Aj Schwanz

*Blog* Carnival, that is: somehow I don’t think they make grey beads to throw out at the parade.

Being a facilitator is good but tough work. It’s one of my favorite roles: hearing rumblings, making connections, providing space for a need, gathering resources, keeping an eye on the future while walking in the present.

A friend of mine is an excellent facilitator: his name is Martin. He is one of the first Quaker bloggers I found online; not only that, but his passions and concerns mirrored mine: the lack of young adults in meetings, the sadness of the divided state of Quakerdom, being a parent and a minister.

As blogging became a more familiar and used medium, Quaker bloggers popped up here and there. But the dialogue was cumbersome: good stuff was happening, but not everyone knew about it. And obviously these conversations were important and necessary: folks were saying the same thing over and over, but with their own flavor. How to connect?

Enter Martin, a faithful friend who is an excellent facilitator. He created QuakerQuaker - an aggregator of the best stuff out of Quaker blogs. When Quaker blogdom started to take on a life of its own, he recruited help (which I’m supposed to do but never have because [enter any number of excuses here]). Over time he’s tweaked with the technology, all to make it easier for Quakes of different walks and background to connect.

Does he get paid? No. Does he have too much to do? Yes. Is he a wonderful example of following a calling both to be an online presence as well as to be present with his young family? Yes.

I’ve greatly appreciated reading the different posts that pop up on my feed reader from QuakerQuaker. I love getting a taste of other flavors of Quakerism. I treasure the relationships and connections I’ve built with other Quaker bloggers. And I really really appreciate Martin: thanks for all that you do and all that you are, friend.

Check out the Blog Carnival: you never know - there may actually be dancing.

So y’all know the first gathering of the Northwest Emerging Women Leaders in January was fantastic: we converged quite well. So well that we want to do it again!

Of course, most of us can’t get away for another weekend, but most can find time to gather for an evening discussion (and dessert: mmmm, dessert).

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APRIL evening gathering in Portland

CONVERGENCE at the Mississippi Ballroom, dessert and round table discussion “Women Lead! And HOW!”

This event will provide a chance to further the conversation, invite new friends to come Converge, continue to share stories, and raise a bit o’ money for the Convergence fund.

When: Monday April 16th

Time: 7:00-9:00 pm

Where: Mississippi Ballroom in NW Portland

How much: $15.00

How do I get tickets: Please sign up in advance: go here to do so. Space is limited so sign up speedily!

Why: Encouragement, connection, exploring the where do we go from here, learning from each other….good food, good comrades and some fun to boot!

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You know you want to come: I’ll be bringing goodies, and y’all know how much Food Network viewing I have under my belt.

Even in sophisticated circles where people ought to know better, those who have made staying home and raising children a priority are often made to feel that their lives are being wasted and that they could be doing “more significant things.” When I was a member of the sociology faculty at an Ivy League university, my wife and I were expected to attend get-togethers with my colleagues and their spouses. On more than one occasion someone would ask my wife in what appeared to me to be a condescending manner, “And what is it you do, my dear?”

My wife, who is one of the most articulate persons I know, found a perfect response for such occasions. In machine gun fashion, she would reply, “I am socializing two homo sapiens into the dominant values of the Judeo-Christian tradition so they might be transformers of the social order into the kind of eschatological utopia God willed for us from before the foundation of the earth.”

Then she would smile and ask, “And what is it you do?”

And to those who don’t think mastering the art of sticking stickers all over one’s face is a dominant value of the Judeo-Christian tradition, we say:

Thank you, Peggy Campolo.

From Carpe Diem.