On family history, parenting, education, social issues and more
Author: Hettie D.
My name is Henrietta (Hettie) Dombrovskaya. I was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russian (actually, back then – Leningrad, USSR) in 1963, and immigrated to the United States in 1996.
I love Saint Petersburg, the city I was born and raised in, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Similarly (but differently) I love Chicago, and can’t imagine myself moving somewhere else in the observable future.
I have three children, Igor, Vlad and Anna, all adults living on their own, and one (so far) granddaughter Nadia. I also believe that my children are the best thing that happened in my life.
As for my professional life, I am working in the field of Information Technologies. When I was twenty, I’ve declared that the databases are the coolest thing invented and that I want to do them for the rest of my life. Thirty plus years later, I still believe it’s true, and still, believe that the databases are the best. These two statements together imply that I think a person can have it all, and indeed, I think so! Keep reading my journals to find out how I did it.
– My granddaughter met a couple of European girls in college and became friends with them. You know – now it’s cool to be European! People are saying: Awww, she is European! And in the past, it was the opposite, and everyone wanted to be American. I didn’t want to be Hungarian or Austrian. All my parents’ friends were from Austria, and I didn’t even want to stay at home when they had people over! I wanted to be American, and I would get out of the house and go out with my American friends. And it’s so different now!
Talking about her divorced son and his interactions with his children:
— He is so frustrated that he doesn’t see them enough and isn’t building relationships with them. When we were young, there was no such thing. You were not supposed to be friends with your kids. Now, my daughter and her daughter are friends. And when we were young, it was not even a question. Kids were supposed to do what their parents tell them, have good grades, and stay out of trouble. And nobody even thought of building relationships!
Just to be clear, she doesn’t think it’s a bad thing that kids are friends with their parents nowadays. She likes it, but she sees this difference, and I think it’s commendable that she sees it as a positive thing.
***
Talking with my other friend, whose daughter went to college in one of the Southern States.
— She is telling me: mom, the other girls arrived, and they all look the same! Like twins! All the same white blondes. You know how she’s used to seeing all different faces at her high school, and now she is: where is diversity?!
***
Having a conversation at work in the cafeteria. One of my co-workers wants to downsize after the last child departs for college, and reasons that he has very few options since he lives by the lake. I nod energetically, but two of our other co-workers who do not live by the lake are mildly puzzled.
— What do you mean? You mean, you have a good view?
— No, he means “living by the lake!”
— So the air? The climate? Is it better?
— No, it’s not about it. It’s “living by the lake.” It’s a thing!
My co-worker nods:
— Yes, once you lived by the lake, it’s non-negotiable.
My right hand injury was going back and forth for almost two months, and about three and a half weeks ago, I decided I should check with my physical therapist one more time. He assured me that these back-and-forths were normal and showed me a couple more exercises. He told me it will be two to four more weeks. As of now, I feel like it’s “almost” normal, to the point that sometimes I forget that the right hand is injured, but it’s still not 100%. My trainer told me this morning that it’s always like the last one percent takes the most time, and I believe him :). I am happy that I can do most things with my right hand, because it is still my stronger hand, and when I can’t operate it normally, it doesn’t make my left hand stronger 🙂
Last week I finally watched Odyssey. I watched it on Thursday at the AMC Dine-in Theater, not because I wanted to eat while watching, but because it was the only convenient option in terms of showtime and distance to the venue. That was my first time attending a screening in this theater, so now I know how the theater looks and what the best row is to sit in.
I think that’t the third Odyssey movie I watched in my lifetime. I liked, but without a hype. I think it says something that for thousands year, people still find inspiration in this epic. It’s a great story, and if after all these years, we still find something that draws us to the that plot, it’s not for nothing. The movie is very well done, the cast, the quality of cinematograthy, etc., except stepping away from the historical accuracty with costumes and armory (the wrong helmet types are bothersome, but I am unsure whether it was done on purpose to cater to the public expectations or not). Also, I didn’t like Polyphemus representation in a Gollum-like style, I like more the “traditional” presentation from the previous movies, and I think that Ancient Greeks thought about Polyphemus that way!
As much as I try not to read any reviews before watching anything, it was hard not to notice, that people were discussing the moral grounds of Odyssey’s decision, like sactrificing the lives of some of his men. But I believe that was the most true-to-the-story part! A special significans of Homer’s Odyssey is it’s representation of a snapshot in time, not only want people believed back than, but what they considered to be honorable, caurageous, what they considered being a treason, what they admired and hated, and what the “defaults” were.
I heardfrom some that this movie was better at IMAX, but to be honest, it was already enough noise for me to plug my ears from time to time, and I had no desire to be in a middle of a battle
I mentioned it already, but it was indeed my Wednesday highlight! It was the group’s first meeting, and there was quite a crowd! OSS is a huge topic that interests me on many levels (that’s why I jumped at the opportunity to be on the LPI board!)
Robert gave a great talk about the nature of Open Source, and perfectly described all aspects of it:
the source code is open
you do not pay to use it
you do not pay for giving it to anyone
you can develop your own products based on an OSS and make money
you can contribute
OSS is vital for code quality (you have thousands of testers worldwide). OSS is vital for DEI because anyone from anywhere in the world can use it.
It was very heartwarming to be welcomed at this meetup! I found a surprising number of people interested in what I am doing and interested in volunteering for the Prairie meetup, so I am trying to build momentum. One person with whom I talked told me that it’s the first time he has met someone as enthusiastic about the job they are doing as I am, and that he wants to help my organization. And everyone loved my Prairie shirt 🙂
It was quite a week! There were some very positive things, but also some extremely annoying things, and lots of stress at work and otherwise. I started my workday yesterday really early, even earlier than usual, and was hoping to be done earlier as well, but instead, I had to work miracles for several hours, and then I stayed at my mom’s place for the switch to a new internet service provider, which also ran way later than I planned, so Friday night ended up not being a beginning of the weekend either! Today, I resolved not to look at anything work-related and to give myself a break from all my other queued activities and just recharge.
I might regret the latter part tomorrow, but today I feel great :). I started with a really long (33 miles) bike ride. The weather was perfect for biking (although it looked like I wasn’t the only one thinking that way), and even before 6 AM, it was pretty crowded on the Lake Front Trail.
Looking at the Loop from the SouthUrban Prairie
Then I made breakfast and had a piece of cream cheese rhubarb pie, which I baked last night, and then headed to the closest beach (to maximize the time by the water). The water was just warm enough to be pleasant, and then I lay on the sand and listened to the waves, and there was nothing in the world except for the Lake and me 🙂
Mom’s internet was finally fixed! I am exceptionally thankful to Igor, who was able to come and be present during the technician’s visit. I am still switching my mom to another internet provider because I don’t want another poor customer service experience, but at least she has internet and is happy.
I attended the first Chicago GNU/Linux meetup, and it was 2.5 hours of infinite positive emotions! Interested and enthusiastic people, great conversations, lots of new plans and new connections, and a great feeling that I am doing something good and making a positive impact.
Sometimes, people (not those who know me, but just random people with whom I talk, like Uber drivers, inevitably asking, “Where are you from?”) ask me whether I visit Russia, and I always reply, “Not anymore.” Sometimes (to my surprise!) they are surprised to the level of: why, what war, etc., and sometimes I have to go at length explaining what and why. Well, here is something that happened to someone living very close to me: Igor’s article. Not only because of that, of course, but it was definitely one of the factors.
Note that if this person were more cooperative with the FSB, the latter might spy on me as well (not like I do not express my views publicly).
I saw this initiative announced in several news sources, and I hope it will work! At least it’s a move in the right direction, and I would love my tax dollars to go toward it. Even though sometimes I need to take Uber or Lyft, I would much prefer never to take either of them because of safety concerns.
CTA to add crisis intervention, community violence prevention teams
A rider ascends the Sheridan Red Line CTA “L” station in Uptown on Aug. 21, 2025. Crisis intervention and violence prevention teams are planned for portions of the Red, Blue and Green lines. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
New teams of crisis intervention and community violence prevention workers will soon roam portions of the agency’s Red, Blue and Green rail lines.
The CTA plans to spend $9.6 million to fund the teams over the course of a one-year pilot program.
The teams will be composed of workers trained in de-escalation, crisis intervention, mental health, and in first aid like CPR and Narcan administration, the CTA’s Chief Innovation Officer Molly Poppe told CTA board members Wednesday. They will all wear branded uniforms, the CTA said.
The CTA’s board of directors approved contracts with several nonprofits for the teams of what the CTA is calling “safe ride specialists” at the agency’s monthly board meeting.
It was among the final actions taken by the current iteration of the CTA’s board, which will be replaced in just a few weeks pursuant to statewide transit funding and reform legislation that mandates a significant shake-up of the governing bodies that oversee the Chicago area’s transit systems.
The crisis intervention pilot program comes amid ongoing conversations about how to best address crime and quality-of-life issues like smoking on the CTA — as well as how best to help people who are unhoused or experiencing mental health crises who seek shelter on the city’s transit system.
Those issues played a prominent role in transit reform conversations last year and have continued to be a focus of transit leaders as the region gets ready to transition to a new system of transit governance — with more than $1 billion in expected new revenue available to it annually.
The teams of specialists are expected to be at work on the rail system in September, according to the CTA.
The launch of the new program comes after the CTA significantly increased law enforcement presence on the system after the administration of President Donald Trump threatened last year to withhold millions in federal funding from the system unless it did so.
Transit and law enforcement leaders have cited significant decreases in crime on the system following that boost in law enforcement hours, which includes officers from the Cook County sheriff’s police.
FBI-classified serious crimes on the portion of the CTA within city limits are down about 29% when compared with last year, according to Chicago police data.
Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen touted the results of the agency’s security efforts Wednesday.
“We talk a lot about our multilayered security strategy, our dynamic security strategy,” she said, noting the increase in law enforcement decrease in crime. “We’ve layered on another layer here today. And it’s not just one type of resource, it’s several.”
The biggest contract under the CTA’s new safe ride program is slated for the Metropolitan Family Services nonprofit. The group will get up to $6.6 million to fund 20 community violence intervention specialists on the portion of the Red Line downtown between the Lake and Roosevelt stations.
The violence prevention workers will “engage proactively” with young people on the system and “serve as a positive presence, building a rapport and trust on the system,” said Joe Bird, the CTA’s chief security officer. They will work the system seven days a week between 12 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.
The other contracts funded under the pilot program will go to the homelessness organizations Housing Forward and Street Samaritans as well as to mental health and substance use group Healthcare Alternative Systems.
Teams staffed by those groups will work on the CTA’s Green Line between Harlem and Central avenues; on the Blue Line’s O’Hare branch between Logan Square and O’Hare and on the Blue Line’s Forest Park branch between Austin and Forest Park.
Also Wednesday, the CTA’s board approved additional funding for an existing program in conjunction with the Chicago Department of Family & Support Services.
That program, dedicated to assisting unhoused people who seek shelter on the CTA, helps fund outreach work on the CTA’s Red and Blue lines as well as shelter beds set aside specifically for people who shelter on the CTA. The agency expects the program to cost up to $4.2 million annually, the agency said. Board members approved the program through the end of 2027 with an option to extend for an additional year.
Despite police data that shows a sustained decrease in CTA crime, the agency continues to take heat on safety.
During the public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting, Pennie McCoach, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 — which represents CTA rail workers — slammed the agency over safety, calling its current security measures “inadequate.” McCoach’s comments followed the June killing of CTA worker Thomas Kevin Barlow, who was shot and killed outside of a South Side rail maintenance facility.
Wednesday’s board meeting was the CTA board’s last regularly scheduled meeting before their terms expire on Sept. 1 pursuant to the transit legislation.
At least two current CTA board members, including its current chairman, attorney Lester Barclay and Michael Eaddy, a pastor, will serve on the new iteration of the transit board. Both were appointed to serve on the new CTA board by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
The board will also see some new faces. The mayor’s third CTA board pick is Dee Atkins, chief of community engagement and equity at mental health and substance use organization Thresholds.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who gets two appointees on the new board, named Tom Kotarac — a current board member of the nearly defunct Regional Transportation Authority — and Ann Kalayil, associate vice president of facilities and construction at Columbia College Chicago.
Gov. JB Pritzker, who will appoint the board’s remaining two members, has yet to announce his picks.
On Sunday, I made a trip to Palatine, which I had planned for a while. I wanted to see at least some of my friends, especially my old neighbors who never visited me at my new place and are unlikely to ever visit due to multiple health issues. I was ready to take public transportation when one of my friends I wanted to visit offered to drive me both ways. At first, I wanted to say, ” No, thank you”, but then I realized that this would give us almost two extra hours of talking/catching up, and also that she could visit my mom, who is always happy to speak Russian with someone, so I enthusiastically agreed.
It’s interesting how familiar my old place still feels. I loved visiting and noticing both what stayed the same and what changed: new businesses, new names on old establishments, new construction, and new green patches. Looking at an almost sterile environment, with no garbage in sight, with perfectly manicured lawns everywhere I looked and impeccable landscaping, I was thinking about whether I would want to observe this site day after day, after day. I know I liked it when I lived in Palatine; I loved seeing this picture-perfect everywhere I looked, and at some point, I thought all of America was like that :). I also realized I haven’t been that far inland in a while, and I forgot how humid and stuffy the air can get!
I also wanted to visit Deer Grove Forest Preserve, which, as I keep saying, is the only thing I really miss after moving to Rogers Park. My friend, who is a steward in Deer Grove, took me there for a walk at the end of our visit, and it was great to see the prairie in full bloom and lots of restoration being done.
The best part of the day, however, was talking to my friends. All of them have very different backgrounds, different perspectives, and are in different places in their lives. Still, all of them are near and dear to me. I told the story of “what had happened with me during the last year” three times and got different reactions, different questions, and heard three different stories in return. And all three were very deep and meaningful conversations, not me merely nodding or reassuring someone that their life is not over :). Love my friends 🥰
