Billionaires for BP

A couple of weekends ago, a small band of us headed out to First Fridays in the Crossroads District of Kansas City to have some fun and stir things up a little. The calamitous oil spill in the gulf was our motivation, and the long-standing performance/demonstration organization Billionaires for Bush was our inspiration. We were Billionaires for BP.Thanks to some very creative souls, we were quite a sight. Dressed in silk, satin, and sequence, brandishing oil-tinis (chocolate syrup in a martini glass), we waltzed around Crossroads chanting things like “more blood for oil,” and “drill, baby, drill.” Some of us carried signs proclaiming such niceties such as, “how many species do we really need?” and “today’s disasters are tomorrow’s dividends.”

Two children joined our crew, but as they are innocents, they chose to be our counter-voice. Aliyah dressed as a sad mermaid, face smeared with crude oil (more chocolate syrup- I had the hardest time keeping her from eating it), and carried a sign that said, “homeless mermaid, will work for fish."

According to one of our leaders, it was not really a protest, as we didn’t have an agenda. It was street performance whose purpose was to generate conversation. There we succeeded. We received strange looks, laughter, honked horns, many thumbs up (especially from the group selling “BP sucks” t-shirts), and several questions from passersby. I also learned the valuable lesson that high heels are not the footwear of choice for a demonstration, even if you are in an evening gown.

It was fun, to be sure, and it served as an outlet for us to express our frustration over the continued violence committed against the earth and its creatures resulting from our insatiable appetite. I

suffered slight discomfort, though, expressed best in a sign that one of our members carried. “Is it BP, is it the government, or is it us?”

Yes, I believe that the greed of corporations and the top echelon of society contribute significantly to our nation’s ravenous consumption of energy that rapes the earth, but none of us is free from guilt. Most of us benefit from a seemingly inexhaustible supply of energy, whether from fresh fruit in November, cheap shoes produced overseas, or a weekend of boating on the lake. The economy that supports our lifestyles, even the most modest of which is luxurious compared with much of the world, is largely driven by energy consumption. It’s almost impossible to opt out.

What continues to run through my head is a phrase from my first Calculus class, “simplify, simplify, simplify.” It’s not an easy or effortless task, but it’s the new direction we must head if we want to live in peace and harmony with the earth that existed millions of year before us and will continue on for millions of years with or without us. I think I would prefer that we learn to get along before it jettisons humanity for its own sake.

The ultimate summer

Last Saturday was the end of summer league tournament for KC Ultimate. And what’s a summer league tournament without a heat advisory? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. By the second game some of us (especially those of us over 30, I’m just saying…) felt like we were running in molasses. And yes, we probably looked like it, too. But! We had a great time. A beautiful day with beautiful friends. Here are some of the highlights.

• The Karen Marcus Interiors team defeated some other team (what was their name again? Not worth remembering) in the mixed team championship game. In their final huddle after the game, they dedicated their win to the memory of Karen Marcus, who ended her battle with breast cancer earlier that morning. This team is to be admired not only for their awesome disc skills, but for their big hearts. “This is a family team,” captain Barrett Davis said.Not only did the team sport several married couples and a mother/daughter combo, but week after week their sideline was filled with team members’ children. They even borrowed children from other teams to boost their family-friendly image. You guys rock.
• Team Gotham Printwear walked away with the championship in the men’s open division. Pictured here is the second place team, MWM Consulting, because, frankly, they were cuter.
• Completely disregarding child labor laws, we hired a fewchildren to walk around the fields pulling a wagon full of ice water, splashing those who looked like they were on the verge of passing out. Experts estimate that up to 10 incidents of heat stroke were avoided thanks to these hard working kids. All they requested for compensation were Cheezits and Gatorade.
• My own team, Walsh’s Corner Cocktails, won the spirit award. League directors assured me that this wasn’t just a pity award handed to the team with the worst record. I’m going to believe them on this one. My pride demands it.
• Lunch was catered by one of our sponsors, Westport Flea Market. The hamburgers and chicken sandwiches were good, but the pasta salad was to die for. Thanks!

If you weren’t there, I know you wish you were. The good news is, you don’t have to wait until next summer to join the fun. Fall league starts in just two short weeks, and beginners are welcomed and encouraged to join. There’s no better way to get an incredible workout, meet a ton of wonderful new friends, and enjoy this sunshine while we still have it. Your body and soul will thank you.

Let Loose in the Park

Driving to Loose Park this past week for Ultimate Frisbee pick-up, I noticed, for the first time, the full name of the park: "Jacob L. Loose Memorial Park." Well, I figured there just had to be a story behind this Jacob guy, and sure enough, there is, and of course I have some commentary to go along with it.

What Loose Park, biscuits, and the pyramids share in common

Mountains talk to me. No, I'm not crazy.

Last week I ventured into the wilderness. Ok, I guess since the trailhead parking lot was full, the path was well trod, and we passed more than a dozen fellow hikers, wilderness is not exactly accurate. It was, though, far from the sights, sounds, and smell of the city. We hiked up to Conundrum Springs, natural hot springs at the peak of a valley (do valleys have peaks?) not far from Aspen, Colorado.

One of my aspirations for this trip was to leave behind me, even if temporarily, the stress and anxieties of the daily grind. Is that really possible? Can we shed our worries as we shed our tailored clothes, makeup, dress shoes, and all the other accessories of life back home? Is it truly that simple?

Yes, yes it is. With each foot of elevation gain my heart felt a little lighter, and it wasn't just the thin air going to my head. As we approached two miles above sea level, my worries may as well have taken up residence on another planet.

Day two of our trip afforded us several hours of silent contemplation while relaxing the the hot springs overlooking the valley on one side and lofty mountain peaks on the other. It was then that the mountain spoke to me.

"I will remain here forever," it said, "or at least forever in

comparison with your brief life. No matter what mistakes you make, what troubles befall you, what riches find you, I don't care. Year after year I will stand here. You may come back to visit, you can even bring your children. Or, you may never return again. Either way, it doesn't matter to me, because here I will stand."

This reminder of my insignificance, instead of sobering me, relieved me. What I had thought so important, so life altering, now seemed puny. This freed me to breathe easier, to take in all that surrounded me. It allowed me to relax in the mountain's gentle cradle. It asked nothing of me but my presence, and I took nothing from it but its peace.

In one week I will return to the classroom. I look forward to another year of teaching, of the laughter, frustration, joy, and weariness it will bring. Yes, I anticipate helping my students move toward discovering and achieving their goals and dreams, but my life will not depend on it.

For I know that no matter what, the mountain stands there still, waiting for my return. Or not waiting. It doesn't really matter.

General McChrystal: major blunder or brilliant strategy?

Along with the basics of reading and writing, I try to teach my students the rules of the game- those unwritten rules that your employer, banker, parole officer, professor, expect you to know and to follow.

Recently one of my students asked me to proofread a document she had written. I suggested one addition. “But I don’t really feel that way,” she protested. “It doesn’t matter,” I explained, “it’s the rules of the game. They’ll expect this to be in your document, and no matter how good and sincere the rest is, without this, it won’t work. I don’t care whether you really mean it, and frankly, they don’t either. They just want you to say it. It’s the rules.” In the end, she discovered how right I was, and was able to include the suggestion and achieve her desired results.

She faced a critical decision. She could play by rules she didn’t completely buy into for long-term benefit, or she could refuse to compromise her integrity and leave the organization. Either choice presented its own challenges, and I would have supported and respected her whichever she chose. What was important to me was that she was fully aware of the situation, that the choice was truly hers so that she was not a powerless victim to the system.

Which brings me to Gen. McChrystal. What we have on the surface is a highly decorated, highly experienced officer with tremendous responsibilities and under a great deal of stress who, unfortunately, made a few off-hand, stupid remarks that lost him his official position: in charge of the war in Afghanistan.

I have a hard time swallowing that story. Here’s a man who, better than 99.999% of the population understands the rules of the game. And anyone who’s served a minute in the military, or knows someone who has served in the military, or has heard anything about the military, knows that in order to achieve the rank of general, a person must demonstrate time and again an extraordinary measure of discipline, self-control, patience, and strategic thinking.

So what are the chances that one of the most highly respected generals in the U.S. military, with enough experience and success that he led an entire war effort, oops, slipped up and said something stupid during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

Is it possible that McChrystal knew exactly what he was doing? Was this a strategic move rather than an amateurish blunder?

If so, it was genius. He was removed from a position of responsibility with which he was completely frustrated, but removed in such as way that he was able to retain his rank and his honor with no disciplinary action while bringing to the nation’s attention the major challenges our military faces in Afghanistan. Heck, he was even commended by the president for all the good work he’s done up to this point.

I can’t help but admire him as a strategist. He didn’t just play by the rules, he owned the rules. He made the rules submit to his authority. Assuming, of course, that my humble theory is correct.

I think I’ll invite him to be a guest presenter to my class.

Is name-calling necessary?

Last weekend, a friend of mine celebrated his birthday at a local eating establishment. I thought Aliyah and I would just stop by for a short while since none of her friends would be there. Little did I know…

We found our party sitting on the outdoor patio that faces a large, open, fenced area built as a concert venue. It took Aliyah all of 2.5 minutes to find three other kids close to her size, and then only 1.6 minutes to establish a close enough friendship with them that allowed them to run around and play together for the next 3 hours. Anyone watching would have thought them life-long friends.

Eventually, one of the other children’s mother came over to introduce herself and her son to me. Of course, the first information we exchanged was our names. “I’m Elizabeth,” she said, “and this is Xavier.” This boy’s name was obviously new information to Aliyah, and when asked whether he knew her name, Xavier looked confused.

Initially I laughed at this. They had been playing together like old friends for 3 hours and didn’t even know each other’s names? Ah, those silly children.

Later, it occurred to me that this is regular behavior for Aliyah. For weeks now she’s been playing with a few children at Ultimate Frisbee, and she still refers to them as her “Frisbee friends,” because she doesn’t know any of their names. It’s not that my child is strange; another mom told me that her daughter referred to Aliyah as “that girl I was playing with at Frisbee,” and has no idea what her name is.

Being the responsible parent I am, my first thought was that this is a skill I need to teach Aliyah. Introduce yourself in the beginning. Learn names. Remember names. Names are important.

But then I took a step back and considered further. Who really has something to learn here? Aliyah forms fun, satisfying friendships quickly and easily. She and her friends skip over all those initial pleasantries which adults find necessary. Not only do they not exchange names, but they also don’t share which schools they attend, family of origin data, outside hobbies and activities, what kind of car their parents drive, where they live, or what kind of music they listen to. And the assumptions they make! You’re my size, you’re here, you obviously want to play with me, and you’re going to be the tiger first while I’m the princess who is lost in the woods.

Yet we saavy adults, who know the correct stages of friendship and have mastered small talk can spend weeks or months forming a friendship in which we are comfortable enough to act silly or laugh without restraint.

But at least we know each other’s names, right? Seriously, what’s the point? And at what age was the natural ability to form bonds with one another trained out of us?

The Buddha in you

Last Sunday I attended Buddhist meditation at Unity Temple on the Plaza. I had no idea what to expect, really, though I figured it would be a fairly quiet service, what with meditating and all.

What a wonderful experience it was. You can read my reflections here.