RantWoman is clear that Paul Simon's You can call me Al belongs in her morning meditations. The reason is not necesarily obvious to RantWoman and therefore RantWoman has no expectation that any reason will be obvious to anyone else especially considering the other things destined for ths meditation.
(Just for the record, who are Betty and all anyway?)
When someone is alive, one does not necessarily think of them every darn day. When someone who worked near where RantWoman lives died suddenly of a massive heart attack while at work, somehow RantWoman thought of him every time she looked in the direction of his place of employment.
The deceased, director of strategic recruiting at his employer was a complete force of nature. RantWoman herself had two important interactions. An interview gave RantWoman more than enough confidence to pass up what was on offer. A referral for someone on RantWoman's list of blind people among Quakers.resulted in a job, a job with an impossible bus commute and thus need for his wife to drive him to work. Thankfully, another job step resulted in work much closer to home, that is amenable to commuting by bus, and that sounds really rewarding. Such though are the recruiting realities that other blind people do put up with...
Like RantWoman the deceased could pass as sighted, get around without a cane, recognize people visually, and generally exhibit some other tells recognizable in the blindness community. None of that made him any less of a force of nature, in the spirit of how can anyone be that nice all the time to everyone? On her way to the memorial, RantWoman even met someone on the bus who knew him, had prayed with him, was shocked to learn of his passing, asked RantWoman to record her condolences somehow (Thank you Facebook.)
All of that helps make the list of complete transportation fiascoes involved in taking public transit to the memorial almost worthwhile. Almost. RantWoman sometimes tries to tough it out when other blind people would just take a cab or paratransit. Look. It was a bright breezy day. The exercise was worth it even though there was a loud busy road involved. And the return trip to the Light Rail happened via Lincoln town car at the insistence of a staffperson from the funeral home.
But back to the grieving. The thing that sort of put the visual reminder to rest was not the memorial it was a chicken, an elderly chicken from a backyard flock that had never been culled. The chicken had not laid aggs for quite awhile and its day started with some kind of loud noise in the coop. The chicken tender, who happens to be blind, noticed that the bird was distressed, wondered whether the chicken might be on its way to the next realm. She brought it indoors and then proceeded to read it Emily Dickinson for a long time.
Not only did the chicken not die, it laid an enormous egg and then resumed its average presence in the flock. Simultaneously its story helped dislodge RantWoman from the moments of inchoate grief every time she looked at the deceased's employer.
The day of the memorial, there was more grief in Twitter. The world gets the blow-by-blow transit saga elsewhere. Suffice it to say RantWoman made it to the memorial, on foot from her last transit leg. The memorial was about what RantWoman expected: There was a magnificent rendering of Amazing Grace by the fabulous Ms. Meka W. RantWoman managed to resist the temptation to yell and ask people to use the mic better. RantWoman is also not going to froth at the keyboard about restroom accessibility. The building's restrooms being repaired and available restroom options included VERY fancy trucked in portable restrooms with running water and everything one could want--as long as one could make it up the three steps.
RantWoman manage just about the expected level of social interaction in a noisy reception with many strangers and few voices RantWoman could pull out of the hubbub. Then it was time to go home. RantWoman figured she would just retrace the route that got her there, walk back to the bus stop, cross the street, catch a bus back to the Light Rail, and go home. However one of the funeral home employees came running out all flustered and insisted RantWoman let someone drive her to the Light Rail.
Back to the bodyguard motif: RantWoman rode to the light rail in some kind of Lincoln town car common in funeral processions. The interior was very well-padded and the whole experience made RantWoman think of of a couple interpreter gigs where riding around in much fancier wheels than RantWoman is used to were part of the territory.
So thank you I guess to KD for prodding to RantWoman again, along with some other threads, to think about expanding her horizons and in the meantime, enjoy the music.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Sybil: time warp with ashes and roses
Meet Sybil.
This is Sybil, or what is left of Sybil almost a quarter century after she passed away. We do not usually allow people to leave ashes on our property. We made an exception to keep Sybil with us.
Sybil was Jewish. She often brought tsimmis to potlucks. In childhood her family ran a diaper service. Sybil had at some point studied ballet and even at the end of her life could still do a couple important ballet stretches. Sybil also was a huge fan of the vocal ministry of babies. Also once or twice when a membership was coming up, Sybil would ask something like "Who is this person? Are they on any committees?"
RantWoman met Sybil her first time at Meeting, when RantWoman arrived needing spiritual nurture, refuge from Things that Were Not Working. RantWoman did not exactly meet Sybil. RantWoman saw pictures of an 85th birthday celebration where some Friends with climbing gear took Sybil out to a Seattle park with a climbing rock and Sybil climbed the rock.
RantWoman's thoughts ran to "This is COOL, both climbing the rock and people willing to take Sybil out to climb the rock."
At some point RantWoman also connected with a Friend who still remembers Sybil from long ago days at Quaker Boarding School, a concept RantWoman has never fully wrapped her brain around.
Sybil lived in public housing and invited in many students to practice English. Sybil was QUITE deaf and was always asking Friends in person and in the bulletin to Speak Up. This was long before the days of movable microphones. Sybil was also pretty exuberant about participating anyway and Sybil lingers in many Friends' memories as someone who lived well in spite of poverty.
Sybil has wandered through a couple vocal ministries lately including RantWoman. There is more lingering to be said of multiple strands of time warp but RantWoman has not sorted out further words and will stop for now.
Sybil was Jewish. She often brought tsimmis to potlucks. In childhood her family ran a diaper service. Sybil had at some point studied ballet and even at the end of her life could still do a couple important ballet stretches. Sybil also was a huge fan of the vocal ministry of babies. Also once or twice when a membership was coming up, Sybil would ask something like "Who is this person? Are they on any committees?"
RantWoman met Sybil her first time at Meeting, when RantWoman arrived needing spiritual nurture, refuge from Things that Were Not Working. RantWoman did not exactly meet Sybil. RantWoman saw pictures of an 85th birthday celebration where some Friends with climbing gear took Sybil out to a Seattle park with a climbing rock and Sybil climbed the rock.
RantWoman's thoughts ran to "This is COOL, both climbing the rock and people willing to take Sybil out to climb the rock."
At some point RantWoman also connected with a Friend who still remembers Sybil from long ago days at Quaker Boarding School, a concept RantWoman has never fully wrapped her brain around.
Sybil lived in public housing and invited in many students to practice English. Sybil was QUITE deaf and was always asking Friends in person and in the bulletin to Speak Up. This was long before the days of movable microphones. Sybil was also pretty exuberant about participating anyway and Sybil lingers in many Friends' memories as someone who lived well in spite of poverty.
Sybil has wandered through a couple vocal ministries lately including RantWoman. There is more lingering to be said of multiple strands of time warp but RantWoman has not sorted out further words and will stop for now.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Days and days of Thankfulness
Comes now the cyclical Fambly ritual of "what WILL we do for holidays?" The topic of today's meditation in particular: Thanksgiving? Potluck? Brunch? With homeless people. Without homeless people (that we know of). With toddler more interested in tactile experience and gravity than in eating? Or without such a toddler?
RantWoman is penning this message with specific offer to help make something happen for Thanksgiving and seeking Light as to how others are led. RantWoman would be thrilled if a special team of 5-7 people could come together and Make Something Happen.
RantWoman left to her own preferences would probably opt for potluck meal but with some parameters different from the past. RantWoman would MAYBE think of early morning food if it were part of ensuring some homeless people have a place to be for the day but would not be happy with brunch alone. In particular,RantWoman kind of likes Thanksgiving worship while hungry. It makes the celebratory reflections more real.
As long as RantWoman is stating preferences a few more details.
--Plan for a POTLUCK. Do not overspecify. Bring two items you / your household likes. Trust that there will be plenty.
--If you are not planning to stay for the meal, do not worry about cooking a turkey or bringing food. Come for worship. That is enough. Likewise, if you really can live without worship but want to bring a whole clan to the meal,bless you, there is room for that too.
--Do worry about signups for set-up and cleanup. Have clear start and end times that take into account travel considerations such as bus and ferry schedules.
--Beloved elders who might be tempted to overdo about setups should be provided at least one pair of able young arms willing generously to accept supervision and be fetch and carry.
--The provide a place for homeless people to be concept might need just to be remembered. Homeless services have a different model than the self-managed SHARE program and RantWoman is unclear what invitation would even be appropriate. Also the 3 people with the strongest leading in the direction of holiday accompaniment for homeless people have moved away. Frankly, Friends also, it seemed to RantWoman, got a little spoiled: the SHARE group was always very eager to help with setup and cleanup; this unquestionably made the workload lighter for everyone else.
RantWoman offers the above reflections based on recent and less recent experiences of celebration at her meeting.
Last year was Brunch then worship. RantWoman remembers grumbling that if the committee planning things had asked the community, Friends might have rallied to do a potluck meal. RantWoman decided it was fine and important to try something new. Brunch was not terrible, and worship on Thanksgiving is always a gift. Brunch did not speak to the Rant Family. This is important because in the past Thanksgiving has been the one holiday a year where RantWoman tells the RantFamily that if they want to celebrate with her, they come to Meeting.
Other holidays have tended toward RantWoman arriving on time to RantMom's apartment, helping RantMom out with final prep, munching on crudite and generally having RantMom all aflutter about when Little Sister and her family will arrive. RantWoman would so much rather just go on a group ferry ride, but that is also not feasible. Anyway, RantWoman does not remember what happened last year for the Rant Family but suspects it fell into RantMom's holiday pattern of "I must have my children over and feed them."
The previous year Meeting Thanksgiving potluck was, um, tense. No SHARE guests. The staff had just been told her position was discontinued. Food was plentiful. RantMom found plenty of people to talk to. But the whole exercise wanted to wrap up almost before Little Sister and family even showed up. RantWoman is not further commenting about Little Sister's family and the space / time continuum. Tardiness just contributed to the whole layer of tension. Irrepressible Nephew charmed everyone by singlehandedly moving a heavy table back downstairs after the meal, but RantWoman can absolutely understand not wanting a repeat of all of that.
Still RantWoman is both looking back and thinking of...
RantWoman remembers Thanksgivings when she was new to Meeting; Friends from Salmon Bay got invited. This was before South Seattle Friends Meeting existed. RantWoman remembers a relaxed feel except for some tension among vegetarians because of turkey.
Thinking of RantMom who has come most years since moving to Seattle: Both of RantMom's parents came from large families. RantMom is definitely used to having lots of people in small space. RantMom loves Thanksgiving potluck for the same reason RantWoman loves having RantMom at potluck: RantMom has LOTS of people to talk to. RantMom has lived in Seattle long enough that even if she just chats a little bit with people she knows from Meeting, her day is full.
Irrepressible Nephew has quite grown up. When he was either about 2 or about 3, he was definitely more into food as tactile experience + gravity than in actually eating anything. The result of these preferences was a glorious mess, the kind of mess that would send RantMom or anyone needing to worry about cleaning up carpet just around the bend. RantWoman just thought Oh fine, good thing linoleum is easy to clean up. Somewhere between that year and the year Nephew wanted to come to worship and his parents never made it, there was another small child into the same approach to food as Nephew.
In RantWoman's childhood holidays frequently had many hanger-on: college students, musicians, beloved elders. RantWoman has mostly felt the same level of warmth for Thanksgiving potlucks at Meeting.
RantWoman has scrawled such Light as is available above; RantWoman means it about offer to help if others would also appreciate a potluck after worship and is willing to offer some time and energy to the endeavor.
In Light and Faithfulness.
RantWoman
RantWoman is penning this message with specific offer to help make something happen for Thanksgiving and seeking Light as to how others are led. RantWoman would be thrilled if a special team of 5-7 people could come together and Make Something Happen.
RantWoman left to her own preferences would probably opt for potluck meal but with some parameters different from the past. RantWoman would MAYBE think of early morning food if it were part of ensuring some homeless people have a place to be for the day but would not be happy with brunch alone. In particular,RantWoman kind of likes Thanksgiving worship while hungry. It makes the celebratory reflections more real.
As long as RantWoman is stating preferences a few more details.
--Plan for a POTLUCK. Do not overspecify. Bring two items you / your household likes. Trust that there will be plenty.
--If you are not planning to stay for the meal, do not worry about cooking a turkey or bringing food. Come for worship. That is enough. Likewise, if you really can live without worship but want to bring a whole clan to the meal,bless you, there is room for that too.
--Do worry about signups for set-up and cleanup. Have clear start and end times that take into account travel considerations such as bus and ferry schedules.
--Beloved elders who might be tempted to overdo about setups should be provided at least one pair of able young arms willing generously to accept supervision and be fetch and carry.
--The provide a place for homeless people to be concept might need just to be remembered. Homeless services have a different model than the self-managed SHARE program and RantWoman is unclear what invitation would even be appropriate. Also the 3 people with the strongest leading in the direction of holiday accompaniment for homeless people have moved away. Frankly, Friends also, it seemed to RantWoman, got a little spoiled: the SHARE group was always very eager to help with setup and cleanup; this unquestionably made the workload lighter for everyone else.
RantWoman offers the above reflections based on recent and less recent experiences of celebration at her meeting.
Last year was Brunch then worship. RantWoman remembers grumbling that if the committee planning things had asked the community, Friends might have rallied to do a potluck meal. RantWoman decided it was fine and important to try something new. Brunch was not terrible, and worship on Thanksgiving is always a gift. Brunch did not speak to the Rant Family. This is important because in the past Thanksgiving has been the one holiday a year where RantWoman tells the RantFamily that if they want to celebrate with her, they come to Meeting.
Other holidays have tended toward RantWoman arriving on time to RantMom's apartment, helping RantMom out with final prep, munching on crudite and generally having RantMom all aflutter about when Little Sister and her family will arrive. RantWoman would so much rather just go on a group ferry ride, but that is also not feasible. Anyway, RantWoman does not remember what happened last year for the Rant Family but suspects it fell into RantMom's holiday pattern of "I must have my children over and feed them."
The previous year Meeting Thanksgiving potluck was, um, tense. No SHARE guests. The staff had just been told her position was discontinued. Food was plentiful. RantMom found plenty of people to talk to. But the whole exercise wanted to wrap up almost before Little Sister and family even showed up. RantWoman is not further commenting about Little Sister's family and the space / time continuum. Tardiness just contributed to the whole layer of tension. Irrepressible Nephew charmed everyone by singlehandedly moving a heavy table back downstairs after the meal, but RantWoman can absolutely understand not wanting a repeat of all of that.
Still RantWoman is both looking back and thinking of...
RantWoman remembers Thanksgivings when she was new to Meeting; Friends from Salmon Bay got invited. This was before South Seattle Friends Meeting existed. RantWoman remembers a relaxed feel except for some tension among vegetarians because of turkey.
Thinking of RantMom who has come most years since moving to Seattle: Both of RantMom's parents came from large families. RantMom is definitely used to having lots of people in small space. RantMom loves Thanksgiving potluck for the same reason RantWoman loves having RantMom at potluck: RantMom has LOTS of people to talk to. RantMom has lived in Seattle long enough that even if she just chats a little bit with people she knows from Meeting, her day is full.
Irrepressible Nephew has quite grown up. When he was either about 2 or about 3, he was definitely more into food as tactile experience + gravity than in actually eating anything. The result of these preferences was a glorious mess, the kind of mess that would send RantMom or anyone needing to worry about cleaning up carpet just around the bend. RantWoman just thought Oh fine, good thing linoleum is easy to clean up. Somewhere between that year and the year Nephew wanted to come to worship and his parents never made it, there was another small child into the same approach to food as Nephew.
In RantWoman's childhood holidays frequently had many hanger-on: college students, musicians, beloved elders. RantWoman has mostly felt the same level of warmth for Thanksgiving potlucks at Meeting.
RantWoman has scrawled such Light as is available above; RantWoman means it about offer to help if others would also appreciate a potluck after worship and is willing to offer some time and energy to the endeavor.
In Light and Faithfulness.
RantWoman
Prayer Warriors? Prayer for Dummies? Reading Group? Adult Ed Series?
RantWoman is seasoning a leading to see whether others in her Meeting would be interested in some kind of Prayer for Dummies exercise. RantWoman is unclear with whom it would make sense to season this leading. RantWoman would be thrilled to know if others are interested and want to help develop the project.
RantWoman also warns potential collaborators of RantWoman's need for materials in accessible formats without, for now, further specifying what that means.
RantWoman has been thinking a lot about prayer, as part of daily practice, in terms of different language different Friends use, and also invoked around RantWoman when there is nothing obvious or feasible one is clear to do. . Also, awhile ago some people from another part of RantWoman's life decided to make a conference call prayer group. RantWoman greatly esteems the gifts of the person led to convene the group. RantWoman was already aware that prayer would likely include a lot of language different from RantWoman's experience. And RantWoman's reaction to news that the group was forming: "I MUST pray with these people."
So now RantWoman's email streams are full of phrases like "Praise the Lord," (and the no-longer practicing nurse who helped walk someone through a severe hypoglycemic episode) and "prayer warriors." IN practice, the conference calls occur at a time that is not great for RantWoman. RantWoman also pays selective attention to a couple of the prayer warriors partly because they post a lot of supplications in multiple social media streams. In terms of the whole group except for diffuse generalized prayer of good wishes / vigorous holding in the Light , RantWoman is probably doing what she can on the prayer front; RantWoman also offers light and prayer requests via email though the requests get edited in what RantWoman considers unhelpful ways as they are forwarded to the group..
In any case, to help think more about the Prayer for dummies idea, RantWoman secured permission to post the telephone group's guidelines here, just as one possible point of departure. Friends who are curious and want more info about this specific group, please leave a comment.
RantWoman also warns potential collaborators of RantWoman's need for materials in accessible formats without, for now, further specifying what that means.
RantWoman has been thinking a lot about prayer, as part of daily practice, in terms of different language different Friends use, and also invoked around RantWoman when there is nothing obvious or feasible one is clear to do. . Also, awhile ago some people from another part of RantWoman's life decided to make a conference call prayer group. RantWoman greatly esteems the gifts of the person led to convene the group. RantWoman was already aware that prayer would likely include a lot of language different from RantWoman's experience. And RantWoman's reaction to news that the group was forming: "I MUST pray with these people."
So now RantWoman's email streams are full of phrases like "Praise the Lord," (and the no-longer practicing nurse who helped walk someone through a severe hypoglycemic episode) and "prayer warriors." IN practice, the conference calls occur at a time that is not great for RantWoman. RantWoman also pays selective attention to a couple of the prayer warriors partly because they post a lot of supplications in multiple social media streams. In terms of the whole group except for diffuse generalized prayer of good wishes / vigorous holding in the Light , RantWoman is probably doing what she can on the prayer front; RantWoman also offers light and prayer requests via email though the requests get edited in what RantWoman considers unhelpful ways as they are forwarded to the group..
In any case, to help think more about the Prayer for dummies idea, RantWoman secured permission to post the telephone group's guidelines here, just as one possible point of departure. Friends who are curious and want more info about this specific group, please leave a comment.
PRAYER GROUP GUIDELINES
Hello, and welcome to our prayer group conference calls! We meet every Sunday at 4 PM Pacific Time, 6 PM Central Time. Although this call is supposed to be informal, and we’re supposed to have fun, there are some basic guidelines that need to be followed. Trust me, this is not going to be painfull! The last thing that we want people to do is feel uncomfortable. That’s not what we want at all. Here are the three basic guidelines:
1. Respect. Please respect everybody that’s on the call and their prayer requests or praise reports. Once we start praying, we need to be respectful to those that are praying. One way to do that is by muting your line by pressing the star key and the number 6. You’ll hear the voice say, “This line is now muted.” This will prevent excess noise coming in on the call. When you’d like to pray, unmute your line the same way, and you’ll hear the voice say, “This line is now unmuted.” This also includes being respectfull to how someone prays. Some individuals may cry, speak in tongues, or however the Spirit leads them to pray. By respecting others and respecting the Lord, this will be a good thing. Please, when you give your praise report and/or prayer requests, keep it at 1 to two minutes. None of us wants to be on the phone for a long time!
2. Confidentiality. Anything that we discuss on this call is kept in strictest confidence, and cannot be shared with anyone accept for the person that made the prayer request. Please do not share any of what we talk about on Social Media, text messages, emails, or phone calls
3. Don’t be judgmental. You never know what people are going through, and we know that there are people that are loosing hope. It’s our job as believers to not judge them based on what they request. For example, if someone makes a prayer request for a medical need, what we don’t wan to hear is something like, “I’m having trouble with my legs. But that stupid, idiot doctor doesn’t want to see me for it!” This is not the time or place for name calling, swearing, or anything that could cause harassment or that could easily offend somebody. We want this to be a positive experience for all!.
4. This is not the place or time to discuss politics! That’s not what our prayer group is about. We can certainly pray for the president of the United States and for leaders of our country, but please, no negativity! As was previously mentioned, this is a call to encourage each other, not to be discouraged.
The Prayer List:
When a prayer request is sent ...via email, phone call, text, or any other way, then I will add that person to the list. When a new person gets added, I’ll send it to the group. This way, we can pray for that person or situation at our own time and not just when we get together. Let me or the moderator know if that person needs to be taken off. For example, if someone’s passed away. Also, if someone or even if you have a request and you don’t want us to know the full details of that request, then I’ll put it on the list as an unspoken request. For example, “Malissa’s unspoken request.” If you or someone has a prayer request, they can send it to me via email at (email address) Or, they can call me at [ ]. Please be aware that you do not have to commit to being on the call every single Sunday. Just come on whenever it’s convenient for you to be on the group. You don’t have to stay on the entire time, you can come and go as you wish. If we’re in the middle of praying, and you have to leave for whatever reason, you don’t need to announce that you are hanging up. Just go ahead, and we’ll talk when you come back on again. Once we take prayer requests and praise reports, then I will ask if there’s anyone that needs to leave early, then I will let that person start off the prayer, everyone else can follow, and I or whomever is moderating will close. There’s no time limit for this conferencing service, so afterward, you can visit with each other for as long as you’d like! One more thing to add. Whenever we have new people on the call, please make them feel welcome!!! Let’s have a good time praising the Lord, and interceding on other’s behalf!!!
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Tenants. Transparency, Trust, Light
This blog post is written in a spirit of holding a specific person as well as general problems in the Light. RantWoman wishes to acknowledge that the specific person being held in the Light has made steps and gestures that RantWoman considers important evolution; RantWoman notes that evolution is an option for many other Friends as well. RantWoman is still clear to post how the world looks through her wonky eyeballs, with concern to hold all in the Light.
RantWoman's brain is currently afflicted by a new twitch: the ability to hear many messages as "Just shut up and trust us." In RantWoman's experience, sunshine, space to ask honest questions enhances trust. Does RantWoman consistently succeed about holding such space for others? Ummm
Anyway, consider Friend who regularly reminds RantWoman of need to be faithful to her Light no matter who says what.
Friend who.... before one of our Meeting's annual sexual abuse / let's talk about ... presentations, in response to something RantWoman said but now does not remember "RantWoman, go talk to your counselor."
RantWoman, to herself, with a twinge in her gut: "Um NO. RantWoman HAS a counselor. There is something here for this specific event." In the actual event, four different people had on their minds the same issue as RantWoman: kids who for whatever reason cannot talk to their parents.
Friend who... "RantWoman WHY do you keep bringing up this moment?"
People keep asking RantWoman why she does not automatically trust the community's discernment. In this case "Go talk to your counselor" was unhelpful; RantWoman being true to her Light resonated with others in the audience.
Latest Question from same Friend: RantWoman why do you not just trust...?"
One really terrible Meeting for Business moment that sticks in many people's minds has to do with a Finance Committee report about new tenants.
One tenant is a homeless shelter operated by Operation Nightwatch. The service model is different from SHARE/ WHEEL. The service model includes case management and ability to pay appropriate rent. What is not to like?
The second tenant is an organization called Facing Homelessness. One of the services Facing Homelessness operates is something called a "Window of Kindness" that distributes socks, coats, and other supplies to homeless people. The problem as RantWoman understood it at the time: besides relentless networkers like RantWoman's little sister who use wheelchairs, there are LOTS of homeless people who use wheelchairs and have various other mobility impairments. The space rented by Facing Homelessness is NOT wheelchair accessible. So RantWoman tried to ask some kind of question about wheelchair accessibility of Facing Homelessness services.
The ask did not go so well. It was the end of Business Meeting. People wanted lunch. People have used the word "ranting" to describe RantWoman's behavior. RantWoman did not realize the Clerk just left the room [vexing blind person reality, sigh]. RantWoman clearly did not hear a request to be silent but also has no idea what actually made it out of her mouth.
RantWoman offers the following links for current reference.
https://www.facinghomelessness.org/programs
Wheelchair accessible?????
Volunteer at the Window of Kindness
Volunteer through United Way at the Window of Kindness
Check box for Is wheelchair accessible is checked ?!?!?
RantWoman offers the following photo of the courtyard used by Facing Homelessness and the Window of Kindness. Please note the extremely wheelchair accessible stairs.
In Business Meeting RantWoman was thinking of Little Sister. RantWoman was thinking of all the people she rides around on the bus with, people she might like to refer for resources.
RantWoman was also thinking something along the lines of "well, yeah, Facing Homelessness gets no government money and probably has too few employees to be required by the ADA to do anything about wheelchair accessibility. And landlords have no obligation about accessibility for tenants' services. But even if legally there is no issue, from RantWoman's perspective something sucks. RantWoman does not want to rain on the new lease parade but does want to register concern!"
RantWoman has NO memory of any response in Business Meeting to her comments. RantWoman does remember conversationS afterward first of the form "RantWoman why don't you just trust...?" and then "OH, I see your point. We need to add the issue to points to consider about our property, and should the tenant ever ask we could think about modifications...." RantWoman thinks it could be extremely productive for the Friend this post is holding in the Light to repeat her comments in public in ways that MIGHT appear in minutes.
RantWoman has no memory of whether her comments in Business Meeting were even phrased as a question which might, MIGHT--if all Quaker process stars align--have been referred back somewhere for followup. Followup might have included information such as "well, wheel chair users can call and Facing Homeless staff can meet them." OR "Facing Homelessness goes out to many wheelchair accessible locations in the neighborhood (RantWoman has since learned that this is true.) RantWoman has also learned that Facing Homelessness organizes work parties to clean up trash around unauthorized encampments partly to help maintain accessibility on affected sidewalks. In other words, RantWoman is happy to support and Encourage the work Facing Homelessness does. RantWoman still would be entirely grateful if someone could report SOMEHOW about how Facing Homelessness addresses the needs of wheelchair users.
RantWoman also STRIVES going forward to try to be clearer when she is called to be true to her Light about questions in Meeting for Business. And RantWoman firmly dissents from the view that all this conceptual tangle will go away if RantWoman is just banished from Meeting for Business.
In FACT, the world is owed another post about how the ADA is embodied in many building codes and about the value for rental purposes of recognizing ADA-accessible spaces. And to everyone who things RantWoman should just chill out and stop caring, WHAT?
In Light and Faithfulness.
RantWoman
RantWoman's brain is currently afflicted by a new twitch: the ability to hear many messages as "Just shut up and trust us." In RantWoman's experience, sunshine, space to ask honest questions enhances trust. Does RantWoman consistently succeed about holding such space for others? Ummm
Anyway, consider Friend who regularly reminds RantWoman of need to be faithful to her Light no matter who says what.
Friend who.... before one of our Meeting's annual sexual abuse / let's talk about ... presentations, in response to something RantWoman said but now does not remember "RantWoman, go talk to your counselor."
RantWoman, to herself, with a twinge in her gut: "Um NO. RantWoman HAS a counselor. There is something here for this specific event." In the actual event, four different people had on their minds the same issue as RantWoman: kids who for whatever reason cannot talk to their parents.
Friend who... "RantWoman WHY do you keep bringing up this moment?"
People keep asking RantWoman why she does not automatically trust the community's discernment. In this case "Go talk to your counselor" was unhelpful; RantWoman being true to her Light resonated with others in the audience.
Latest Question from same Friend: RantWoman why do you not just trust...?"
One really terrible Meeting for Business moment that sticks in many people's minds has to do with a Finance Committee report about new tenants.
One tenant is a homeless shelter operated by Operation Nightwatch. The service model is different from SHARE/ WHEEL. The service model includes case management and ability to pay appropriate rent. What is not to like?
The second tenant is an organization called Facing Homelessness. One of the services Facing Homelessness operates is something called a "Window of Kindness" that distributes socks, coats, and other supplies to homeless people. The problem as RantWoman understood it at the time: besides relentless networkers like RantWoman's little sister who use wheelchairs, there are LOTS of homeless people who use wheelchairs and have various other mobility impairments. The space rented by Facing Homelessness is NOT wheelchair accessible. So RantWoman tried to ask some kind of question about wheelchair accessibility of Facing Homelessness services.
The ask did not go so well. It was the end of Business Meeting. People wanted lunch. People have used the word "ranting" to describe RantWoman's behavior. RantWoman did not realize the Clerk just left the room [vexing blind person reality, sigh]. RantWoman clearly did not hear a request to be silent but also has no idea what actually made it out of her mouth.
RantWoman offers the following links for current reference.
https://www.facinghomelessness.org/programs
Wheelchair accessible?????
Volunteer at the Window of Kindness
Volunteer through United Way at the Window of Kindness
Check box for Is wheelchair accessible is checked ?!?!?
RantWoman offers the following photo of the courtyard used by Facing Homelessness and the Window of Kindness. Please note the extremely wheelchair accessible stairs.
In Business Meeting RantWoman was thinking of Little Sister. RantWoman was thinking of all the people she rides around on the bus with, people she might like to refer for resources.
RantWoman was also thinking something along the lines of "well, yeah, Facing Homelessness gets no government money and probably has too few employees to be required by the ADA to do anything about wheelchair accessibility. And landlords have no obligation about accessibility for tenants' services. But even if legally there is no issue, from RantWoman's perspective something sucks. RantWoman does not want to rain on the new lease parade but does want to register concern!"
RantWoman has NO memory of any response in Business Meeting to her comments. RantWoman does remember conversationS afterward first of the form "RantWoman why don't you just trust...?" and then "OH, I see your point. We need to add the issue to points to consider about our property, and should the tenant ever ask we could think about modifications...." RantWoman thinks it could be extremely productive for the Friend this post is holding in the Light to repeat her comments in public in ways that MIGHT appear in minutes.
RantWoman has no memory of whether her comments in Business Meeting were even phrased as a question which might, MIGHT--if all Quaker process stars align--have been referred back somewhere for followup. Followup might have included information such as "well, wheel chair users can call and Facing Homeless staff can meet them." OR "Facing Homelessness goes out to many wheelchair accessible locations in the neighborhood (RantWoman has since learned that this is true.) RantWoman has also learned that Facing Homelessness organizes work parties to clean up trash around unauthorized encampments partly to help maintain accessibility on affected sidewalks. In other words, RantWoman is happy to support and Encourage the work Facing Homelessness does. RantWoman still would be entirely grateful if someone could report SOMEHOW about how Facing Homelessness addresses the needs of wheelchair users.
RantWoman also STRIVES going forward to try to be clearer when she is called to be true to her Light about questions in Meeting for Business. And RantWoman firmly dissents from the view that all this conceptual tangle will go away if RantWoman is just banished from Meeting for Business.
In FACT, the world is owed another post about how the ADA is embodied in many building codes and about the value for rental purposes of recognizing ADA-accessible spaces. And to everyone who things RantWoman should just chill out and stop caring, WHAT?
In Light and Faithfulness.
RantWoman
Game Day Games Day Gratitudes
RantWoman is certain that the world needs to hear RantWoman's LONG list of vexations with different matters of accessible event planning, RantWoman getting ignored or blown off, and generally holy process getting in the way of gently phased improvements. RantWoman is certain the world needs to hear this but today RantWoman is going to focus first on gratitudes and the maybe a little be about things RantWoman needed to distract herself from.
Gratitudes for a games day that was supposed to be a retreat but...
Ease of just dropping in: Rantwoman arrived late. Various games were already in progress and RantWoman opted just to sit and observe at one table. The game seemed pretty visual. The social dynamics of the group's play was telling. After the game was done, RantWoman asked and someone provided a brief explanation further than RantWoman had gleaned from observing play. RantWoman is unclear she must play that exact game again, but MAYBE if RantWoman gets to start with the rest of the group....
Singing and ukelele
Fresh grapes from someone's garden and kettle corn and other snacks RantWoman did not pay attention to.
Many new voices to LISTEN TO and lack of call to just say "HI, I am the official Bogey man everyone has been talking about for months!"
Tables far enough apart that RantWoman could focus on one table and not drown in nearby chatter.
Art on walls: RantWoman is not charmed by all the pieces but really liked a couple. Note to self: the titles in teeny tiny type on basically business cards do not work for RantWoman. Sigh.
Easy cleanup so RantWoman could be gone before the Husky football game traffic clogged the streets.
And in the realm of things in spite of which RantWoman seeks to maintain cheerful demeanor
Too many sirens and grieving blind people.
https://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2019/09/squash-sirens.html
9/11 remembrances
https://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2019/09/911-remembered.html
A further note: Meeting held a called worship. RantWoman specifically remembers a call to say something like "if one thinks of the Pentagon as the center of the US war machine, then, even though I know people who probably work in the Pentagon, God forgive me but I cannot think of a more deserving target."
No the sky did not open up. There were no thunderbolts from on high. No one even tried to elder RantWoman; possibly they figured God can handle the problem.
Gratitudes for a games day that was supposed to be a retreat but...
Ease of just dropping in: Rantwoman arrived late. Various games were already in progress and RantWoman opted just to sit and observe at one table. The game seemed pretty visual. The social dynamics of the group's play was telling. After the game was done, RantWoman asked and someone provided a brief explanation further than RantWoman had gleaned from observing play. RantWoman is unclear she must play that exact game again, but MAYBE if RantWoman gets to start with the rest of the group....
Singing and ukelele
Fresh grapes from someone's garden and kettle corn and other snacks RantWoman did not pay attention to.
Many new voices to LISTEN TO and lack of call to just say "HI, I am the official Bogey man everyone has been talking about for months!"
Tables far enough apart that RantWoman could focus on one table and not drown in nearby chatter.
Art on walls: RantWoman is not charmed by all the pieces but really liked a couple. Note to self: the titles in teeny tiny type on basically business cards do not work for RantWoman. Sigh.
Easy cleanup so RantWoman could be gone before the Husky football game traffic clogged the streets.
And in the realm of things in spite of which RantWoman seeks to maintain cheerful demeanor
Too many sirens and grieving blind people.
https://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2019/09/squash-sirens.html
9/11 remembrances
https://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2019/09/911-remembered.html
A further note: Meeting held a called worship. RantWoman specifically remembers a call to say something like "if one thinks of the Pentagon as the center of the US war machine, then, even though I know people who probably work in the Pentagon, God forgive me but I cannot think of a more deserving target."
No the sky did not open up. There were no thunderbolts from on high. No one even tried to elder RantWoman; possibly they figured God can handle the problem.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Minutes: CORRECTED?
One of
the themes of ongoing conversations has been RantWoman’s capacity to vex
Recording Clerks.
RantWoman
has some verbal habits from life as an interpreter that are hard to turn off,
particularly about her own words.
RantWoman has taken to asking herself whether exactly everything
exercising her absolutely must be fussed about. The answer does come back no.
Alert
readers attending to the Business Meeting tag on this blog will also not that
RantWoman has expressed concerns about behaviors by the current Recording
Clerk. RantWoman also recalls asking Friends to hold the current Recording
Clerk in the Light when her offer to serve was gratefully accepted.
RantWoman has been a recording clerk for
several Quaker bodies. RantWoman tends to be a “show your work” recording
clerk. That and honest concern to gather data are one reason RantWoman has been
clear to make the best of MANY concerning aspects of the current minutes flow.
RantWoman
also thinks she has been TRYING to talk about disability for quite awhile.
RantWoman is unclear whether she is just not communicating clearly or whether
the concepts are unfamiliar to those listening or whether there might be some
other points of process sloppiness. One of the things RantWoman hopes an Ad-hoc
Committee on Disability will do is review minutes and blog posts and then
propose guidance going forward.
In
contrast to the narrative that Friends have tried many things and nothing has
worked, RantWoman GREATLY appreciates one now former Recording Clerk who simply
asked RantWoman clarifying questions that helped RantWoman in two ways:
RantWoman was able thanks to the questions to focus on what needed to be fussed
about for a particular month’s minutes. RantWoman also was able to see that
more than one person was struggling about concepts RantWoman sort of took for
granted. RantWoman wants to embrace room for improvement, not dump the full
weight of her exasperation on any one person.
RantWoman
here offers first her strongly recommended revisions and then the version
presented for approval in Business Meeting.
RantWoman
has highlighted in yellow places where she has serious issues with what was
recorded. Text [in square brackets] represents RantWoman editorializing in
various ways, NOT comments made in Meeting for Business.
The
version presented in Business Meeting, the second version here, badly misstates
a number of facts and puts words into RantWoman’s mouth. RantWoman has such
srong objections that she asked the Clerk whether approval of that section of
the minutes could be held over so that RantWoman can be present to discuss her
concerns. RantWoman was flatly told no! To say the least, this flat-out refusal
does not evoke confidence about thoughtful discernment.
2019-08-01:
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED REVISIONS Statements by RantWoman
RantWoman
said the following to the Meeting:
* she gave thanks for
this opportunity to speak
* she referred us to
the three handouts made available ahead of time (“Called Meeting Statement 1,”
“Called Meeting Disability Principles,” and “Comments for Called
Meeting: Technology. Email. Blogs.”) She
said that these were also posted on her blog, and invited readers to post comments there. RanWoman noted that she moderates comments and
invited Friends to specify whether they wanted their comments posted or not.
* she observed that she has been a topic for
discussion for the past six months, and by contrast was only able to address
this Meeting for ten minutes
* she invited Friends to embrace the opportunity to live
a single standard of truth by learning about issues likely to figure in many
people’s work lives. [RantWoman is uncertain exactly what words such as ADA or
Reasonable Accommodations made it out of her mouth, but has checked that others
remember something related.]
* she thanked a
member of Care and Counsel who texted with her the previous night. Both Friends were texting at 1
am. The exchange helped her to focus on community, integrity, and equality.
* she suggested that she was offering “lots of simple,
learnable steps that people can take that would make a difference”
* she expressed hope for the future, in our ability to weave
our community together
* she noted that
others say they are tired but said that “I do not get a break from this
[blindness],”. She goes to many meetings where some people may be
a little afraid of her, of what she will say as an advocate. This advocacy
draws energy from grounding in Quaker worship
* she noted that the PA system is
not available today. Nor was it available and easily findable for a recent
event organized by Peace and Social Concerns, where she could not hear
well. She is also “cross” regarding an
open house regarding the proposed car / bus /bicycle / pedestrian design for the new Sound Transit Light Rail station
opening at 43rd and Brooklyn; someone she has worked with for a long
time inquired as to her welfare, and she almost burst into tears
* she apologized to one Friend “for
communicating badly, and for misunderstanding,” stating that she had “lost it,”
and appreciates that Friend’s presence and contribution to the community. She also apologized to another Friend for
losing her temper with him, though noting she may need to talk at a later date
about why she did so
* she noted there is a lot of strength and energy in our
Meeting
* [In contrast to the narrative
that Friends have tried many things and nothing has worked,] she told us of a
conversation about a friend’s mother who has macular degeneration, and
who shows “major annoying blind person behavior”: talking loudly and without ceasing, and
standing closer than the norm. RantWomanherself
is annoyed when others behave this way, but she explained that she cannot
change her behavior, though sometimes she asks for help and cues from
others. Her goal is “not to drive people
bonkers,” and issued an invitation to anyone interested to come to two upcoming
events involving blind people, where those in attendance may ask questions of
the blind
* regarding the issue
of being recognized by the clerk, RantWoman said that her Care and
Accountability Committee did not engage with this. RantWoman is certain that the world needs to
hear what she has to say, but also that she needs to monitor herself
RantWoman
outlined the following actions or events which, in her view, have not worked:
* several years ago before a retreat organized
for pastoral care committees RantWoman made many suggestions for the planning
about accessibility issues but almost all of RantWoman’s suggestions were ignored.
* In a conversation WITH Nominating Committee,[RantWoman
at one point was clear she needed to duck service on Nominating Committee and
has never served] she was told she got off topic, and she asked to be told when
she was doing so. Three out of five of
subsequent comments identified as off-topic were about disability. She did a month of blog posts on disability
issues. A committee clerk asked not to
be on her list (of e-mail recipients?)
* Oversight did a
study on accessibility
needs but a then-member of Oversight has since acknowledged that the study was
incomplete
At this
point, when her time was nearly up, RantWoman stated the need to extend her
talk beyond the agreed-upon ten minutes.
The Clerk stated that she was given permission in advance only for this
amount of time, and that one of the problematic behaviors being addressed is
RantWoman’s ability to respect boundaries.
A Friend asked that RantWoman have more time, because in her opinion
this was warranted. The Clerk agreed to
an additional five minutes, for a total of 15.
RantWoman then continued her presentation:
* a committee IS TO BE formed to work on disability issues. RantWoman was clear that such a committee was
needed, but she was not sure what it was going to propose
* she has had two
care committees, one of which was a big help with her housing. Over time, she learned different strategies
for managing documents. [RantWoman has NO idea what made it out of her mouth
here; interested readers are invited to ask RantWoman for clarification.]
* her C&A
committee had to be told repeatedly to include her when scheduling its
meetings. The committee also had to be told repeatedly not to
suggest that RantWoman go sit in places such as downstairs, or in Quaker House
which are physically inaccessible to people including her own sister who she
might wish to have sit with her. Three members of the committee have
lived experience with disabilities, but nevertheless the committee “couldn’t
really engage about that”: they
reiterated that the committee was not to deal with disability issues, but
RantWoman herself cannot separate out disability from the rest of her life
* she finds e-mail to
be of huge value, since she cannot read her own writing, and the search bar is
very useful in finding topics
RantWomanthen
called for questions. There was
one: does she agree to abide by the
community guidelines recently offered by W&M? In response, RantWoman said that those
guidelines were drafted without her presence or agreement; she acknowledged she
has been hard on clerks, but she does not know what to do if we cannot see that
bringing up hard topics is not the same as disrespecting the clerk; that she
has tried in business meeting to raise the topic of Facing Homelessness’
accesssibility issues and our role as landlords; and that she does not know
what to do with the guidelines: she is willing to live with them, but since
they were drafted without her being in the room, she does not know if they were
meant for her.
At this
point, the allocated time was up. RantWoman
said that our worship space is for all of us, said she would hold us in the
Light from outside of the room, and made her exit.
How RantWoman’s comments were recorded
2019-08-02:
Statements by RantWoman
RantWoman
said the following to the Meeting:
* she gave thanks for
this opportunity to speak
* she referred us to
the three handouts made available ahead of time (“Called Meeting Statement 1,”
“Called Meeting Disability Principles,” and “Comments for Called
Meeting: Technology. Email. Blogs.”) She
said that these were also posted on her blog, and invited readers to post
comments there
* she observed that she has been a topic for
discussion for the past six months, and by contrast was only able to address
this Meeting for ten minutes
* she thanked a
member of Care and Counsel who texted with her the previous night, finding that
this helped her to focus on community and integrity
* she suggested that she was offering “lots of simple,
learnable steps that people can take that would make a difference”
* she expressed hope for the future, in our ability to weave
our community together
* she said that “I do
not get a break from this [blindness],” even though others may get tired of her
and be afraid of her. She goes to many
meetings where she draws adverse reactions, she believes due to her efforts to
be an advocate, which are grounded in Quaker worship
* she is “cross” that
Peace and Social Concerns organized an event, but she herself could not hear
well at it. She is also “cross”
regarding an open house regarding pedestrian access for Sound Transit; someone
there inquired as to her welfare, and she burst into tears
* she apologized to one
Friend “for communicating badly, and for misunderstanding,” stating that she
had “lost it,” and thanked that Friend for help.
She also apologized to another Friend for losing her temper with him, though noting
she may need to talk at a later date about why she did so
* she noted there is a lot of strength and energy in our
Meeting
* she told us about a
friend’s mother who has macular degeneration, and who shows “major annoying
blind person behavior”: talking loudly
and without ceasing, and standing closer than the norm. RantWoman herself is annoyed when others
behave this way, but she explained that she cannot change her behavior, though
sometimes she asks for help and cues from others. Her goal is “not to drive people bonkers,”
and issued an invitation to anyone interested to come to two upcoming events
involving blind people, where those in attendance may ask questions of the
blind
* regarding the issue
of being recognized by the clerk, RantWoman said that her Care and
Accountability Committee did not engage with this. RantWoman is certain that the world needs to
hear what she has to say, but also that she needs to monitor herself
RantWoman
outlined the following actions or events which, in her view, have not worked:
* at a retreat
sponsored by Worship and Ministry, RantWoman made suggestions regarding access
for disabled people. She believes that
few of her suggestions were taken into account
* when she was on
Nominating Committee, she was told she got off topic, and she asked to be told
when she was doing so. Three out of five
of her comments were about disability.
She did a month of blog posts on disability issues. A Friend asked not to be on her list (of
e-mail recipients?)
* Oversight did a
study on access
At this
point, when her time was nearly up, RantWoman stated the need to extend her
talk beyond the agreed-upon ten minutes.
The Clerk stated that she was given permission in advance only for this
amount of time, and that one of the problematic behaviors being addressed is RantWoman’s
ability to respect boundaries. A Friend
asked that RantWoman have more time, because in her opinion this was
warranted. The Clerk agreed to an
additional five minutes, for a total of 15.
RantWoman then continued her presentation:
* a committee was formed to work on disability issues. RantWomanwas clear that such a committee was
needed, but she was not sure what it was going to propose
* she has had two
care committees, one of which was a big help with her housing. Over time, she learned different strategies
for managing documents
* her C&A
committee had to be told repeatedly to include her when scheduling its
meetings. RantWoman refused to meet in a
venue (such as downstairs, or in Quaker House) which would not be accessible to
anyone she might choose to invite. Three
members of the committee have lived experience with disabilities, but
nevertheless the committee “couldn’t really engage about that”: they reiterated that the committee was not to
deal with disability issues, but RantWoman herself cannot separate out
disability from the rest of her life
* she finds e-mail to
be of huge value, since shc cannot read her own writing, and the search bar is
very useful in finding topics
RantWoman
then called for questions. There was
one: does she agree to abide by the
community guidelines recently offered by W&M? In response, Dorene said that those
guidelines were drafted without her presence or agreement; she acknowledged she
has been hard on clerks, but she does not know what to do if we cannot see that
bringing up hard topics is not the same as disrespecting the clerk; that she
has tried in business meeting to raise the topic of Facing Homelessness’ accesssibility
issues and our role as landlords; and that she does not know what to do with
the guidelines: she is willing to live with them, but since they were drafted
without her being in the room, she does not know if they were meant for her.
At this
point, the allocated time was up. RantWoman
said that our worship space is for all of us, said she would hold us in the
Light from outside of the room, and made her exit.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
The wrong thing that turned out right?
RantWoman IN WORSHIP tends to have two basic messages:
1. Worship across difference matters.
2. Help from unexpected or unusual sources. ? god works it out one way or another.
Part of RantWoman's worship meditations last first day centered on the "wrong" thing that turned out right. Was it Divine Grace? Is RantWoman just needing to say "SEE, Told ya so" on a grander time scale
One of the Midweek worship regulars is ill. Newcomer settled in very gratefully.
RantWoman on the other hand was fidgety enough to drag her phone out several times in the hour. RantWoman's phone also talks so time-check fidgets can be intrusive. RantWoman was feeling very self-conscious about all this.
RantWoman sensed that worship was deep and closed worship a little past the scheduled end. Newcomer spoke of how powerful the experience was, a bit more of his BeliefNet Quaker score (100%) compared to the faith he grew up in (6%). And newcomer thanked RantWoman for taking on the task of timekeeping and freeing him from it.
https://rantwomanrsof.blogspot.com/2011/07/agnes-schmoe.html
Reference to post recycled from another recent post. All items here partly about God taking care of things and offered partly for the benefit of people who insist on haranguing RantWoman about their understanding of God and seem not to have space or time for RantWoman's rather different experience.
RantWoman, are you trying to say....?
RantWoman is holding very carefully concerns about spiritual nurture.
RantWoman is also holding very carefully a fear some Friends have of saying anything in RantWoman's presence for fear RantWoman will misconstrue others' words, comment all over her blog, or otherwise evoke unsettledness.
Welcome to the club. It is not just that RantWoman has life experience giving statements to reporters and sometimes having just to let go of such media statements. More to the point, RantWoman is sitting with what she has chosen to hear as a question: "RantWoman why do you not trust the discernment of ...?" More on that separately.
In the meantime, readers, please hold RantWoman's experience that God is versatile and gets things done many different ways especially when someone might have misheard some or all of a message.
And just because the world needs both joy and rage another item that surfaced today even though it is an old post.
http://www.meetinghouse.xyz/everything/2017/9/3/queer-joy-saint-francis-and-skipping-church
1. Worship across difference matters.
2. Help from unexpected or unusual sources. ? god works it out one way or another.
Part of RantWoman's worship meditations last first day centered on the "wrong" thing that turned out right. Was it Divine Grace? Is RantWoman just needing to say "SEE, Told ya so" on a grander time scale
TimeKeeper
RantWoman was thinking of the latest newcomer to Wednesday worship. Newcomer sheepishly admitted he found us through BeliefNet. Hey, if Quakers won't do outreach, good thing BeliefNet sort of does it for us.One of the Midweek worship regulars is ill. Newcomer settled in very gratefully.
RantWoman on the other hand was fidgety enough to drag her phone out several times in the hour. RantWoman's phone also talks so time-check fidgets can be intrusive. RantWoman was feeling very self-conscious about all this.
RantWoman sensed that worship was deep and closed worship a little past the scheduled end. Newcomer spoke of how powerful the experience was, a bit more of his BeliefNet Quaker score (100%) compared to the faith he grew up in (6%). And newcomer thanked RantWoman for taking on the task of timekeeping and freeing him from it.
Memorial 1
RantWoman, with former Clerk of Peace and Social Concerns committee hat on, forgot about a memorial for someone who had been a member of that committee for many years. RantWoman showed up in shorts and a T-shirt, never her best look. RantWoman apologized after the memorial to the Friend's son. Friend's son assured RantWoman that he was not the least concerned because his dad dressed the same way a lot of the time at least in his retirement.Memorial 2.
RantWoman dragged to her feet for the good of the community of those in attendance.https://rantwomanrsof.blogspot.com/2011/07/agnes-schmoe.html
Reference to post recycled from another recent post. All items here partly about God taking care of things and offered partly for the benefit of people who insist on haranguing RantWoman about their understanding of God and seem not to have space or time for RantWoman's rather different experience.
RantWoman, are you trying to say....?
RantWoman is holding very carefully concerns about spiritual nurture.
RantWoman is also holding very carefully a fear some Friends have of saying anything in RantWoman's presence for fear RantWoman will misconstrue others' words, comment all over her blog, or otherwise evoke unsettledness.
Welcome to the club. It is not just that RantWoman has life experience giving statements to reporters and sometimes having just to let go of such media statements. More to the point, RantWoman is sitting with what she has chosen to hear as a question: "RantWoman why do you not trust the discernment of ...?" More on that separately.
In the meantime, readers, please hold RantWoman's experience that God is versatile and gets things done many different ways especially when someone might have misheard some or all of a message.
And just because the world needs both joy and rage another item that surfaced today even though it is an old post.
http://www.meetinghouse.xyz/everything/2017/9/3/queer-joy-saint-francis-and-skipping-church
Rabbi Hillel; Twitter; Courage, Wisdom
Sometimes what looks like the closest thing to Divine Guidance that RantWoman will detect can also be summarized as there is no such thing as coincidence.
Here are moments from vocal ministry, Twittter, and a current favorite summoned from a currently popular post on this blog.
OK, OK, FWCC events usually get by without pipe organs and the scratchy audio is to RantWoman's ear less than preferable, but Friends get the idea?
idea?
idea?Yeah, RantWoman and stop pretending you don't need the courage and wisdom prayers closer to home also.
In Light and Faithfulness.
Here are moments from vocal ministry, Twittter, and a current favorite summoned from a currently popular post on this blog.
Heading to Wichita on my way to @FWCCAmericas Executive committee meeting this week. Please pray for courage and wisdom in equal measure for all of us. #fwcc2019
OK, OK, FWCC events usually get by without pipe organs and the scratchy audio is to RantWoman's ear less than preferable, but Friends get the idea?
idea?
idea?Yeah, RantWoman and stop pretending you don't need the courage and wisdom prayers closer to home also.
In Light and Faithfulness.
Monday, September 9, 2019
From Russia with Love; Discern this?
RantWoman has been sitting with very heterogenous reading habits and with discernment about what is and is not working in many pieces of her life.
RantWoman notes the 30th anniversary of her grad school study abroad semester in what was still Leningrad, the Soviet Union.and is now St Petersburg Russia
RantWoman also notes the 20th anniversary of the protests against the WTO ministerial in Seattle.
RantWoman notes video of idealistic young Russians committed to having opposition candidates in upcoming local elections. These activists sit by the Russian flag and reading the Russian constitution aloud--until police start just pounding on them with clubs.
RantWoman notes the latest email from Friends House Moscow which by request she does NOT repost. Sorry. Google it. Sign up yourself..
ONE path of discernment has to do with RantWoman's academic background in Russian literature and Russian area studies: RantWoman has a master's degree. Should she weigh a call to teach at say a community college?
Never mind. Detailed Discernment is more than RantWoman should attempt at this hour.
Instead RantWoman will celebrate Johan Maurer, one of RantWoman's favorite Quakers with serious Russia connections. Here is Johan's most recent blog post with typical for Johan mix of reflections on world events, local life wherever he is, and music links.
https://blog.canyoubelieve.me/2019/09/at-zoo.html
It is of course redundant to include links already in the post above but RantWoman is going to do it anyway.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/07/03/the-paradox-of-american-russophobia-a66241
And another thing: give us this day our daily blindness tourism. Screen reading sucks sometimes. RantWoman has never figured out what international version of JAWS it would take to read Russian. RantWoman has not gotten fluent enough in NVDA to test its rumored capacity to switch back and forth between languages more easily than JAWS does. So when RantWoman tried to read this article, two sad things happened:
--JAWS just skipped over all the Russian words.
--There was some kind of ad covering up big chunks of content so even though RantWoman has screen enlargement sufficient to read the words, the website made this impossible.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/09/04/how-low-can-you-go-in-russian-a67141
RantWoman notes the 30th anniversary of her grad school study abroad semester in what was still Leningrad, the Soviet Union.and is now St Petersburg Russia
RantWoman also notes the 20th anniversary of the protests against the WTO ministerial in Seattle.
RantWoman notes video of idealistic young Russians committed to having opposition candidates in upcoming local elections. These activists sit by the Russian flag and reading the Russian constitution aloud--until police start just pounding on them with clubs.
RantWoman notes the latest email from Friends House Moscow which by request she does NOT repost. Sorry. Google it. Sign up yourself..
ONE path of discernment has to do with RantWoman's academic background in Russian literature and Russian area studies: RantWoman has a master's degree. Should she weigh a call to teach at say a community college?
Never mind. Detailed Discernment is more than RantWoman should attempt at this hour.
Instead RantWoman will celebrate Johan Maurer, one of RantWoman's favorite Quakers with serious Russia connections. Here is Johan's most recent blog post with typical for Johan mix of reflections on world events, local life wherever he is, and music links.
https://blog.canyoubelieve.me/2019/09/at-zoo.html
It is of course redundant to include links already in the post above but RantWoman is going to do it anyway.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/07/03/the-paradox-of-american-russophobia-a66241
And another thing: give us this day our daily blindness tourism. Screen reading sucks sometimes. RantWoman has never figured out what international version of JAWS it would take to read Russian. RantWoman has not gotten fluent enough in NVDA to test its rumored capacity to switch back and forth between languages more easily than JAWS does. So when RantWoman tried to read this article, two sad things happened:
--JAWS just skipped over all the Russian words.
--There was some kind of ad covering up big chunks of content so even though RantWoman has screen enlargement sufficient to read the words, the website made this impossible.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/09/04/how-low-can-you-go-in-russian-a67141
Friday, September 6, 2019
Blind Public Interview Panel Joy / Concern
Um, God persists in sending blind people (and people with other disabilities) to live among us. RantWoman assumes that God's will is that people COPE. RantWoman can fathom the possibility that "COPE" should be clothed in more uplifting and inspiring words about that of God in everyone or some such thing. That is not how God is showing up just now around RantWoman.
RantWoman humbly admits to being somewhat self-absorbed. RantWoman has been collecting data about what percentage of what she says registers with those listening. RantWoman was as usual sitting with a lot of history and movements of God and Divine support all hour but RantWoman was never clear during worship that anything needed to make it out of her mouth. However, during Joys and Concerns both joy and concerns appeared.
After worship, RantWoman had the temerity to email a couple weighty Friends to inquire as to what they remembered. RantWoman realized one was not present, but wanted her aware of the message anyway. One wrote back, paraphrasing, that she appreciated brevity and remembered RantWoman mentioning therapy. Here is a summary from RantWoman's point of view, in the first person for once, and slightly edited:.
Part of my joys and concerns was a big THANK YOU to Meeting.
One of the things I talked about was the member of the blind public interview panel mentioned in another email message (for the new director of the Department of Services for the Blind Vocational Rehab program I went through in 2005-2006. The interview panel was FUN but it also made me remember everything that was rough when I was going through the program. I do not know whether i did anyone any favors by not talking about it at Meeting at the time, but there is a thank you there for getting this far (not said: and being in a position to think about other students. )
(Not said as far as RantWoman remembers: For instance we just booked a current student for an internship at the STAR Center who wants to work on his visually impaired search strategies reading about scientific
creationism. I did ask and that is what he volunteered.)
What got said probably was not an exact match for what is here" And the other part of my message was I got to go to the Tuesday thing because a therapy appointment had to be rescheduled. Only instead of being soothing and digging in my family past or something my therapist basically said "you seem to be called. You seem to be capable but you have an angry edge...so take care of yourself and ..."
RantWoman did not explicitly ask to be held in the Light either about revisiting the painful past or about the fractious future, but kinda, ya know....
RantWoman in realist mode also notes that Meeting AT SOME POINT will be offered the opportunity to grapple with such terms as allyship and spiritual accompaniment and sharing each other's burdens.
In the meantime, RantWoman recently told a Friend, look forget about all blind people if you do not have that in you. Reach out to someone on RantWoman's list of blind people in Meeting who RantWoman thinks the Friend knows better than RantWoman.
And to close on another testy note, part of another Friend's blindness experience, short-handed here as "You have only been worshippping together for decades and God asked you to."
https://rantwomanrsof.blogspot.com/2013/01/because-god-asked-you-to-all-ministers.html
RantWoman humbly admits to being somewhat self-absorbed. RantWoman has been collecting data about what percentage of what she says registers with those listening. RantWoman was as usual sitting with a lot of history and movements of God and Divine support all hour but RantWoman was never clear during worship that anything needed to make it out of her mouth. However, during Joys and Concerns both joy and concerns appeared.
After worship, RantWoman had the temerity to email a couple weighty Friends to inquire as to what they remembered. RantWoman realized one was not present, but wanted her aware of the message anyway. One wrote back, paraphrasing, that she appreciated brevity and remembered RantWoman mentioning therapy. Here is a summary from RantWoman's point of view, in the first person for once, and slightly edited:.
Part of my joys and concerns was a big THANK YOU to Meeting.
One of the things I talked about was the member of the blind public interview panel mentioned in another email message (for the new director of the Department of Services for the Blind Vocational Rehab program I went through in 2005-2006. The interview panel was FUN but it also made me remember everything that was rough when I was going through the program. I do not know whether i did anyone any favors by not talking about it at Meeting at the time, but there is a thank you there for getting this far (not said: and being in a position to think about other students. )
(Not said as far as RantWoman remembers: For instance we just booked a current student for an internship at the STAR Center who wants to work on his visually impaired search strategies reading about scientific
creationism. I did ask and that is what he volunteered.)
What got said probably was not an exact match for what is here" And the other part of my message was I got to go to the Tuesday thing because a therapy appointment had to be rescheduled. Only instead of being soothing and digging in my family past or something my therapist basically said "you seem to be called. You seem to be capable but you have an angry edge...so take care of yourself and ..."
RantWoman did not explicitly ask to be held in the Light either about revisiting the painful past or about the fractious future, but kinda, ya know....
RantWoman in realist mode also notes that Meeting AT SOME POINT will be offered the opportunity to grapple with such terms as allyship and spiritual accompaniment and sharing each other's burdens.
In the meantime, RantWoman recently told a Friend, look forget about all blind people if you do not have that in you. Reach out to someone on RantWoman's list of blind people in Meeting who RantWoman thinks the Friend knows better than RantWoman.
And to close on another testy note, part of another Friend's blindness experience, short-handed here as "You have only been worshippping together for decades and God asked you to."
https://rantwomanrsof.blogspot.com/2013/01/because-god-asked-you-to-all-ministers.html
Morning Popcorn kernels: Compost that shit
RantWoman collects popcorn kernels from various conversations and media streams.
Closer to home
"...disappointed would be an improvement over appalled...but lovingly addressing the appalled, lovingly trusting that God made RantWoman's body, Little Sister's body is why RantWoman is clear NOT to go away."
In the Japanese definition of beauty, labor is beautiful as it requires sacrifice. Yes, work can be beautiful. Japanese say as you leave work, “otsukare-sama-deshita” which means “we appreciate your tiredness” #beauty #culturecare #LaborDayWeekend
Closer to home
"...disappointed would be an improvement over appalled...but lovingly addressing the appalled, lovingly trusting that God made RantWoman's body, Little Sister's body is why RantWoman is clear NOT to go away."
Not heard yet from anyone quizzed about what RantWoman said in her precious 10 minutes (well 15 after Light to extend) at the recent THREE HOUR Called Meeting.: Integrity as in single standard of Truth including Reasonable Accommodations, Community as in what is or is not good for the community and Equality, a concept frying the brains of many as witnessed by the time disproportionality above.
RantWoman tartly advises anyone reading only minutes to please check out the Business Meeting tag on this blog. There is to RantWoman at least abundant evidence both in what IS present on the blog and what is NOT present in minutes (more than a very occasional nugget of specificity about actual measures to deal with disability)
Philosophical digression
"Shit happens."
Yeah? Here is where RantWoman confesses that too much Buddhism makes her want to punch someone.Fret not: RantWoman so far is consistently saved by logistical considerations or "God has handled it."
"Compost that shit. Grow flowers and tomatoes!"
"RantWoman! That is probably way too obscure a metaphor for resurrection and renewal..."
Yeah. And RantWoman is going to tackle worship first, just not here."
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