Me quedo muy satisfecha por mi comunidad espiritual. Hemos unido al Registro Contra la Guerra!! :-)

-----



..."Havurat Shalom affiliated itself with the National Registry in
the spring of 2006; and the Hav is now inviting young people who are
inclined on principle to refuse to engage in war, and may wish to sign the
Registry to document that refusal, to get in touch with us, either through
the Hav website. ... If people choose to sign, we’ll invite them to the Hav and
warmly, supportively witness their signing of the Registry book.
For more information about the National Registry project as a whole, see
the Peace Abbey website at
http://www.peaceabbey.org/confcenter/coregistry.htm ..."


This is yet another reason that I am proud to belong to have been a member of this community. This Havurah is committed to Social Justice for all, as part of Tikkun Olam (the Jewish concept of repairing the harm done to the world by us collectively), and that keeps me a part of the Havurat Shalom community (http://www.TheHav.org).


Toward Peace,
Shiira

p.s. please read Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's (1967, Beacon Press)
"Where do we go from here: Community or Chaos?"

time to let go and accept that he did the best he could and he was a good man.

I hope you're doing alright Sis.

I've been in the process for a while of going from Shira to Shiir, but that is confusing people so I thought it best to come out and clarify. I began pondering a more descriptive name for myself that I was comfortable with. Shiir means 'poem' in Turkish, and was easier to say when I lived there than Shira. It is also less politically charged, especially given that I disagree profoundly with the policies of the Israeli government, especially since the Lebanon bombing campaign (Shira meaning a song and a poem, hence even more descriptive of my love of singing with Latin American friends and poetry, but also a popular Israeli name). Now I am in the process of implementing this change over to the name Shiir, but it's easier to spell it Shir.

Peace,
Shir

I've contacted an organizer about:

"the American Institute for Economic Research, a Great Barrington
economic research organization founded in 1933, has called a mini-conference
entitled "Prospects for the Acceptance of Competitive Local Currencies: The
Future of BerkShares." Several eminent monetary scholars will join
BerkShares board and staff to imagine growth to a more independent currency.

BerkShares will be discussed in the context of the history of independent
currencies. Speakers will then address how BerkShares could move from
federal dollar backing to an index of locally produced commodities such as
maple syrup, wool, wood products, local beer, field greens, and local
cheese. The conference will also consider the responsibilities of a local
reserve board for BerkShares, including regulatory authority, oversight
capacity, and other policy-making tools. This discussion will suggest a
framework for how and on what basis to issue additional currency. Finally,
panelists will suggest strategies for making loans denominated in
BerkShares.

This mini-conference is scheduled for July 18th from 3PM to 5PM at the
campus of the American Institute for Economic Research, 250 Division Street,
Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The event is open to the public for free,
but space is limited and pre-registration is necessary. To register contact
Gretchen Hayn at 413-528-1216 or gretchenh@aier.org. Walker Todd is the
conference director. "

I wonder if anyone else will be attending this conf?


Miguel was out to visit them a year or two ago, any comments? (tag him on facebook...)

the AHE conference reminded me that there are people who follow through on their ideals, and exercise the drive to accomplish things for those ideas.

Otoh, my 'lunch friends' have also helped me realize that one needs time for rest and reflection in order to connect with people. (must thank Andres...)


Yet every time I'm taken in by those who talk of dedication to ideals, and every time, I have wanted to believe. I went to Cambridge, as I came back to Bath, expecting nothing, yet finding other dedicated souls in places I had not looked before. Perhaps it is the expectations, desire to believe, desperation for drive, which brings the disappointment. Perhaps it is not only drive, not even a little rest, but mostly detachment that helps one fulfill full potential, live up to that long grey line. To be able to report with pride to those who have gone before us that we lived up to our calling.
No, work and determination must play the largest part, along with reflection.


(maybe this is why my fellow JROTC cadet Mahlon called me "overmotivated" all those years ago... I wonder if that's why Monica and the other kids assumed I was dating my Tanzanian running partner at the DC Army National Guard youth camp, and Dawn thought I was dating my friend Shedrick from the NAI flight camp; wonder if their perceptions have changed over the years, despite little contact; hmm, must ask both of them on FaceBook...)

I've just realized that I've made large emotional strides since last year. I would normally have burned out and been fighting off serious depression by this point (about 5 weeks of hard pushing 12 hour days writing up), and I'm not. I've felt burn out coming on and managed to counter it, with alot of help from you guys.

I keep thinking about Dad, as the anniversary of his death is coming up, and how people told me I was a 'fast burner' and '17 going on 31' -but you can save the world, only after saving yourself.

thanks for your encouragement friends,
peace

Ok, it's getting too difficult to concentrate on my work without some kind of pain killer. Everything I've looked at so far (ibuprofen, asprin, some back pain med I forget the name of here in the UK) warns against use for those who've had bleeding stomach ulcers in the past, which I did in Turkey. It had stopped bleeding by the time I came here, and has been much much better in the past year or so (ok, minus some minor problems). Still, some non-stomach lining kind of analgesic would be nice.
Stretching helps most of the time but this morning seemd to make it a bit worse.

First, connecting:

Hugh and Ros: via http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat_org_bks&q=%22Origin+of+Wealth%3A+Evolution%2C+Complexity%2C+and+the+Radical+Remaking+of+Economics+%22&fq=dt%3Abks
on complexity in econ.

Miguel and the guys from Japan

Joel M. and Humboldt (must tell Shannon...)
Joel and Transition Towns people
Joel and Dr. Apichai

Robin and Ros: via complexity in economics



---there was someone I had in mind to put in touch with Manuel Branco but I just can’t remember who it is right now. His work is on economics and human rights (it may have been Heloisa Primavera I was thinking of with her work integrating society and economy holistically…?...)


Now for the exciting trip to Cambridge before the conference: I have learned a new phrase: “voila voi” -no, I’m not sure what it means, but the young Welsh lady sitting next to me assured me that it was good. She also did me the wonderful favour of telling me that Ace was campanion to Sylvester McCoy as the Dr., before pointing out my ADDness by laughingly observing my distractibility with the comment: “forget economics, there’s a pony other there!”  It was a very good journey despite the 3 train changes and delays due to signalling problems.

Then to the conference itself:

Thursday evening I got some wonderful feedback from Wendy, co-author of a very good book http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/209895989&referer=brief_results

She has restored my faith in the possibility of being both a dedicated teacher and a serious academic, as well as a genuinely nice person. I’ve also got to remember to pass on her greetings to Susan Johnson, who has also been most helpful with feedback on my work. It’s really nice to meet people who know people you work with.

Friday the conference started in earnest, and between panels and babysitting my poster (actually more like waylaying passers by to discuss my work), I was exhausted at the end of the evening. Not too tired though to sing some nice songs with the Mexican gentleman I was privileged to eat dinner with, however. I was very surprised that the researchers from Mexico D. F. didn’t know each other. Fortunately, Alicia and Gustavo both met me, and I made sure that they both met each other.

I must remember to thank Laurel shoebox_bird (or was it vvalkyri) for her creed: ‘make your friends friends’

Panels covered Green and Ecological Economics, ethics, policy, markets, sustainable development, how to measure vital things (energy, currency and pollution not being directly quantitatively comparable), consumption, banking, and most interestingly, forecasts up to 2050. If you want notes, please ask.

My favourite quote from a discussion is probably this one: “Do not sacrifice theoretical integrity just to be listened to.”

That was in a panel on education in economics and the history of economic thought.

Saturday night we all had a fantastic dinner! First Linda encouraged me to eat (or share!) my pudding, which was quite helpful. :-) A wonderful older gentleman giving a great speech, and on Saturday, our friend Hebe dubbing me the “Academic Matchmaker” because I keep connecting people who seem to be working on similar things. There are certainly worse nick names to have

I'll be at a conference presenting my work so I'll be offline until next week probably.

Wishing everyone a warm dry and happy weekend,
Peace,
Shir.

Health tip: glucosamine does seem to help this cartilage tear (from March) in my knee, as it's recovery has accelerated dramatically in the past few weeks since I've been taking it. RICE as usual but it's difficult to RICE when you're writing 12 hours a day.
My back has coped well since overloading myself with weight in May, only hurting in the mornings and evenings now when I forget to take breaks. Fortunately or not, the excessive typing is starting to numb my right wrist and once it starts aching I have to stop and rest whether I want to or not.
Personally I credit my gentle dead-hangs from this wonderful chin-up bar my flatmate got me with helping my back the most.

ok, I should also credit extending my Tai Chi to the mornings as well as before bed. I suspect that the morning stretches I've added may help too, but those I had to add quite slowly.


Well, break time is nearly over, back to re-writing my methodology chapter, again.

To TraidCraft
Peace
Shir.

you wake up in the morning and your first thought is
"I've got to put J. in touch with Miguel when we have tea tomorrow so she can see more about that Korean community currency!"


In other news, I am so happy to be hearing from classmates coming up to our 20th anniversary high school reunion. I can't believe it's been 20 years.



and now, it's tea break time -yeay for Elevensies and TradeCraft's double chocolate fair trade cookies! :-)

I was just thinking back on how Joe suggested to me a few years ago that I should write a book on my personal ideas on honor, since they're not based on religion and many people are seeking non-theistic moral framework. i'm still not sure that i am the best person to write such a book, but I did write up some ideas and a whimsical set of my own '10 commandments' a while ago. i'll have to find the link to that post sometime.

Anyway, I was reflecting on one book I read back when I was at the Naval Academy (I think all the plebes in 2nd co. were ordered to read it, certainly our youngsters talked about it with us, but I think the 2nd classmen, class of '90, were the ones who were really big on the book for some reason. I think that the book was published in 86, which is when they would have started plebe summer...). I told my manager at BBN (lady named Cinthia/cindy I think -had some cool coworkers at BBN, products of the 60's like Bill I think, too...) that there was nothing for me to learn from the USNA experience and she told me to think about it some more. Well, I see that she was right. But it's only just coming into being, this lesson. It needs to finish germinating but I can already see the seed of an idea, the lessons to be learned. Amazing that it can take 20 years almost to learn these lessons. My own sense of honor back at that time demanded that I stand up to upperclassmen telling me to be gung-ho about unneccessry killing and singing cadences about napalm sticking to kids. The upperclassmen decided that I was too squeemish to be in 'his' navy.
Sorry for this ramble.
anyway, thinking on this book I read back then, "A Sense of Honor" brought me to some comments about honor, and this one was particularly interesting. He feels honor is a 'better' man's morality, but I see that as a bit snobbish personally. I prefer to see honor as a way of living that upholds the dignity of all.

http://blogs.rny.com/sbw/stories/storyReader$50

Anyway, my flatmate is back, and I've bought us donuts to eat before Dr. Who comes on.
with love to all good people,
Peace,
Shir.

Ok I'm going to post some thoughts from this previous week that I've spent working 12 hours per day. Mostly backdating them a few days so this boring stuff show up on friends lists. If you're interested, please do come back to my LJ and read the earlier posts. To sum up this week before my wrist again hurts too much to type, work is just work.

(I once believed that work was noble and uplifting; now, well, it is still good to be useful and productive, but life is about creating beauty, I believe now, rather than just creating alot of works to show that you were productive. Self-restraint and self-discipline are important in their place, but can't be all of life. Thanks for teaching me that Linda...)

My memory seems to work much better with time for reflection and rest, evn though i've been getting enough sleep (minus the odd wake up at 3am worrying about my thesis).

Boy am I glad it's quiet and not (at the moment) raining. Am also grateful to my flatmate who bought me a chin-up bar to hang from: it really does seem to help my back even it it's playing up this morning. Some rest should help. Ok, love to you all,
Shir.

Gracias a La Vida

i see now why it's been so hard and my sup. told me to be less idealistic last year. for the past two ears i've been trying to avoid using paper, save water, etc but
- must use paper and EndNote sucks, ILL articles self wipe themselves after 2 weeks so you really do have to print the damned things
-cooking and composting is too hard to plan and do when you're owrking 12 hours daily
- bucketing water from bath to toilet, great for the fisrt year, not great when you're stressed (esp. w/back pain)

so i've had to use lots of paper and compromise everywhere, and guess what, my productiveity seems to have skyrocketed. urhg :-(

are annoyingly essential

Good night all,Peace sihr.

just like earlier this year, i still seem to fall over after a week of working 12 hour days. i'd hoped that better focus would make the work easier, hence outlining last weekend. is this coherent?

0.0 taht i'm not cut out to do a super long term project all alone for 4 years, as organizing large projects is still not my forte, even if i've learned better org. skills in this process. I can do it, but don't like it.

0. working backwards wroks better fro me (just as i read suspense and other novels backwards frequently; just sketching a plan, starting and not bothering with the standard write-up of the plan as others do seems to work better, writing the plan up perfectly just frustrates th hell out of me when it changes, outlines seem much more rasonable)

1. i'm great at meeting short term goals when they don't change and i can clearly separate out all the elements (narrowing down my thesis has been hell for the past 2.5 years becasue it all looks like one idea to me, but sup.s say they see 5 or 6 main ideas)

2. i hate movable long term writing goals!
3. i truely hate re-drafting 10,000 ord chapters taht i've written already!!

4. warm weather & sun v. important for me (that sun light lamp helps, Linda)
5. belonging is still key (mil gracias amigos mios de almuerzo)

Sunday roast dinner with bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings. :-)

thanks for cooking tea Syam!

Thank ful to have access to a stereo again and a room where I can dance while my flatmates away during my tea break.

Dear Friends,

I am starting a sprint, a final push, to finish my research work in the next six months or so, and I need your emotional support. thank you if you can give it,

with love and appreciation for you all,
Shir.