If legislators introduce a bill that is total fearmongering, does one just ignore it and believe the voices that suggest it is going to die a slow death in the scheduling flurry of a short session. OR does one post a clear statement in opposition to the bill and invite readers to click in and submit comments for themselves. RantWoman is going to take the chance that speaking of the bill will just give it more oxygen and invites readers to click on the bill link below and to find the comment link and to submit comments directly to the legislature.
CrossCut article about recent Senate Committee Hearing
SB6443
Background: a few years ago, sexuality and gender expression were added to RCW 49.60, the WA State antidiscrimination law.
In December 2015, the WA State Human Rights Commission issued rules requiring that people be allowed to use public accommodations such as restrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity.
This rule changed NOTHING about laws that already criminalize voyeurism, stalking , sexual assault, and other criminal activity. RantWoman had one email exchange about sexual assault. No the person committing the assault was not transgender. Yes, the behavior was completely objectionable. Yes, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable, AND people with disabilities also have a right to learn about and realize both sexuality and sexual boundaries. RantWoman also knows trans people with disabilities who have as much right to use the restroom corresponding to their gender identity as anyone else.
RantWoman is NOT AFRAID OF TRANSGENDER WOMEN, and SB6443 is a waste of legislators' time compared to important matters such as adequate funding of public education.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Mormon war on Native Americans (Black Hawk War between Natives and Mormons)
RantWoman has been trying to massage a tangle of thoughts about the #OregonStandoff #BundyMilitia #Malheur
events into something coherent enough at least for RantWoman's standards and has not gotten there. In the meantime, this powerful video showed up via one of the above hashtags on Twitter.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Holding Space / walkng alongside and ...
The Good News: a wonderful article about What it means to hold space for people:
. By offering gentle, nonjudgmental support and guidance, she helped us walk one of the most difficult journeys of our lives.
The work that Ann did can be defined by a term that’s become common in some of the circles in which I work. She was holding space for us.
What does it mean to hold space for someone else? It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control.
Sometimes we find ourselves holding space for people while they hold space for others. In our situation, for example, Ann was holding space for us while we held space for Mom. Though I know nothing about her support system, I suspect that there are others holding space for Ann as she does this challenging and meaningful work. It’s virtually impossible to be a strong space holder unless we have others who will hold space for us. Even the strongest leaders, coaches, nurses, etc., need to know that there are some people with whom they can be vulnerable and weak without fear of being judged.
The whole article: What does it mean to hold space for someone
The Bad News. The above reflects the enlightened Zenlike state to which RantWoman aspires. The item below is more like current reality on Planet RantWoman:
RantWoman finally got a new giant-print wall calendar.
RantWoman has a LOT of CRAP she has been hoping to leave behind in 2015, but since it keeps showing up, RantWoman needs her readers to help her hold iit in the Light.
"I need to dump my emotional soggy towels all over you. Now go away, and goddess forbid you have any emotional soggy towels to dump."
x about 8 or 12 voices.
Could the choir bleeping find a real tune?
"I don't want to talk about it because these are my friends."
WTF am I, chopped liver?
"WE are not very good at..."
Speak for yourself.
or
Really? If you think it's important, how about thinking about ways for people to become better at by say studying ...TOGETHER ...?
. By offering gentle, nonjudgmental support and guidance, she helped us walk one of the most difficult journeys of our lives.
The work that Ann did can be defined by a term that’s become common in some of the circles in which I work. She was holding space for us.
What does it mean to hold space for someone else? It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control.
Sometimes we find ourselves holding space for people while they hold space for others. In our situation, for example, Ann was holding space for us while we held space for Mom. Though I know nothing about her support system, I suspect that there are others holding space for Ann as she does this challenging and meaningful work. It’s virtually impossible to be a strong space holder unless we have others who will hold space for us. Even the strongest leaders, coaches, nurses, etc., need to know that there are some people with whom they can be vulnerable and weak without fear of being judged.
The whole article: What does it mean to hold space for someone
The Bad News. The above reflects the enlightened Zenlike state to which RantWoman aspires. The item below is more like current reality on Planet RantWoman:
RantWoman finally got a new giant-print wall calendar.
RantWoman has a LOT of CRAP she has been hoping to leave behind in 2015, but since it keeps showing up, RantWoman needs her readers to help her hold iit in the Light.
"I need to dump my emotional soggy towels all over you. Now go away, and goddess forbid you have any emotional soggy towels to dump."
x about 8 or 12 voices.
Could the choir bleeping find a real tune?
"I don't want to talk about it because these are my friends."
WTF am I, chopped liver?
"WE are not very good at..."
Speak for yourself.
or
Really? If you think it's important, how about thinking about ways for people to become better at by say studying ...TOGETHER ...?
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Bad Friend Enough Even for Joys and Concerns
RantWoman Arms, the housing complex where RantWoman lives was in below-average scary mode the day of RantWoman's many attempts to have an Uber ride, RantWoman's maiden experience with Uber which is more than RantWoman can say about the general vibe.
RantWoman Arms as told by paid communications staff
Here RantWoman must digress. Lately RantWoman's Meeting has introduced an officially sanctioned fully blessed by a certain committee as opposed merely by God invitation to share "Joys and Concerns" at the end of 11:00 Meeting for Worship. RantWoman thinks that offering the list below with a rousing "Can you top this?" might fully qualify her as a Bad Friend. Please hold the temptation in the Light.
RantWoman has a neighbor who is just really good at growing brain tumors; her husband can be seen outside at all hours sending his tensions up in smoke. This week's theme was which intervention is next and can it wait until after a LONG-planned and carefully saved-for cruise? Yes, apparently.
One day this week, RantWoman's blind next door neighbor and RantWoman met in the doorway while RantWoman was headed out to dump compost and the trash trucks were noisily loading up the building 's weekly wastes. Next-door neighbor has been an excellent tutor about all kinds of Annoying Blind Person Behaviors. Don't tell anyone: RantWoman has come to realize that she herself also exhibits a number of these very same Annoying Blind Person Behaviors. Thank you in advance, world, COPE.
The day of the Uber experience, there was a family getting the day off to a rocky start. RantWoman foresees continuing need for some kind of Sensible Auntie eyes on the situation, but this is going to need to be Industrial Strength Sensible Auntie, the kind summoned in moments such as "NO, you may not abuse your children while on peace marches." Hold that problem in the Light.
And then there is the option of having the Queen of Spades do pastoral care
Bless us oh lord and all of our scary abundance!
RantWoman Arms coincidentally RantWoman's side of the building |
RantWoman Arms as told by paid communications staff
Here RantWoman must digress. Lately RantWoman's Meeting has introduced an officially sanctioned fully blessed by a certain committee as opposed merely by God invitation to share "Joys and Concerns" at the end of 11:00 Meeting for Worship. RantWoman thinks that offering the list below with a rousing "Can you top this?" might fully qualify her as a Bad Friend. Please hold the temptation in the Light.
RantWoman has a neighbor who is just really good at growing brain tumors; her husband can be seen outside at all hours sending his tensions up in smoke. This week's theme was which intervention is next and can it wait until after a LONG-planned and carefully saved-for cruise? Yes, apparently.
One day this week, RantWoman's blind next door neighbor and RantWoman met in the doorway while RantWoman was headed out to dump compost and the trash trucks were noisily loading up the building 's weekly wastes. Next-door neighbor has been an excellent tutor about all kinds of Annoying Blind Person Behaviors. Don't tell anyone: RantWoman has come to realize that she herself also exhibits a number of these very same Annoying Blind Person Behaviors. Thank you in advance, world, COPE.
The day of the Uber experience, there was a family getting the day off to a rocky start. RantWoman foresees continuing need for some kind of Sensible Auntie eyes on the situation, but this is going to need to be Industrial Strength Sensible Auntie, the kind summoned in moments such as "NO, you may not abuse your children while on peace marches." Hold that problem in the Light.
And then there is the option of having the Queen of Spades do pastoral care
Bless us oh lord and all of our scary abundance!
If the Queen of Spades were in charge of pastoral care.
The Queen of Spades is, um, not always the most gracious creature on the planet. Sometimes when RantWoman is fussy and upset, the Queen of Spades offers to "help"--by biting RantWoman's toes, scratching various parts of RantWoman's body and hissing when disciplined. And then there was this afternoon.
RantWoman imagines her this afternoon: MOmmm, you're giving away my supper.
RantWoman: 1. it's not suppertime yet. 2. We have enough to share and it's been a rotten couple weeks at that other kitty's house.
Rotten couple weeks as in:
--Circumstances requiring multiple visits by about 6 cops to someone else's apartment; that someone has now been removed to more, um secure lodging and RantWoman assumes that said former neighbor is unlikely to return.
--A conversation with another neighbor of the form "Thank you so much for telling me. I am SO sorry. Owwwwwww!"
--A conversation with the other kitty's human about changing locks and a RantWoman offer just to sit with if needed. Other kitty's human goes on RantWoman's Hold in the Light list and watch for fluctuations from that neighbor's usual sunny presence.
--On RantWoman's way out this afternoon, other kitty was howling in the hall near his house. RantWoman is glad the kitty's human opened the door. RantWoman learned some cat food would help. Enough for today.
Dang it! Dang it! Dang It! RantWoman does not even want to use this neighbor's nom de blog for reasons of confidentiality. Hold in the Light. Dang it! Dang it! Dang It!
The Queen of Spades |
RantWoman imagines her this afternoon: MOmmm, you're giving away my supper.
RantWoman: 1. it's not suppertime yet. 2. We have enough to share and it's been a rotten couple weeks at that other kitty's house.
Rotten couple weeks as in:
--Circumstances requiring multiple visits by about 6 cops to someone else's apartment; that someone has now been removed to more, um secure lodging and RantWoman assumes that said former neighbor is unlikely to return.
--A conversation with another neighbor of the form "Thank you so much for telling me. I am SO sorry. Owwwwwww!"
--A conversation with the other kitty's human about changing locks and a RantWoman offer just to sit with if needed. Other kitty's human goes on RantWoman's Hold in the Light list and watch for fluctuations from that neighbor's usual sunny presence.
--On RantWoman's way out this afternoon, other kitty was howling in the hall near his house. RantWoman is glad the kitty's human opened the door. RantWoman learned some cat food would help. Enough for today.
Dang it! Dang it! Dang It! RantWoman does not even want to use this neighbor's nom de blog for reasons of confidentiality. Hold in the Light. Dang it! Dang it! Dang It!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
For Madeleine C Brown
Facebook readers will already know, Madeleine C Brown of the tri-cities, mid-Columbia worship group passed away last night. As one commenter put it, ALS is EVIL, not eveil enough to clobber Madeleine's soul but definitely EVIL.
A sample remembrance.
https://lynnborton.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/curiosity-journal-3-madeleine/
Madeleine worked for the WA Department of Ecology and one of her calls was to remind Friends that there will be a need for a long time for faithfulness to ensure that the combination of jurisdictions and entities responsible for cleaning up Hanford actually continue to make progress. RantWoman means to find a draft text she wrote awhile ago about this but not today.
Madeleine, you will be deeply missed. Love and blessings to the family you leave behind!
A sample remembrance.
https://lynnborton.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/curiosity-journal-3-madeleine/
Madeleine worked for the WA Department of Ecology and one of her calls was to remind Friends that there will be a need for a long time for faithfulness to ensure that the combination of jurisdictions and entities responsible for cleaning up Hanford actually continue to make progress. RantWoman means to find a draft text she wrote awhile ago about this but not today.
Madeleine, you will be deeply missed. Love and blessings to the family you leave behind!
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Parking and other fish to fry
The short version:
RantWoman THINKS there should be enough people with the right combination of experience and perspectives in the picture to solve the problem but RantWoman would have liked maybe to hear a tiny bit more about discernment in Business Meeting. More on that in a moment.
RantWoman thinks it would be valuable for everyone in Meeting who qualifies for a Disabled Parking Permit to have one and to display it when parked in Meeting's parking lot, regardless of whether parked in one of our designated handicapped spots or just affirming some count of how many people actually would use a disabled parking spot if we had enough for everyone who needs it.
RantWoman would LIKE to get to a point where there was some kind of announcement like "We know that typically 3-5 people who have disabled parking permits need to park in our lot on Sundays. If you do not see that many disabled permits when you are parking, please assume that permit holders have not all arrived and plase consider finding another place to park." Yes, RantWoman really WOULD say that.
Our parking lot is not gigantic. RantWoman can imagine people with severe mobility limitations finding it hard to walk from the parking lot to various options for getting to the front door of Meeting, but RantWoman also thinks there are more people who qualify for Disabled Parking placards than the number of disabled parking places and definitely wants people with disabled placards to have priority.
RantWoman thinks it would be valuable to begin the practice of asking people who have permits to display them now while there is a monster construction project going on next door. Apparently monster construction project will offer Meeting options for using some of its parking spaces after the new building is completed. RantWoman thinks it would be valuable to think about needs for disabled parking but also about other needs: medical personnel on call, people having family emergencies, other reasons Friends might particularly feel a need to park close if spaces were available. RantWoman would be interested to know whether any of these threads already fit into the discernment.
RantWoman hopes that people she can think of who almost certainly qualify already have permits but can imagine reluctance in a few case, including one Friend on RantWoman's how many blind people are there around here list. . RantWoman realizes she herself should think about it for one reason only: RantWoman HATES parking garages and tries every way she knows how to minimize interactions with them. One way to do that would be to get herself a disabled parking permit. RantWoman is still not motivated enough to do that. In fact, RantWoman is not even sure she wants another dang thing to carry around in one of her RantWoman bags. Furthermore, RantWoman definitely would NOT use it at Meeting .
It would occur to RantWoman to increase the number of spots permanently designated as disabled parking. RantWoman thinks this is possible but can also guess at some reasons not to do it but instead maybe to invest in the parking meter covers ror some other form of temporary designation.
The presentation in Business Meeting: an announcement about Care and Counsel and Facilities committees working on parking issues while there is a big construction project going on across the street.
The longer and more elaborated version of RantWoman's comments:
RantWoman has pretty big transportation fish to fry right now so she SHOULD just chill out and let Care and Counsel and Facilities work out a number of things to do with parking at Meeting. RantWoman SHOULD chill out, but this is RantWoman and ability to chill out is not guaranteed. Nor is RantWoman clear that anyone on Care and Counsel will even talk to RantWoman and not just cavil about all the things RantWoman keeps bringing up. More to the point, RantWoman is persistent enough to think that her Meeting's experience and RantWoman's Light on the matters involved just MIGHT MAYBE somehow be of interest to other Meetings.
RantWoman also would not mind hearing from SOMEONE on Care and Counsel that they have interacted with this blog post, but RantWoman's expectations are pretty low about that. Hold that problem in the Light. RantWoman would of course love for her suggestions to be received with thanks for the brilliant insight; RantWoman can handle the possibility that the best anyone can do might be "Thank you for your input" or "huh? We don't understand."
In Business Meeting, one Friend asked for a show of hands for people who get to Meeting by bike or Bus. Yep, taking some strain off the parking lot that way.
Other Friends realized they might sometimes carpool.
Yep, taking some strain off the parking lot that way.
RantWoman brought up disabled parking permits just as an FYI.
But RantWoman did not ask and no one really answered a question about how do we know what is enough as far as disabled parking. Hence RantWoman's leading to write this post.
In an email after Business Meeting, RantWoman got back the question "But, are people really having trouble finding parking?
Well, gee, RantWoman does not know but probably not good to blame space aliens.
Parking is severely constrained.
Sidewalks are even more crunched up than average partly because of construction vehicles driving onto them for various reasons.
Street crossings have been impacted by the building construction and other related road work. By Impacted, RantWoman means large construction barriers and A-boards and miscellaneous new signs
There has been the following announcement in the weekly bulletin for several months.
Getting to Meeting and Parking Suggestions Are you able to walk, take a bus, or ride a bike to Meeting? If so, please consider leaving the car at home. . If you do drive, we encourage you to look for others who might share rides. We ask that people use University of Washington parking lots W40 & 41 (free on Sundays). W41 is located on NE 41st and 11th NE (accessed from NE 41stfrom 12thNE). It is across Roosevelt and 11th NE from the meeting. W40 has only a few spaces and is located due south of the Meeting. (RantWoman) can tell you about busses
So it kind of sounds like people ARE having trouble finding parking. RantWoman though is happy to come and go on the bus!
RantWoman is also TRYING to be happy just to let other people figure things out. As RantWoman already said, RantWoman has bigger transportation fish to fry, but still....
RantWoman THINKS there should be enough people with the right combination of experience and perspectives in the picture to solve the problem but RantWoman would have liked maybe to hear a tiny bit more about discernment in Business Meeting. More on that in a moment.
RantWoman thinks it would be valuable for everyone in Meeting who qualifies for a Disabled Parking Permit to have one and to display it when parked in Meeting's parking lot, regardless of whether parked in one of our designated handicapped spots or just affirming some count of how many people actually would use a disabled parking spot if we had enough for everyone who needs it.
RantWoman would LIKE to get to a point where there was some kind of announcement like "We know that typically 3-5 people who have disabled parking permits need to park in our lot on Sundays. If you do not see that many disabled permits when you are parking, please assume that permit holders have not all arrived and plase consider finding another place to park." Yes, RantWoman really WOULD say that.
Our parking lot is not gigantic. RantWoman can imagine people with severe mobility limitations finding it hard to walk from the parking lot to various options for getting to the front door of Meeting, but RantWoman also thinks there are more people who qualify for Disabled Parking placards than the number of disabled parking places and definitely wants people with disabled placards to have priority.
RantWoman thinks it would be valuable to begin the practice of asking people who have permits to display them now while there is a monster construction project going on next door. Apparently monster construction project will offer Meeting options for using some of its parking spaces after the new building is completed. RantWoman thinks it would be valuable to think about needs for disabled parking but also about other needs: medical personnel on call, people having family emergencies, other reasons Friends might particularly feel a need to park close if spaces were available. RantWoman would be interested to know whether any of these threads already fit into the discernment.
RantWoman hopes that people she can think of who almost certainly qualify already have permits but can imagine reluctance in a few case, including one Friend on RantWoman's how many blind people are there around here list. . RantWoman realizes she herself should think about it for one reason only: RantWoman HATES parking garages and tries every way she knows how to minimize interactions with them. One way to do that would be to get herself a disabled parking permit. RantWoman is still not motivated enough to do that. In fact, RantWoman is not even sure she wants another dang thing to carry around in one of her RantWoman bags. Furthermore, RantWoman definitely would NOT use it at Meeting .
It would occur to RantWoman to increase the number of spots permanently designated as disabled parking. RantWoman thinks this is possible but can also guess at some reasons not to do it but instead maybe to invest in the parking meter covers ror some other form of temporary designation.
The presentation in Business Meeting: an announcement about Care and Counsel and Facilities committees working on parking issues while there is a big construction project going on across the street.
The longer and more elaborated version of RantWoman's comments:
RantWoman has pretty big transportation fish to fry right now so she SHOULD just chill out and let Care and Counsel and Facilities work out a number of things to do with parking at Meeting. RantWoman SHOULD chill out, but this is RantWoman and ability to chill out is not guaranteed. Nor is RantWoman clear that anyone on Care and Counsel will even talk to RantWoman and not just cavil about all the things RantWoman keeps bringing up. More to the point, RantWoman is persistent enough to think that her Meeting's experience and RantWoman's Light on the matters involved just MIGHT MAYBE somehow be of interest to other Meetings.
RantWoman also would not mind hearing from SOMEONE on Care and Counsel that they have interacted with this blog post, but RantWoman's expectations are pretty low about that. Hold that problem in the Light. RantWoman would of course love for her suggestions to be received with thanks for the brilliant insight; RantWoman can handle the possibility that the best anyone can do might be "Thank you for your input" or "huh? We don't understand."
In Business Meeting, one Friend asked for a show of hands for people who get to Meeting by bike or Bus. Yep, taking some strain off the parking lot that way.
Other Friends realized they might sometimes carpool.
Yep, taking some strain off the parking lot that way.
RantWoman brought up disabled parking permits just as an FYI.
But RantWoman did not ask and no one really answered a question about how do we know what is enough as far as disabled parking. Hence RantWoman's leading to write this post.
In an email after Business Meeting, RantWoman got back the question "But, are people really having trouble finding parking?
Well, gee, RantWoman does not know but probably not good to blame space aliens.
Parking is severely constrained.
Sidewalks are even more crunched up than average partly because of construction vehicles driving onto them for various reasons.
Street crossings have been impacted by the building construction and other related road work. By Impacted, RantWoman means large construction barriers and A-boards and miscellaneous new signs
There has been the following announcement in the weekly bulletin for several months.
Getting to Meeting and Parking Suggestions Are you able to walk, take a bus, or ride a bike to Meeting? If so, please consider leaving the car at home. . If you do drive, we encourage you to look for others who might share rides. We ask that people use University of Washington parking lots W40 & 41 (free on Sundays). W41 is located on NE 41st and 11th NE (accessed from NE 41stfrom 12thNE). It is across Roosevelt and 11th NE from the meeting. W40 has only a few spaces and is located due south of the Meeting. (RantWoman) can tell you about busses
So it kind of sounds like people ARE having trouble finding parking. RantWoman though is happy to come and go on the bus!
RantWoman is also TRYING to be happy just to let other people figure things out. As RantWoman already said, RantWoman has bigger transportation fish to fry, but still....
Friday, January 15, 2016
Partial Credit
RantWoman humbly offers the following reflections on a recent flow of documents and other Business Meeting matters. RantWoman humbly notes a continuing patter about ignoring RantWoman's input, saying "thanks but no thanks" and then stumbling when RantWoman's insights could have saved a step or two, and complaining about being overwhelmed while repeatedly turning down RantWoman's offers of help. Or so things look to RantWoman.
Well, things still look that way, but RantWoman is willing to grant partial credit, but first...
Mix in the word "mentoring,' several layers of what is coming across to RantWoman as "we don't have to talk to THOSE people" or frankly silencing. RantWoman thinks it would be irresponsible to her Light and also to the opportunities for continued revelation to acquiesce. And NO, RantWoman does not feel called just now to elaborate on every thread that could be pulled from these reflections so far.
The item in question for this post: a certain document presented at the December Meeting for Business and then reviewed in January while dealing with minutes.
Spoiler alert: what turned out to be most useful was people in the January Business meeting reading aloud the two or three sentences out of the document that most exercised RantWoman. RantWoman is still exercised, surprise, but RantWoman will continue to be true to her Light and urges those around her NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY.
In December, the document went out with the regular minutes email. YEAH! RantWoman knows there are a number of other people with severe vision issues in her Meeting. They do not all come to Business Meeting, but getting out documents on time with everything else makes sure they are included. RantWoman HOPES if some other measure would make them feel more included they will speak up. The sending things out with the regular weekly bulletin on Fridays satisfies RantWoman's twitch about people thinking only of her when RantWoman knows of others who may or may not speak up.
The document in question went out on time. What could be wrong? Documents with the same title have been getting sent out on a regular basis. That is the documents have the same title but do not have the same content. What is registering for RantWoman is a very high level of blather and complete absense of any indication that people have interacted with points RantWoman THINKS she has repeatedly made in Business Meeting. But having different dates in the filename would at least alert RantWoman that she might still need to wade through the blather.
Then IN BUSINESS MEETING, RantWoman got ceremonially handed, someone's version of a large print version of the document. RantWoman and Large Print are a rich stream of Dial-a-Tirade options. If you want RantWoman to appreciate your efforts in this area, HOW ABOUT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ASK RantWoman her preferences. Probably in this case, RantWoman if asked would have appreciated the heads up about the content of the document and worked harder to get the document reviewed with one of her technological options before Business Meeting. RantWoman might even have taken steps to have the document available and open to the parts she is exercised about without having to kill trees.
Now, see, isn't everyone really grateful for the opportunity to learn together?
Well, things still look that way, but RantWoman is willing to grant partial credit, but first...
Mix in the word "mentoring,' several layers of what is coming across to RantWoman as "we don't have to talk to THOSE people" or frankly silencing. RantWoman thinks it would be irresponsible to her Light and also to the opportunities for continued revelation to acquiesce. And NO, RantWoman does not feel called just now to elaborate on every thread that could be pulled from these reflections so far.
The item in question for this post: a certain document presented at the December Meeting for Business and then reviewed in January while dealing with minutes.
Spoiler alert: what turned out to be most useful was people in the January Business meeting reading aloud the two or three sentences out of the document that most exercised RantWoman. RantWoman is still exercised, surprise, but RantWoman will continue to be true to her Light and urges those around her NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY.
In December, the document went out with the regular minutes email. YEAH! RantWoman knows there are a number of other people with severe vision issues in her Meeting. They do not all come to Business Meeting, but getting out documents on time with everything else makes sure they are included. RantWoman HOPES if some other measure would make them feel more included they will speak up. The sending things out with the regular weekly bulletin on Fridays satisfies RantWoman's twitch about people thinking only of her when RantWoman knows of others who may or may not speak up.
The document in question went out on time. What could be wrong? Documents with the same title have been getting sent out on a regular basis. That is the documents have the same title but do not have the same content. What is registering for RantWoman is a very high level of blather and complete absense of any indication that people have interacted with points RantWoman THINKS she has repeatedly made in Business Meeting. But having different dates in the filename would at least alert RantWoman that she might still need to wade through the blather.
Then IN BUSINESS MEETING, RantWoman got ceremonially handed, someone's version of a large print version of the document. RantWoman and Large Print are a rich stream of Dial-a-Tirade options. If you want RantWoman to appreciate your efforts in this area, HOW ABOUT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ASK RantWoman her preferences. Probably in this case, RantWoman if asked would have appreciated the heads up about the content of the document and worked harder to get the document reviewed with one of her technological options before Business Meeting. RantWoman might even have taken steps to have the document available and open to the parts she is exercised about without having to kill trees.
Now, see, isn't everyone really grateful for the opportunity to learn together?
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Seattle Area MLK Day Events Friends invited to march together in Seattle
Seattle's annual Martin Luther King Day workshops, rally and marchwill be Monday Jan 18 starting at Garfield High school from 9:30-4:00pm. For a full schedule see http://www.mlkseattle.org/ .
South Seattle Friends are planning to march together after the MLK rally. Friends who would like to march with SSFM are invited to meet on 23rd on the west side of the Medgar Evers pool at noon.
For information about events in Bellevue as well, see
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2016/01/martin-luther-king-day-events-bellevue.html
If RantWoman were not already double-booked in Seattle, she would think seriously about checking out the Bellevue events.
RantWoman specifically invites Friends of whatever flavor who have ever prayed or worshipped with RantWoman and who want to find some other cool Quakers to come find the group before the march. Medgar Evers Pool is the low grey building outside the high school and across the street from Ezell's Fried Chicken.
(The march also has a food component; check the website for details. OR if grease is an inducement, check out the fried okra at Ezell's)
South Seattle Friends are planning to march together after the MLK rally. Friends who would like to march with SSFM are invited to meet on 23rd on the west side of the Medgar Evers pool at noon.
For information about events in Bellevue as well, see
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2016/01/martin-luther-king-day-events-bellevue.html
If RantWoman were not already double-booked in Seattle, she would think seriously about checking out the Bellevue events.
RantWoman specifically invites Friends of whatever flavor who have ever prayed or worshipped with RantWoman and who want to find some other cool Quakers to come find the group before the march. Medgar Evers Pool is the low grey building outside the high school and across the street from Ezell's Fried Chicken.
(The march also has a food component; check the website for details. OR if grease is an inducement, check out the fried okra at Ezell's)
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Three words / concepts for 2016
Following after Robin Mohr and Chris Brogan, RantWoman's 3 words / concepts for the beginning of 2016.
Invite / inspire
Connect. / weave together
Faithful / true to light
Robin Mohr, 2016 and other links
RantWoman could make the case for elaborating at great length but is going to be perhaps uncharacteristically reticent:
--RantWoman is not even prepared to argue whether the words she has clumped together in fact belong together. They belong together in RantWoman's thinking today.
--On the other hand, if anyone wants to argue that RantWoman is embracing too many concepts at once, RantWoman is likely to observe the following: RantWoman's capacity for digression and challenges staying within scope according to others' definition of "scope" has been driving coworkers crazy for decades. RantWoman thinks thecurrent batch of Quakers are unlikely to do any better about containing this than anyone in the past. RantWoman and God are in continual dialogue about this. Peculair gifts come with this capacity. RantWoman would not necessarily mind a different package of gifts, but sometimes .... Hold that problem in the Light.
RantWoman has not reviewed her past offerings but suspects that alert readers will note some continuity.
Invite / inspire
Connect. / weave together
Faithful / true to light
Robin Mohr, 2016 and other links
RantWoman could make the case for elaborating at great length but is going to be perhaps uncharacteristically reticent:
--RantWoman is not even prepared to argue whether the words she has clumped together in fact belong together. They belong together in RantWoman's thinking today.
--On the other hand, if anyone wants to argue that RantWoman is embracing too many concepts at once, RantWoman is likely to observe the following: RantWoman's capacity for digression and challenges staying within scope according to others' definition of "scope" has been driving coworkers crazy for decades. RantWoman thinks thecurrent batch of Quakers are unlikely to do any better about containing this than anyone in the past. RantWoman and God are in continual dialogue about this. Peculair gifts come with this capacity. RantWoman would not necessarily mind a different package of gifts, but sometimes .... Hold that problem in the Light.
RantWoman has not reviewed her past offerings but suspects that alert readers will note some continuity.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Bad Quakers Tweet Deficit
How is it possible?
There have been NO #BadQuakers contributions to the Twitterverse since 2014!
There are some #BadQuakerGuide tweets, but RantWoman is very happy to let those remain the province of Brent Bill and his new book Life Lessons of a Bad Quaker Well, RantWoman would like to do this but that means for the time being seasoning her leading to go off on one of her trademark tangents, this time about libraries and electronic materials and ... and...
Anyway, back to the Twitterverse. There are a lot of #BadFriends contributions, but they all allude to friendships gone awry rather than to that mix of Quaker confession and peculiar humor recognizable for the Association of Bad Friends.
SOME of the time when RantWoman goes abroad into the world of Twitter, RantWoman makes at least MODEST effort to check and see whetehr hastags it occurs to her to try are 1. already in use in the sense RantWoman means or 2. already in use in another sense which deserves to remain clearly distinguished from whatever RantWoman has in mind.
There is a serious dearth of #BadQuakers material on Twitter.
The questions now:
How badly does the world need the volume of #BadQuakers material RantWoman could probably inject into the Twitterverse?
How much of RantWoman's #BadQuakers capacity is unique to #quakers as opposed to generalized #fail of some sort or another?
What do God and the rest of RantWoman's tweet streams require of RantWoman in the realm of #BadQuakers tweets?
Do justice.
Love Mercy.
Walk humbly amid the torrents of available #BadQuakers material.
Oh wait, it's Walk humbly with the Lord your God, right RantWoman?
RantWoman?
Stay tuned.
There have been NO #BadQuakers contributions to the Twitterverse since 2014!
There are some #BadQuakerGuide tweets, but RantWoman is very happy to let those remain the province of Brent Bill and his new book Life Lessons of a Bad Quaker Well, RantWoman would like to do this but that means for the time being seasoning her leading to go off on one of her trademark tangents, this time about libraries and electronic materials and ... and...
Anyway, back to the Twitterverse. There are a lot of #BadFriends contributions, but they all allude to friendships gone awry rather than to that mix of Quaker confession and peculiar humor recognizable for the Association of Bad Friends.
SOME of the time when RantWoman goes abroad into the world of Twitter, RantWoman makes at least MODEST effort to check and see whetehr hastags it occurs to her to try are 1. already in use in the sense RantWoman means or 2. already in use in another sense which deserves to remain clearly distinguished from whatever RantWoman has in mind.
There is a serious dearth of #BadQuakers material on Twitter.
The questions now:
How badly does the world need the volume of #BadQuakers material RantWoman could probably inject into the Twitterverse?
How much of RantWoman's #BadQuakers capacity is unique to #quakers as opposed to generalized #fail of some sort or another?
What do God and the rest of RantWoman's tweet streams require of RantWoman in the realm of #BadQuakers tweets?
Do justice.
Love Mercy.
Walk humbly amid the torrents of available #BadQuakers material.
Oh wait, it's Walk humbly with the Lord your God, right RantWoman?
RantWoman?
Stay tuned.
Tape ministries; passing away peacefully in sleep
The Cut-to-the-Chase resource: AudioBook Ministries
http://www.tapeministries.org/
This site is an assortment of religious materials read by human readers and presented the way materials are prssented through the NLS. If you just need a cool resource stop here.
If your soul is crying for more RantWoman psycho-spiritual adventures read on.
RantWoman has encountered an analogous Quaker resource but cannot remember its name.
RantWoman would also be too happy to riff and rattle about Meeting libraries and electronic publishing and... and...well, save that for another day.
But really, this post is dedicated to:
A middle-aged pastor RantMom knows who retired early because macular degeneration clobbered his eyesight and maybe he did not connect with all the blind ministers out there in the world.
The mysterious blind Presbyterian minister from IA who RantWoman learned recently married RantWoman's maternal grandparents in CO 80+ years ago before moving back to IA.
The flutters of elderly women with failing eyesight who drive large segments of their sister worshippers to worship at any number of faith communities in RantWoman's orbit, and especially Dorothy from RantMom's church who recently passed peacefully from her sleep to her next dimension
There are two more stories needed.
Dorothy is one of the Presbyterian chauffeurs RantMom keeps urging RantWoman to pray will pass their eye tests to keep driving.
RantWoman: MOM, I LOVE YOU but I cannot automatically pray that someone that age passes her eye test. I pray that she and God will figure it out! Dorothy and God seem to have figured it out.
Dorothy apparently does not want a memorial but the RantWomen agree that memorials are for the living and there should certainly be some kind of celebration. Here, though the RantWoman's chatter took an odd turn, toward the recurring arguments between RantDad and the Righteous Rev. Rant Granddad Every time there was a visit, there was always some kind of argument.
RantWoman remembers one visit where RantGranddad needed to go do a funeral or memorial for someone. RantDad took the "Funerals? Bah! " position. RantGranddad took a different positions. They took these positions in the front seat of a parked car wit hthree Rant Siblings in the back seat. They took their positions staunchly with no wiggle room. Staunchly as in a chip off the old block, de tal palo, tal astilo, like father, like son. And somehow despite the arc of the argument everyone made it safely back to Rant Granddad's.
Lord have Mercy, and celebrate Dorothy!
http://www.tapeministries.org/
This site is an assortment of religious materials read by human readers and presented the way materials are prssented through the NLS. If you just need a cool resource stop here.
If your soul is crying for more RantWoman psycho-spiritual adventures read on.
RantWoman has encountered an analogous Quaker resource but cannot remember its name.
RantWoman would also be too happy to riff and rattle about Meeting libraries and electronic publishing and... and...well, save that for another day.
But really, this post is dedicated to:
A middle-aged pastor RantMom knows who retired early because macular degeneration clobbered his eyesight and maybe he did not connect with all the blind ministers out there in the world.
The mysterious blind Presbyterian minister from IA who RantWoman learned recently married RantWoman's maternal grandparents in CO 80+ years ago before moving back to IA.
The flutters of elderly women with failing eyesight who drive large segments of their sister worshippers to worship at any number of faith communities in RantWoman's orbit, and especially Dorothy from RantMom's church who recently passed peacefully from her sleep to her next dimension
There are two more stories needed.
Dorothy is one of the Presbyterian chauffeurs RantMom keeps urging RantWoman to pray will pass their eye tests to keep driving.
RantWoman: MOM, I LOVE YOU but I cannot automatically pray that someone that age passes her eye test. I pray that she and God will figure it out! Dorothy and God seem to have figured it out.
Dorothy apparently does not want a memorial but the RantWomen agree that memorials are for the living and there should certainly be some kind of celebration. Here, though the RantWoman's chatter took an odd turn, toward the recurring arguments between RantDad and the Righteous Rev. Rant Granddad Every time there was a visit, there was always some kind of argument.
RantWoman remembers one visit where RantGranddad needed to go do a funeral or memorial for someone. RantDad took the "Funerals? Bah! " position. RantGranddad took a different positions. They took these positions in the front seat of a parked car wit hthree Rant Siblings in the back seat. They took their positions staunchly with no wiggle room. Staunchly as in a chip off the old block, de tal palo, tal astilo, like father, like son. And somehow despite the arc of the argument everyone made it safely back to Rant Granddad's.
Lord have Mercy, and celebrate Dorothy!
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
MDiv Thesis Survey: women ministers and women's bodies
Ashley W is a young, well younger than RantWoman anyway, Quaker minister working on her MDiv at Candler School of Theology. Ashley W and RantWoman have overlapping experience in the realms of cross-yearly meeting dialogue, narrative theology, and Quaker event planning, among other themes. Also, per social media, the survey plan has been through her schools Institutional Review Board process, a fact which always gives RantWoman confidence in survey efforts.
RantWoman is saying all of this rather than saying ANYTHING more about the content of the survey because RantWoman encourages interested readers just to FILL OUT THE SURVEY though RantWoman is trying not to bias the results in any way by supplying more information. Take the survey. Pass it along to women who identify as ministers!
Ashley W's MDiv survey about women ministers and bodies
For reference, Ashley W's blog A Passionate and Determined Quest for Adequacy
RantWoman is saying all of this rather than saying ANYTHING more about the content of the survey because RantWoman encourages interested readers just to FILL OUT THE SURVEY though RantWoman is trying not to bias the results in any way by supplying more information. Take the survey. Pass it along to women who identify as ministers!
Ashley W's MDiv survey about women ministers and bodies
For reference, Ashley W's blog A Passionate and Determined Quest for Adequacy
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Mystical Pants: Subtle? Just cold?
This post is dedicated to everyone who thinks they might not be any good at mystical experiences, mystical experiences such as
--John Woolman's visions
--a "leaning on the everlasting arms" thread that comes through a couple different Friends' testimonies of their spiritual experiences
--"the yellow pages ...quakers" light that dawned on RantWoman shortly after moving to Seattle while in the middle of especially noodly praise music at the vineyard service Little Sister was attending at the time.
In general, RantWoman would not mind having more subtle and complex dreams. Sometimes , though, she is served up clouts over the head. Recently RantWoman was dreaming of walking around very underdressed on a cold night without an obvious path to more clothing. It was a dream so OF COURSE there were other elements, RantWoman was pretty determined to keep going. At some point RantWoman rolled over and woke up enough to realize that a trip to the bathroom might be helpful. On the way back to bed, RantWoman also added more leg covering. At least when RantWoman went back to sleep being warmer meant she dreamt of different things!
Work with that?
--John Woolman's visions
--a "leaning on the everlasting arms" thread that comes through a couple different Friends' testimonies of their spiritual experiences
--"the yellow pages ...quakers" light that dawned on RantWoman shortly after moving to Seattle while in the middle of especially noodly praise music at the vineyard service Little Sister was attending at the time.
In general, RantWoman would not mind having more subtle and complex dreams. Sometimes , though, she is served up clouts over the head. Recently RantWoman was dreaming of walking around very underdressed on a cold night without an obvious path to more clothing. It was a dream so OF COURSE there were other elements, RantWoman was pretty determined to keep going. At some point RantWoman rolled over and woke up enough to realize that a trip to the bathroom might be helpful. On the way back to bed, RantWoman also added more leg covering. At least when RantWoman went back to sleep being warmer meant she dreamt of different things!
Work with that?
RIP Peg Morton, Eugene Peace Activist
Recently, RantWoman has consistently been really clear after almost every Meeting for Worship that she is supposed to stand up and announce something. It is not just that RantWoman is certain the world is entitled to her views of a certain announcement, riffed on elsewhere. RantWoman has been clear in her leading to speak AND when RantWoman speaks, other people come up to RantWoman and speak about what RantWoman has said!
(RantWoman, being true to her light, is not above telling hostile reviewers to Take a Giant Chill Pill, but so far that need has not crystalized. So far.)
One of the weeks RantWoman was clear to speak, brought first a Quaker realism moment about the death of someone's mother being both a relief and a hole and call to announce the death of longtime peace activist and member of Eugene Friends Peg Morton. Peg Morton's name came up recently in conversation and wonderful memories were shared of Peg's welcoming spirit at FOR gatherings. RantWoman thanks the Friend who spoke for nudges to post the remembrances she has collected.
KLCC: Eugene peace activist died as she lived
Register Guard: Eugene peace activist Peg Morton dies at age 85
FOR: Ibrahim Ramey, Peg Morton Presente
Belateledly adding another
Eugene Weekly Feeling Light Within
(RantWoman, being true to her light, is not above telling hostile reviewers to Take a Giant Chill Pill, but so far that need has not crystalized. So far.)
One of the weeks RantWoman was clear to speak, brought first a Quaker realism moment about the death of someone's mother being both a relief and a hole and call to announce the death of longtime peace activist and member of Eugene Friends Peg Morton. Peg Morton's name came up recently in conversation and wonderful memories were shared of Peg's welcoming spirit at FOR gatherings. RantWoman thanks the Friend who spoke for nudges to post the remembrances she has collected.
KLCC: Eugene peace activist died as she lived
Register Guard: Eugene peace activist Peg Morton dies at age 85
FOR: Ibrahim Ramey, Peg Morton Presente
Belateledly adding another
Eugene Weekly Feeling Light Within
Business Meeting? Bach Double Violin Concerto?
This video involves a highly visual joke and that old devout Protestant mystic J.S. Bach. RantWoman does not want to spoil the joke for sighted readers by providing any kind of description and begs the indulgence of blind readers who might need to ask someone nearby for an explanation.
Two points might be helpful:
RantWoman thought of captioning this "we are all ministers of god."
Readers are allowed to wonder WTF this has to do with Business Meeting. RantWoman would be curious what rises from readers about this point.
Now, Enjoy the Music!
Two points might be helpful:
RantWoman thought of captioning this "we are all ministers of god."
Readers are allowed to wonder WTF this has to do with Business Meeting. RantWoman would be curious what rises from readers about this point.
Now, Enjoy the Music!
Monday, January 4, 2016
Gratitude: Full Moon, over the Rockies, Like Santa everywhere at once
RantWoman needs to express gratitude for the moon and for capacity visually to appreciate these two stunning photos of the Christmas 2015 full moon.
Dear God, RantWoman is getting this thank you letter written before she even gets out all the greetings she means to get out. Hey it's not Epiphany yet...
And ANOTHER GORGEOUS shot, this time from Colorado
Dear God, RantWoman is getting this thank you letter written before she even gets out all the greetings she means to get out. Hey it's not Epiphany yet...
Christmas Eve Full Moon Billings MT, Billings Gazette |
And ANOTHER GORGEOUS shot, this time from Colorado
Same moon Different Mountains This time in CO Are we Dazzled yet? |
Friday, January 1, 2016
ABBA (cover band?) says Happy New Year 2016--with Fireworks - Frohes Neues Jahr [HD]
Look, if you want images of cheerful people singing Happy New Year, use the search engine of your choice. RantWoman alas wants to hear the love behind the words of the song, but somehow the fireworks shells resonating with all that is going on this year, endless wars through the Middle East, Ukraine, Afghanistan... seem more honest if not more sugar-coated.
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL and prayers for all that needs prayer!
#Happy2016
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL and prayers for all that needs prayer!
#Happy2016
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)