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Several weeks ago it was time to open space for The American Society of
Foresters. The venue was the grand ballroom of the International Hilton
in Washington DC -- Home to many Inaugural Balls -- and surely will be
again once we figure out whether we (in the US) have been bushed or
gored. (Frankly I am both). In short this is a big space, and so was the
anticipated group. 1500 folks . Sounded like fun to me, especially so
since it would allow me to wrest the title of Greatest Spacer from my
friend and colleague, one Christopher Schoch, recently of Paris.
Christopher, so far as I know, holds the record of 1200 for an Open
Space. And believe me, I wanted it -- <br>
<br>
The morning dawned clear and cold. All was in readiness even though the
Hilton Staff did not quite understand the notion of "circle."
But with a little couching, the square got rounded -- and man alive was
that a BIG SPACE....<br>
<br>
Then they started to come... A few at first, but more and more. Filling
the rows, enlivening the circle. The atmosphere was tense and expectant.
Nobody had ever been there before. New! Exciting! Lots of Adrenalin. And.
I was going to beat Christopher.<br>
<br>
Starting Time .. the place is only half full. Twenty minutes later...
only slightly better. I could just feel the record slipping away.
Thoughts of recounts and the Supreme Court past through my mind...<br>
<br>
Finally it was time to go. No more waiting. No more forays to the Coat
Room to see if there were a few more bodies. Oh the agony of
defeat.<br>
<br>
A mere 850. So Chris -- You are still The Man (Person?)<br>
<br>
And it got worse. Oh, of course, the 850 were precisely the right people.
The Space opened to receive a veritable cascade of issues and people.
Excitement, Movement. Great dance. But only 850.<br>
<br>
And then -- the reports started to come in. At least something was
going right. BUT -- suddenly a computer system I had used hundreds of
times previously began to buck and spurt. For the life of me I couldn't
figure out what was the matter. Sweat poured down my face. Acid in the
belly. Monumental failure looming like a dark shadow... And there were
only 850......<br>
<br>
However, my misery was shattered when a nice lady brought me a cup of
coffee. She said..."I think this is wonderful."<br>
<br>
<br>
Ughh! <br>
<br>
But of course, she was right.<br>
<br>
<br>
Harrison <br>
<br>
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Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-469-9269<br>
fax 301-983-9314<br>
website
<a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh" eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</a><br>
Open Space Institute website
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
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