Saturday, July 26, 2008

Food & Fellowship

We had our monthly Food & Fellowship gathering today at Billy Sims’s Barbecue at The Farm shopping center near 51st and Sheridan. There were a dozen of us there enjoying barbecue sandwiches and “fixins” (potato salad, baked beans, chips, etc.). The group included Marilyn C., Marilyn G., Brian, Bob H., Richard, Larry R., Dawn, Randy, Kim, Ron, and Jan and myself.

Down at my end of the table, the conversation was mostly about energy (the high price of, new sources of, wind as, effect of China and India’s growing demand for, etc.). I usually learn something new at these gatherings, and today was no exception. I learned from Richard that there are a series of short (usually 2 to 5 minutes in length) skits that go by the name of “Mr. Deity” which you can find on YouTube, or you can just Google “Mr. Deity” at your computer. I don’t know how many episodes there are of Mr. Deity, but I just finished watching the first five. The link to Episode 1 is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzf8q9QHfhI&NR=1

It’s funny, but at the same time it’s not funny.

After we had finished eating, we all got in our respective vehicles and drove over to the new Kaiser Library in LaFortune Park. We saw the name of our chapter, “Humanist Association of Tulsa,” on a wall which recognized groups or individuals who had made donations toward the building of the library.

We spoke with a librarian who seemed to indicate there would be no problem with reserving the meeting room in the library. The person in charge of meeting room reservations was not there at the time of our visit, but Randy got his phone number to contact him later. As it turns out, the meeting room had already been reserved for the times we wished to reserve it. So our meetings will continue to be held at Hardesty Library at the usual time on the usual day.

The community center portion of the building is not yet open, but should be open by September. There is a possibility we might move there this fall, if we are able to reserve a meeting room in that part of the building.

Monday, July 21, 2008

HAT Meeting 7-20-08

There were 15 people in attendance at the HAT meeting yesterday. There were also several visitors at this meeting. Members attending were John L., Marilyn G., Brian H., Ron McD., Marilyn C., Randy B., Audrey D., Kimberly B., Bob H., and myself. Visitors in attendance were Herb V. F., William D., Larry R., and Jim and Sally McE. After the meeting, three of the visitors paid dues and became new members. Herb, Bill, and Larry.

We discussed moving the meetings to the new Kaiser Library at LaFortune Park. We will go, as a group, immediately after the Food & Fellowship gathering this Saturday (the library is closed on Sundays) to look over the new library and perhaps make a decision then about moving the meetings to Saturday at the Kaiser Library. Anyone interested in having input on this decision should try to join us at Billy Sims’s Barbecue in The Farm shopping center for the Food & Fellowship this coming Saturday at 11:30. After we eat, we will tour the new library. We should also be able to locate the plaque with our group’s name on it as a donor to help build the new library.

I spoke about a new Meetup group I am starting called Liberal Action Network. The purpose of this group is to generate letters to political representatives on issues of concern to ourselves. The first LAN Meetup will be held at The Royal Dragon on 51st Street (in the Fontana Center) on August 16, 7pm. We will be in the room with the large circular table. This will be a working meeting, in that while we are gathered together, we will write our letters. If you would like to do more than bewail the state of things, plan on attending this Meetup group and write a letter with us. Writing materials will be provided. All you need to do is show up.

Marilyn Clarke did an excellent job leading the program, “Freud, Religion, and Primary Process Thinking.” She spoke of the role our parents play in creating religion in ourselves. As young children, we have to rely upon our parents (“magical beings”) who know our needs and fulfill them while we are yet inarticulate. As we get older, we still look for magical beings to fulfill our needs. Now the magical beings become god(s).