HAPPY NEW YEAR! Sorry…did I write that too loudly? I hope you were able to mark the turning of the year in some way(s) that were both meaningful and safe, and that today finds you looking forward to seeing what 2021 might hold. Of course, as 2020 has shown us, what the year holds is only part of the story. How we deal with what happens is the rest. And central to how we deal with whatever we’re facing is the question of how we will interact and work with others on whatever that is. Make sense? Events present challenges, challenges need to be faced, we do better when we don’t try to face them alone, which means working with others. And sometimes, working with others is complicated, even difficult. (Of course, it can also be delightful and energizing, but that’s easy so we’re not going to talk about it right now).
The Talky Bit: As part of our continuing exploration of finding common ground (which requires working with others), Judi H. and I had a Zoom conversation this week about…conversations. In particular, about difficult conversations; what makes them tough to have, some principles that can guide us when we need to have them, and some practical tips. We recorded and edited that conversation, and on Sunday I’ll post it to both our Facebook and Youtube channels. Here’s where you’ll be able to find Youtube version on Sunday: https://youtu.be/4YNc0TYwRes
Other details about Sunday: We’ll gather at our usual time – 10:45 a.m. here for music and Community Time. Then, as we usually do, we’ll switch livestreams to Talky Tim so we get a chance to breathe together and to set up the pre-recorded video. Then we’ll “push play” on that pre-recorded conversation, which will essentially be the Talky Bit for this week. Just FYI – because Judi and I can really get going when we’re digging into something, the video is about an hour long (and yes, that IS the edited version!), so you might want to pack a lunch.
Speaking of which (see what I did there?)…“And Lunch After” will take place at 1:00 p.m. this week to make space for the longer Talky Bit. Drop by if you can. These are wide-ranging conversations, complete with children, pets, creative projects, people that are walking with their camera off and their earbuds in…it varies. And really, it can feel remarkably like we all ended up at the same picnic table in the park (I can dream, right?), and the conversation just went where it went. As folks have discovered, you really can pop in, stay for a bit and then head out to whatever is next in your day, or hang out until we somehow decide we’re done.
Our Wednesday Evening Zoom Hangout will take place at the usual time – 7:30 p.m. on (surprise!) Wednesday. Links to both of those are as follows:
And finally, an update on our “Hosted By Atticus” year-end fundraiser. I think it would be fair to say we rocketed past our goal of $3000. I don’t have a definitive final number, but I can tell you that we more than doubled that, and are feeling as though more celebratory pies are in order. Still working on the details of that – volunteers for getting a pie in the face are hard to come by, it seems, and I can only absorb so many. If you’ve got any creative ideas about how we could celebrate, be in touch. We’ll keep you posted on that one, but for now WHOOP and THANK YOU!! to the community’s donors for your kind, generous and oh-so-helpful responses. We were also able to secure a Bridge grant from the province for $5000 (not a loan; no payback required), so we’re ending this strange year in better financial shape than we have been in for quite some time. In the midst of the challenges, something to be deeply grateful for!
