Clare Consultation, LLCPosted on January 7, 2012 by Mary Clare
Write Brain Change — guest blog by Dave Jarecki
Back in October I got a call from Dave Jarecki. He had been assigned to me by the Lewis & Clark College Chronicle — the alumni magazine of the college where I’ve been a professor for well more than 20 years. I was happy to know my school was pleased with the publication of 100 VOICES – AMERICANS TALK ABOUT CHANGE and wanted to have an article following its release. Dave and I… Read More
Posted on December 24, 2011 by Mary Clare
Christmas Eve Roses from Art
Art Garcia holds one of many distinctions as Voice #2 in 100 VOICES — AMERICANS TALK ABOUT CHANGE. Today I got a text message: “Check your front porch.” Then a second message followed “: )” — Both were from Art. I wasn’t home at the time, so I called David, my world’s best ever next door neighbor and asked if he’d go see what Art had left. “It’s flowers,” David said…. Read More
Posted on December 18, 2011 by Mary Clare
EX:Change Gift Idea — 100 VOICES
Listen to the voices of your neighbors. One hundred voices from across the U.S. All talking about change. All speaking their dreams. Give the book to yourself, to friends or family. Join us in the EX:Change as it continues to offer its invitation to all of us — Listen to each other. See what is there in those with whom you think you have nothing in common. See what is there in… Read More
Posted on December 11, 2011 by Mary Clare
Priming the EX:Change
Down the street @ Bloke http://blokepdx.com/, Justin-the-botanical-artist is well beyond priming – that happened back in October [EX:C blog, “Bloke – AKA, Barber Babes Redux,” 10-29-2011]. Now, since a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Bloke is hitting its prime for the cold weather Holiday season – the festivities that cry for decorative plants and flowers between Halloween and New Year’s Day. Every time I see him these days, Justin is a little breathless, but… Read More
Posted on December 3, 2011 by Mary Clare
Marsha and Nancy — How We Occupy Change
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the idea of having guest bloggers write to the original three questions of EX:Change and the 100 Voices. (EX:C blog, “These Questions Belong to You Now,” 10-22-2011) When you say the word change what do you mean? Alongside change, what is important to have remain the same? What would be concrete signs that positive change was occurring? Then I got email from Marsha Cuyjet – voice #48…. Read More
Posted on November 27, 2011 by Mary Clare
“In casual conversation, how long does it take before someone starts complaining?”
I had Thanksgiving Dinner at the home of a Nigerian-American family. My brother, Preston(since the dawn of our friendship we’ve been pretty sure we are twins separated at birth) and his wife, Michelle and their 5-year-old daughter, Rachel had invited me along on their Thanksgiving plans. Preston, the host couple and three more guests share the fact of long ancestries, birth, childhood and young adulthood in Nigeria. Although they did not meet… Read More
Posted on November 20, 2011 by Mary Clare
Onward
Several years ago I became aware of a newly formed nonprofit organization called Onward Oregon http://onwardoregon.org/. Shortly after learning of the organization, I received an e-mail inviting me to be on their mailing list. In that introductory email, following the words “What We Believe” came this: “We inherit the good that flowed from the people who came before us and the societies they created and will continue building on that foundation. The… Read More
Posted on November 14, 2011 by Mary Clare
Office of Blame Accountability
Love is encouragement. Kindness is not weakness. Freedom is scary because, if I am truly free, I can’t blame anyone. These three statements came as small gifts over coffee and tea this morning with my friend Jim. You may recognize him from earlier blogs. Sayings like these are as natural, even essential to Jim as heartbeats. This morning we were talking about being people in relationships – love partnerships, friendships, kinships, acquaintanceships… Read More
Posted on October 29, 2011 by Mary Clare
Bloke – AKA Barber Babes Redux
Halloween. Perfect. A day when we let ourselves be a bit less in denial of the fact things both are and aren’t as they appear. Change is change is change. This is the storefront I wrote about in May. My new friend Justin is the botanical artist who recently took over the space 6 months after the Barber Babes had to call it quits. Over the past few years Justin has followed… Read More
Posted on October 22, 2011 by Mary Clare
These Questions Belong to You Now
I’ve had three meetings so far today. One with a Yaqui man who is a veteran and a student. “For me it is a question of balance,” he said. “Internal balance. External balance.” Half of his bagel sat on its small plate with one semi-circular bite gone for the entire time we talked. I also met with a woman activist. She had a question. “I’m just so curious about what people would… Read More