoo, have strong beliefs in luck and superstition. Religions teach that third parties can influence an individual’s luck, such as saints or ancestors. Shamans and witches are believed to cause good or bad fortune. In some cultures, certain numbers are lucky (7 for Christians; 8 for Chinese). Buddhism, on the other hand, emphatically believes that luck does not exist because all things that happen must have a cause.

Psychologist Richard Wiseman studied the phenomenon of luck and determined that good fortune is mostly attitude. “Lucky” people were more open-minded, smiling, and easy-going, while those who perceived themselves to be “unlucky” were more anxious and felt that they were unfairly “treated.”

Based on his research he developed a prescription for good luck:

1. Maximize opportunities. Lucky people often change their daily routine making them open to new opportunities.
2. Listen to hunches and your body’s reaction. Lucky people indicated that they listened to the little voice in their head.
3. Expect good luck. Lucky people expect to win.

So, I am following his advice…hey you never know, maybe I’ll buy a lottery ticket.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Those of us who grew up on the Eastern Shore remember the canneries. For almost 100 years, canneries dominated the Eastern Shore. By the early 1930s canneries employed half of the male population on the Eastern Shore. Women had roles too, peeling tomatoes. and filling cans Canneries offered reliable work under harsh conditions, processing peas, green beans, lima beans, peaches, cherries, seafood, meat, and corn. But on the Eastern Shore, tomatoes were king. (A video history of the canning industry is available from the Preston Historical Society.)

Canneries also spawned trucking and shipping businesses.

The depression signaled the demise of most canneries, the few that remained gradually dwindled away. Local canneries couldn’t compete with California’s 365 day growing season or weather the declining prices for canned goods. Workers demanded better working conditions and higher wages. Environmental protection regulations required proper waste disposal instead of dumping waste directly into streams or ravines. Cannery owners were caught in a vicious cycle, unable to compete profitably, they could not afford to invest in technology to make their canneries profitable.

Now, there are hints of change…no, the canneries will not come back to the way that they were, but changes in consumer tastes may present an opportunity. Younger consumers are environmentally conscientious and prefer high quality, local products.  Can the Eastern Shore take advantage of this trend?

I recently talked to Steward Enterprises, https://gosteward.com/ a crowd-farming funding source for food hubs, equipment, and small farmers. CEO Daniel Miller, who has an MBA from Wharton has a passion for the Eastern Shore. (Full Disclosure: Dan Miller was the co-founder of Fundrise, the largest crowdfunding real estate company. He is also my nephew.)

With its rich soil, dedicated farmers, highway system, and proximity to large metropolitan markets, Talbot County is an ideal location for a food hub. Those of us lucky enough to live here are rewarded with local produce stands and farmers’ markets.  But our location offers even more opportunities. We have a local branding, Chesapeake Harvest, which has been nurtured by the Easton Economic Development Corporation under the leadership of Tracy Ward.

The goal of food hubs is to help local farmers by combining produce and providing logistics support: food prep, distribution, markets, food storage, etc. Combining yields gives farmers access to larger markets.

As Ryan Anderson of Steward, explained, food hubs not only provide logistics support, but also support the development of processed foods such as canned goods. For example, Spike Gjerde of Woodbury Kitchens (who has agreed to participate) encouraged local farmers on the western shore to grow fish peppers, an heirloom pepper. Using this rare pepper, he created a locally popular Snake Oil Hot Sauce.

Steward Enterprises applied for a grant to do a feasibility study for a food hub in Talbot County.  This food hub would support organic and traditional produce farmers and provide a commercial kitchen for entrepreneurs to rent space to create and distribute new products.

This new type of food hub is in the most nascent of stages; it requires funding for a feasibility study and collaboration with farmers, local leaders, local growers, and state agencies.

Targeting younger buyers who favor regional over mass produced products, even a local canned product is possible. That’s right, maybe someday, we might start to have small canneries.

It is too soon to know if this will happen. Food Hubs are notoriously tricky to implement, there is often opposition to change, insufficient supply (local supermarkets and restaurants are clamoring for regional products), capital, and logistical challenges. The only way to proceed is through a laborious collaborative approach with traditional farmers, entrepreneurial farmers, local government bureaus, and local leadership.

But I can dream.  After all, there are over 250 food hubs in the United States…wouldn’t it be cool if the Mid-Shore could join this movement?

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.