If my dear old pal Ivan has enough hope to actually quote Bob Dylan, well then, this leadership change must be the real deal.
Hope.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
election 2008
We are humble and ready to serve for the benefit of our country.
So, let us all be transformed.
Blessings.
Our Fifth Principle: In House
I just finished prepping the lesson for our Older Elementary Sunday School class for this week. We're using Toolbox of Faith by Kate Covey (do we have a Facebook fan page for her yet? we should) this week is about the Democratic Process.
It makes me so deeply grateful to be Unitarian Universalist, and to have been raised with these core values as a UU. Democracy is not about keeping *you* away from *my* stuff, it's about us, all of us here in this world today taking care of each other. And now as I plan this lesson with the RE volunteer and my brand new fabulous Associate DRE I am stunned at just what we do here in our little humble denomination, and our humble little congregation.
I was reading what Kate writes about direct democracy and about consensus, and of course I realize that our own Michael Kusz, who serves as the Sr. Manager of FUNTIMES Youth Caucus at GA, should go talk to the Older Elementary class this week! I mean, the Olympia Brown story is a big deal and important, but we have our own story, too.
We have the story of how the youth of Westside UU Congregation got the vote, how we changed our bylaws so people under 18 could be full members of our congregation and go to GA as delegates. And how one of those youth was voted into leadership at GA and then brought more justice and voice to all UU youth by serving on the Youth Ministry Working Group.
It's a good story on this good election day.
(I have decided that working by myself in my house all day was a really, really bad idea on this very highly heroically stressful day! And I'm taking the rest of the day to sit by the tv and to try to write my nano and to cook, and bake and sautee and keep my hands busy. Ah!)
It makes me so deeply grateful to be Unitarian Universalist, and to have been raised with these core values as a UU. Democracy is not about keeping *you* away from *my* stuff, it's about us, all of us here in this world today taking care of each other. And now as I plan this lesson with the RE volunteer and my brand new fabulous Associate DRE I am stunned at just what we do here in our little humble denomination, and our humble little congregation.
I was reading what Kate writes about direct democracy and about consensus, and of course I realize that our own Michael Kusz, who serves as the Sr. Manager of FUNTIMES Youth Caucus at GA, should go talk to the Older Elementary class this week! I mean, the Olympia Brown story is a big deal and important, but we have our own story, too.
We have the story of how the youth of Westside UU Congregation got the vote, how we changed our bylaws so people under 18 could be full members of our congregation and go to GA as delegates. And how one of those youth was voted into leadership at GA and then brought more justice and voice to all UU youth by serving on the Youth Ministry Working Group.
It's a good story on this good election day.
(I have decided that working by myself in my house all day was a really, really bad idea on this very highly heroically stressful day! And I'm taking the rest of the day to sit by the tv and to try to write my nano and to cook, and bake and sautee and keep my hands busy. Ah!)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Anxiety....
Does anyone else from the MTV 1.0 generation remember that old Pat Benatar song with the video where she was all freaked out? No offense to folks with real mental illness, but I'm kind of spinning on the Pat Benatar MTV kind.
This election had better hurry up and get done. Oh my gosh. I swear I'm about to rip my TV off the wall.
And how are all you Nanowrimo folks doing? I can tell that Facebook has been busy! That's what I do while I'm mulling over a sentence or a shift....I flip between email, facebook and whatever else I can think of! But this year's writing has been faster than last year. And more folks I know are on the bandwagon--both new and old friends. So it feels like a whole "Breakfast Club" of us out there pulling together in our own Nanowrimo induced detention.
But it is clearly not enough to distract me from the election or the Halloween Candy. Maybe a part of the ritual after Nanowrimo is over, is joining Weight Watchers! Just like last year.
OK, everyone. Almost done. Oh my gosh I just caaaaaan't wait.
"Anxiety, can't get nothin' done. Anxiety, spoils all the fun....."
This election had better hurry up and get done. Oh my gosh. I swear I'm about to rip my TV off the wall.And how are all you Nanowrimo folks doing? I can tell that Facebook has been busy! That's what I do while I'm mulling over a sentence or a shift....I flip between email, facebook and whatever else I can think of! But this year's writing has been faster than last year. And more folks I know are on the bandwagon--both new and old friends. So it feels like a whole "Breakfast Club" of us out there pulling together in our own Nanowrimo induced detention.
But it is clearly not enough to distract me from the election or the Halloween Candy. Maybe a part of the ritual after Nanowrimo is over, is joining Weight Watchers! Just like last year.OK, everyone. Almost done. Oh my gosh I just caaaaaan't wait.
"Anxiety, can't get nothin' done. Anxiety, spoils all the fun....."
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Nanowrimo?? Well....almost.
So sometimes when you start writing, things take a turn. Sometimes a U turn, sometimes a little curvy turn. And sometimes a genre turn.
My novel is turning into a memoir.
It's kind of a story about raising kids. I don't always know what it means to raise kids and I almost never really know what I'm doing, but it seems that this is what is in my finger tips this November, so there it is. This is what comes out.
I feel just awful that it's November again and I still haven't finished last year's novel. But oh well. It's that practice of imperfection again. And really, I think I will.
Someday.
So, guess I'm writing a Namewrimo. National Memoir Writing Month??! OK. I can handle it. I am used to doing things a little differently. It's all good.
I hope everyone who has an actual novel is doing really well and that you have a plot and some rockin' characters and some good twists and turns coming up. Me? I'm just writing what has already happened. What could be easier than that!?
Whatever is getting written, it's really all good. Happy Na....whatever.
My novel is turning into a memoir.
It's kind of a story about raising kids. I don't always know what it means to raise kids and I almost never really know what I'm doing, but it seems that this is what is in my finger tips this November, so there it is. This is what comes out.
I feel just awful that it's November again and I still haven't finished last year's novel. But oh well. It's that practice of imperfection again. And really, I think I will.
Someday.
So, guess I'm writing a Namewrimo. National Memoir Writing Month??! OK. I can handle it. I am used to doing things a little differently. It's all good.
I hope everyone who has an actual novel is doing really well and that you have a plot and some rockin' characters and some good twists and turns coming up. Me? I'm just writing what has already happened. What could be easier than that!?
Whatever is getting written, it's really all good. Happy Na....whatever.
Scenes from LREDA Fall Con 2008
This was really the best part of the whole conference. OK, the theology from Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker was life changing, and the sessions were solid and full. Seeing my good friend Halcyon and getting to room together was the best part!
Did you know the leaves change in New Mexico, too? I didn't! This was down by the Rio Grande River.
The courtyard at the Hotel Albuquerque was lovely, and offered fast respite in moments of complete overload.
The light fixtures looked to me like big chalices!
The local mission church in Old Town Albuquerque.
Day of the Dead, or Dia des los Muertes decorations were everywhere.
You can see the buskers in the shadows. Eventually there were two local guitar players and one local tourist with a wicked harmonica. A treat!
The Rio Grande River----it's really shallow here, and very murky.
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