I Believe In Fairness, Fun, And Sharing What I’ve Learned
With The People Who Make This Planet A Great Place To Live
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I barely had time to make new year's resolutions and then Poof! January was over. Is it too late? It's never to late to learn something new or to try to do better. I have a few things on my list.
To start my year I had a couple of road trips, some birthday celebrations, and a funeral. A death, especially a young death, brings so much perspective along with the grief. Honestly, I am tired of getting so much perspective, at least in that way.
The theatre community has been busy, and the current theme seems to be women. Turns out I am on brand, as one of my plays will be in a festival in February called Fierce Women of Alberta (see below). I can't wait to see how they have reimagined it, and I am delighted it will help raise funds for a women's shelter.
Boards are busy, the ones I am on and the ones I support. Bylaws and policy tune ups appear to be the order of the day. Strategic planning is not far behind. It's good to see, and be a part of, the kind of work being done.
Boards also seem to be on their way to behaving better and expecting more of each other (I don't want to jinx this!). A timely article in Fast Company advises on how proper apologies can assist culture. Try it!
I am still working on Lagom and balanced living ("not too little, not too much, just right"). The result has been fewer items in my Christmas boxes and my closet, and less furniture overall. I am liking the white space.
Since January 23 (Blue Monday) I have been hearing non-stop messages about mental health. As we head into February, I hope you are coping and that your days are more joyful.
/lmwe
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Do you follow Jurassicparliament.com? If you spend any amount of time in meetings, you should. Although based in Robert's Rules of Order, many of us still fall back on those when in trouble, or have meeting processes that are a legacy of RRO.
Recently they answered a question that I get often: What needs to be approved? What actions require motions?
The article title was succinct and directive: "Don't Vote to Accept, Adopt, Approve, or Receive Reports." The article is here, and below are my highlights.
Author Ann Mcfarlane says, "Boards and councils often fail to process reports correctly. When an officer or a committee submits a written report, the board usually should NOT vote to accept, adopt, approve, or receive it. Instead, the report is noted as received for filing. No action is necessary. The minutes simply state: Last month’s expense report was received for filing.
A vote to accept, adopt, or approve a report means the Board endorses its contents in their entirety. This was not likely the Board's intention. However, if the Board agrees with the report and plans to implement all the recommendations in it, then go ahead and approve it.
If a report contains motions, then the Board should deal with those motions in the usual way.
Definitely do not approve the Treasurer's report because you don't know if it's true -- you only know what the Treasurer says and presents. At year end, you DO approve the auditor's report as that is the most true version of the financials that a Board will get.
The article doesn't cover Board minutes, but I recommend always approving them, as they are a piece of the corporate record. Consent agendas add efficiency to meetings, but increase complexity when it comes to the minutes. As such, I recommend dispensing with them as follows: Hearing no objection, the Chair declared the Minutes of May 1 2022 meeting of the Board of Directors approved as presented, and the rest of the minutes and reports in the Consent Agenda received for filing.
In this way the Board minutes get approved (which they should be) and the rest is info (which it should be).
The moral of the story? Slow down and be intentional about your motions.
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Overwhelmed? Do a Brain Dump
Daily Motivation had a timely exercise to help when things are just too much. A Brain Dump involves writing down what's causing your overwhelm. By writing it out, your brain has space to organize (or let go of) these thoughts.
To do it, just write down stuff until you run out (you will, honestly). People who make lists do this all the time: to-do lists, grocery lists. Goal setters do it too: priorities, action plans. Worries and fears? Write them out. Wishing you had a do-over in a conversation? Write it.
"Once it’s on paper, it’s easier to organize and understand why you might feel overwhelmed or stressed, and there might be clear indicators hinting at what you need to do next."
The article lists four types of Brain Dumps:
- Morning Starter (like morning pages in The Artist's Way)
- Learning (enhance memorization of something by writing it down)
- Appreciative (write what you are grateful for -- I like to do this at night)
- Overwhelmed (helps you let go, de-stress, get organized, focus on what's important now).
Signs you need to do a Brain Dump:
- You feel perpetually stressed.
- You keep going around in a circles on a particular issues or problem.
- You are having trouble prioritizing tasks or activities.
- You feel as though there is too much on your plate.
- You are having more negative thoughts than normal.
- You have difficulty remembering what your priorities are.
- You lost track of your end goal.
- You have a lot to learn in a short amount of time.
Give it a try. Good luck!
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Some People Who Made Life Better in January
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MaryJane Alanko, Ginny Arnott-Wood, Nishan Begum, Shelley Carmichael Silins, Graham Faulder, Liz Garratt, Carrie Habinski, Dave Hughes, Brian Jackson, Dianne Johnstone, Dale Kennedy, Janey McCurdy, Andy Northrup, Erin O'Neill, Mary Paul, Lori Schmidt, Theresa Tsoukalas, Chris Wood, Jenny Wood Narine, Peter Wood
“The same path in nature is
a new experience each day --
Walk with curiosity.”
-- Unknown
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All new Some Links I Like
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Some Quotes I Like
"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your
reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel,
and in exchange put on a mask. There can't be any large-scale revolution until
there's a personal revolution, on an individual level. It's got to happen inside first."
-- Jim Morrison
"If you're completely honest the way you go about your life,
it just gives you back happiness."
-- Tatjana Patitz
"Observing is more interesting than being observed. You learn about
yourself by seeking out others."
-- Gina Lollobrigida
“Things turn out better by accident sometimes. But you can't organize accidents.”
-- Jeff Beck
"Some stage directions you just simply have to throw away."
-- Judd Hirsch
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Five Beers I Enjoyed in January
1. La Vermontoise Farmhouse Ale, Brasserie de Blaugies (Belgium)/Hill Farmstead (US) 6% ABV
2. Nile Special Lager, Nile Breweries (Uganda) 5.6% ABV
3. Tunnel Vision IPA, Abandoned Rail Brewing (Penticton BC) 6.5% ABV
4. Loo-a-vuhl Pale Ale, Against the Grain Brewing, (Louisville KY) 5.5% ABV
5. Black Mammoth Winter Ale, Fernie Brewing, (Fernie BC) 8% ABV
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“The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer
someone else up.” -- Mark Twain
Linda & LUE-42 Enterprises
(W/fond acknowledge to Douglas Adams & The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)
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Linda Wood Edwards
P.O. Box 11021, Station Main,
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3K3
780.918.4200
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