Hi friends,
Well we had a meeting last night which was accompanied with wonderful cookies made by Julie. We talked mostly about planning an Agenda on things to talk about for this semester. Also, we talked a lot about subletting. We decided to make an application for all those interested that would be due March 1st, and then the people living there this summer can get back to all those interested by March 15. Here are the items for this semester's discussion:
-How much involvement from University Ministry in our community
-Community Facilitator, is it necessary and who?
-Sub letters (contract draft we will review next meeting)
-Roommates below us? (Lydia and Laura are working on figuring out who it is...possibly sharing Internet?)
-What specific commitments will we need to make to the community (ex. prayer, dinner, meetings)
-Book Club (possibly a campus wide event?)
-Gardening (would need to start this summer)
-What aspects of the community would start in the summer
-Bank account for community will be opened at beginning of next semester (hopefully get a good bonus)
-Should we get the word out this semester?
-Dean Brackley (on campus, might see together?)
-Dan Berrigan (possibly extra talk to Ubuntu)
-Simple Living guidelines
-Dishwashers vs. hand washing, which is better?
-alcohol policy for community and issues with that
-creative activities we can do as a community
-Internet
-Banner with Community name
We then picked a few topics that we thought needed to be addressed sooner and we will be talking about them at our next meeting, Thurs Feb 15 at 9pm-ish at Laura's. Hannah, Patrick and Eddie, if you could give your comments on these issues before then we thought that could be helpful.
Things to comment on:
-University Ministry Involvement
-Community Facilitator (we will need to ask soon)
-Sub letters (all interested email Julie or Cassie ASAP!)
-Roommates below us
-Internet (especially so we can tell summer sub letters)
Thanks for reading this crazy long post. We miss all of you abroad. also look for a short email from me too. thanks!
-laura
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5 comments:
Well...
It´s hard being away from conversations like these. Internet for the summer could go either way for me. Here we only have access every couple days and I´getting by just fine, but I´d also be willing to chip in too.
I´ve been thinking about my community experience here and maybe Julie, you could chip in, but here there is so much support-logistically, pragmatically, emotionally, and spiritually. I think a facilitator would be a great asset to the growth and dynamics of the community.
Community is about people. It´s not about the house or the programing. Community goes where the people are and in that sense the community will be there this summer as it is there right now. I don´t think we should worry so much about what it´s going to look like but more about who we as individuals and about our relationships with each other. Alcohol in moderation can be a great way to be community and to be social. I think a responsible level of alchol consumption in the house is reasonable.
Handwashing is better if we can stay on top of it.
I´m interested in gardening this summer.
If the subletter deadline is too early I assume we will extend it as needed?
We should look into sponsorship by the Jesuits. Someone should talk to Paddy maybe? I think there is real potential there.
We have optional spirituality nights here which I really like. Also cleaning parties. Basically I love the CASA. In seriousness though there are a lot of things we do here that I´ve been thinking would work well (somethings not) but overwhelmingly I think they´ve worked a lot of kinks out already, and we don´t need to reinvent the wheel.
I hope my rambling wasn´t too much. peace.
Patricio
hey! so I thought we were meeting Tuesday...I'm going to be in LA on Thursday so here are some thoughts:
I'm not sure how a facilitator would function in our group, but since Patrick says it works well at CASA I want to learn more about how that works. On the alcohol thing, I'll be honest, I'm pretty sensitive about it and will only accept it as part of a 'simple living' community considering that it is, like Patrick said, in moderation (just like any other food). Along those lines, I think it'd be good for 'simple living' to expand to our food choices, however that may look. I prefer internet next year (since i know I end up doing assignments in the middle of the night, sometimes when the labs are closed), but I will adjust either way and kind of think not having it would make me better organized. I told the people I know interested in subletting to contact Julie.
I'm glad to hear Patrick and Julie know how this works from being at CASA =) Don't miss me too much Thursday when I'm enjoy LA weather and learning about Interfaith Leadership, lol. kenzie
Well, my thoughts. I think we should have the internet just cause it is needed for school. I don't use it everyday here but then again I am not doing much in terms of school right now. If we could share it, it would be perfect. A facilitator would be alright as long as they don't try to dominate everything, I don't want to be micromanaged and I am sure we can work out any problems or anything ourselves. Sub letters is up to you guys. I thought the letter attached in the email was good but that is just for the initial application right? That isn't the actual contract. We would need a bit more for the actual contract. I am fine with University Ministry involvement once again as long as we aren't being dictated too throughout the year. We all are doing this for the same type of reason and I think we have a pretty similar idea to what we want to make of it. I think that is it for the important stuff.
As for everything else, I like the book club, the bank account is a good idea, I like the idea of the speakers, I like hand washing dishes, I think alcohol should be permitted but not in any big parties or anything. It's not as though I am going to be drunk all of the time, ask Patrick I'm not really what they call much of a "drinker." I think we can have it and make it work. I am pretty easy going on this stuff. I think we will be able to work everything out fine without any issues. Let me know what is decided.
Eddie
I echo what eddie said about the contact. The actual contract should be a little more...legalistic?
I have this awesome reading on simple living which I will try to send if possible. I think it's just important to remember that simple living does not always mean being hungry or smelling gross. Simple living can, and I think should, be more about finding the small things in life that our modern culture often blinds us from seeing. Often for me this comes in relationships.
I see the facilitator role as more of a mentorship roll and less of a dictatorship role, as eddie points out.
I hope everyone is doing well!
peace
don't worry, that's not the contract, just an application-type thing, to help us keep track of everyone's information and let them know basic info. We are still planning on using the contract that Eddie's dad wrote. Eddie do you have a copy of that on your computer that you could email to one of us? THANKS!
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