Lessons From Geese

Editor's Note: "Lessons from Geese" was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and was based on the work of Milton Olson. It circulated to Outward Bound staff throughout the United States. We share it here with the alumni community hoping that we can all learn these lessons.

FACT 1:

As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

LESSON:

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

FACT 2:

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

LESSON:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

FACT 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON:

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

FACT 4:

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON:

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

FACT 5:

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

LESSON:

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Great Grandma and MK before we ate....

MK got her a new digital camera, a really nice one and was getting ready to get after it last evening... but first we got to eat a very awesome meal put on by the Cub Scouts of Stillwater.... ummmmm.... good....

Phil and Austyn

Austyn receiving another patch for completing another step in Cub Scouts...

The leaders won an award too for being one of the best...

The award winners in Popcorn Sales this year and the leader who was in charge.. photo for paper... maybe....

Austyn's Blue and Gold Banquet was tonight

and lots of neat things happened. He won high seller award for sales of pop corn and a neat patch and gift card and something else I think too, but my mind is going fast into ole age.... so maybe Phil will add what it is he won here on under comments... Needless to say, we were all very proud of him. MK, Great Grandma, Grandma and I and his Mom and Dad attended the banquet at University Heights Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Stillwater tonight at 6pm. It snowed most of the day but no accumulation... however it was darn right cold out!!

Another shot of the tower.. does not look like a lot of water being released, but look at next photo...

Big Water Tower on 68th overflowing and making upside down icicles

Hugh Meade: Another Happy Artist in Oklahoma

Vol. 2, Issue #1 Feb. 2nd - Feb. 15th, 2007

Hugh Meade: Another Happy Artist in Oklahoma
By: Aharen Richardson

Depending on your personal experience, you may or may not view furniture as art. If you don’t, then viewing Hugh Meade’s manufactured MDF masterpieces will surely change your mind. Hugh traveled to Oklahoma from Atlanta in 2003 to find an entrenched and supportive artistic community and has been diligently crafting furniture for local customers ever since. Like many artists it took him some time to decide which medium he would focus on to express his artistic vision; beginning with music and then moving on to film he eventually gave both up for a job as a shop assistant in a studio making custom furniture for the hospitality industry. There he learned the skills and techniques necessary for creating exclusive designs and finishes for the high-end custom furniture market. He took these same techniques and used them to express his own artistic vision, creating modern tables, bookcases, and chairs.

Hugh Meade’s designs are influenced by his attraction to Art Nouveau, Mid-Century Modern furniture, and the Arts and Craft Movement. And also by early science fiction movies and comics: the early industrial vision of the future from movies like Metropolis and Barbarella. And truly each of his pieces looks as if they would fit right into any fantastic cinematic landscape. The unique blend of curves and angles, all fit together by traditional joining, create an organic component that is heightened by rich earthen colors set of by thick lacquers. The use of MDF allows Hugh to create a visual plain that is devoid of visible grains yet enhanced by flowing lines and empty spaces. There is an element of growth and animation that sparks fantasy allowing a chair to become a throne for a Lewis Carroll character and a table to become the workspace for a futuristic philosopher.

Hugh describes his furniture style as unique and says it has been described “as either “organic modern” or “nouveau modern” because of the obvious Art Nouveau influence of the forms. I have also heard micro-bio-rococo, hyper-modern, and, of course swiss-cheese.”

Whimsy and sophistication are synthesized into functionality and that is what Hugh’s customers want. However functional his furnishings are, they are above all—artistic artifacts. Each piece is made by hand, sanded several times and given anywhere from 5-8 coats of lacquer. Hugh uses a technique that combines the latest furniture making technology with simple tools and readily available materials. He is a proponent of “micro-fabrication” and creates designs that can be “described” by a computer assisted design program and rendered as a 3D model on a computer screen. In the future Hugh’s customers will be able to choose a table from a library of designs and modify it to fit certain specified parameters, such as width, height, or finish type, creating true one of a kind pieces. MDF is a recyclable material and is becoming more environmentally stable with the reduction of formaldehyde and the inclusion of renewable plant fibers. His pieces can also be shipped flat and then put together by hand.

He is very happy to point out how supportive the artistic community has been since he and his wife moved to Oklahoma City. The warehouse studio he works out of belongs to Rob Johnstone and Rob’s business partner Brent Logsdon who are longtime members of the OKC theatrical community. The main work of the studio (which is officially called LogStone Studio) is the production of theatrical sets and backdrops and the occasional enormous puppet. “Rob has graciously allowed me to use his studio and many of his tools to produce my work. He has never asked me for recompense; although I try to help out as much as I can, whenever I can.”

Hugh has been accepted into the 2007 Art Festival’s Environs Exhibit and his work can be found in Estrella Evan’s Velvet Monkey Salons.

NONzine Articles Main Page

The link to the story regarding free valentines and Hugh Meade from channel 9

The link to the story regarding free valentines and Hugh Meade from channel 9

enjoy.. there is a written script and a video to watch ... Mr. Valentine proclaims his love (February 14)

Hugh is really proud of the paint job on the little car...

Some artists friends of his painted the two dealys on the hood, one by Mr. and one by Mrs. They are characters of their art and are in their art. I will try to learn more about this... and share later, or prehaps Phil knows...

Another couple who stopped by to visit and learn more about why he does this.... giving away free valentines...

Another couple who 'stopped' by to visit and learn more about why...

an artist friend who dropped by to pick up a valentine..

Here is Hugh's car after his son and friends "painted" it for him...

Did you see the story of Hugh Meade on kwtv 9 news..??

He is a really nice guy!!

Andrew's Photo Shoot for OSUFPP

Andrew Blankinship was chosen to appear in a poster for Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Program. He was a bit reluctant, and I heard that during the actually shoot, the truck they were using was called out one a run, so lots of excitment for this photo... They are touching it up and will post the final version for you. I am sure it will be much better than I can do... haha.. Enjoy the day

An eye for an eye...

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
- Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi

To my wonderful wife, daughter, sons, inlaws, outlaws, grandkiddos, Mom, Sis,cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended family of musicians and artists....

A Valentine is nothing like

A chocolate or a rose.
For in a week these shall be gone,
But Valentines remain.

If love were always sweet to tongue
Or fragrant to the nose,
Each day would be like Valentine's,
And we would go insane.

A Valentine just hangs around
Waiting to be kissed
Long after special days have passed
And every days are here.

So one is wise to choose one well
And chocolates to resist.
For in the midst of mania
It's nice to have one near.

just wanted to brag... haha....

and the kids played on.... haha... well for a bit...

Andrew and Madison came home with Grandma Moffat this evening, after school. Trish and her Mom and Grandma Moffat were shopping for wedding things this afternoon, and Trish came by with Pizza and Jake came by after work, so we made an evening of it. I managed to take some photos.. haha... yes I did, so enjoy!!!

my tired ladies... time to slow down...

then it was tired to play...