Clare Consultation, LLCThe Day after Independence Day
Feelin’ it? The independence? Last night I sat under a sky that, after a day blanketed with marine clouds, cleared for this: The exquisite blues riffed from Curtis Salgado’s voice and Lloyd Jones’ fingers dancing the way they do on the neck of his guitar. But that’s not all. The music those guys sent into the air around the Willamette River bounced off the buildings of the city, soaked into the vast… Read More
Working Change
“We have an amazing work ethic in this country. We’re not all working in the same direction, and that’s normal to some point. You’re not supposed to always be working in harmony, but I hope the work ethic and the sense of shared humanity in that continue.” Lena This morning in the New York Times, Paul Krugman, an esteemed if controversial economist, forecast again the third Great Depression for the U.S. economy… Read More
Delta Park Powwow: Fathers’ Day for a Change
“It will always be important to have a community of people who support each other and work together for the struggle, I guess. Yes, for the struggle for all people.” Bruce McQuakay It took a bit of coaxing by the emcee, but today, 50 or so fathers made their way into the dance circle at the center of the Delta Park Powwow gathering for the honor song led by the Four Directions drum… Read More
Change: Who Cares?
So here we are, lots of us feeling somehow betrayed with many of the most vocal folks on both ends of the conservative/progressive spectrum heavy into tape loops of public diatribe. The change just isn’t right. It falls short. It isn’t giving the same feel we signed on for during the campaigns. The pressing issue here in the middle of the EX:Change project is finding the right words to answer a question… Read More
Graduation Season: Your Tax Dollars at Work
“It will be good change when any person in the country has a right to get a good public education and to go as far as they want in advanced education.” Sue Klapstein It’s that time again. May and June – when here in the U.S. the landscape is dotted with the cheers and colors, the pomp and circumstance of graduation ceremonies. Across the country schools, families and communities take the opportunity… Read More
Oil Spills, Financial Crises and the EX:Change Voices Who Will Inherit It All
This morning I had tea in a coffee shop in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur, GA. Yep, back in Georgia. In fact, as I type, I’m sitting in front of the courthouse in the photo atop the February 27, 2009 blog entry from the EX:Change Road Trip (EX:C blog, The Heart of Dixie). Family lives here. I’m visiting. Thus tea in Oakhurst. I sat at the table with a grandmother, two moms… Read More
Be the Change
“We need to ‘be the change,’ – Gandhi – ‘we want to see in the world.’ I think we’re ready.” Tara Loyd Remember Tara and Brett from last week? You already know they are good at listening to one another even though they often don’t agree – especially on matters political. A thing they did agree on was the necessity for being active parts of the public changes they want to see. … Read More
Listening Across Difference – We’re All in This Together, Pt.1
“We’ve been majoring in the minors instead of the majors. We can get back to the little stuff. Right now we need everybody together to deal with the big things.” Tommy Business Consultant, Baptist Church leader, Republican Kerrville, TX In the next few days, I’ll meet with two talented and otherwise fabulous grad students who have volunteered to help me with the ethnographic coding and analyses of all of these interviews. While… Read More
The Hundredth Day. Activism: Conservative, Liberal or Effective
April 30, 2009 was the 100th day of the EX:Change. It was the 101st day of the Obama Administration. By then, the word change was a bit less consistently electric as a rallying cry. The desire for unity, confidence and possibility had not vaporized but the everydayness of life had damped down the enthusiasm. As the months stacked themselves into a year the word continued to echo inspiration but it also fell into… Read More
Community: A Change from the Disconnect
It is very counter culture in a weird way to talk about all of us being good friends and helping each other. Rabbi Ariel Stone I’ve just watched a man in his 60’s, I’d guess, getting on his bicycle. Earlier he came into this café, his body bent nearly to 90 degrees, maybe 110. He used a cane to walk. He ordered, took his breakfast roll and coffee and left. Maybe… Read More