OK, it is has been a long 4 days and lot has happened. Democracy in action, a couple of close votes, which actually had to be counted and a group of over 1200 was split by only 13 votes. YIKES.
We had two candidates for presidency of our Denomination, and there are 1/2 of the participants very happy, and the other 1/2 sad and disappointed END OF TRYING TO LIVE BLOG
So, I tried to live blog but instead had to do my REAL job of reporting on the Plenary session.
We had many more responsive resolutions this year, than I ever remember. The pot was stirred around our by-laws and being able to change certain sections of them. UUs love to weigh in when they don't feel heard and that certainly happened.
I was commenting last night that this year General Assembly was different because 1) there was an election with 2 strong candidates 2) the Statement of Conscience on Peacemaking did not pass, and was sent back to be re-written 3) there was a very close vote, split by 13 or 17 votes, but a very small number, on the by-law amendment.
This left many people sad and disappointed, and other happy and elated, but all in all, that is what democracy is all about.
Tired and happy to have gone to GA
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Rain, what Rain?
Honestly, and I am not in denial, I don't notice the weather. I guess this is a good thing in the middle of the winter or mud season at Coniston.
While in VT at VQF, it was only drizzily one day, but reading Facebook updates from my Beantown friends, there was a lot of grousing about the weather.
Maybe it is my old age, but "It is what it is!" I definitely cannot control this one.
I don't think twice about walking in the rain, and only take an umbrella if it is teeming down (Gordie term, and one my husband's family uses in torrential rain.)
I did not even notice that June has been wet, and that the sun has not been out.
Call me crazy, but with things like Iran to think about, and on my way to General Assembly, the weather is a hang nail that can be cut off.
I often pause when someone complains about the weather, because honestly, I have not noticed.
Sally being Sally!
While in VT at VQF, it was only drizzily one day, but reading Facebook updates from my Beantown friends, there was a lot of grousing about the weather.
Maybe it is my old age, but "It is what it is!" I definitely cannot control this one.
I don't think twice about walking in the rain, and only take an umbrella if it is teeming down (Gordie term, and one my husband's family uses in torrential rain.)
I did not even notice that June has been wet, and that the sun has not been out.
Call me crazy, but with things like Iran to think about, and on my way to General Assembly, the weather is a hang nail that can be cut off.
I often pause when someone complains about the weather, because honestly, I have not noticed.
Sally being Sally!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
VQF - update and alert - not too much posting in the next few weeks
Wow, it has been almost a week since my last post. The big news is VQF - Vermont Quilt Festival. A and I went up Wednesday night and got back at 5pm today. It is an amazing group of quilts on display, vendors and quilters from all over.
Thursday I took a class called fantasy fabric. Using tulle (pronounced like the word tool), we created 9 inch squares, put thread, yarn, other fabric, ribbons and TINZL on the fabric and then put the tulle over it to trap it all underneath. Some of the TINZL is iradescent, and when you iron it, it changes color. You can also make a sandwich of other TINZL. My final project was a quilt of Channel One at Coniston.
Friday, I worked two shifts, so that next year, I can sign up for the best classes before the masses get to sign up. We also visited the vendors and admired photographed the incredible quilts.
Saturday I took an entirely different classes, thread painting. It took me 6 hours to make a tree and some bushes, but I learned the technique.
The great thing about VQF is that is gives you all kinds of inspiration for future projects. My favorite quilt store Portsmouth Fabric Company had a great Kaffe Fassett kit for a queen size bed. I walked by 10 times and on the 11th time decided it was too good to pass up. Pictures to follow when it is done.
To be among so many other quilters, mostly women, to experience the energy, to admire and talk about quilts for 4 days is rejuvenating. Onward to General Assembly, a few days of work and then Star Island. Kind of like being retired, which was supposed to happen on June 8th of this year. I love my job too much to retire just yet and I have to pay for next year's VQF.
Not too many posts in the next few weeks, unless I steal some time at GA.
Happy Summer
Thursday I took a class called fantasy fabric. Using tulle (pronounced like the word tool), we created 9 inch squares, put thread, yarn, other fabric, ribbons and TINZL on the fabric and then put the tulle over it to trap it all underneath. Some of the TINZL is iradescent, and when you iron it, it changes color. You can also make a sandwich of other TINZL. My final project was a quilt of Channel One at Coniston.
Friday, I worked two shifts, so that next year, I can sign up for the best classes before the masses get to sign up. We also visited the vendors and admired photographed the incredible quilts.
Saturday I took an entirely different classes, thread painting. It took me 6 hours to make a tree and some bushes, but I learned the technique.
The great thing about VQF is that is gives you all kinds of inspiration for future projects. My favorite quilt store Portsmouth Fabric Company had a great Kaffe Fassett kit for a queen size bed. I walked by 10 times and on the 11th time decided it was too good to pass up. Pictures to follow when it is done.
To be among so many other quilters, mostly women, to experience the energy, to admire and talk about quilts for 4 days is rejuvenating. Onward to General Assembly, a few days of work and then Star Island. Kind of like being retired, which was supposed to happen on June 8th of this year. I love my job too much to retire just yet and I have to pay for next year's VQF.
Not too many posts in the next few weeks, unless I steal some time at GA.
Happy Summer
Monday, June 15, 2009
Leave it well enough alone - another life lesson
Some of this post only knitters will understand but here goes. I am in the middle of knitting a yoga bag. I did not pay attention and finished the bottom off wrong. My knitting group all agreed that it was fine, but I just knew that every time I looked at it I would know it was wrong.
Last night on the way back from Coniston I started taking it apart. Sometimes you can unravel knitting and it goes quickly BUT in this case (and probably 2 other times in my knitting career) it did not go well. I took out the cast off row, and that took until Montpelier, at which point I said "If I had remembered my scissors this project would be in danger." An hour of frustration building, and in my view an hour of otherwise wasted knitting time
By Randolph with the project in real danger I put it away. Murg was also falling asleep at this point, so I was needed to drive.
Always has to be a life lesson, sometimes you dig stuff up and it is helpful and sometimes it is not so helpful.
Just earlier that day I was walking out of church rolling a ball of yarn and there was a small entanglement. Someone looked at me and said "Ut Oh!" but my response was not just a wee knot, easy to work out, kind of like life. Well this HUGE knot later was not easy to work out, and still sits in my knitting bag, hiding from my scissors.
I have only thrown out one project like this in my life and I really like my almost complete yoga bag, so only a few rows are in danger of hitting the trash can.
Last night on the way back from Coniston I started taking it apart. Sometimes you can unravel knitting and it goes quickly BUT in this case (and probably 2 other times in my knitting career) it did not go well. I took out the cast off row, and that took until Montpelier, at which point I said "If I had remembered my scissors this project would be in danger." An hour of frustration building, and in my view an hour of otherwise wasted knitting time
By Randolph with the project in real danger I put it away. Murg was also falling asleep at this point, so I was needed to drive.
Always has to be a life lesson, sometimes you dig stuff up and it is helpful and sometimes it is not so helpful.
Just earlier that day I was walking out of church rolling a ball of yarn and there was a small entanglement. Someone looked at me and said "Ut Oh!" but my response was not just a wee knot, easy to work out, kind of like life. Well this HUGE knot later was not easy to work out, and still sits in my knitting bag, hiding from my scissors.
I have only thrown out one project like this in my life and I really like my almost complete yoga bag, so only a few rows are in danger of hitting the trash can.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Magnet just gets stronger and I get weaker
Every time I think about Vermont, I feel incredibly pulled to live up there. I don't know whether I have described in this blog or not, but right now I am stalled. Not in a bad way just stalled. We have decided not to move up there for 2-3 years, that is the stalled.
As crap happens in the world like the shooting in DC this week at the museum, I want to retreat and go to my refuge, get away from people (hard to believe for an "E"). Every time there is more negative mortgage news, or real estate news, I want to retreat, plant my garden, get off the grid and wake up to Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump.
So for now the antidote to craziness is every other week up at Coniston. We have a wine tasting tonight, Friday, and I insist we drive up after that. For me it will be a wine dribbling.
Not enough Coniston lately . . . The magnet is pulling me to go early and stay late and make plans to have it be permanent.
I am just saying . . .
As crap happens in the world like the shooting in DC this week at the museum, I want to retreat and go to my refuge, get away from people (hard to believe for an "E"). Every time there is more negative mortgage news, or real estate news, I want to retreat, plant my garden, get off the grid and wake up to Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump.
So for now the antidote to craziness is every other week up at Coniston. We have a wine tasting tonight, Friday, and I insist we drive up after that. For me it will be a wine dribbling.
Not enough Coniston lately . . . The magnet is pulling me to go early and stay late and make plans to have it be permanent.
I am just saying . . .
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Another busy day, busy time
I cannot even breathe recently (SO WHY AM I POSTING YOU SAY?)
Yesterday was another day in the life of HR and of Sally:
Got to work early, but could not get work done I usually do because of visitors
Ran workshop in an onsite offsite around 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
Reacted quickly to employee who had allergic reaction
Quickly checked on Intuit Women's Network event - SRO
Got new hard disk back from IT and started to set up computer AGAIN
after work:
Dinner with old friend and daughter moving to MN
Cut out fabric for vest
Visit with another old friend from Star
Pick up B at Alewife
Work on a quilted vest due next week
Watched Jon Stewart
Crashed . . .
REALLY tired today
Yesterday was another day in the life of HR and of Sally:
Got to work early, but could not get work done I usually do because of visitors
Ran workshop in an onsite offsite around 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
Reacted quickly to employee who had allergic reaction
Quickly checked on Intuit Women's Network event - SRO
Got new hard disk back from IT and started to set up computer AGAIN
after work:
Dinner with old friend and daughter moving to MN
Cut out fabric for vest
Visit with another old friend from Star
Pick up B at Alewife
Work on a quilted vest due next week
Watched Jon Stewart
Crashed . . .
REALLY tired today
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I am definitely being tested
This is probably one of the busiest and most tense weeks, of my life. In a hotel room in CA yesterday morning at 5:30am (coz I am on EDT still) my computer blue-screened. I first heard the whir of the hard drive, said "Ut, oh" and proceeded to get a disk i/o error. Damn
Fortunately, Intuit has a terrific Help Desk and I am typing this on a loaner that I get to keep until I leave for the red eye.
On top of that, the hotel I am staying in has no WIFI that works anyway. So for three nights I have been without my personal email, facebook and other internet abilities.
I handled all of this pretty well, I think. The training that I had to conduct yesterday, we could do because the deck was stored centrally, and I can do without facebook. It actually is good practice to be dis-connected from the web. I went for a long walk last night instead and swam in the pool right outside my sliding glass door.
Why do these always happen at the busiest time? Mercury retrograde?????
Fortunately, Intuit has a terrific Help Desk and I am typing this on a loaner that I get to keep until I leave for the red eye.
On top of that, the hotel I am staying in has no WIFI that works anyway. So for three nights I have been without my personal email, facebook and other internet abilities.
I handled all of this pretty well, I think. The training that I had to conduct yesterday, we could do because the deck was stored centrally, and I can do without facebook. It actually is good practice to be dis-connected from the web. I went for a long walk last night instead and swam in the pool right outside my sliding glass door.
Why do these always happen at the busiest time? Mercury retrograde?????
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