"We are living in a transformational time and we need to know it. " David Boren
Thus spake the lecturer for today. Today's lecture was designated "The Chautauqua Lecture" for 2010. . . only one lecture gets that designation per year. And it was worth it. David Boren is a centrist Democrat who used to be Governor of Oklahoma, Senator from Oklahoma and is currently serving as the President of the University of Oklahoma. What an extraordinary man with good sound insights and ideas for the problems the country faces today.
I went into this week not caring much one way or the other about the topic, and I'm being inspired and challenged every single day, multiple times a day. Mr. Boren made too many on target points to include in a blog. But an example of his message included the observation that special interest money is coming into politics and destroying the system. He believes that only a constitutional amendment would serve to fix things in that respect. I wonder how you pass a consitutional amendment about that with congressional members who are backed by special interest money? He said that when he was first a senator, all the new senators of both parties would have weekly potluck dinners where they all got together and got to know each other. Now, he says, they have party caucuses where the topic is always "how to make the other party look bad." He said he attended these and was asked for a suggestion a topic for the following meeting. He said, "How about the 'national interest?'"
I attended another brown bag lunch event today. There are many of these each day with various groups sponsoring topics and presentations. The one I attended today was presented by the Gay/Lesbian Alliance. There is a member of the choir who is just the nicest guy ever. He and his partner have adopted two brothers who are 11 and 5. They were presenting their story of the adoption and challenges for their situation. It was a great story and the boys were there. These two men are so devoted to these two boys.
The two o'clock lecture was given by Daisy Khan who is a Muslim woman heavily involved in organizations educating the world about Muslim views. She is in a group called WISE (Women in Islam Seeking Equality). She was very interesting and made the point that Muslim extremists are the greatest threat to the Muslim community. I am so humbled listening to all these great activists and thinkers describe their work.
After this lecture I was walking by the AMP and the orchestra was rehearsing for tonight's program. The guest conductor was a Chinese woman, Mei-Ann Chen. She was phenominal. I settled into the choir loft so that I could just watch her work with the orchestra. I have sung with some of the most famous conductors in the world, but never for a woman. The difference in approach was so stark. While her conducting and style are very strong, her manner with the orchestra was very warm and personal. During a break, I saw her go up to the tympani player and begin by saying, "I love the way you play tympani!" She then went on to make a suggestion about one phrase, and sit with him while he tried it, and then she told him that what he played was "now perfect!" I saw her communicate on a personal level with several of the players, all during the breaks. I LOVED watching her work and listening to the concert in this rehearsal mode.
We had choir practice tonight, and then I went to the movies again! Saw Young Victoria which I loved.
I finished Someone Knows My Name, and started reading The Red Thread by Ann Hood and am already enjoying that.
And most exciting of all is that I stopped by the lovely quintessential Chautauqua condo that I was looking at, and signed up for next season. The landlady is from Australia and lives upstairs all season. I've already met the other two women who will be my neighbors for the season, so I so look forward already to next year when I can settle in for the entire time, have plenty of kitchen space to make all my regular foods, enjoy the clawfoot bathtub, utilize the front porch to enjoy a glass of wine with my friends at the end of the day. . . . . . YIKES!!!!!!
Yes indeedy. . . .this has been a RICH AND FULL day for sure.
