[OSList] OSONOS Whenever, Wherever, with Whomsoever (name change from "Peggy..."

Tue Oct 23 10:49:30 PDT 2012

maybe the question i should be asking is why we don't call ALL of them
WOSONOS... and then... what would it look like if we developed a system for
anyone, anywhere, to distribute their osonos invitation to the World?
 oslist is perhaps the only global system needed for such distribution, but
maybe there is more we can do to support more invitings?  this suggesting
implies, i think, that it's not important if the World actually attends...
but rather that the hosts are Inviting the whole world, and inviting the
depth that comes with that expansiveness.

yes, like harrison says, anyone can do it and nobody's in charge... and...
i don't think the community has supported multiple Wosonos events in the
same year... i think only because of habit and inertia.  what i'm
suggesting is that ANYONE can, and anyone who wants to should, invite the
world... and it's the host who decides to call it a Wosonos or not -- and
then the only community decision-making is truly distributed and the whole
world decides whether or not to go particpate.

i think it's cleaner to drop the W because not all osonos events/hosts
necessarily want to be for the World, and i'd rather count them all --
emphasizing the purpose of practitioners learning about open space in open
space and de-emphasizing who might come from how far away.

i'd like to hear more from others here about this edge between preserving
structures we've made together over time, like osonos and wosonos on the
one hand and newcomers, emergence and one more thing to not do (anymore) on
the other.

m

--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

http://MichaelHerman.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org

On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 12:28 PM, Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net>wrote:

> Yes, you are Harrison Owen !
> (and a good thing, too... and a lucky world, because of it).
>
> I laugh as you are also recommending a name change for this stream, as I
> did, but no worries - the stream continues no matter what the name.
> I was smiling as I kept thinking how Peggy will feel when she steps into
> this stream and sees her name all over it (!). That woman can engage
> emergence even when she is busy emerging elsewhere at the time. That's one
> powerful woman.
>
> Anyway. Thanks for this Harrison, and Michael and Phelim for your latest
> thoughts, and to all additional thoughts to come.
>
> Harrison what you mentioned also made me remember ... the thing that is a
> bit of a challenge for someone wanting to put on an OSonOS or W or
> whatever-it-wants-to-be-called...
>
> I know that the reason a lot of people do not feel the need to host one is
> - hosting something is usually not about the really amazing holding space
> moments - most of the work is about event planning.
> Getting a room, paying money for it in advance, answering everyone's
> emails behind the scenes, really dry and to some, really tedious details of
> party planning that are not joyful for all kinds of people.
>
> In some of our communities, room rental is super-expensive, so we have to
> put out a lot of cash in advance and devise a way to generate income to
> cover our expenses for hosting from a participant group that ... well for
> the past several WOSonOS and OSonOS and my workshops and everything where
> there is a pay-what-you-can registration fee - over 1/2 of the participants
> are those who cannot pay a per-person cost of putting the event on, even a
> very low-cost event. So creative financing also happens behind the scenes.
>
> So I am reminded that there are many reasons we folks with a facilitation
> skill-set and interests are not always the same folks with an
> event-planning skill-set or interest.
> Also when you are host, you do not get to play in the same way, as with
> any party. So I am reminded that many of us consciously do not put on many
> events because we want to be a participant so badly.
>
> Thanks, Phelim, for reminding me of the fact that inviting is also
> inviting to a party of celebration, community, and co-learning...
>
> Lisa
>
>
>
> On Oct 23, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>
> I love it Michael! –****
> ** **
> “All of which makes me wonder how many "OSonOS" events we've really had.
>  What if we did count them up and start numbering them as we go forward, as
> ALL having been descended from the HHO-convened originals…  What if....? "
> (Michael Herman)****
> ** **
> I do have to confess a certain sense of déjà view all wrapped in a good
> chuckle. The core question seems to be – who decides where the next
> (w)OSonOS will be and by what authority do they do that? The simple answer
> is (to me) everybody decides based on no authority, save their own.
> Actually the question doesn’t even apply. Of course, if we were a formal
> organization with a defined membership, Board, and set of procedures the
> question could be relevant. But “we” are definitely a horse of a different
> color. The Membership has never been officially determined, and nobody has
> any idea of how many folks there might be. But it does seem likely that if
> everybody who somehow felt a part of the community were to assemble, we
> would need at least a major stadium! When it comes to a Board and set of
> procedures – simply doesn’t exist. And I say Thank God!****
> ** **
> In practice the whole process is simplicity itself. Somebody says, “Please
> come…” and if there are two (or more) invitations there might be some
> conversation about combining or sequencing the gatherings – not unlike what
> we do in every Open Space with potentially duplicate sessions. People will
> come or not depending on how their feet are moving and where their passions
> may lie. No problem. And of course some decisions ARE made in advance –
> after all the “inviter” does have to decide whether or not to throw a
> party. But there is nothing secretive about it, and anybody can do it.****
> ** **
> I guess that may be a sticking point – can anybody do it? The direct
> answer is YES! It is also true that not everybody would want to. And the
> decision to invite friends, colleagues and passers-by to come together
> becomes massively daunting when the whole process is understood to be a
> complex, draining undertaking. It certainly can be – but it doesn’t have to.
> ****
> ** **
> To make the point, being the old curmudgeon that I am, several years ago I
> invited anybody who cared to come to join me for what I called
> “OSONOS-by-the-Sea” in Camden Maine where I spend my summers. Total
> organizing time might have been 3-4 hours. I simply called up some friends
> at a local church (Space/Date), grabbed the URL from the Chamber of
> Commerce (accommodations and food) – put it all together on a single
> webpage – and posted a note on OSLIST. Conference fee was $25 (half of
> which I eventually sent to Lisa/Access Queen) and I did say that space was
> limited to 50 (size of the church). I did the same thing a year later, but
> raised the size limit to 75, which the church could accommodate. In both
> cases we had a full registration in a few weeks. As for onsite
> arrangements, I did nothing more than to make sure that we had plenty of
> flip chart paper, magic markers, masking tape and post-its – all of which
> were stacked in the center of the room. Upon arrival, everybody pitched in
> (surprise!) and in short order we had the essential signs, bees, bumble
> bees, etc. We even had a well organized “Documentation Center.” From there
> on out it was business as usual: Sit in a Circle, create a bulletin board,
> open and market place, and go to work. We did, and it was a blast.****
> ** **
> Of course you might be saying, Yes, but you are HARRISON OWEN. I can’t
> deny it. It’s true, and that might have been a critical factor 5 years ago
> – but no more as evidenced by the fine gatherings hosted by the likes of
> Lisa, Michael Pannwitz, Sharon Chou, Brian Bainbridge, Gerardo de
> Luzenberger to name just a few. Anybody can do it, but not everybody will
> want to. Of course it always helps to remember that it isn’t the size of
> the event that counts, but rather its depth and power. As always, Whoever
> comes will be the right people.****
> ** **
> And so my friends, we could easily turn all this into an intense,
> agonizing discussion of process, rules, procedure and transparency. But in
> all honesty that is a discussion I want no part of. Of course, inclusion is
> important, but the answer to that is very simple: Just open more space(s)
> in your part of the world and invite friends, colleagues, and especially
> strangers. To borrow a phrase, and offer a bottom line – Just Do it! And
> have fun.****
> ** **
> See you in Florida or wherever else space opens – as long as my feet are
> able.****
> ** **
> Harrison****
> ** **
> **  **
>
>
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