The Guardian for this meeting was Paradise Tennant. The comments are by Paradise, druth, Bertrum, oOOOo, Dash, Aphrodite, sinequanon, stevenaia, Eos

druth Vlodovic: hey
Paradise Tennant: smiles hiya druth :)
Paradise Tennant: how are you :)
druth Vlodovic: pretty good
druth Vlodovic: how is life treating you?
Paradise Tennant: all is well very busy, but well :)
druth Vlodovic: oh?
Paradise Tennant: sitting drinking a glass of wine pondering themes :)
Paradise Tennant: anything in particular you would like to talk about?
druth Vlodovic: ah, as the bottom of the glass approaches the themes get more creative :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles they do
druth Vlodovic: sorry, I'm not really good with themes
Paradise Tennant: what about if we told stories?
druth Vlodovic: sure
Paradise Tennant: we all have a few good stories
--BELL--
Dash Earthboy: hey y'all
Paradise Tennant: somehow our experiences that have graduated to storydom have a special relevance
Paradise Tennant: hiya Dash
Dash Earthboy: :) s'alright
druth Vlodovic: yes, it's all the lag, tasty red lag
Dash Earthboy: hey Aph
druth Vlodovic: hey aph, dash
Aphrodite Macbain: Hey Dash, Paradise, druth
druth Vlodovic: what story did you have in mind when you suggested it para?
Paradise Tennant: well was going to suggest we go around the circle and tell a story each
Aphrodite Macbain: that's a great idea
Aphrodite Macbain leafs thru her story book
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain doesn't seem to find anything suitable but enjoys looking at the pictures
druth Vlodovic: lol, I was just thinking the same, hard to pick without a point to illustrate
Paradise Tennant: ok so a personal story that gave  meaning to you
Aphrodite Macbain: perhaps we should decide on a theme for the stories
Paradise Tennant: that was pivotal
Aphrodite Macbain: OK
Paradise Tennant: I will start to provide an example :) ok
Aphrodite Macbain: ok
Paradise Tennant: I use to travel across Canada quite a lot on the same schedule of stops
Paradise Tennant: one day of the trip - I would be in three cities in one day = wake up in Vancouver
Paradise Tennant: spend the day in Calgary
Aphrodite Macbain: !! :-(
Paradise Tennant: go to bed in Winnipeg
Aphrodite Macbain: wow
Paradise Tennant: would always get into Winnipeg late and hungry
Aphrodite Macbain: bagels and cream cheese are good there
Paradise Tennant: so I arrive at the hotel
Paradise Tennant: first thing would be to quickly order room service before they closed
Aphrodite Macbain whispers "dash dashed"
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: sorry typing slowly
Aphrodite Macbain: no rush. this is nice
Paradise Tennant: tired .. once I finished eating -would run a bath
Paradise Tennant: so put the tray outside in the corridor
Paradise Tennant: strip down for the bath .. notice that I have left the lid inside ..the room
Aphrodite Macbain: lid?
Paradise Tennant: the entree cover
sinequanon Sahara: Hello Everyone
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Sinequanon. Paradise is telling a story
Aphrodite Macbain: ah OK
Paradise Tennant: smiles
sinequanon Sahara: ahaan
Paradise Tennant: grab a very small hand towel – drap it across my chest and lean out to put the lid on the tray- end up balanced on one leg to reach the tray - wearing only the very small hand towel and glasses
Paradise Tennant:  the corridors are pressurized
oO0Oo Resident waves.. Hi Aph.. Druth.. sinequanon.. Paradise :)
Paradise Tennant: the door pushes me out in the corridor and locks
Paradise Tennant: smiles hiya sine O
sinequanon Sahara: Hello :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi 0
druth Vlodovic: lovely safety feature, automatic locks :)
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: Yikes!!
Paradise Tennant: I stand there seeing clearly because I have glasses on .. wearing the hand towel which offers appropriate coverage for only one of three critical areas and listen to the bath run
sinequanon Sahara: I hope they were sun glasses...would look nicer under the circumstances :)
Paradise Tennant: I started to squeak – little high pitched squeaks – not a normal occurance for me  - at the same time I had a dawning realization – a crystallized moment of understanding
Paradise Tennant: maybe I’m not as smart as I think
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain smiles
Paradise Tennant: then ran down the corridor to the security phone .. called down to the front desk
Paradise Tennant: asked them to send up a girl with a key ..empytied the tray and stood against the door holding it in front of me ..I could hear her laughing as she got out of the elevator
Aphrodite Macbain grins
Paradise Tennant: got back into the room - turned off the tub just as it was about to flow over – very relieved I did not have to explain water damage on my expense report
oO0Oo Resident: :) brb
oO0Oo Resident: afk
Paradise Tennant: we are doing a story go round
Aphrodite Macbain: she's overcome!
Paradise Tennant: a personal experience that was illuminating or changed how you thought
druth Vlodovic: we exist to amuse others :)
Aphrodite Macbain: how did that experience change how you think?
Aphrodite Macbain: ha ha druth
Paradise Tennant: made me better understand my limitations
Aphrodite Macbain: sounds like a perfectly understandable but awkward error
sinequanon Sahara: it also teaches you to always use a bigger towel
oO0Oo Resident: back
Aphrodite Macbain: I want to know how you dialed that phone AND held on to your towel
Aphrodite Macbain: wb
Paradise Tennant: No one was around – was just focusing on speed  did not worry about holding it up but at the time .. it made me really think
Paradise Tennant: sometimes you fail to see yourself clearly
sinequanon Sahara: I am imagining myself in the same situation now...
sinequanon Sahara: I’d have been too ashamed to call the room service...
sinequanon Sahara: I’d probably have gone for the fire exit instead
Paradise Tennant: we see ourselves in very limited dimensions almost delusions .. our job, our family, our possessions, talents, woes - our whatever ..
Aphrodite Macbain: you would have stood outside the room waiting?
Aphrodite Macbain: that's true Paradise
Paradise Tennant: never in a circumstance where one is flummoxed by the hvac
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: stevenaia, we're telling stories
stevenaia Michinaga: nods, was wondering how that one started :)
Aphrodite Macbain: personal stories that we have learned from
Paradise Tennant: standing ..looking at the door listening to the water run,  I  was nothing really but me – with a very clear view of me – that was not my job, or my current project or any other superficial trapping – just a gal that wanted to be able to turn off that tap ;)
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Stevenaia.. Hi Susan..
stevenaia Michinaga: waves...:)
Paradise Tennant: hiya stev ..susan
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi susan
Paradise Tennant: we are doing a story go roung
Paradise Tennant: round
Aphrodite Macbain waves back
sinequanon Sahara: Stevenaia...Susan
Aphrodite Macbain: who's next?
Paradise Tennant: smiles shall we go clockwise or counter-clock wise? Druth? Aph?
stevenaia Michinaga: what is the story subject?
--BELL--
sinequanon Sahara: bloopers
Aphrodite Macbain: ourselves and what we have learned from our experience
Paradise Tennant: yes a personal experience that changed you .. that you learned from or had a special relevance
stevenaia Michinaga: awww a personal fable, of sorts
Aphrodite Macbain nods
Aphrodite Macbain: druth - I'll bet you have some stories
oO0Oo Resident: I've got one in mind.. out of order though
Paradise Tennant: we can go with the flow :)
oO0Oo Resident: actually two in same theme from childhood
druth Vlodovic: oh, I'm not a big stickler for order :)
oO0Oo Resident: I'll take that as a go Druth..
oO0Oo Resident: Um..
oO0Oo Resident: 8 or 9 years old
Aphrodite Macbain: ooooo
oO0Oo Resident: flying overseas with family
oO0Oo Resident: maybe first time on a big plane.. not sure
oO0Oo Resident: excited
oO0Oo Resident: might have been tired, but kept up by newness
oO0Oo Resident: didn't really know the ins and outs of workings of airplane cabin features
oO0Oo Resident: I was on aisle seat and woman in seat in front of me was nodding off
oO0Oo Resident: I watched her head slumping and jerking (you know how it does) for what seemed like ages
Aphrodite Macbain: I know
oO0Oo Resident: kept falling forward
oO0Oo Resident: she looked so uncomfortable
oO0Oo Resident: I mustered my courage, knowing that a button on the armrest allowed the seat to go back
oO0Oo Resident: thinking it would allow her head to remain in a restful state
Aphrodite Macbain giggles in anticipation
oO0Oo Resident: the part I missed out on was to brace the back of her seat with one hand while pushing the button
oO0Oo Resident: as you might guess, her seat lurched back..
oO0Oo Resident: and she jumped up in a start, and yelled at me
oO0Oo Resident: my spirit kind of left my body
oO0Oo Resident: I could not speak or explain myself
oO0Oo Resident: I could not convey my intention, and she was so tired and impatient
oO0Oo Resident: so.. intention was good, but skillful means, and or ability to rest with her discomfort.. not there
oO0Oo Resident: [if someone else would like to go.. or I can tell another] either way
stevenaia Michinaga: listens
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
sinequanon Sahara: :)
druth Vlodovic: poor kid, hard when you're trying to help
oO0Oo Resident: yes a real lesson of sorts
Aphrodite Macbain: skillful means are hard to come by at the age of 9
Aphrodite Macbain: what lesson did you learn?
oO0Oo Resident: the other story is related.. still young.. not sure how old.. birthday party with bunch of kids
--BELL--
oO0Oo Resident: everyone was given little toy guns that could be loaded with stacks of little coloured discs.. mayhem ensued and the house and yard were eventually covered with these little discs. The mother of my friend whose birthday it was.. was tired and wanted to wrap up and was directing all the kids to collect the discs, so as to clean up. they were to give them to her to show that they had helped.
oO0Oo Resident: I had a bunch, and a girlfriend of mine had none.. so I spontaneously gave her mine, so she'd have some to give. Then it ended up the mother yelled at me for not having any, thinking I had not participated in helping to clean up.
oO0Oo Resident: Again I went outside my body in a way, and was unable to explain to her. Could not speak.
oO0Oo Resident: Her energy seemed too much.
oO0Oo Resident: The lesson Aph?
oO0Oo Resident: hmmm
druth Vlodovic: lol, you hadn't learned that "no good deed goes unpunished" yet
oO0Oo Resident: lol Druth
oO0Oo Resident: well..
oO0Oo Resident: I hadn't learned to trust my intentions, and that grown-ups were not perfect.
Aphrodite Macbain: how sad.. to have such memories
sinequanon Sahara: or that you can find the truth at Peter and Paul’s
oO0Oo Resident: I think I am a more sensitive person to others for it now. Glad for that.
Aphrodite Macbain: but an optimistic take on it 0
Paradise Tennant: like the image of your spirit going out of your body
Paradise Tennant: like you are not quite tethered :))
Aphrodite Macbain: like an expired balloon
Paradise Tennant: or one about to take flight
druth Vlodovic: lucky, mine always just scrunched down inside
Aphrodite Macbain: aww druth
Paradise Tennant: but you got a glimpse of clear seeing - grown ups as not perfect -as not understanding ...
Aphrodite Macbain: have you learned to forgive the imperfections of grown ups O?
Paradise Tennant: just over tired cranky fallible beings
sinequanon Sahara: so when you grow up do not be like them :)
druth Vlodovic: as an adult I learned to act before becoming angry or frustrated, so I wouldn't treat kids that way
druth Vlodovic: it takes self awareness and discipline
Paradise Tennant: smiles at big smile at druth
Aphrodite Macbain: and a forgiving spirit
stevenaia Michinaga: yes Druth, lessons have a big impact
oO0Oo Resident squeezes druth's hand :)
oO0Oo Resident: It's an ongoing journey
Aphrodite Macbain squeezes the other hand
Aphrodite Macbain: Do you have a story druth?
druth Vlodovic suspects aph has an ulterior motive for asking... weren't you next in line in the original setup?
Aphrodite Macbain: hmm. It all depends on which direction we're going...
Aphrodite Macbain: I can’t think of anything damaging or deep
Aphrodite Macbain: just a travel story to Peru
Paradise Tennant: smiles and listens :)
sinequanon Sahara: you guys sure do travel a lot
Aphrodite Macbain: druth?
sinequanon Sahara: no wonder you need credit cards
druth Vlodovic: Peru sounds good :)
Aphrodite Macbain: OK
Aphrodite Macbain: The moral of this story is
Aphrodite Macbain: um
Aphrodite Macbain: sometimes reality can be better that one's fantasies
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain thinks "saved by the bell"
Aphrodite Macbain: In the1980s I travelled throughout Central and South America. I arrived in Peru and went straight to Cuzco up in the Andes. While there, I met someone who told me I should go to the lowlands-the jungle
Aphrodite Macbain: He told me he had lain down by the river and had fallen asleep
Aphrodite Macbain: and woke up to a tingling all over his body
Aphrodite Macbain: opened his eyes
Aphrodite Macbain: and saw he was covered with
Aphrodite Macbain: butterflies
Aphrodite Macbain: So I decided to go there too
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: I wanted to lie and be covered with butterflies
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain: Long story short- I arrived in the depths of the jungle on a bumpy dug out canoe with an engine
Aphrodite Macbain: sore and bruised from my ride
Aphrodite Macbain: was put into a hut of my own
Aphrodite Macbain: and lay there that night listening to the howl of the monkies and the rustle of um jungle
Aphrodite Macbain: hard to sleep
Aphrodite Macbain: next day I was taken on a tour of the jungle- saw those big iridescent blue luna moths, straight out of walt disney, drank fresh water from liana roots
Aphrodite Macbain: and went on a paddle in a dugout canoe across a lake filled with pirhana fish
Aphrodite Macbain: lay down on the shore and sipped a coconut cut for me. Just me and the jungle.
Aphrodite Macbain: I never did get tickled by butterflies, but I had an amazing 2 days that I could not have even imagined.
Aphrodite Macbain: Don’t count your chrysalis till they are hatched
stevenaia Michinaga: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: end of story!
Paradise Tennant: smiles
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Paradise Tennant: beautiful :)
oO0Oo Resident: wb Susan
Aphrodite Macbain: It was.
Aphrodite Macbain: So much out there we cannot imagine
Paradise Tennant: yes life is beyond imagination :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Taking the path less travelled ...
Aphrodite Macbain: yes paradise
sinequanon Sahara: that was wonderful...
sinequanon Sahara: I am afraid I have to leave...
Paradise Tennant: thank you for stopping by sine :)
Aphrodite Macbain: No story to share Sinequanon?
sinequanon Sahara: not shying away from my story...
sinequanon Sahara: :)
sinequanon Sahara: another time perhaps :)
oO0Oo Resident: bye.. sinequanon.. next time
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
druth Vlodovic: goodbye sine, we'll catch you another time :)
sinequanon Sahara: Thanks all
sinequanon Sahara: Bye :)
Paradise Tennant: who would like to go next ?
Aphrodite Macbain: bey
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye!
stevenaia Michinaga: did you go already Paradise?
Aphrodite Macbain: yes she had a wonderful story
stevenaia Michinaga: :), will read the log
stevenaia Michinaga: does the auto-logger work again?
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: hope so
druth Vlodovic: I hate to change the mood from aph's story, but she might burst something if I don't take my turn :)
Paradise Tennant: yes
Paradise Tennant: smiles at druth
Aphrodite Macbain: burst something?
Aphrodite Macbain: a balloon?
druth Vlodovic: that is my main fear
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Aphrodite Macbain puts her needle down
stevenaia Michinaga: I have a story then, something I told before when druth is done
druth Vlodovic: ok, I'll be quick
druth Vlodovic: young kids like gladitorial contests
druth Vlodovic: dig a pit and toss in two ants you can usually get a show
druth Vlodovic: by grade 4 or 5 we had moved on to bigger game
druth Vlodovic: from time to time you'd see half the schoolyard in a giant circle, and you'd know there were two kidnapped fighters in the middle
druth Vlodovic: I was never part of it
druth Vlodovic: until my number came up
druth Vlodovic: dragged into a big circle I found myself faced off against another kid
druth Vlodovic: but I am neither social nor a standard player
druth Vlodovic: so I turned my back on the guy, clenched my teeth and hands, let my rage show
druth Vlodovic: faced the people in the crowd
druth Vlodovic: and walked out
Aphrodite Macbain: !
druth Vlodovic: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: yayyy
Paradise Tennant: perfect :)
druth Vlodovic: an interesting lesson in humanity
Paradise Tennant: what a smart you :)
druth Vlodovic: no matter the gang, group, crowd or even army it is all single humans
Paradise Tennant: we forget how cruel kids can be
Aphrodite Macbain: what a brave you not to give in to group pressure
druth Vlodovic: and can be treated that way, if you make eye contact
druth Vlodovic: well, I would have gotten beaten up anyway
stevenaia Michinaga: I have a similar story.....
stevenaia Michinaga: since we are on a fight theme
Aphrodite Macbain: thanks druth!!
oO0Oo Resident: *
Aphrodite Macbain: fight or flight?
stevenaia Michinaga: both I think
Aphrodite Macbain settles into her chair
stevenaia Michinaga: I was "invited" to be beat up after school by the jr high school brut, seemed I must have done something to him like standing next to him, I really don’t remember
stevenaia Michinaga: I had been taking Karate for a year or two but never thought I'd need it for anything, but I know a few moves
Aphrodite Macbain thinks about karate kid
stevenaia Michinaga: so ended up out front of school with the guy ready to "fight" me,
stevenaia Michinaga: lesson from Karate was don’t fight , run, or if all else fails, get it over quickly
stevenaia Michinaga: so he stood facing me, I stood facing him ready to kick him on the balls (choosing the "get it over quick" option)
stevenaia Michinaga: he looks at me and says.... no kicking.... I don’t think so and he walks away
stevenaia Michinaga: the end
Paradise Tennant: smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: no fight
Aphrodite Macbain: he beat you to the no punch
stevenaia Michinaga: moral walk softly and carry a big kick
Aphrodite Macbain: Nice story.
Aphrodite Macbain: He he
Aphrodite Macbain: and look like you mean it
oO0Oo Resident: ty Stevenaia
Paradise Tennant: well no fun beating up; some one who is not afraid of you bullies are cowards – it is integral to the very affliction
Aphrodite Macbain: yes.
stevenaia Michinaga: it must have been apparent, and you don’t make up new rules, makes you look scared
druth Vlodovic: looking like you mean it carries more weight actually, I've been called out a lot, but have never fought
Aphrodite Macbain: It's hard to fake that - looking like you mean it

--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: I do have another story but I may have told it sometime in the past
Paradise Tennant: smiles and listens
oO0Oo Resident listens
stevenaia Michinaga: but I can wait till it’s my turn again
Aphrodite Macbain is all ears
Eos Amaterasu bows to all around, and discorporates
stevenaia Michinaga: bye eos
Aphrodite Macbain: hmm
druth Vlodovic: wow, bad timing or what
oO0Oo Resident: bye Eos
Aphrodite Macbain: go for it Stevenaia
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: at the word discorporates :)
Aphrodite Macbain: good word
Aphrodite Macbain: defenestrates
druth Vlodovic: next time I arrive I'll have to incorporate
stevenaia Michinaga: this was about a very stressful time at work where the stakes were high, timelines were critical and large amounts of other people's money was at risk
stevenaia Michinaga: oh , and I had virtually no control over getting the result completed
Aphrodite Macbain tenses up
stevenaia Michinaga: trully an unfortunate mixture of events
stevenaia Michinaga: in the end after a month or two of attempting to resolve the situation at hand by stressing (with word) the importance of the situation to the people who could complete the necessary tasks .... the deadline passed and the critical situation was resolved, barely...... big sigh
stevenaia Michinaga: in hindsight I realized all the personal stress I places on myself accomplished absolutely nothing and I resolved to drop stress from that point forward
stevenaia Michinaga: and have :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles :) at stev :) what a great lesson learned :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I seemed to have hit "bottom" with stressing myself out and chose never to do that to myself again
oO0Oo Resident: *
stevenaia Michinaga: could not have made such a choice w/o that experience
stevenaia Michinaga: even the calmest soul knows the other side
oO0Oo Resident: *
stevenaia Michinaga: can't have yin w/o yang
druth Vlodovic: did you have to develop different strategies to deal without generating it? or did you just emphasize different approaches/skills?
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Bertrum
stevenaia Michinaga: no, was not anything I could control, I was jus in charge
Paradise Tennant: hiya betrum we have been telling stories of personal experiences that have changed us :)
Bertrum Resident: hi everyone
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi bertrum
stevenaia Michinaga: waves to Bert
Aphrodite Macbain: Stevenaia- how did you manage to just stop worrying?
stevenaia Michinaga: I realized how ineffective it was to solve anything, moved on to other approaches
Aphrodite Macbain: Mind over emotion?
stevenaia Michinaga: mind over stress
Aphrodite Macbain: I guess it's knowing what you can control and what you can't
stevenaia Michinaga: or emotions that cause stress
Aphrodite Macbain: letting go of what you can't but still doing your best
--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: I leaned about "dropping" by choosing to drop
stevenaia Michinaga: *learned
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes, something I need to learn: letting go of control..
stevenaia Michinaga: there is no control
stevenaia Michinaga: there is just watching
Aphrodite Macbain: hmmm
stevenaia Michinaga: you can only control you
Aphrodite Macbain: there are many things that we have control over - and we can abuse that control or let it control us
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Aphrodite Macbain: I suppose responsibility for does not necessarily mean control over
Paradise Tennant: anyone else like to share a story ?
Aphrodite Macbain: I must leave now I'm afraid. Thank you everyone for all your stories
Paradise Tennant: nite nite aph
druth Vlodovic: have fun aph
Paradise Tennant: thank you : ) for the butterflies
Paradise Tennant: smiles :) almost the witching hour here and the dog is giving the look :) thank you all for sharing ..such lovely lessons :)
stevenaia Michinaga: night Paradise
Bertrum Resident: Bye Paradise.
Paradise Tennant: going to do this again .. like the idea of a story go round :)
druth Vlodovic: 'night paradise's dog
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Paradise Tennant: wooof :) back at you druth :)
oO0Oo Resident: Bye Aphrodite.. Paradise
stevenaia Michinaga: I am off to bed, night my friends
druth Vlodovic: me too
Bertrum Resident: Night, Steve.
druth Vlodovic: well, a different bed
Bertrum Resident: Night Druth.
druth Vlodovic: 'night all
oO0Oo Resident: night Druth .. Stevenaia
Bertrum Resident: Night everyone
oO0Oo Resident: Night Bert
oO0Oo Resident: I'll say goodbye too.. tc Susan