Thursday, July 20, 2006

August WOW - And Now For Something Completely Different During the Dog Days!!

The month of August will be crazy. Certainly you've heard of the dog days of August? Link!. The term "dog days" usually is meant to conjure sluggishness or wilting. However, I picture a dog chasing it's tail; or a dog catching a Frisbee in midair; or a dog lying in the living room on it's side gently wagging it's tail while sleeping. Like dogs people get very hyper in August. I think the hyperness manifest from the heat, of course, but also from that nagging realization that summer is coming to a close. Saturdays get totally tangled in all the hyperness. To offer some relief without abandoning the WOW I hope that we can schedule a WOW for each and everyone interested at a day and time suitable during the month of August.

I'll send out an Evite and you can tell me what time is good for you.

I posted the SCUU Covenant - I think it makes for some cool reading during the dog days.

SCUU Covenant - 5/19/05

Purpose
To provide principles and practices(guidance) of how we wish to treat one another.

Principles
We, the Sugarloaf Congregation, in the spirit of community, covenant to create a joyful community founded in love and caring, accepting of who we are while supporting each other’s growth, and in which each member feels as secure and as free as possible to be engaged, honest and vulnerable.

To this end we are responsible for:

Respecting and appreciating each others

  • inherent worth and dignity
  • beliefs, opinions and viewpoints
  • abilities, limits and needs
  • time, privacy and feelings

Acting in ways to promote

  • joy, hope and healing;
  • integrity and trust; ensuring respectful resolutions to disputes or complaints
  • honest and productive communications in a kind and sharing environment
  • appreciation of all efforts – big or small
  • opportunities for growth

Honoring and Valuing

  • the congregation and its children
  • UU principles and practices
  • differing opinions, ideas and their open examination
  • our diversity and commitments
  • the serious and the humorous (fun and CHOCOLATE)

Guidance - Through

  • practicing conscious gentleness in all physical and verbal interactions
  • honoring our time together by being present for the start of meetings, using careful listening techniques and the democratic process as we strive for consensus
  • honoring our time apart by ending meetings on time, and when giving and fulfilling requests for information or action
  • communicating our feelings with “I” statements
  • respecting others by challenging ideas not people
  • respecting each other’s confidentialities, emotional and physical boundaries and freedom to choose steps in their personal or spiritual journey
  • settling differences directly with the person involved, while staying in relationship, assuming good intentions and keeping an open heart
  • working together to keep our children safe
  • following this covenant in times of turmoil and tranquility
  • stretching our boundaries of forgiveness
  • celebrating and sharing our life experiences
  • supporting one another in times of need
  • welcoming all, especially visitors and guests

Thursday, July 06, 2006

If a tree falls on SCUU . . .

Sara writes on 7/3/06 -- "We are starting out the new fiscal year with a bang.

The big dying oak tree on the south side of the house fell and hit the side of the house yesterday afternoon. It does not appear to have been struck by lightning; it just seems to have finally given out at the roots (as several people have been redicting it would; a hard "lesson learned").

This is the right side of the house when you face it from the outside, including the right side of the front deck and the concrete slab that the RE classrooms open up to.  Paul Stuhmer made the discovery, and Spence, Nita, Bob, and I went out to look over the damage last night.

First and most important: nobody was hurt.

The damage, fortunately, is not as bad as it could be.  No windows were broken, and the retaining wall appears to be intact.  A gutter was torn down (one of the high ones that can't easily be reached), the railing (and possibly the floor) of the deck was crushed, and some of the siding and roofing may be damaged.  One set of the RE
doors was dented (the leftmost one looking from the outside).  One of the screens that was on the deck for the windows was crushed, and there were a few things out on the concrete slab like a vacuum cleaner that may have been damaged as well.  Fortunately (speaking selfishly), our trailer was NOT parked in its usual spot serving as a dumpster; we happened to have it at home at the time.

The tree will have to be removed, which obviously will cost some money, and some repair work will be necessary.  The deck needed to be rebuilt to code anyway, so that isn't a big loss.  It is not clear how expensive this all will be, however."

Is there an arborist in the house? We have more old trees that may need to fall gracefully. If you know a good arborist please let us know.

Urban Legends: I got this from my Dad...

I got this from my Dad. It's been checked for viruses.

"This is Weird But Interesting

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltte er be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!"

when I get an email from Dad telling me to pass it on I check the urban legend site and I get to debunk what Dad sent. I checked the urban legend verification web site and did not find a reference.

Handy Urban Legend debunker link

For the longest time Dad lived in an almost rural Exurb. So I think of all this stuff as rural legends too.

Not finding a reference was shocking because usually, almost always, I get to debunk.

I did find an interesting web site that appears to confirm what's written Psycholinguists Strike Back! However what's written by the psycholinguist does not appear to be a slam-debunk (sorry could not resist).

Nevertheless: I take great comfort in the fact that if Dad sends me this stuff he must be ok.

July WOW at Bob and Sara Hull's House

July fireworks are over. June was a blur -- a wonderful blur. I use the word blur to convey a sense of motion, a fast pace, rather than a haze.

The asteroid missed us: Large Asteroid Zips Harmlessly Past Earth Story in Washington Post When you consider there are 100 billion galaxies; and our average, some might say little, galaxy is 10 light years across and 4 light years deep; and a light year is 6 trillion miles long, then an asteriod as close as the moon is a close call. That one freaked my son out; don't worry everything is fine. Does god play pool?

The tree kinda missed us: It hit the deck. Optimist says: it helped with our deck demolition.

Just when you thought things had quieted down, you realize there is a WOW this month! The second Saturday of the Month is July 8th!

It's pouring right now but the weather report says Saturday will be clear. The WOW on July 8th will be at Bob and Sara's place. Orientation will start at 5:30pm and the Dinner will commence at 6:30pm.

Sara's Directions