by Pamela Bendio
I have been mostly content
with my own rhythms,
both intricate and simple,
that play themselves so
easily and comfortably
that they flow and ebb
throughout the day
without much effort.
However, I find that I am always looking
for new challenges, new songs
that I try to learn –
adding them into my repertoire –
practicing their complexities
over and over until
they are mine.
But, now
my ears hear your music,
flowing from you
and I feel awakened,
enlivened, and
I sense new possibilities
of infinite patterns,
if our individual music
were to blend – coming together
in mutual expression!
When we unite our collective talents,
the sharing and the sounding of it
is rich in my heart and ears.
I love your songs!
I am content to rest
and listen
to your explorations,
just as I am satisfied
to play my songs
while you listen – so
intently – to me –
But, oh! What joy when the
spontaneous interweaving
of our combined gifts moves us
through our innovations
to a new level of possibilities
and spills out of us
and overflows
into the universe!
30.10.08
28.10.08
25.10.08
The Self-Correcting Manager
A Meeting Management Story
By: Pamela S. Bendio
I recently sat down at my computer and, having entered my thoughts on the screen, I reached up to the menu bar and told the program to do a spelling and grammar check. It brought to mind the great difference between this technology and the self-correcting typewriter I once used. I was in the middle of staff evaluations, and so somehow the phrase, “self-correcting manager” blinked into my mind like the flashing cursor where I had left off my typing . . .
“ALL ABOARD! LAST CALL” The conductor sang these words as he leaned out from the side of the train.
I was standing on the platform, somewhat startled because the last I knew, I had been sitting at my computer . . . “ALL ABOARD!” His voice was more insistent now . . . “ALL ABOARD the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS!”
Without being quite sure why, I stepped up impulsively and entered the moving train. I slipped quietly into a seat as I heard the conductor’s announcement: “The PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS, now leaving Last Meeting! Next stop . . .” and his voice trailed off as he moved into the following car. Instinctively I knew what the next stop would be, so I sat by the window watching Last Meeting fade into the distance. I listened as the train picked up speed and the clickety clack became quite regular. I settled back into my seat, the scenery became a blur, and I closed my eyes and listened. “Do more with less, do more with less . . .you’re on the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS . . . do more with less!”
“NEXT STOP, Post Meeting Evaluation in twenty minutes! If you are disembarking, please check your area to make sure you have all your personal effects.” That’s when I noticed the boxes beside me, with my name on them and distinctly marked: Questionnaires. The passenger across the way looked knowingly at my bewilderment, “You do remember how you got here, don’t you?” The other passengers turned and waited expectantly for my reply.
“Why yes, I was at my computer typing when I . . .”
“No, not that,” she said impatiently. “Don’t you remember when you got on the train, when you got on the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS?”
“Well sure,” I said, “I got on at Last Meeting and . . .”
“No! I see your mind is still fuzzy – it always happens to those who get back on at Last Meeting! You must think back to where your journey first began. You got on board at Defining Objectives and must travel on this train as far as Until-you get-it right!”
I heard myself saying, “Where’s that?” to a chorus of passengers whispering, “Oh, surely, she must know that . . . everyone knows . . . it’s just after Next Meeting!”
Next meeting . . . next meeting . . . where had I heard that before? Before I knew it, I had been lulled to sleep by the clickety clack again, but this time it sounded more like . . .”What are we managers always trying to do? Earn-a-profit. Save-a-dollar. Accomplish some objective . . . Make people happy (the right ones of course!) . . . Do it better . . . Do it bigger . . . Do it more efficiently – next time . . . What are we managers always trying to do!”
The passenger across from me shook me by the shoulder, “Look, you fell asleep and all your papers are scattered on the floor; let me help you gather them up.” Instinctively I reached out for the questionnaires she handed me. “You’re evaluating your objectives aren’t you?” she asked with a sly twinkle in her eye. “I see you want to make sure you’re doing it right?”
“Why, of course,” I replied.
“You did define what is was you were looking for . . . what it was you wanted to accomplish?” My mind suddenly cleared and was filled with facts and figures; theories and concepts; rules and regulations; feelings and impressions . . . the rush of information was exhilarating! Had I planned for the unexpected? Did I look past the obvious? Did I challenge the way things had always been done to see if that was still the best way to do it? Had I looked to other sources of information . . . looked at what I was doing from a different perspective? The woman nodded sagely, the twinkle still in her eye.
“Yes,” she said, “I thought I knew you – you must be the Self-Correcting Manager! Welcome aboard the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS. This is your ticket; it’s good through to Next Meeting and at least as far as Until-you-get-it right!”
By: Pamela S. Bendio
I recently sat down at my computer and, having entered my thoughts on the screen, I reached up to the menu bar and told the program to do a spelling and grammar check. It brought to mind the great difference between this technology and the self-correcting typewriter I once used. I was in the middle of staff evaluations, and so somehow the phrase, “self-correcting manager” blinked into my mind like the flashing cursor where I had left off my typing . . .
“ALL ABOARD! LAST CALL” The conductor sang these words as he leaned out from the side of the train.
I was standing on the platform, somewhat startled because the last I knew, I had been sitting at my computer . . . “ALL ABOARD!” His voice was more insistent now . . . “ALL ABOARD the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS!”
Without being quite sure why, I stepped up impulsively and entered the moving train. I slipped quietly into a seat as I heard the conductor’s announcement: “The PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS, now leaving Last Meeting! Next stop . . .” and his voice trailed off as he moved into the following car. Instinctively I knew what the next stop would be, so I sat by the window watching Last Meeting fade into the distance. I listened as the train picked up speed and the clickety clack became quite regular. I settled back into my seat, the scenery became a blur, and I closed my eyes and listened. “Do more with less, do more with less . . .you’re on the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS . . . do more with less!”
“NEXT STOP, Post Meeting Evaluation in twenty minutes! If you are disembarking, please check your area to make sure you have all your personal effects.” That’s when I noticed the boxes beside me, with my name on them and distinctly marked: Questionnaires. The passenger across the way looked knowingly at my bewilderment, “You do remember how you got here, don’t you?” The other passengers turned and waited expectantly for my reply.
“Why yes, I was at my computer typing when I . . .”
“No, not that,” she said impatiently. “Don’t you remember when you got on the train, when you got on the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS?”
“Well sure,” I said, “I got on at Last Meeting and . . .”
“No! I see your mind is still fuzzy – it always happens to those who get back on at Last Meeting! You must think back to where your journey first began. You got on board at Defining Objectives and must travel on this train as far as Until-you get-it right!”
I heard myself saying, “Where’s that?” to a chorus of passengers whispering, “Oh, surely, she must know that . . . everyone knows . . . it’s just after Next Meeting!”
Next meeting . . . next meeting . . . where had I heard that before? Before I knew it, I had been lulled to sleep by the clickety clack again, but this time it sounded more like . . .”What are we managers always trying to do? Earn-a-profit. Save-a-dollar. Accomplish some objective . . . Make people happy (the right ones of course!) . . . Do it better . . . Do it bigger . . . Do it more efficiently – next time . . . What are we managers always trying to do!”
The passenger across from me shook me by the shoulder, “Look, you fell asleep and all your papers are scattered on the floor; let me help you gather them up.” Instinctively I reached out for the questionnaires she handed me. “You’re evaluating your objectives aren’t you?” she asked with a sly twinkle in her eye. “I see you want to make sure you’re doing it right?”
“Why, of course,” I replied.
“You did define what is was you were looking for . . . what it was you wanted to accomplish?” My mind suddenly cleared and was filled with facts and figures; theories and concepts; rules and regulations; feelings and impressions . . . the rush of information was exhilarating! Had I planned for the unexpected? Did I look past the obvious? Did I challenge the way things had always been done to see if that was still the best way to do it? Had I looked to other sources of information . . . looked at what I was doing from a different perspective? The woman nodded sagely, the twinkle still in her eye.
“Yes,” she said, “I thought I knew you – you must be the Self-Correcting Manager! Welcome aboard the PRIORITY TIMELINE EXPRESS. This is your ticket; it’s good through to Next Meeting and at least as far as Until-you-get-it right!”
24.10.08
The Monkey Bar
by Pamela Bendio
Up the ladder
the young child
climbed…
stretching tall
to find the bar
above his head
Until he grasped it tight,
his feet swinging free…
and now, suspended,
he dangled there in the air
neither capable of stretching
the distance to reach
the next bar so as to
move himself forward,
nor able to find
purchase for his foot
on the ladders rung…
immobile, he hung there
looking down,
seeing the ground…
so incredibly far
below him
Holding,
holding,
holding -- for what
seemed like forever--
with all his might!
Waiting in silence
while family, otherwise engaged,
remain unaware of his dilemma…
A neighbor watches and
feels compelled to help -
approaches - willing to do
the young child’s bidding.
“What do you want to do?” she asks…
“Get down!” he simply responds.
The neighbor’s hands would have
willingly held the child up as he
moved from bar to bar until he
found the safety of the other side …
and so, claim his “accomplishment.”
But,at his request, she
now held her hands up
and let the child
drop into their safety,
gently supporting him
and placing him
on the ground ...
Where he, feeling earth’s
firmness beneath him ...
ran off to play
without a moment
of concern.
Up the ladder
the young child
climbed…
stretching tall
to find the bar
above his head
Until he grasped it tight,
his feet swinging free…
and now, suspended,
he dangled there in the air
neither capable of stretching
the distance to reach
the next bar so as to
move himself forward,
nor able to find
purchase for his foot
on the ladders rung…
immobile, he hung there
looking down,
seeing the ground…
so incredibly far
below him
Holding,
holding,
holding -- for what
seemed like forever--
with all his might!
Waiting in silence
while family, otherwise engaged,
remain unaware of his dilemma…
A neighbor watches and
feels compelled to help -
approaches - willing to do
the young child’s bidding.
“What do you want to do?” she asks…
“Get down!” he simply responds.
The neighbor’s hands would have
willingly held the child up as he
moved from bar to bar until he
found the safety of the other side …
and so, claim his “accomplishment.”
But,at his request, she
now held her hands up
and let the child
drop into their safety,
gently supporting him
and placing him
on the ground ...
Where he, feeling earth’s
firmness beneath him ...
ran off to play
without a moment
of concern.
Life by Design
by Pamela Bendio
My hopes and desires
spring from a place
deep inside of me
pushing their way
to manifestation
just like a seed
that has taken root
and seeks the world
of sun, rain, and air.
Thus, my thoughts
and actions
shaped by my hopes
and desires
bring about the creation
of my dreams…
and I, in partnership
with the universe,
design my own reality.
My hopes and desires
spring from a place
deep inside of me
pushing their way
to manifestation
just like a seed
that has taken root
and seeks the world
of sun, rain, and air.
Thus, my thoughts
and actions
shaped by my hopes
and desires
bring about the creation
of my dreams…
and I, in partnership
with the universe,
design my own reality.
Ribbons
Blue Trunks: Salt Lake County Fair - 2nd Place
Tall Match Box: Utah State Fair - Honorable Mention
Wool Baby Blanket - 8 Harnes Loom - Overshot Pattern: Utah State Fair - 2nd Place
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