Dave's Blog

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

After I dropped a dollar into the Salvation Army pot at the 
TransBay Terminal this morning, I told the bell ringer that I 
knew that after Hurricane Katrina blew through the Salvation Army 
was the first on the scene.  So she told me her story. 

She was living on the street in the Financial District for five 
years.  The Salvation Army helped her apply for the apartment 
lottery, which she won, and for SSI, which she was awarded.  
Since all her time was free, she decided to help out at the 
Salvation Army. Consequently, they helped her find part-time 
employment.  When she's not working she still volunteers at the 
Salvation Army, "giving back for all the many blessings in her 
life."  She is truly grateful.  

I told her that was a great success story, and I thanked her for 
sharing it.  I am also truly grateful for the many blessings in 
my life. 


Monday, November 21, 2005

I've just accepted the responsibility to maintain the NOPNA web 
site.  It was massively redesigned by a webmaster this year, who 
has subsequently moved to another neighborhood.  Succession is 
opportunity.  Immediately I discovered a merchant who wanted an 
event posted and who had some dissatisfaction with the business 
directory.  I've made the changes that I feel confident in, but 
more will be revealed.  It appears that one of the events the 
merchant is promoting will conflict with another meeting, which 
is more in line with the charter of the Association.  So it 
doesn't seem I'll be able to accommodate all of his requests, 
but I was able to publicize his event on the Village at Petrini 
Place web site.  At first I had a little trepidation about the 
potential politics of web site management, but then I remembered 
that NOPNA is in its charter political by nature.  Not partisan, 
but definitely political.  So may I learn to live comfortably in
interesting times.  


Wednesday, November 09, 2005 

It's fascinating to me.  The more polite I am, the more invisible
I become.  Women open up to me as a confidante because I am
uncritical, and in many cases simply unresponding.  If I am with
my wife, I become an extension of her.  I have heard the most
amazing stories the last few years because women seem to feel
that I will be sympathetic.  When I was younger, in high school
and in college, I would lament that women were confiding their
exploits to me and I wasn't part of the story.  But the older I
get, the more the little things mean to me.  Now just the fact
that women share their stories with me is precious, and I do not
feel that I have missed anything by not being the subject.  I
learn more by what my sisters tell me now than I could have
learned by being isolated and making up my own stories.  At least
my personal growth work has taught me that what I imagine is
nothing next to real persons' lives.

I thank my friends who are women for trusting me, for treating me
as a friend, and for sharing their lives with me.  What fantasies
I entertained in the past are healed, and I now treat women and
men alike in my life.  

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