I'm liking very much reading this thread. Wosonos-London was great for me. Unlike in Berlin 2010 I knew that I'd learn/gain most from just being around and following my guts. This way I enjoyed it deeply, I had some good insights, some unforgettable instants, and so good new connections!
One thing I liked very much was the simplicity of the third day morning, being just more time for conversations with no specific time for action proposals,...In fact, there were and are, sure, some good action proposals and strong determination in the participants minds, even if not announced there. Just saying goodbye to ho after Wosonos, one of my clear determinations suddenly prompted with a hug:* "I find now difficult to come to Florida next year, but I'm sure, we'll start doing Osonos in the Basque Country soon." *I grin now, reading this thread. Let's see what happens. I hope we'll succeed in making up ways to get joy from all those "tedious details of party planning" and doing it as simple and inclusive as we can... If so, maybe Mundaka or Bilbao is waiting for you! We'll let you know and you'll get the invitation on the oslist :o)! Enjoy life @Eleder_BuM www.flowandshow.blogspot.com (En) www.burumapak.blogspot.com (Basque) www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com (Sp) www.bilbohiria.com/gaika/berbaz (radio) 2012/10/23 Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net> > Actually lisa – True confession. My criteria for any party/open space I > invoke is that I have a great time. The key is flow – and once the flow is > going you really can’t stop it. Much better to just enjoy. It also helps to > remember that it isn’t about you. When it is really good, nobody even > notices you.**** > > ** ** > > ho**** > > ** ** > > Harrison Owen**** > > 7808 River Falls Dr.**** > > Potomac, MD 20854**** > > USA**** > > ** ** > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** > > Camden, Maine 20854**** > > ** ** > > Phone 301-365-2093**** > > (summer) 207-763-3261**** > > ** ** > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** > > www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website)**** > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > OSLIST Go to: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** > > ** ** > > *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto: > oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Lisa Heft > *Sent:* Tuesday, October 23, 2012 1:29 PM > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] OSONOS Whenever, Wherever, with Whomsoever (name > change from "Peggy..."**** > > ** ** > > Yes, you are Harrison Owen !**** > > (and a good thing, too... and a lucky world, because of it).**** > > ** ** > > I laugh as you are also recommending a name change for this stream, as I > did, but no worries - the stream continues no matter what the name.**** > > I was smiling as I kept thinking how Peggy will feel when she steps into > this stream and sees her name all over it (!). That woman can engage > emergence even when she is busy emerging elsewhere at the time. That's one > powerful woman.**** > > ** ** > > Anyway. Thanks for this Harrison, and Michael and Phelim for your latest > thoughts, and to all additional thoughts to come.**** > > ** ** > > Harrison what you mentioned also made me remember ... the thing that is a > bit of a challenge for someone wanting to put on an OSonOS or W or > whatever-it-wants-to-be-called...**** > > ** ** > > I know that the reason a lot of people do not feel the need to host one is > - hosting something is usually not about the really amazing holding space > moments - most of the work is about event planning.**** > > Getting a room, paying money for it in advance, answering everyone's > emails behind the scenes, really dry and to some, really tedious details of > party planning that are not joyful for all kinds of people.**** > > ** ** > > In some of our communities, room rental is super-expensive, so we have to > put out a lot of cash in advance and devise a way to generate income to > cover our expenses for hosting from a participant group that ... well for > the past several WOSonOS and OSonOS and my workshops and everything where > there is a pay-what-you-can registration fee - over 1/2 of the participants > are those who cannot pay a per-person cost of putting the event on, even a > very low-cost event. So creative financing also happens behind the scenes. > **** > > ** ** > > So I am reminded that there are many reasons we folks with a facilitation > skill-set and interests are not always the same folks with an > event-planning skill-set or interest. **** > > Also when you are host, you do not get to play in the same way, as with > any party. So I am reminded that many of us consciously do not put on many > events because we want to be a participant so badly.**** > > ** ** > > Thanks, Phelim, for reminding me of the fact that inviting is also > inviting to a party of celebration, community, and co-learning...**** > > ** ** > > Lisa**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > On Oct 23, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:**** > > > > **** > > I love it Michael! –**** > > **** > > “All of which makes me wonder how many "OSonOS" events we've really had. > What if we did count them up and start numbering them as we go forward, as > ALL having been descended from the HHO-convened originals… What if....? " > (Michael Herman)**** > > **** > > I do have to confess a certain sense of déjà view all wrapped in a good > chuckle. The core question seems to be – who decides where the next > (w)OSonOS will be and by what authority do they do that? The simple answer > is (to me) everybody decides based on no authority, save their own. > Actually the question doesn’t even apply. Of course, if we were a formal > organization with a defined membership, Board, and set of procedures the > question could be relevant. But “we” are definitely a horse of a different > color. The Membership has never been officially determined, and nobody has > any idea of how many folks there might be. But it does seem likely that if > everybody who somehow felt a part of the community were to assemble, we > would need at least a major stadium! When it comes to a Board and set of > procedures – simply doesn’t exist. And I say Thank God!**** > > **** > > In practice the whole process is simplicity itself. Somebody says, “Please > come…” and if there are two (or more) invitations there might be some > conversation about combining or sequencing the gatherings – not unlike what > we do in every Open Space with potentially duplicate sessions. People will > come or not depending on how their feet are moving and where their passions > may lie. No problem. And of course some decisions ARE made in advance – > after all the “inviter” does have to decide whether or not to throw a > party. But there is nothing secretive about it, and anybody can do it.**** > > **** > > I guess that may be a sticking point – can anybody do it? The direct > answer is YES! It is also true that not everybody would want to. And the > decision to invite friends, colleagues and passers-by to come together > becomes massively daunting when the whole process is understood to be a > complex, draining undertaking. It certainly can be – but it doesn’t have to. > **** > > **** > > To make the point, being the old curmudgeon that I am, several years ago I > invited anybody who cared to come to join me for what I called > “OSONOS-by-the-Sea” in Camden Maine where I spend my summers. Total > organizing time might have been 3-4 hours. I simply called up some friends > at a local church (Space/Date), grabbed the URL from the Chamber of > Commerce (accommodations and food) – put it all together on a single > webpage – and posted a note on OSLIST. Conference fee was $25 (half of > which I eventually sent to Lisa/Access Queen) and I did say that space was > limited to 50 (size of the church). I did the same thing a year later, but > raised the size limit to 75, which the church could accommodate. In both > cases we had a full registration in a few weeks. As for onsite > arrangements, I did nothing more than to make sure that we had plenty of > flip chart paper, magic markers, masking tape and post-its – all of which > were stacked in the center of the room. Upon arrival, everybody pitched in > (surprise!) and in short order we had the essential signs, bees, bumble > bees, etc. We even had a well organized “Documentation Center.” From there > on out it was business as usual: Sit in a Circle, create a bulletin board, > open and market place, and go to work. We did, and it was a blast.**** > > **** > > Of course you might be saying, Yes, but you are HARRISON OWEN. I can’t > deny it. It’s true, and that might have been a critical factor 5 years ago > – but no more as evidenced by the fine gatherings hosted by the likes of > Lisa, Michael Pannwitz, Sharon Chou, Brian Bainbridge, Gerardo de > Luzenberger to name just a few. Anybody can do it, but not everybody will > want to. Of course it always helps to remember that it isn’t the size of > the event that counts, but rather its depth and power. As always, Whoever > comes will be the right people.**** > > **** > > And so my friends, we could easily turn all this into an intense, > agonizing discussion of process, rules, procedure and transparency. But in > all honesty that is a discussion I want no part of. Of course, inclusion is > important, but the answer to that is very simple: Just open more space(s) > in your part of the world and invite friends, colleagues, and especially > strangers. To borrow a phrase, and offer a bottom line – Just Do it! And > have fun.**** > > **** > > See you in Florida or wherever else space opens – as long as my feet are > able.**** > > **** > > Harrison**** > > **** > > **** > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > >
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