I am currently facilitating a series of conversations between a group of people who have joined the 3 Pillars Network Active Learning program. The core purpose of this program is to connect people from all over Australia who work in the field (if you can call it field?) of behaviour change for sustainability. The idea is to promote learning between practitioners, researchers and those in policy.
Last week I drew a map of the key things I remembered from the conversations. I love creating these maps after reading books and listening to TED talks. It helps to make links between ideas and create a story. Yesterday I shared my map with a participant who couldn’t make it to the session. I took her through the map, piece by piece, and wished I had recorded it.
Today, I did record it … it a first take and I have no idea why the video is compressed into half the screen?
Last week I was part of a learning conversation with practitioners, policy makers and researchers, all interested in diving deep into the complexity of behaviour change. We started by helping each other out with current problems, challenges and questions about our work – this was highly practical stuff and focused mainly on principles and practices.
At the end of the conversation we created a map of the group’s current thinking about behaviour change in practice. I felt we were able to go beyond ‘talking’ and enter the realm if Dialogue … we were thinking together. Here’s the map I drew to summarise …
After months of watching 2nd hand camper trailers come and go, today we stumbled upon this off-road camper. These things are basically a canvas tent mounted on a 6 x 4 trailer with a few bells & whistles, but they do go almost anywhere.
As parents, we want our kids to remember the adventures we shared … the remote places we witnessed … the people whose stories we got to know. We want their learning and education to be real and tangible, where they get to touch, smell and feel the things that fill text books and websites. We already know that our kids are at their happiest when camping … when occasionally they go to bed feeling grubby with the sand still between their toes. They never miss their iPod touch games, tv shows and they never say the words … “Daaad, Muuum, I’m bored!” (Maybe, instead, we hear them say from the back seat … “Daad, are we there yet?!”)
This one was well loved by it’s last owner and he added some nifty improvements such as a full solar-rechargable battery kit. You can camp off-the-grid for over a week. And with a kitchen set up like this, eat like a king along the way …
I know that many future blog posts will be written from our off-road camper home.
Around Aireys Inlet, the sight of me on my SUP (StandUp Paddle Board) cruising the river or riding waves in the surf, is a common occurrence. I am passionately addicted to SUP’ing. It’s a physical workout and a mindful retreat wrapped into 1 activity.
Today, the surf was terrible … so I was drawn to the river which was was calm and tranquil.
Today, like every other day on the SUP, I discovered something new about my paddle technique and my position on the board. Tiny changes in my feet and head position and my visual focus have dramatic impacts on the glide and speed of my board through the water.
Today, like every other day, I noticed my surroundings and soaked it up.
And today, unlike every other day, I realise how fortunate I am … how grateful I am to you, my friends and family.
I’m probably one of the last people in the bloggesphere to see this video – Caine’s Arcade.
But I wanted to share it here with you because it speaks volumes about all sorts things … the creative genius of our kids … the need to re discover PLAY in community and at work.
If only our schools could create the conditions for our kids to express their talents like this! Some do I’m sure … but I don’t see the system allowing much of it.
“Years ago a well known islander gave me the advice about living here that, if I’m in it for the long haul, I would need to develop a practice of witnessing. In the ten+ years I have lived here a lot has changed and I’m finally beginning to realize what that role of witness means.” Chris Corrigan
This is my home. I’m inspired every day by the estuary, by the beach and the cliffs … surrounded by the Southern Ocean and, to the north and west, by the Otway National Park. Our community is a series of villages stretching along this unique coastline – Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven, Moggs Creek and Eastern View.
I was inspired to write something here by Chris Corrigan’s post, Witnessing. Since my dad passed last December, I’ve become somewhat of a hermit to this place I call home. I’ve lived here for 12 years and I’m noticing things I’ve never seen before.
My focus on home (family and local community) has grown from a deepening sense that I belong here … that I contribute and co-own this place. I run a music festival here, steward the Parent Group at the local school and show-up to support the great work that others do. Like Chris’ home of Bowen Island, a lot has changed here in the past 10 years. In these past few months, with all my time at home, I’m getting a deeper sense of this place and the people who belong.
After a very slow start to 2012, next month my work starts in earnest. I’ll be busy and will have many days away from home. A much anticipated fortnight away in Canada follows in June, I’ll be working alongside Chris and living on Bowen Island … who better than to show me around!
The team at the Do Lectures pointed to this little quote and it’s worth remembering for our own health and sense of vitality.
I’ll add a little extension to this quote …
Doing things, or just doing something and starting somewhere, is the best response when the unexpected happens. When our best laid plans turn pear-shaped and we become wracked with uncertainty. When the fear of failure dominates our being – this is when letting go and doing things is the only way forward. Never know, it might even stop you from growing old and slowing down
John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull, offers a definition of serendipity: “Unexpected encounters that surprise and delight.”
Here’s a screen-shot of a newsletter from a conference I am playing a part in designing and facilitating. The headline is about the musical performance and appearance by Geoffrey Gurrumul – he’s one of my favourite singers. Given my total focus on running the Aireys Open Mic Music Festival over the past fortnight, it’s both a surprise and a delight that musical richness comes together with my passion for work.
Here is another example of the type of extraordinary talent we had at the Aireys Inlet Open Mic Music Festival. This is what happens when you open stages to anyone who want to show up and play – that’s how this festival works … it’s an Open Mic.
This young man’s name is Jamie Pye and he had the Aireys Foodstore in the palm of his hand for his 30 minute gig. I can hear some Micheal Hedges and touch of Leo Kottke in this one. Enjoy!
