BAYA Blog

I can't quite put my finger on it, but...

2008-10-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

Aloha, BAYA!

I just wanted to jot down a few thoughts that have floated through my mind this past week. And I noticed that it's been about 6 months since a post! And a lot has happened like graduations, Costa Rica, SPEC, random traveling, ordinations, and "see you laters". Each one requires a specific post, but for now, I will just share my BAYA thoughts from last week.

I was sitting in a conference on perinatal health in the state of Hawaii and the presenter was sharing his thoughts on how it's important to have good health even before getting pregnant, and the one thing that was interesting to me (besides that women should see their dentist before and during pregnancy) was this idea of relational resilience. The context was for women to have "meaning, find a purpose in life, and have a circle of friends who support them" before becoming a parent. So that when stress in every day life reaches it's peak, there is a way to diffuse it. I googled this idea and found some research on child development, so you teachers/parents out there may have already heard about this.

But being more resilient is a product of BAYA for me. My relationships with this group makes me stronger, gives me courage, feel loved, accepted, and challenges me to be better. It's kind of like a song I've heard, Pride of Lions by Chad Elliott. ( #9) Hmmm, he's got something there, doesn't he?

I don't know the exact ingredients that one can put into building these types of relationships, but common themes are fun, service, and worship. And I'm not just talking about the Sunday stuff. For me the worship happened at Pt. Reyes, up in Redmond, Oregon for Turkey Day, praying with me when my stress reached its max during residency, enjoying Fall at the pumpkin patch, hanging with the Homework Club crew (and the after parties), and meeting for dinner/dessert last minute because we just need to debrief the day. Scoop anyone? I suppose this group became my family, and for that I'm grateful.

Mahalo, BAYA, for all the good times and the ones to come.

2008 Point Reyes Trip

2008-05-05T23:41:00.001-07:00

BAYA 2008 Point Reyes Trip
Originally uploaded by TreeBed

I think that one of the strengths of BAYA is the diversity of activities that we engage in. You get a taste of the many different things that end up being done under a "BAYA Banner" by looking at this blog, and this allows for lots of people to jump into a random adventure that we have... according to what might fit them. Our Point Reyes backpacking trip is one of my favorites.

For the past two years I have missed this excursion, and so this year I was very excited not to let another year (this is the 5th year in a row for the trip) go with just a comment on a blog post about "wishing I was there..."

I would have missed out on: tasty energy drinks hiking in... raccoon snugglin... night time walks... lots of laughs... near perfect weather... new gear... hills... I mean HILLS... lovely horses (and their riders... which seemed a bit comparable to what they left behind)... a mouse in the house (and the brave souls who battled it... and lost)... friendly neighbors (and the mental health of their pets)... hot chocolate that shouldn't be street legal... waterfall showers... sweet camp music (a little too much treble)... stories galore (when was that year again?)... noisy gophers... dew-down-pours... more hills... a little bit older, a little bit sorer... tired tasty lunch... and of course THE SCOOP.

Thank you all for the conversations, the laughs, and the quiet moments that seemed as though we were collectively soaking it all in... life so sweet. It is a "church service" that I have missed the past two years, and I am so glad to have shared in it this time around. I most certainly gained strength this weekend to take into the challenges and changes ahead.

A BAYA Birthday

2008-03-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

One of the things BAYA does best is celebrate birthdays. Remember when you had big birthday parties as a kid, with themes, and fancy cakes? Well, the BAYA birthday celebrations are thought of with nearly the same anticipation, only with a shorter planning time & better gifts including 'healthy' chocolate bars, sugar free girl scout cookies, and an 'easy' button!

Beach Chalet restaurant was the location of this recent birthday bash. Happy Birthday, Skippy!

Sunday Ride

2008-02-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

Mike Seagraves joined Skippy on a ride yesterday in Sacramento (BAYA-East). Skippy is doing the "70.3 Triathlon" in Kona, Hawaii on May 31st. Yes, the title of the race is the actual distance, in MILES, not feet. It's a half-Ironman. Since we've decided to live there starting in September, he's just getting a head start on the climate change from the Bay area.

Yes, I tried to sneak that one in there- because to be honest, I just can't think about "leaving" BAYA. So, we're moving not leaving. There, that makes me feel better. Skippy and I are going to create a BAYA-West location for us to gather and celebrate all things BAYA: new jobs, Thanksgivings, birthdays w/ Piñatas, weddings (uhem, you know who you are), and of course random occasions that just need celebrations.

For other CofC YA's check out this link.

Oh, What A Night!

2007-11-22T00:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to celebrate my birthday, Jersey style. I can't really describe BAYA birthdays without mentioning Pinatas, but musicals are also a fun way to go if pinatas are unavailable. The show was awesome! I highly recommend it to anyone who likes music...so that's pretty much everyone, right?!

Diablo and Trish, thanks for my heartfelt birthday card- but we know it was Seth using Photoshop on himself for the front of the card ;-)

S&S, thanks for my diner dinner. It was superb. And djjazzy, you're pretty awesome for driving all the way in to the city for the celebration! Thanks for coming.

Hope you're all (most of you) having a blast in Bend. If you're not in Bend, Happy Thanksgiving where ever you are in this world. BAYA, I want pics of what we're missing this year...you know, Smith rock with Ernie, watching the classic music videos...you know what one I'm talking about..and ladies, enjoy your R&R at the spa. (so jealous!)

Love,

GASR

Halloween 2007!

2007-11-02T00:22:00.000-07:00

Last weekend about 30 neighbors gathered for a community Halloween Party in Novato.

We played games...

carved pumpkins...

dressed in costume (princess di saying hello to the 'sleeping bag')

and had superhero wrestling matches with the 'sleeping bag'.

Good times, BAYA! All the hard worked paid off and it was a great event. Well done!

BAYA & the Scoop

2007-10-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

BAYA & the Scoop
Originally uploaded by TreeBed

Being in Iowa I have had to be a distant member of BAYA the past year or so... but I never feel very far away from this group of people. I have played with them, worshiped with them, and been in service with them (sometimes all at one time). Tonight I got to celebrate my 30th Birthday with them. There are many transitions going on in the BAYA universe right now... and that is both scary and exciting. It is scary because what has been so good to me over the past few years is changing. However, it is exciting because the strength that has been created out of the BAYA energy is feeding so many different things. We have each been given a beautiful gift that is ours to hold, use, lean on, and cherish for ever. I love that, and feel so blessed by it. I am such a better person because of these people... I am so thankful for each unique gift that has been given to me because I chose to be a part of this group (and give my own energy).

BAYA... you have blessed my life... and I thank you.

BAYA on the Bay

2007-09-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Some of us were enjoying the beauty of the Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay area while on staff at a senior high/junior high youth retreat last weekend.

Retreat activities included meeting new people, eating yummy food, pinic on the beach, The Power of One movie, camping, kickball, pingpong, SHARK/Sasquatch (See Kori for rules), elbow tag, brown bag yoga challenge, and more random games. (thanks Superstar!)

Our main activity was kayaking on Monterey Bay with the sea lions, jellyfish, kelp garden, sea otters, seals, and dolphins, (yes, we saw dolphins!)

Great weekend, BAYA!

SPEC 2007

2007-07-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

I must admit, when I first signed up to be on staff this year I wasn't super excited about it. Hot, muggy, Iowa in July didn't sound that appealing for my week of vacation. I wasn't sure what to expect as a staff member on Calizonia. I loved being a camper when I was in high school, but I didn't know if I'd like being the "adult" at SPEC.

But, Wow! I should have been way more excited! It was a great week. The days were full of snapshot memories that overshadowed the Iowa weather (which wasn't that bad). The kids' lives changed this week. I know because they told me towards the end of camp that they didn't want to part their separate ways. It was so cool to see teenagers live out a loving community. I am so glad I was able to go and be a part of such a positive week.

Here are a few snapshots of the YA's involved at SPEC last week. Go BAYA- and adopted BAYA members, Mr. Fletcher and Bear (Matt).

Benefit Concert Part II

2007-06-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photo highlights to go along with the top 10 list from GASR. Pictures compliments of Skippy and Sweeney.

BAYA Benefit & The Concert

2007-06-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Here we go, Scientist...in no particular order (I'm purposefully leaving out the camping trip, which needs a post!)

We held a concert on June 9th, in Sonoma. Top ten things that were awesome about the benefit concert: photos (add if you have some!) and links to come...I just had to get the post out there because Scientist's techiness inspired me!

10) The Sonoma Community Center rocked as a venue for our benefit.

9) GASR made her radio morning show debut to promote the event. (recording coming soon)

8)The Yost Foundation proved to be the most amazing source of yummy food, thoughtful advice, a true workhorse who never sleeps (or naps), and generous donations.

7)Made our presence known at the Sonoma Farmers' Market by handing out toothbrushes with info about the concert.

6)The music at the concert was just awesome, Scott Giles and his long time friend Dan, opened with some great music (we never knew Scott could play like that!) Then Storyhill rocked the house!

5)Over 80 people showed up for the concert from Sonoma to Pennsylvania & Australia! Wow! Thanks for coming, Anne & Adam!

4)We created awareness of a great home for children in Honduras, El Refugio. We also had a beautiful display of photos at the concert to share about GASR's recent trip to provide dental care. (and the display was donated!)

3)From the marketing aspect, Country wide Home Loans donated the entire back page of the Sonoma Sun's ad space for our benefit concert. Wow, way to work it Skippy and Sweeny.

2)The moment after the concert, the satisfaction on the faces of BAYA showed that the planning, running around, sleeping in Sonoma, staying up late, calling random newspapers, emailing all day, tracking the website, and shopping for extras last minute was ALL WORTH IT!!!

and the #1 most awesome thing about BAYA Benefit's Concert on June 9th (drum roll...)

We raise over $4,000 to send to El Refugio, which will cover about 25 kids' clothing, food, medical/dental care for a year! So cool.

Way to go BAYA!

Long Time No Post

2007-06-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, tonight I got a crazy idea...I decided it was time to post something on the blog. Okay, so I'm not part of our techie group, but really how tough can it be right? Well, being that the last time I tried to post something here's what happened...after I wrote it up, added pictures, and then tried to post it and it disappeared into the magical arena of cyber space...well, let's just say I had some doubts. So, after some mishaps with trying to login using my old account (non-gmail, which is the reason why everyone received the random email in their account tonight, sorry about that) Sweeney came to the rescue and just deleted me out and added me back in with my new gmail account. Yeah, I'm back in the blog and ready to make a real post. So, here's wishing for the best. Oh...and I'm hoping this will inspire other BAYA members to make some new posts.

Pt. Reyes Backpacking 2004-2006

2007-04-17T19:11:00.001-07:00

SF Ballet

2007-04-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

In typical BAYA fashion, the beginnings of an event fell into play at about 4:45pm today when I received a voicemail about 4 San Francisco Ballet tickets for tonight's 7:30 performance. Our friend, Ruth, is a cellist for the SF Ballet Company and has mentioned before that she gets complimentary tickets for shows, but we have never been able to go in the past. Within 30 minutes we had organized and planned to meet for dinner and the ballet! Thank goodness for cell phones!

We arrived at the entrance and the bell chimed, telling us to hurry up and scarf down the dinner burritos because they were closing the doors. Soon we were seated in the balcony watching dancers gracefully glide across the stage and point their toes in a manner that didn't look humanly possible! (see photo)

This was the perfect ballet performance for me to watch because there were three ballets in one! The first one was a jazzy little ballet with great music and choreography titled Elemental Brubeck. The second was Concordia, in its World Premiere, which I think is a big deal because the dancers were given these huge bouquets of flowers when they took their final bows. This ballet had contemporary dancing contrasted with the traditional ballet which was very cool to watch together. The third, and most AMAZING, was Symphony in C choreographed by George Balanchine. This ballet seemed to have every dancer from the company on stage dancing their buns off. What a unexpected and wonderful evening in San Francisco! Thanks, Ruth!

BYOBW Race 2007!

2007-04-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

What do these two things have in common? Well, they came together on a beautiful, sunny, warm City afternoon this Easter in the form of a RACE! The 7th Annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel Race down Lombard Street in San Francisco was a sight to see. Lombard Street is the crookedest street in the world and one of the many tourist attractions here in the City.

Skippy and I were there as BAYA representatives to scout it out in order to make this a BAYA Annual Easter Event. It was so entertaining! Hundreds of Big Wheels and other random plastic toys, including a recycling bin, lined up at the entrance to the famous crookedest street at approximately 4pm. We maneuvered our way to the midway point of the curvy street and settled in behind a cement wall (for our protection) while the last of the tourist cars drove down. The race began with some excellent skaters (skateboards, not ice) flying down to "clear the path" then came the Big Wheelers. They wore helmets, knee pads, and face masks. Most wore some sort of costume like Mario and Luigi , the Easter Bunny, a couple of Beekers , Lego Man, or just something random found at the Salvation Army. For this race, like other famous races here in SF, the goal is not to win, but just to get to the bottom/finish in one piece.

I have to say, in the past 6 years I've lived here in San Francisco, this ranks on the top of my list of things to see. If you are planning a trip to the Bay around Easter Sunday, be sure to catch this Race! So, BAYA members, 2008 here we come! For a video of BYOBW click here . - Look closely in the first 25 sec, and you'll see even Jesus was there!

Eggs! Eggs!

2007-04-04T22:31:00.001-07:00

Eggs!
Originally uploaded by ginelledds.

Colorful eggs from our Annual Easter Egg Hunt (5th year running). BAYA coordinated the event, which was a rousing success (in my book) with approximately 80 people including 50 egg-hunting children ages 12 and under.

Based on conversations with the Easter Bunny, over 350 eggs were found and only 20-30 remain hidden around the church grounds. I guess we'll find those next year.

Thank you to everyone who helped run and coordinate this fun event.

Salmon Spotting

2007-02-17T23:25:00.000-08:00

Growing up fishing for salmon and steelhead on cold, wet, winter mornings in Oregon helped be develop a sense of awe for these fish. This is partly due to their long journeys to spawning grounds and also because all of those days out fishing I never caught one. So now, I go fishing with my eyes. Salmon spotting. There has been a big push recently in Marin county to restore some of the salmon runs of the past and the fish have returned slowly, but surely.

This past Thursday, after teaching, I drove out to Shafter Bridge on Lagunitas Creek for my first salmon spotting this year. I saw 6 fish (3 Coho and 3 steelhead, my best guess) and happened to get a picture of 2 of them (3 if you enlarge the pic) :
Today, Deb came with me and we saw 5 more fish. Two great days of salmon spotting!

A local non-profit called SPAWN has led the charge with creek restoration and by raising local awareness. It is amazing to see what a small group of people can accomplish.

It makes me wonder what possibilities BAYA could pursue in 2007. Any ideas???

Christmas in Mexico

2007-02-17T23:12:00.000-08:00

Just a quick blog post about the family Christmas trip to Nuevo Vallarta in Mexico. It was our first trip to Mexico and we loved it. The weather was perfect (80 and Sunny) every day and the ocean was beautiful. The resort we stayed at was right on the beach and we enjoyed the nightly sunsets on the Pacific. I think the whole family had a great time and we are considering a return trip in a few years. I look forward to that.

One highlight for me: On the last night we got to release baby sea turtles that had hatched on the resort property that morning.

Here are a few pics from the trip:

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

We celebrated the holidays a with a few dinners here and there this past month. First, at the Hammac Hostel (also for an engagement celebration-Yay Padre!), then at OSHA Thai (bon voyage to C&J), and finally for some more dinner and Scoop(in celebration of El Presidente's change in career paths). Here is a picture from our Thai dinner. We are off around the globe over the holidays and I am looking forward to some posts of our holiday travels once we return in the new year.

Merry Christmas! And may the Spirit of the holidays bring joys and love to you and your families.

Thanks for another great year of memories, BAYA!

Volunteering

2006-11-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

BAYA has been involved with a tutoring program for quite some time now at the Novato Community of Christ church, and looking back, I cannot find any posts about our Homework Club volunteering. Today feels like a good day to post about it.

Started by Scientist and Sweeney, the Homework Club is open to children who are seeking help with their homework on Thursday nights, the same night as the ESL program for adults in the community. Kids from grades 3-7 bring their homework and we help them. Usually, they remember to bring their homework and text books, but occasionally they forget. We spend the hour and a half quizzing them on math problems, spelling, or reading.

Skippy and I are always amazed at the potential we see in each of these kids. But, what we have noticed is that some of these kids like to take the 'easy way out' approach when solving problems on their homework. I suppose that in a classroom setting, it is hard to take the time and challenge each individual student, one on one. For teachers, it would take forever to complete a lesson. At HC on Thursdays, we have the chance to challenge this easy approach to getting answers. We're in such an intimate setting and often with one tutor to one student. This is often frustrating for the students because they're guessing at the answers and waiting for us to confirm whether they're right or not. They want the answer to just get on with the rest of the homework. All the tutors are pretty good about not letting these answers go unexplained. It's pretty cool to see what happens when the kids figure the problems out for themselves and gain confidence in their own intelligence.

I feel like I'm making a difference. I guess that's the hope that comes with my anticipation to every thursday night. I also have the anticipation to hear about the kids' "good thing" and "bad thing" of the week - sometimes they really let us in and I feel like they are sharing stuff they wouldn't normally share. Then other times they share about big things, like they're moving, switching schools, got suspended, and their favorite animals. :) Many wonderful stories have come from this tradition of starting each session with these questions- thanks Scott. I have learned a lot about them as individuals and enjoyed hearing their creativity when coming up with "question of the week".

HC time is so valuble to me. It's a time that some of us from BAYA can meet during the week, check in with each other and work towards a common goal - helping kids. I truly look forward to Thursday nights, and I miss it if I cannot make it one week. Sure, it's an extra drive to the North Bay during the week, a night I can't work on MY school stuff, can't surf the internet, can't watch my favorite TV shows, but I believe there is a strong force working here towards goodness. All the stuff I'm missing is small when I can see the big picture of tutoring at HC. I am grateful to be a part of this community of people who believe in teaching, inspiring, and believing in children. So, thanks, Scientist and Sweeney, for starting the HC. It rocks!!!

Apples!!!

2006-10-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Apples!!!
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Did a little apple pickin on Saturday... This might have to be an annual event. Although... we may wait and see if anything actually comes of all the apples that we picked. It was a great day up in Sabastopol, and Gabriel Farm was a wonderful host. Almost as good as our dinner hosts...

And for the record... I picked Presidente right out of the orchard ;-)

Puzzle Pieces

2006-09-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to put up a quick post describing my week at the Art of Mentoring course last week in Bolinas . I am not exactly sure how to do that... how do you describe a spiritual experience? If you have ever been to a Community of Christ reunion, camp or retreat... then you have some reference for what I experienced last week. However, you must take that experience, remove the history and faith connections, and then add the element of a regenerative (that is a step beyond sustainable infrastructure, combine many different cultural histories, a high level of focus on the reason we were there (I will get to that later)... and you end up with much of the powerful spiritual connection that we often find in our familiar C of C events.

In the simplest of terms the Art of Mentoring goal is to relearn how to create the "village" that our very survival as a species has depended on for millions of years. What makes these teachings powerful is both how they were gathered (from many cultures, all over the world), and that at the core of the whole thing is the Peace Maker's story. This was a very powerful part of the picture for me and spoke to both my cultural heritage in my faith community... as well as the call I feel towards environmental stewardship.

Make no mistake, dark times are here... and preparing to grow darker. However, there is much joy in my heart that the strands of light that tie our paths together are coming into view. Our path, and our responsibilities to our brothers and sisters is becoming clearer... and the beauty of that path (which I fully witnessed last week), is that although there is a great deal of hard work... it can be done joyfully and with smiles all around!!! What a blessing.

SKIPPY & GASR's Wedding

2006-08-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about BAYA is our celebrations. This amazing group of people has always been up for a good celebration, whether it be birthdays, new jobs, Thanksgivings, bon voyages, welcome homes, Halloweens, or just "haven't seen eachother in a while" parties. Ever since the announcement of our engagement and our plans to marry in Hawaii, BAYA planned on being there. And we added another celebration to our list- weddings.

Thank you for making the trip. And for those who were not able to come, thank you for your warm thoughts as we begin our marriage. Also, a major contribution was our wedding logo and invitations by Treebed Design and they were assembled by the team including Scientist and Sweeney.

Most of all thank you for making the journey. It would not have been a complete celebration without you. Once again, BAYA comes through, showing your support that goes beyond simple friendships. These are friendships that are made of strong bonds which make me want to be a better person on a daily basis. It is a group that we have come to call our family here in the Bay. As we begin our life as a married couple, we could only hope to continue and grow what's been started.

Mahalo nui loa,
Skippy & GASR

Living "An Incovenient Truth"

2006-07-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hot Mama
Originally uploaded by mbessie.

After the past week of extremely warm temperatures for us California Weather Wimps, Deb and I thought maybe we should see the Al Gore slideshow movie, "An Incovenient Truth".
We attempted to go last Sunday when the temp outside was 102 and inside our apartment was 105. No joke. I thought this was perfect marketing for the movie, super hot temperature and high gas prices. Well, we encountered a small challenge in that the Fairfax theatre had a power outage. So one week later, Scientist and I went to see the movie. Going in, I wasn't too keen on the film. I agree that global warming is taking place and I am aware of many of the impacts it may/will have (massive flooding, more violent storms). Why was I going to see a "preaching to the choir" movie?

After the movie, I am glad I saw it. The presentation wasn't really political, but more matter of fact. This is the "hard science", the facts, and the scientific consensus is in agreement that humans are responsible. The film's graphs and photos really help to illustrate the subject. The timeline pics of glaciers receding were stunning. Although there were dire consequences portrayed in the film, I responded more to the call for action.

So what can I do or what can we do as the collective BAYA? First, I will be recommending the movie to friends and family. Second, I am going to educate myself on ways to reduce my impact.

As BAYA, I think we could push to get the Green Business designation for Marin County. We can also look to implement some of Micah's permaculture ideas on the church grounds.

Just a few thoughts and more to come.

NW Sr. High Camp

2006-07-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

I am back in the Bay after Sr. High Camp up in my old neck of the woods Lewis River Camp Grounds. It is always good to return and do this camp... this year was no exception. However, it was different (as it is each year). I was very aware this year that I had migrated into a different role as a staff member. Once upon a time, I was the "young cool" counselor, and it was relatively easy to relate with the campers and for them to relate to me. This makes some things easier, some things harder when dealing with these youth. In many ways this has mirrored where I am in the larger picture of my spiritual path... finding that it is time to take on more responsibility, and use my questioning to bring me closer to the church rather than pushing me away from it. I taught in Theme Class about a "spiritual ecology" that leads us to seeing that we are all connected, and we must treat each other with the idea that perhaps God, is really made up of the spirit in each one of us. We did some "composting" of things that were holding us back from being connected to that Christ like self... not to toss that baggage aside, but to break it down into a nutrient rich, "spiritual soil" to grow from. I saw a lot of growth the past week, in myself, in others and in the camp as a collective whole. I am excited to see what that might lead to next year. For now... I will catch up on my sleep, and continue to mentally sift through the very rich week that I had.

BAYA Sweep

2006-07-03T21:49:00.000-07:00

After Race (t-shirt) Photo
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

It is official... BAYA swept the top two spots at the "highly competitive" Angel Island trail run. It was a hard fought battle in the beginning of the race between teammates Milah "don't call me Dorthy" Hammol, and Skippy "the zippy" Roberts. After a two miles of neck and neck up hill, Milah skated away down the hill to improve upon his 3rd place finish in January, and run away with the white hat. The GASR made her trail running debut to round out an impressive showing from team BAYA. Mama TreeBed was there to support and photograph the event.

BTW... These are great events, focused less on "racing", and more on community, beauty of our natural world... and fun. We certainly did all of those things!

Pink Triangle

2006-06-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

Pink Triangle
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

This could be a fun BAYA event next year... I wasn't looking forward to going this morning (at 6am when my alarm went off). However, I walked away inspired. Not only a pride event, the pink triangle goes back to a time we cannot forget. And even more importantly that we must work to remember... by working towards social justice everyday! My cousin Patrick started doing the Pink Triangle 10 years ago... a "renegade craft project" as he called it, but it is a beautiful example of what one person can do to create change. You can see this 200 ft triangle from all over the city (and beyond), and it can start a conversation of tolerance many times over.

Opportunities...

2006-06-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to throw some stuff out there for the BAYA crew... I have felt for a long time that BAYA has the opportunity to make some major changes happen in our congregation, the world church (C of C) and the world in general. I am not much for fate, or the "master plan" run by our creator... However, I am all for opportunities arising in front of us, and making choices. I believe that our group, coming together in this place (the Bay Area) at this time, with our broad range of talents/skills... provides a major opportunity. A combination of events (RDNA lecture last tues, Tony's sermon on Sunday... my own processing) has lead me in the past week to see this clearer than ever before. There IS a low rumble of change that is bubbling just beneath the surface. It is easy to take for granted here in the Bay (and just get comfy in it), but there is work to be done to reach the tipping point... and change the world (a major cultural shift towards a more "sustainable", "gentler", "Christ like" (choose your term) living).

So, I would like to propose that we start using this site (and other tools) to increase the surface area of BAYA. Meaning, if we can start connecting some of the dots, and filling each other (and whomever reads this) in on stuff that we are doing that is pushing towards a "Zion Tipping Point", we will be more effective, more fulfilled, and hopefully enjoy the process even more.

I am going to start by pointing out the lecture series that I went to last Tues, and is happening for the next two Tuesdays in Petaluma at IONS with RDNA. This is a group that is right in our backyard, and has a plan and the natural capitol to make it happen. I would love to see us take advantage of some of the stuff they are doing and both pull from and add to what they have cooking. I will be gone tomorrow, but will be at next weeks cob work party, and then the lecture. If anyone wants to go, let me know and we'll make an evening out of it. I see this like all of our BAYA stuff... If I am going to be doing it anyway, I will put the invite out there... no strings attached, but I will be better about jotting something down here so the knowledge goes a little further. It is $20 for the lecture, but I guess I would think of it as a form of stewardship towards work that is well worth it.

Lets try to share our stories up here... both fun stuff, and our work towards the spirit which makes BAYA such a cool community of friends.

TreeBed Music

2006-05-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

TreeBed Music
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

A fun little night of music at the church. Great to be singing with Chad, great to provide an atmosphere for the congregation (and whoever else) to gather and have a good time, and nice to have a long distance member of BAYA back in the mix. Thanks for all who helped in some way with the evening... even if it was just by being there and listening.

Point Reyes Backpacking - Year 3

2006-04-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend BAYA completed its Annual backpack at Point Reyes National Seashore. This year 7 of us ventured out through bog and swamp and up steep hills with laughter and memories of Karate Kid in our heads.

We stayed our first night at Coast Camp and arrived just in time to see the sunset. We were greeted by the omnipresent and brave raccoons. Here are our 4 tents in a green meadow of Coast Camp.

Following our theme, "You're the best around, nothing's ever going to take you down", here is the premier photo of the BAYA Cobra Kai Dojo. This is a definite possibility for our Bay to Breakers theme.

We were graced with excellent weather the whole weekend and with beautiful scenes like this, no matter how steep the uphill, I can't wait to get back out there.

Hope you can join us next year.

BAYA Easter Lunch

2006-04-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

After a great Easter Service, which included some awesome "cathedral setting" organ playing by Andy, the Padre, BAYA went to the new Crepevine for lunch in San Rafael. Lunch was quite tasty. And dessert was the requisite trip to the "Scoop" in Fairfax. It was Adam's first trip and Newsie's second. All in All, it was a great Easter day with friends.

Hiking with BAYA

2006-04-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

One of BAYA's favorite group activities is hiking the local trails of the Bay Area. Today, 4 of us hiked up a trail behind White Hill School to the top of the hill. There we found a mini-labyrinth that has be created by some locals.

Although the day was a little damp, the hike was good. Up, up and more uphill. It was a good warm-up for our backpack trip at Pt. Reyes next weekend.

Happy Easter everyone!

Helmets & Harnesses

2006-04-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

Helmets & Harnesses
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Getting ready for the high ropes course... I will have my eye out for when this new fashion trend goes mainstream. What was your favorite part of this rich experience?

Power in Periphery

2006-04-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend BAYA (the Novato chapter) was all over the map... literally. Not everyone's travels were based on fun and excitement, but I do suspect each person's weekend was connected with a common spirit that has become a constant presence with BAYA. We haven't touched on the spiritual by name yet in this diary of BAYA history. However, make NO mistake, it is a shared spirit that sets this group of friends apart from other friends that I hang out with. We do not use this blog as a forum to talk about God, religion or the spiritual, because that is not what makes us a "Young Adult Group". We are not friends out of obligation. We are a group (and this is my opinion mind you ;-) that has become friends from personal decisions of necessity. That is the only way I can describe how a group of people that live an hour long drive away from each other (the BAYA triangle), and still somehow seem to get together at least twice a week... and often 3 or more times a week. What is that necessity we feel? It is a community of spirit that we find, each and every time we gather. This weekend several of us gathered at a Sierra Pacific Young Adult Retreat. For those who weren't there, your presence was felt in many ways. We talked about how we get stuck out on the periphery of life in the church as young adults. Not ready to be the core, but having an understanding of what we have to offer and wanting to contribute to something larger than ourselves. This is a hard line to walk... both for those on the periphery, and those in that long standing core. It gave me great joy to share how our group has worked through many of those issues, and built momentum strong enough to ignite (and support) others.

This weekend I understood better than ever that... searching those people out who both love and support you fully, and you being willing to offer the same allows you to grow to understand yourself better, because sometimes "support" means expecting more from each other... And by working along side those people using the potential of that love and support you come to understand your value as a part of this human experience... And then by worshiping together (whether it be listening to prayer in a chapel, or the wind in the trees during a hike) we add that third element that connects us at our core, beyond our friendship, possibly beyond our humanness. That is where our power is found. Not the power to push others around, but the power to accept, absorb, listen, struggle, give and enjoy the process. You cannot be exclusive when you reside in the periphery. That is why it is powerful.

What we call "BAYA", is not a label for a group of individuals, or does it have anything to do with geography... but I believe it came out of a necessity of language to understand that which has transformed our group into something that we didn't really have words to describe. "BAYA" works as good as any word. It is not our invention. We were just fortunate enough to stumble upon it, recognize the potential, and be present to building that potential into something more... For that I am SO thankful. If you are reading this, you most likely have had contact in some way with BAYA. This means you are a part of that unexplainable. You have added to that power. You are connected to it... Tap into it. It is an unlimited resource... It is built out of love, support and a spirit that I don't yet understand, but do fully believe in. I encourage you to search it out in your corner of the world... I guarantee you it is worth it!

scoop

2006-03-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

scoop
Originally uploaded by ginelledds.

Katlin had a quick trip to the Bay and that resulted in a BAYA gathering. Amy also joined us from Sunnyvale and had her first experience with the Scoop! They even had Soy Mexican Chocolate, it was meant to be "Newsie".

Hello Spring!

2006-03-19T22:08:00.000-08:00

It's SPRING!

BAYA has officially closed the Winter season and opened the door to Spring by celebrating our last Winter day basking in the sun for lunch on a deck in Tiburon. In the coming months, I look forward to spending more lunchtimes this way, camping at Pt. Reyes, hiking on Sunday afternoons, and looking at the wildflowers in Yosemite!

We enjoyed the view from our friend, Chuch Taylor's home while having lunch on his sunny deck. Chuck lives in a town called Tiburon, which is located north of San Francisco and has breathtaking views of the Bay. He has been inducted into BAYA and accepted his new nickname "BBC" Broom Buster Chuck. He founded an organization called the Broom Busters who help keep the hillside free of pesky plants that ruin the wildflowers of the open space surrounding his home. Chuck is quite a special guy and we love him for all of his continuous positivity and youthful outlook on life, thus the oldest (82 years!) , but youngest at heart, member of BAYA! We love you Chuck. Like I said, breathtaking.

Storyhill Benefit (part 3)

2006-03-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

Wow! The Storyhill benefit concert was so many things to me. It was the culmination of a 29 days of planning, lots of teamwork, and many pieces coming together at the right time. And the result was an awesome and amazing concert put on by Chris and Johnny resulting in a significant amount raised for Outreach International's programs in Malawi.

My highlights for the night included seeing so many people in our building, hearing new Storyhill songs and Doug's speech tying the whole event together. However, if I had to choose one moment, it would have to be the spectacular harmonies on "Steady On" to conclude the show. Incredible. I hope to hear them again live in August/September and maybe at the COC 375 Calle Arboleda again.

STORYHILL ROCKS!

2006-03-14T23:54:00.000-08:00

First time benefit for BAYA- not too shabby! From left to right: according to our nicknames, Diablo, Scientist, Gas-r, Chris (of Storyhill), El Presidente, John (of Storyhill), Oasis/Skippy, Milah, and El Padre.

Whooohooo! The concert ROCKED! Storyhill's performance just blew the socks off all the people who showed up to support the benefit for Outreach International. From the regular Storyhill fan to the new listener, the concert was enjoyable for all. Way to go BAYA, it truly was a team effort - high fives all around! What a cool way to share in this community.
(Deb and I collecting admission and passing out water with messages about OI attached)

Micah Hammac opened with some of his own songs and started the evening off right. Treebed design also provided the concert atmosphere, including professionally pressed coffee and treats! Way to go Milah!

Carla and Diana did a stellar job on CD and other Storyhill music item sales! Thanks ladies. (Chris of Storyhill, scratching his head on all of the merchandise sales we made Storyhill that night!!!)

My favorite part of the concert was when they took requests and played "If I Could" per my shout from the back row. Thanks Storyhill! You guys played an amazing show and we definitely want to have you back again soon.

Let the event Begin...

2006-03-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

Let the event Begin...
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

It looks like I am the first one to complete the homework assignment from El Presidente. "My favorite part of last nights Storyhill benefit concert was..." Well, it had to be the looks that I got from Chris and John when I introduced them and they came up on stage. They both thanked me, and mostly it was in the way it felt like they were saying, "hey that was pretty good, we enjoyed that." It sort of made the whole thing real, and unreal at the same time. Here I was on stage performing, and then welcoming to the stage two big reasons why I was up there in the first place. Wow! It was really cool to see a full church of smiling people enjoying something that we worked really hard to make happen. The goal was to have an event that was a good experience for everyone... and I think we nailed it! Yeah BAYA!!!

Zippy's Chilli, B-A-Y-A and Apples...

2006-03-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Zippy's Chilli
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

All for Skippy's golden birthday... there were some fierce games of B-A-Y-A basketball (who knew Padre was a shooter, without legs!), and then the apple game (a supreme test of strategy, knowledge and skill)... all fueled by Zippy's chili and cajun pizza ;-) Happy Birthday Skippy... how is the mouth feeling this morning?

Storyhill Concert

2006-02-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

Well, it is really going to happen....We are going to have a benefit concert at the Novato Community of Christ Church with none other than "Storyhill" performing. The concert is going to be on Sunday March 12th at 6pm at the church. The proceeds of the concert will go towards our Outreach International fund supporting projects in Malawi. Some of you may remember "Storyhill" as Chris and Johnny from our G-land days, they have changed their name, but the music is still great. To see what they are up to check out their website . We hope to see you there.

Deb conquers basecamp moves on to blogger

2006-02-12T23:27:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right....you heard correctly, I actually set-up a basecamp for the Storyhill concert. Am I feeling pretty special right now, hmmmmm, yep, you know it! Anyhooo, now I am trying to get going on the blog. I am starting to get teched out, or maybe I'm just tired. So, I guess that's it for now.

Happy B-day!!!

2006-01-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

Happy B-day!!!
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

No extra "C" so look at it cross-eyed and you will be fine... or maybe you are are old enough that it is blury anyway (hee hee). We celebrated you tonight, hope you are well on your birthday!

Taco!

2006-01-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Taco!
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Another moving job complete... thankfully it was just a move up a flight of stairs. No VW busses used or needed.

Hey, now we can actually gather at the Skippy/GASR pad...

Merry Christmas from the Hostle

2005-12-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Egg
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

A merry Christmas from the Hostle... We miss you all, and we'll see you in the New Year!

BAYA In Lamoni

2005-12-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

BAYA In Lamoni
Originally uploaded by TreeBed.

I swear Holly is working... not sleeping. I on the other hand am getting sleepy (all that "work" I am doing). Must go rest up so I can play a good show with Cupcake tonight.

Santa Comes Early

2005-12-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

Well, Santa came to BAYA a little early this year... we will soon be scattering for the holiday season, so BAYA assembled for a post ESL party. There were nachos to be had, stories from the past few weeks to be shared, and a few gifts to be given out (it is a scary thing when the Hammac brothers have time to waste). Chances are if you have been associated with BAYA than you were thought of tonight... Beetle, get your butt out to this coast (even if it is a little far north, we are pulling for you). Holly, happy B-day, and you and Bob need to be headed this way soon. To everyone else... Happy holidays, and thanks for checking in on the BAYA blog.

2005-12-04T23:04:00.000-08:00

It was a small BAYA crew out today for a short hike (Padre this one is only 8.5 miles ;-) We headed out towards the coast to catch... I mean see the salmon, and take in a mighty waterfall. Perhaps in a few more weeks and a few more rainy days those two things would be part of this hike. In the mean time it was a pleasant stroll through the woods with friends, and some sort of biting creature that attacked Csientist. We also learned that the Two Bird Cafe closes at 3pm... so we need to walk faster next time. Although we were small in numbers, all who were not there were on our minds.

2005-11-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

BAYA Learns to Flickr

I am glad to say that I have infected most the group with the Flickr bug (there are still a few hold outs... you will be dealt with soon enough). Flickr is a photo hosting site that makes it very easy for people to stay connected and share photos. Ryan Carver is the one who got me started, and now I am spreading the word (it is much more fun the more friends that are involved). Anyone who is interested can go to Flickr and check it out (it is very easy to sign up and get started), or e-mail me with questions. If you want to get connected quickly with the BAYA crew (and many other people that I know and you might know too) go to my profile page TreeBed and you will find all of my contacts there (which then you can make them your contacts as well). Now go Flickr. Oh, also Flickr makes it very easy to Blog photos... so most of the photos that you see on this blog, if you click on them, will take you to the Flickr page of the one who took the photo... neat huh?

2nd Annual BAYA Smith Rock Hike

2005-11-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Smithrockgroup
Originally uploaded by ginelledds.

For BAYA's 2nd Thanksgiving hike, we went to Smith Rock State Park in Terrebonne, OR and home of world class rock climbing. Needless to say we left the big walls to the experts and hiked 3 mi. up Crooked River towards Burma (road, that is). It was great to get out and see a little nature in the cool crisp November air. Here is our group photo, pre-hike.

Turkey time !

2005-11-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

Get out the map !

The Boys On the Road...

2005-11-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Boys..., originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Milah and Cupcake survived the road trip... not without some battles though. There was $1500 spent to get us out of Vancouver, a missed show, a small show, a loud show... and some good music played in between.

Bon Voyage Cupcake... oh, and Happy Halloween!

2005-11-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

Bon Voyage Cupcake... oh, and Happy Halloween!, originally uploaded by TreeBed.

It was a surprise meeting at Downtown Joe's... aka the Hammac Hostle, to send off Cupcake in style. There was good food, good laughs and plenty of BAYA mayhem ;-) It will be sad to have a BAYA member 2000 miles away, but hopefully tools like this will keep us all on the same page. We look forward to your first return visit already...

Bubba Ho-Tep Birthday

2005-10-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

George and the Gang, originally uploaded by TreeBed.

Thank you to all who were in attendance last night (and those there in spirit)... It was an evening that was filled with randomness (just like the movie). It seems that everyone survived, no souls lost. Although there were some flying pinata issues and a lesson learned about beverages in boxes.

Most of all there were lots of laughs and the warm spirit that I am so thankful for when we all get together.

BAYA's Scoop

2005-10-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Dave's Scoop
Originally uploaded by TreeBed Design.

One of the favorite activities of BAYA is to visit the tasty, all natural, organic ice cream shop in Fairfax. It's called "The Scoop" and the ice cream is unforgettable. We all have our favorite flavors from Mexican Chocolate (chocolate with cinnamon) to Love Parade (vanilla with peanut butter and fudge chunks). A trip to the scoop is required for all BAYA visitors. So come out to SF and enjoy a little Vanilla Honey Lavendar with good friends.

Conversion?

2005-08-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Carbatarian to actual vegetarian

Sunday @ Yost's

2005-08-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Good times at Chateau de Yost!

2005-07-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

And now its time for the Month End Cheesy Humor Post or (MECHP), check out Google Maps of Apollo landings on the moon. Pretty cool to see the different landing sites. You can zoom all the way in and see the food left over from the landings.

http://moon.google.com/

2005-07-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

BAYA Goes Backpacking

BAYA is not messing around when it comes to technology... now we have a Blog, and a Backpack ;-) I thought I would get the ball rolling on how we might utilize each to make BAYA even better. Then hopefully others will chime in via comments (either e-mailed to the group or posted for all to see the process, choose which makes more sense).

Here is how I see this possibly working (of course it will all evolve according to how we learn to use it)...
The Blog: I think this can be our way of sharing the things we are doing with the outside world (yes, the Bay Area is it's own little bubble of a world). We have had lots of visitors to the group and this is a great way for people to catch up on what we have been up to and/or follow along. It is also a way of sharing the things that we are doing (Homework club, YPC, congregation stuff) and give some insight into how we did it. This way if someone out there in the world wants to use some of that insight... it is right there for them. And finally, it can keep all of BAYA in the loop when we are spread out (such as the lose of Cupcake the past few months ;-) There is plenty more, but I think that gives a general focus for the Blog.

The BAYA Backpack: http://baya.backpackit.com/

Backpack is a great organizing tool that keeps all your notes, todos, reminders etc. on the web in one convenient place... to be accessed by whomever you would like to see it. I think that this tool would be great for keeping us on top of things, as well as be a forum for us to bounce stuff around that the whole world doesn't need to see (although it can always be transferred onto the Blog if needed-much the way the TreeBed website will work). So, when we are organizing a trip to Yosemite, we can make a page for it and anything involving the trip can go up on that page (we can even set up reminders to be e-mailed or text msg to the group). Or if we have a project that we want to put together (such as the cell phone deal), it can all be organized and built up without wasting precious Scoop time trying to hash something out.

Do we need technology to make BAYA work? No. However, these things can not only help us document the adventures we have (which will be fun to look back on), but can make us a potent force in whatever we jump into (even if it is just fun). This stuff shouldn't replace our time together, but it can make us more efficient at enjoying the best part of BAYA... each other's company.

Thank you and goodnight.

2005-07-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Sad Day For Skippy...

Well, it was a rough morning when I got up and read Padre's e-mail about his "discovery"... back to the drawing board I guess. I am sure that the last two years of development (that is what "unemployment" was all about wasn't it) will be of some use somewhere... perhaps this company could use a consultant (or at least a product tester). I know, "Company Spokesman" (or perhaps couple), I mean could it get any better than Skippy and GAS-R out there testifying to the benefits of flatulent filtering. It would be marketing genius! So, you can't be the inventor, or make the millions from it being "your" idea... but I am choosing to look on the bright side... I now know what I am getting you for your wedding!!!

http://www.under-tec.com/store.php

Do More Good?

2005-07-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

So I have been kicking around an idea for mobile phone recycling and
fund-raising for us as a group, church, mission center or overall church.
An organization, Collective Good (www.collectivegood.com), recycles phones
for use in developing countries and pays a small amount per phone to
charitable groups. Good for BAYA, Good for Mother Earth, and Good for some
fund-raising. I was thinking this could be a fairly simple way to raise a
little money for, on a small scale, the campership fund or, on a larger
scale, Outreach International. Perhaps we could partner with TreeBed or
even SIFE, in some manner. I know we are all busy, but what do you think?
Good or bad idea? Not enough time? Your input is appreciated.

2005-07-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

I thought a blog might be a good place for BAYA to post pics and record memories from our adventures. Check it out and post your comments or e-mail me. I think I can set it up for each of us to add or edit posts.

Here is a pic from our weekend backpack at Pt. Reyes Nat'l Seashore.

Weekend Cross Country Skiing in Yosemite (Elvis sighting included).

BAYA at the Giants Game (put me in coach, I'm ready to play)

BAYA Thanksgiving Holiday. Top of Smith Rock, Redmond, Oregon.