GET IT ALL

Always try to assume good will. Assume every statement and action is sincerely intended to benefit the group. Assume that each member understands the group's purpose and accepts the agenda as a contract.

Often, when we project our feelings and expectations onto others, we influence their actions. If we treat others as though they are trying to get attention, disrupt meetings, or pick fights, they will often fulfill our expectations. A resolution to conflict is more likely to occur if we act as though there will be one. This is especially true if someone is intentionally trying to cause trouble or who is emotionally unhealthy. Do not attack the person, but rather, assume good will and ask the person to explain to the group how that person's statements or actions are in the best interest of the group. It is also helpful to remember to separate the actor from the action. While the behavior may be unacceptable, the person is not bad. Avoid accusing the person of being the way they behave. Remember, no one has the answer. The group's work is the search for the best and most creative process, one which fosters a mutually satisfying resolution to any concern which may arise.

Please DO NOT friend request any of the people mentioned in this report without first introducing yourself and having a genuine reason for doing so (not simply collecting friends). The names and links to profiles are provided for reference only.

• Old notebook used from last year's conference (Reduce, reuse, recycle ;) ) to take notes from workshops, open sessions and one-on-one talks 

• One-on-one talks with:

*Paxus- Details about every day Twin Oaks things as well as crews and manager positions

*Keenen- Pluses and minuses of community and how it could be more child friendly

*Shaul- how new generations evolve the original vision and culture of community

*Valarie- Selecting new members and the membership process

* James- Creating a movement through grassroot efforts and utilizing the power of the "mob"

• Neon index cards (left over from last year) to give fellow attendees The Transition contact info

• White index cards (left over from last year) to get contact info from attendees 

• 7 Paper folders with brads purchased to have 1st 4 Phases of "Our Plan"  printed out and available for Open Session viewing

• Markers and large drawing paper purchased for small group demonstration for Open Session (ended up not using and donated items to Twin Oaks for Heroes program when I left)
• Made Power Point Presentation in Anticipation of Open Session

• Read book The Charge (which can help with understanding our supporters and igniting their passions to help us propel this organization and movement further)

• Picked up 30 cases of unripe avocados and one case of pineapples with Paxus (https://www.facebook.com/paxus?fref=ts) from local food pantry because of a store donation that exceeded need of the local area

• Helped Rayenbo  (https://www.facebook.com/raychel.bone?fref=ts) gather info to assemble FIC brochures at Acorn in new seed office (building was not completed last year)

• Helped with Eggplant and tomato processing as well as make tomato sauce at Acorn for future meals with Amy (https://www.facebook.com/amy.hamburger.73)

• Saw first hand how work shifts were divvied out to members and how work was accomplished as a community ( I was on MOOP detail MOOP= Matters Out of Place)

• Attended Evening Program which included Transparency Tools by Paxus, a discussion lead by Alyson Ewald (https://www.facebook.com/alyson.ewald?fref=ts) of the challenges and triumphs of building community, and storyteller Robert Zachary's telling of his experience with community growing up in the South under Jim Crow to his present exploration of intentional communities and sustainable living

• Learned Icebreakers/games to get groups of strangers to build relationships and create intimacy

• Gave an introduction to all attendees about The Transition: who we are,what we do, and what our end vision is (and got a lot of “Oh you are The Transition girl”throughout the whole conference).

• Talked with various community representatives about our group

• Donated 3 items to FIC Benefit Auction raising a total of $22 for the FIC and bid on items as well. The following items were won:

- 6 back copies of Communities Magazine with topics covering:

*Making a Living

* Decision Making in Community

*Communication & Process

*Breaking Bread

*The Heart of Sustainability

* Can We Afford to Live in Community?

• Purchased from FIC pop up bookstore book title: The Great Neighborhood Book- A Do-It Yourself Guide to Placemaking ( a fantastic book with lots of resources and ideas that will be utilized on the website)

• Was a co-speaker at an Open Session (workshops presented by attendees) on the topic of Urban Intentional Communities and  Creating Better Communication Between Intentional Communities and Co-op Businesses in order to create bigger impacts on a brighter future for the planet. (Lots of attendees stopped me afterwards to talk in more detail  and ask questions, one person even referred me to our own Hybrid Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/224148967647327/ )

• Attended Open Session on ICs Working with Colleges and Universities

• Attended Acorn Community's "Crops You've Probably Never Seen" Tour

• Attended Building Cooperative Power Workshop lead by Michael Johnson

• Attended an impromptou workshop (due to a cancelation of another speaker) on Community Business how to start them, which ones are successful etc. lead by Laird Schaub

• Attended Starting a Cooperative Business: Worker Co-ops and Intentional Communities lead by Jim Johnson

• Attended consultation session with Hawina Falcon (https://www.facebook.com/hawina.falcon?fref=ts) on Sociocracy and Membership Procedures

• Acquired multiple takeaways such as detailed sheets about workshop material, flyers, brochures etc. of various communities, organizations.

* How to Build Community,Syracuse Cultural Workers- Card

* Weareoneworldfoundation.org -Awareness Cards

* Twin Oaks Hammocks Rope Hammock Catalog 2013 & 2014

* Recipes: Spicy Fried Tofu, Tofu Egg Salad, Creamy Tofu Horseradish Dressing, Creamy Garlic Dressing or Dip- Recipe Cards

* Finger Books-

-With Open Hands: A Handbook on Open Relationships

-Transparency Tools & Transparency Groups

- Shared Path Shared Goal: Direct Democracy & Consensus Decision Process

* Catalyst Eco Village-Flier

*Building Co-Operative Power- Postcard

*Granite Springs Farm Community-Brochure

* Oran Mor- Brochure

* Network for New Culture- Fliers

* Allegheny Crest Intentional Village- Flier

*Goddard College- Brochure

* Connection Exercises- Packet

*European Commune Tour- Report/Analysis

*Resources for Worker Co-ops & Start-Ups- Sheet

* What is a Worker Cooperative?- Sheet

*Twin Oaks Community Conference Evaluation-Sheet

* The Oracle Institute-Flier

*Shopper's Value Foods-Flier

* Southern Exposure Seed Exchange- Catalog

* Fifth Estate- Magazine

* Mother Earth Living-Magazine

• Attended  Open Session on Creating a Networking Website Platform to create better streams of communication among ICs and a Youtube "TV" show (person who suggested topic had no idea these are the main projects The Transition is working on and was delighted to hear of our work and progress, we get great feedback during this session.

• Stayed at Twin Oaks Community for additional days and experienced communal living. 

• Helped with Data Entry,E-mail Correspondance and Sales Representatives Box Assembly of samples and company literature for Twin Oaks Hammocks

• Aquired book Living the Dream about Twin Oaks

• Have contacted and will follow-up with other speaker's whose workshops I did not attend so I can get information and handouts on their topics that were presented

• 15 personal contacts made (including notables and key influencers in this field- I will be following up with all of them via e-mail, phone and Skype chats in the coming weeks)

• 1 attendee was a pre-existing Hybrid member!

• Posted on Twin Oaks Community Conference an invite to this page as well as the link to the survey to help build the website.

As always if you have any questions about anything feel free to contact me . :)

• New notebooks purchased for notes for workshops

• Neon index cards purchased to give fellow attendees my contact info

• White index cards purchased to get contact info from attendees (and survey data if they had the time)

• Url purchased- www.thetransition.info  (used for survey to make it easy to remember)

• Online survey created

• Our online survey was printed out to run people through it if they had time availability

• Finished Reading Philanthrocapitalism book on train ride to event

• Purchased used book at random gas station read in its entirety: Transitions- Making Sense of Life’s Changes, Strategies for Coping with the Difficult Painful, and Confusing Times in Your Life (which really applies to our group and how it is hard for people to transition from one thing lifestyle, job, relationship etc to another even if it is more beneficial)

• Saw first hand how work shifts were divvied out to members and how work was accomplished as a community

• Participated in Twin Oaks Community 2 hr. Tour

• Participated in Acorn Community Tour (not sure of length of time)

• Learned Transparency Tools (Unsaids and Withholds)

• Learned About 22 Reasons to Share Housing (http://www.sharinghousing.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/08/22-Reasons_TwinOaks.pdf)

• Learned Icebreakers/games to get groups of strangers to build relationships and create intimacy

• Gave an introduction to all attendees about The Transition: who we are,what we do, and what our end vision is (and got a lot of “Oh you are The Transition girl” "Someone told me I should talk to you" because of it, throughout the whole conference).

• Talked with various community representatives about our group

• Participated in the Community Development “Track” of workshops which covered:

-Starting a Community

-Online Storytelling: Modern Tools to Build Your Community

-Alphabet Soup: Legal Structures for Communities

• Donated items to FIC Benefit Auction and bid on items as well. The following items were won:

- 5 back copies of Communities Magazine with topics covering:

*Health & Well Being

* Community in Hard Times

*Festivals and Gatherings

*Politics in Community

*Scarcity and Abundance

- DVD The End of Suburbia-Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream

• Purchased from FIC pop up bookstore book title: The New Social Learning A Guide to Transforming Organizations Through Social Media (only a few pages in so far too much work to do!)

• Was a co-lecturer/speaker at an Open Session (workshops presented by attendees) on the topic of transitional concepts and the “in between” here and now and where we want to be. (This is when what we are dong started to click for people).

• Attended New Economics Symposium which addressed alternative currencies being used by people attending the conference and learned about Plenties in particular (see: http://theplenty.org/).

• Acquired multiple takeaways such as detailed sheets about workshop material, flyers, brochures etc. of various communities, organizations.

• At a restroom stop purchased a blueprint book at a big box hardware store. The designs focus on entertaining, organized, de-stressing and flexible use spaces. These are perfect for co-housing concepts as well as main community buildings for intentional communities. This book will serve as inspiration for our organization to form blueprints of our own for our site to be used by our online virtual community.

• 125 mass e-mails sent out to everyone who shared their contact info and attended the event with information of our Facebook group as well as our online survey.

• 1 survey done in person other personal contacts committed to doing it online)

• 21 personal contacts made (including notables and key influencers in this field- I will be following up with all of them via e-mail, phone and Skype chats in the coming weeks)

• 1 attendee was a pre-existing Hybrid member!

• Posted on Twin Oaks Community Conference an invite to this page as well as the link to the survey to help build the website.

As always if you have any questions about anything feel free to contact me directly. :)