Local Men's Network - Blue Mountains

who?

what ?
when ?
where ?

how ?
why ?

The group discussed some of the proposals from Lee about promotion of the activities identified in the brainstorming session. The production of a Men's Calendar was too expensive. The use of occasional speakers is being pursued. Consideration to changing the meeting night in 2006 to a Wednesday vice Tuesday was requested. If you have any strong opinions on this matter please let Lee or Kim know.

Kim exposed the group to the Archetype Cars of Carolyne Myss and this facilitated some interesting discussion on matters of personality and perception. For those that found the cards interesting, the archetypes are available on the web just click here for descriptions.

The group agreed that then next fourth Tuesday would be inappropriate for a group meeting. So the next formal group meeting is tentatively set for the fourth Tuesday of January.

Alex has agreed to put on the end year Christmas funtion at his home in Hazelbrook on 17 Dec 2005. Further details to follow.

Kim & Geoff attended a meeting with Ken Henderson, Lyn Bevington and Mick Barrett at 10.15am in the Bungarrabee Centre at 48 Oaklands Rd Hazelbrook.

We have apologies from Lee the new CDW (Community Development Worker) at Springwood NC and Can Yasmut the CDW at Blackheath ANC - that are interested but unable to attend at this time.

Information share from all of 3 minutes each about what we are currently doing or know about in relation to men's issues. Background about Mens Issues Working Party (MIWP) and its original purpose and history was proviced by Mick and documented earlier in this weblog.

Once we had heard all the ideas the group then considered collectively if there is a future role for the MIWP. There was discussion about

• lack of funds for supported professional programmes that had been running a the Mid-Mountains Centre.
• possibility of establishing OMNI and an evening mens group in the Mid Mountains
• coordinating mens initiatives to provide wider demographic and geographic coveage in the mountains.
  
• future development of MIWP increasing activity and inclusion of other agencies
  

The general consensus of the meeting was that there should be another meeting in early 2006 that would hopefully be more inclusive of active Mens Workers. At that meeting consideration should be given to planning a larger Forum of interested agencies and those involved in delivery of services to men. The active goal of such a forum would be identify services being delivered, services not being delivered and identify such actions as could be taken to develop programmes for the wellbeing of men in the Blue Mountains.

The proposed next meeting date is 21 February 2006 facilitated by Kim Hopkins (ph 4758 8248).

All six of the poetry enthusiasts gathered at Lloyd's were eager to contribute, bravely led off by Brian. Every contribution seemed to precipitate discussion and the poems were a interesting starter to wider debate and contributions. We had inspirational poetry, self written poetry and the poetry and music of Bob Dylan and the scriptures.

Songs played an important part of the evening. A live rendition of Lloyds man2man song was supplemented with recordings from Emmy Lou Harris and a choir from the Adelaide Town Hall. Even childrens songs were popular among this group.

A fun night finishing up with lumberjack cake and assurances that the experience should be repeated.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet flood every newborn seed
There's a dyin' voice within me reaching out somewhere,
Toiling in the danger and in the morals of despair.

Don't have the inclination to look back on any mistake,
Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break.
In the fury of the moment I can see the Master's hand
In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand.

Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer.
The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay.

I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame
And every time I pass that way I always hear my name.
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand.

I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream, in the chill of a wintry light,
In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space,
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face.

I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand.

I can hear my colours singing
Through my culture deep within
Feel a peaceful sense of beauty
For I am brother to the wind

I thought that I had lost my dreaming
I thought that I had lost my way
I thought that I had lost my people
All gone astray
But then I heard the sound of talking
I sat round talking every day
And in the words that I was talking
I heard a black man, a black woman, black man, a black woman, say

I can hear my colours singing
Through my culture deep within
Feel a peaceful sense of beauty
For I am brother to the wind

I thought that I had lost my talking
I thought that I had lost my mind
But then I heard it all around me
Flowing on the wind
The wind that sounds like colours singing
A spirit moving in the sky
And in the words that I was singing
I heard a black man, a black woman, black man, a black woman, say

I can hear my colours singing
Through my culture deep within
Feel a peaceful sense of beauty
For I am brother to the wind

Man to man, man to man
Each of us needs the other
Man to man, man to man,
I was meant to be a brother
I can be humble, I can be strong
I can be lots of things, even be wrong
I'm happy mixing , wherever I can,
With all the rest of the clan
Until it has to be,
It has to be,
Man to man

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

I went today, for a walk in the park.
I went before it would get very dark.
I walk that park in a circle around,
Stepping on grass with steady soft sound.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I always go well before it gets dark.
The way that I walk is not very fast.
I never come first, or ever am last.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I often am there, just before dark.
Slow I walk, but just when I start,
So hard at first, but only this part.

I went today for a walk in the park
I hope the light stays and never gets dark.
The sun behind trees, is ever so low,
That light is so fleeting, eager to go.

I went today for a walk in the park
I know before end, it will start to get dark.
The cold across creeping, ever so sure,
Walk the laps faster, finish some more.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I feel the cold coming, creeping and dark.
There the sun shines, in a small little patch,
Where I go slow, warm thin rays I will catch.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I know now that it is very near dark.
But lap after lap, its nearing the end,
Near is the time, when homeward will wend.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I can see at the end, it turned very dark.
Oval round pretty, when sunlit with light,
Now tis’ gone and comes the cool night.

I went today for a walk in the park.
I went, as ever, before it was dark.
So happy to have a stroll in the light.
Even if timing was ever, ever so tight.

Social on Friday 11th November is along these lines.

For the men, in this instance, any time between 7 and 10pm, at 29 Meeks Crescent, Faulconbridge, where Lloyd Fell will be the host for an informal evening


The idea is to bring along a favourite poem,
song or story that you have come across somewhere or
created yourself and
share this with the rest of the guys.

Blue Mountain Musical Society have reassured me that there are seats available for the show on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 8:00 PM at Springwood (apologies about the earlier date mixup )

so I am intending to go and Geoff & Therese have expressed interest in doing so as well . .. let me know if you are interested or just come on the night ..