This was a session at the Shiny Green Acorn Festival.
Participants
Discussion
Shelley proposed a possible new practice for the Sanders, Soup Night, based on one that some friends of theirs have done: a regular gathering of neighbors to eat soup.
- Simple for participants (just bring a bowl)
- Flexible (grab and go, or stay and chat)
Experiences with similar things
- Eric has heard of similar practices in intentional communities
- His UU group tried emulating the idea in the book Stone Soup
- Ben goes to events that have food
- Shelley has been to something like this after races
- Ted: In Chicago, we brought in biking friends for meals, but no one who lived in our neighborhood
- Daybreak had problems with neighbors ... so does Tryon
- We love our current neighbors and have been in one of their houses once in three years
- Shelley: In Buckman, our neighbors came to our first Solstice celebration, and they all came to our moving open house (but not much in between)
What would we want out of this?
- The purpose is to connect to people in the neighborhood
- Brandon: I don't want it to be intentional practice for creating a Seed Village
- Eric: Let that be an unexpected fruit, like with the meditation calls
- Make it simple and sustainable
- Neighborhood is part of "simple"
- Every Tuesday night would be "simple"
- Brandon: Don't try to bridge groups (with the friends who already do this?) ... too hard
Shelley's concerns
- What will the neighbors expect of us? Cleanliness? Our attendance at their things that we're not into?
- How deeply do I want to connect with my new neighbors?
"Should" vs. what our elephants want
- Eric: I could host a pool and barbeque party? I don't know if I should do it ... but I know my neighbors with dogs!
- The Sanders could also easily approach people about Soup Night when they're walking their dogs
- Shelley: Excited about doing something with OES
- Eric: Look for a chance to attend someone else's Soup Night
- Shelley: My coworker's neighbor wrote a book called Soup Night, and Carol and Vicki have neighborhood dinners
- Ted: If you want it, but don't want to do it yourself, but no one else in your community does it...