NASPA, ACPA and the aftermath..

So I have been asked often what my take was on the idea of consolidation and what I thought of it.

Well, I was and still am in the consolidation is not a good idea camp. I say "still am" is because my fear is that this will come up again in 5 years rather than the "let's address this and be done with it stance" that was taken by many before the vote occurred.



Does this mean I don't think there should be collaboration between the 2 groups? No, there should be collaboration

Does this mean that I want to throw darts at and hate on ACPA? Not in the least..

I will disclaim my thoughts with the sheer fact that I was privy to the same information that most of you were and there was likely more information out there that I either just didn't see, or was not in a position to have access too but to summarize a few of my thoughts.





* I don't believe a lot of the logic behind "bigger is better". I don't believe a mega association would have been able to account for everyone who wanted to volunteer effectively. Getting involved and having opportunities to go to the topical conferences when space is already at a premium becomes even more at a premium. How does that develop the field effectively? Have 2 of the same? Then where is the cost savings in that?

*Two competing voices in the public policy arena. You don't have to have one organization to have a collaborative voice. It's not unusual to see collaborative lobbying efforts by institutions in the government structures, so why can that not be applicable to associations?

*From a wide, wide swath of people I heard nothing but logistical concerns after the last joint meeting between ACPA/NASPA. Things such as:
*exceptional waits for transportation between facilities
*individuals who stayed at one facility as opposed to the other and thus skipped 1/2 of the conference


*the ability to connect with colleagues being hampered because of the width and depth of the volume of people there.



*So how would a mega association have been able to manage these logistical challenges?

I could go further into my hesitancies for why I felt a mega association would have been bad, but that's not what concerns me the most right now. The thing that bothers me the most is the rhetoric that has happened post vote.

*Leadership did what they thought was right by taking a "no stance" stance
*Members voted how they felt to my knowledge no one was bribed, bullied, etc. into the stance
they took
*This was not a step backwards
*And it certainly did not position one association ahead of the other has has been alluded too..

There have been a handful of leaders calling for civility but also use this as an opportunty to move each association forward and I couldn't agree more. It may be time too to analyze the focus of each organization and audiences served. No one person or group can be all things to all people and that may be part of the problem for both groups right now. I don't know..

I'm glad the results came out the way they did, now let's get beyond feelings and get both groups ahead..

Behind in more ways than one

Ok, so I will plead guilty of failure to keep up with this blog, I'll work to do better this year.

Directness and how we seem to have lost it

Somewhere along the line it seems to me we may have lost the ability to face each other as adults and with that how to agree to disagree sometimes. This I think is detrimental to all of us individually and collectively a a community.

How do you progress ideas if you can't do that?
How do you explore perspectives if you can't do that?
How do you approach things with anything remotely appearing to be honest dialogue?

I don't know that I know the answer to that question honestly.

I guess that's why it has bothered me lately that I have been dramatically unable to get those straight answers alot lately and I mean alot.

Honesty and directness don't kill you they only make you stronger.

Thanks Jodi, I appreciate your forthrightness-you are one of the few lately!

Ode to a dog

I think one of the things that we sometimes take for granted is the unconditional acceptance and friendship that comes from pets we have, more in particular dogs and I suppose cats would be included in that as well.

They greet you when you come home, are sad when you are away. They look forward to playtime and are there when there needs to be quiet time as well.

All they ask is to be taken care of.
All they ask for is your support.
Feed them, let them go to the bathroom..
Exercise with them from time to time...

They see you through good times and bad, sad and happy. Highs and lows of all kinds..

You get accustomed to them, same as you do friends and family.
You talk to them, same as with friends
In their own way they talk about to you too, albeit silently and through expression, they do.

Typically, unless something goes wrong, you usually don't have to many of them, maybe a few over the course of a time.

Each one of them has their own personality, and their own approach to their relationship with you.

That doesn't make any of them any less important than the other.

It doesn't make it hurt any less than when they go either.

You lose a friend..
You lose someone who knows you, maybe even better than you know yourself.

They are as human sometimes, as you or I..

Thank you Barkley and Biscuit for being you.
You are missed..

So it has been awhile on this one, and people really some times just make me mad...

Well, it has been a bit since I have been able to get on here, for various reasons...Between work, travel, family, and just day-to-day, it's been problematic to get on here. We were almost a month behind on the family blog too if that tells you anything :S

It's no excuse though, we should keep up with things like this that connect us with our friends both near and far..unfortunately, like all of us, we get bogged down in the minutia of what's going on and affects us directly.

Alot of things are officially, "up in the air" and we play things day by day right now..Don't know for sure what is going to change or how it will, we just know it's coming..

With that, self-righteous people have been really irritating me lately. I have had to deal with a number of situations where those who think they know what is going on make decisions and they don't know...really gets under your crawl.

Contradictions in terms

While it has been a while since I have written here I must say that it is not for a lack of things going on, quite the opposite though it is more due to me having had to much going on.

Recently, we learned of the death of an Aunt of mine, someone who while we didn't necessarily speak everyday and also did not have the closest of close relationships. She was someone who you knew would be there for you if you needed her. Someone who understood what family truly meant.

Against that backdrop we celebrate the impending arrival of our son. Something we are both excited for. Why is it, that I see these as a complete contradiction in terms? Is it true that for every yen there is a yang? Why is it that such a good feeling can be beset by such down thoughts and feelings? Is this the balance you must seek in the force? I have not nearly enough answers and too many questions..

Mr. President, please stick to the issues

It has been awhile since I have had a chance to chime in on this blog, but I have a few minutes today. After the press conference last night by President Obama, I have to say, Mr. President, please stick to the issues you can impact.

I fundamentally agree with the concept that health reform does need to be addressed, while that is another topic for another time, Mr. President, why did you allow such an important topic to be derailed by the Skip Gates issue? I understand wanting to stick up for your friends, but, you are the President. You don't have that luxury to be able to wade in on behalf of your friends, you have to be ABOVE that.

Last time I checked that was a municipality issue and did not warrant the attention of the President, last time I checked you didn't have all the facts and figures (by your own admission), late time I checked the timeline of events and actions for that timeframe suggest that Dr. Gates may have brought this on himself.

Please stick to the issues you can impact Mr. President and don't wade into issues that are delegated for others.