Sunday & Monday at NAIN-URI NA
Aug. 15th, 2005 10:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rowanfSunday we continued working on Caring for Creation interspersed with the first of the "how to" sessions. I went to one on putting on interfaith events since that is something I do. *grin* The high point of the presenter's design was always have music and she had modelled it by having the duo Condor play South American music. They were wonderful! Teresa on the members has been in the creation track and it was great to hear her work.
Rachael and I skipped out on the second "how to" and went out to the mall. We wanted to go over to Serenity, to see Samina who had been one of the local folks helping with the opening ritual to tell her how greatly it had been appreciated. Unfortunately we hadn't taken into account that it was Sunday and the mall didn't open until 11am. We drove over to the Fashion Show Mall (which wasn't open either) but I got to show it to Rachael. As 11am rolled around we wandered into a strange souvenier shop and each bought a $4 light-up fan. Our big Vegas shopping spree. *laugh* Rachael bought a new pair of shoes which she had been wanting and we went back to the Boulevard Mall and found Serenity. We bought some fairy dust (which Samina wears on her lips to great effect) and I got a wrap for Erika that I just couldn't resist. We realized that we'd missed lunch at the conference and grabbed food court food before heading back to continue with Creation.
During the next breakout sessions I went to Don's attempt to show the Sacred Space DVD (the room wasn't open and then the av equipment failed half way though) and then the session on the <http://www.globalhealing.net">Southern Sudan Education Project which I had heard about (and donated to) some months ago. Abraham Gai, one of the Lost Boys who is now living in the US and Kristy Swap gave a very moving presentation on the project. They are building a school and helping with school supplies in one area. Next time I have some money available, I think I'll donate some more.
After dinner I met with Stephen about our blogging/podcasting talk and set up my microphone in one of the "study rooms" to see if I might be able to record. It is still pretty live, but not impossible. Then Rachael and Michelle called to see if I wanted to sing in the rain with them but really they were getting out of the rain and came and joined us and we sang lots of Pagan music together. I had my laptop there with lots of lyrics to share. It was fun. At 10pm I said I really had to go to bed! And then I had to set up for synching my palm as I had committed to do the morning devotion at 7am and I wanted to be sure I had all the words.
Monday started with that devotion, focused on the Circle of Stones and the Genealogy of Brighid. It was the first time someone other than Don, Rachael and I (and the presenters) made one of the morning Earth Religions immersions. One of the women asked "where does Brighid live?" and I had no idea. I said she was right here beside me and I hadn't heard any lore about where she lives though many Gods have islands or underworld realms. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? It is always so interesting to run into questions like that!
This was the first morning I'd actually made it to breakfast in the Commons since we had been going out with the local Paganfolk after their immersion offerings. I had eggs, grits and corned beef hash... an ideal Rowan breakfast. Yum!
Then back to Caring for Creation. Our process was pretty much totally shot by now. I think the second two D's of Appreciative Inquiry don't really work when the group doesn't have any continuity of purpose. It was interesting and touchy feely and hopefully we are energized in our individual work but the kind of synergy I had hoped for didn't materialize.
After lunch Stephen and I gave our session. After another snafu about rooms we ended up actually having access to computers with internet connections and I think the handful of folks who came found it interesting. Mark Austin reiterated his offer of music for podcasts. He is going to look into Creative Commons, to which we introduced him.
Afterward I went to a talk on "URI's Vision" by Charles Gibbs. Since I had my recording stuff with me I asked him if I could record his talk and he graciously agreed. It was frustrating because the floor outlets were recessed and so I couldn't plug in either the computer or the powered mic. So I used the small mic that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mdlbear lent me as a lapel mic on Charles. It wasn't really close enough to him and I will need to amplify the signal a good bit. I could a solid 20 minute talk though which will at the very least give me something to work with. The question session afterward was too hard to record but I did get some of his answers too.
Next I joined Milt and Kathy and a couple of other folks in watching a video called Yakoana about the Indigenous People's Summit in 1997 just before the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was interesting, esp. since I had read the 109 point declaration the signed when I was looking for the Indigenous People's Water Declaration last fall. I wonder what has come in the years since 1997.
I came back to the room to drop off my computer and decided to check my email. Plugging in the ethernet cable, my machine failed spectacularly. Lines of text started in the upper left corner and interleaved it seemed with the windows. And it wouldn't restart. I had backed it up before leaving for LV, so I would only really lose the recording of Charles but that was disheartening enough! I plugged it in and read Undead and Unemployed for awhile since I couldn't quite bring myself to leave my computer and go see what was happening. Happily, this put me in my room whenwitchabroad called to say she was leaving. It was nice at least to say goodbye to Michelle. I had somehow managed *not* to get to say goodbye to Rachael when she left around lunch.
I tried starting the computer one more time before going to dinner and it started up! *happy dance* And just then Russell called responding to my earlier call when it crashed (he being off at the movies during that earlier call). So I got to tell him his techie and husbandly commiseration skills weren't needed after all. But obviously I was still on edge because when I got over there there weren't any seats left and I almost just left again. Florence Jamieson came and talked me back in and gave me Gard's seat. I visited with her and Jim Wiggins.
Dirk Ficca of CPWR gave an address. He says he looks around and doesn't see us making a difference. He went through war, politics, ozone holes and other invitations to despair. And then he talked about the individuals that make a difference and noted that they live their convictions rather than talking about them. He invited us to live ours. Then a panel of Gwynne Guibord, Charles Gibbs & Elizabeth Esperson offered responses and all were much more hopeful. I wish I could report what they said. Then we broke up and I headed back to the dorm and went to sleep.
Rachael and I skipped out on the second "how to" and went out to the mall. We wanted to go over to Serenity, to see Samina who had been one of the local folks helping with the opening ritual to tell her how greatly it had been appreciated. Unfortunately we hadn't taken into account that it was Sunday and the mall didn't open until 11am. We drove over to the Fashion Show Mall (which wasn't open either) but I got to show it to Rachael. As 11am rolled around we wandered into a strange souvenier shop and each bought a $4 light-up fan. Our big Vegas shopping spree. *laugh* Rachael bought a new pair of shoes which she had been wanting and we went back to the Boulevard Mall and found Serenity. We bought some fairy dust (which Samina wears on her lips to great effect) and I got a wrap for Erika that I just couldn't resist. We realized that we'd missed lunch at the conference and grabbed food court food before heading back to continue with Creation.
During the next breakout sessions I went to Don's attempt to show the Sacred Space DVD (the room wasn't open and then the av equipment failed half way though) and then the session on the <http://www.globalhealing.net">Southern Sudan Education Project which I had heard about (and donated to) some months ago. Abraham Gai, one of the Lost Boys who is now living in the US and Kristy Swap gave a very moving presentation on the project. They are building a school and helping with school supplies in one area. Next time I have some money available, I think I'll donate some more.
After dinner I met with Stephen about our blogging/podcasting talk and set up my microphone in one of the "study rooms" to see if I might be able to record. It is still pretty live, but not impossible. Then Rachael and Michelle called to see if I wanted to sing in the rain with them but really they were getting out of the rain and came and joined us and we sang lots of Pagan music together. I had my laptop there with lots of lyrics to share. It was fun. At 10pm I said I really had to go to bed! And then I had to set up for synching my palm as I had committed to do the morning devotion at 7am and I wanted to be sure I had all the words.
Monday started with that devotion, focused on the Circle of Stones and the Genealogy of Brighid. It was the first time someone other than Don, Rachael and I (and the presenters) made one of the morning Earth Religions immersions. One of the women asked "where does Brighid live?" and I had no idea. I said she was right here beside me and I hadn't heard any lore about where she lives though many Gods have islands or underworld realms. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? It is always so interesting to run into questions like that!
This was the first morning I'd actually made it to breakfast in the Commons since we had been going out with the local Paganfolk after their immersion offerings. I had eggs, grits and corned beef hash... an ideal Rowan breakfast. Yum!
Then back to Caring for Creation. Our process was pretty much totally shot by now. I think the second two D's of Appreciative Inquiry don't really work when the group doesn't have any continuity of purpose. It was interesting and touchy feely and hopefully we are energized in our individual work but the kind of synergy I had hoped for didn't materialize.
After lunch Stephen and I gave our session. After another snafu about rooms we ended up actually having access to computers with internet connections and I think the handful of folks who came found it interesting. Mark Austin reiterated his offer of music for podcasts. He is going to look into Creative Commons, to which we introduced him.
Afterward I went to a talk on "URI's Vision" by Charles Gibbs. Since I had my recording stuff with me I asked him if I could record his talk and he graciously agreed. It was frustrating because the floor outlets were recessed and so I couldn't plug in either the computer or the powered mic. So I used the small mic that
mdlbear lent me as a lapel mic on Charles. It wasn't really close enough to him and I will need to amplify the signal a good bit. I could a solid 20 minute talk though which will at the very least give me something to work with. The question session afterward was too hard to record but I did get some of his answers too. Next I joined Milt and Kathy and a couple of other folks in watching a video called Yakoana about the Indigenous People's Summit in 1997 just before the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was interesting, esp. since I had read the 109 point declaration the signed when I was looking for the Indigenous People's Water Declaration last fall. I wonder what has come in the years since 1997.
I came back to the room to drop off my computer and decided to check my email. Plugging in the ethernet cable, my machine failed spectacularly. Lines of text started in the upper left corner and interleaved it seemed with the windows. And it wouldn't restart. I had backed it up before leaving for LV, so I would only really lose the recording of Charles but that was disheartening enough! I plugged it in and read Undead and Unemployed for awhile since I couldn't quite bring myself to leave my computer and go see what was happening. Happily, this put me in my room when
witchabroad called to say she was leaving. It was nice at least to say goodbye to Michelle. I had somehow managed *not* to get to say goodbye to Rachael when she left around lunch. I tried starting the computer one more time before going to dinner and it started up! *happy dance* And just then Russell called responding to my earlier call when it crashed (he being off at the movies during that earlier call). So I got to tell him his techie and husbandly commiseration skills weren't needed after all. But obviously I was still on edge because when I got over there there weren't any seats left and I almost just left again. Florence Jamieson came and talked me back in and gave me Gard's seat. I visited with her and Jim Wiggins.
Dirk Ficca of CPWR gave an address. He says he looks around and doesn't see us making a difference. He went through war, politics, ozone holes and other invitations to despair. And then he talked about the individuals that make a difference and noted that they live their convictions rather than talking about them. He invited us to live ours. Then a panel of Gwynne Guibord, Charles Gibbs & Elizabeth Esperson offered responses and all were much more hopeful. I wish I could report what they said. Then we broke up and I headed back to the dorm and went to sleep.
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 06:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-16 06:43 pm (UTC)hugs and love - any chance you'll be back in town for Lise and my housewarming this Sunday the 21st? Noonch into evening, potluck...
love
Ruth
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 01:15 am (UTC)Yes, I will be in town Sunday and whilst I can't promise to be there with bells on... I do plan to attend!