Minutes - 18 JULY 2004 (Sunday)

Present: Darren O., Christian, Todd, Darren J., Kathleen, Rob

Agenda: 1. Introductions 2. Proposals 3. Retreat 4. Promotion 5. Fall 2004 Launch Event

1. We introduced ourselves to each other as we sat in the backyard.

2. PROPOSALS

Darren O'Donnell proposed a course titled, "The Toronto Strategy Meetings". This is a meeting/social experiment that forces a collision between the individual and the collective where both are given total autonomy and where the collective experience will help foster stronger commitment to whatever the participant happens to be working on as well as providing opportunities for people to share resources and ideas and influence each other. These will take the form of hour-long meetings occuring 9AM Monday morning for a year. The one hour meetings consist of report-backs to the group from each participant. The group felt that this was a good idea on principle with a question about who would gravitate to the meetings and whether there should be a way to represent the concept in a more focused way. Some thought that starting at 9AM on Monday might be a barrier to some. Course was approved with Darren to provide a more concise blurb for the course description.

Todd Parsons presented an 8 week course on "Introduction to Social Ecology and the Thought of Murray Bookchin". Todd's course is a fairlly comprehensive introduction to social ecology and the philosophy of its major exponent, Murray Bookchin. The course will focus on Bookchin's primer, Remaking Society, with supplemental texts from Bookchin, his associates and his critics. Course was accepted and a more detailed description of the course should be made available. We also asked Todd to consider ranking the readings in importance in each week as other faciliatators have experienced that participants may not do all the required readings for each week. (Course day: MONDAY nights)

Christian proposed a course called, "The Psychedelic Century". This course will examine drug culture and its social and creative links to activism, social movements, and creativity. Christian circulated a proposal which sets out a weekly breakdown of course topics. The focus of the readings will be decided on the participants in the class who may choose from arts, writing or more scientific approaches to the topic. We approved Christian's course with the proviso that he consider structuring the syllabus more in order to provide a working document for the class participants to work through and select alternatives.

Christian proposed another course on "Radical Comix Culture". This course will explore local, current and past comics, including underground comics and make links with social activism and art. Christian did not have a worked out proposal yet, and the group suggested that this course be deferred until a more detailed course proposal can be worked out.

3. RETREAT

Rob mentioned to the group that there is still time to sign up for the retreat at Dragonfly Farms. There is a registration fee of $25.

4. EVENT/PROMOTION

We discussed whether to have a Fall Launch event for 2004 this year. Rob described what the group did last year (A joint event and barbeque with Fuse Magazine in Trintity Bellwoods Park) and suggested that this may be the easiest thing to do again given time constraints. Darren J. suggested that we also consider having an event in December indoors that would involve a space and bands (he knows of a space/hall at Queen & Niagara). Chrisitan mentioned that he has links to outdoor DJ performance folks.

No specific plans were worked out yet with regards to the Launch event. Several people mentioned that they were going to be away in August and could not help out.

It was mentioned that there could be a meeting up at dragonfly to discuss the Launch event, and to generate some interest in organizing it.

NEXT MEETING: Sunday August 8, 2004 at 4pm 196 MANNING AVE