#innerfieldnotes

[artistsintheclassroom8]

“The Work”

May 2017. San Francisco, CA

Reliving

Reframing

Reinventing

Rethinking

Refeeling

Requestioning

Rebeing

Thanks Alex, for sharing such a helpful set of questions! 

www.thework.com

[artistsintheclassroom8]

My Mama's On The Mend :)

In-N-Out. July 2017. Lebec, CA

Thanks everyone, for all the support & well wishes! SF <-> SD <-> SF <-> SD <-> SF <-> SD <-> SF... ✈️  ✈️  ✈️  ✈️  🚗  ........ Pausing for lunch. In-N-Out ❤️  Somewhere on the 5, between here & there. 

Actually, Lebec, CA.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Mini Reflection On Systems #12

“Ombudsman”

So cool! I had no idea this role existed! Until I began spending time in hospitals & skilled nursing facilities, and googled this with a doctor; No it’s not named after the winning plaintiff in a court case (which is what I initially thought) - it’s actually the name of an official role in a system.

From Wikipedia:

“An ombudsman, ombuds, or public advocate is an official, usually appointed by the government or by parliament, but with a significant degree of independence, who is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or a violation of rights. In some countries an Inspector General, Citizen Advocate or other official may have duties similar to those of a national ombudsman, and may also be appointed by a legislature. Below the national level an ombudsman may be appointed by a state, local or municipal government. Unofficial ombudsmen may be appointed by, or even work for, a corporation such as a utility supplier, newspaper, NGO, or professional regulatory body.

The typical duties of an ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. Ombudsmen sometimes also aim to identify systematic issues leading to poor service or breaches of people's rights. At the national level, most ombudsmen have a wide mandate to deal with the entire public sector, and sometimes also elements of the private sector (for example, contracted service providers). In some cases, there is a more restricted mandate, for example with particular sectors of society. More recent developments have included the creation of specialized Children's Ombudsman and Information Commissioner agencies...”

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Mini Reflection On Systems #11

When perspectives converge, it's helpful to be able cite at least 2-3 articles / studies that support your position. Similarly, one can ask to be pointed in the direction of research that supports another practitioners' philosophy of practice (and not in an ‘I gotcha' way, as that’s relationship damaging in the long run…(I know, because I just made that mistake :-/)…. But rather in a sincere, attempting-to-understand, information-seeking way).

A sincere ask on this front not only demonstrates curiosity about anothers’ point of view, but also invites them to examine the foundations of their beliefs. 

Keeping the bar high for everyone. 

In the moment,  on the ground,  here & now.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Mini Reflection On Systems #9

An effective system shouldn't require an advocate for a positive outcome.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

In The Midsts Of ____, Was This. Perfect. Orange. Flower.

June 2017. San Diego, CA

I've been back and forth between SF & SD quite a bit lately, and in circumstances | situations | environments that are putting my ability to stay centered, and / or quickly return to center, to the test. I've been thinking too, of what leadership is. What it looks like. What it feels like. What it means. And how it differs in ones' personal life vs. ones' professional life vs. one's artistic life vs. one's any-other-kind-of-life... (another post to follow, probably, eventually, on how all these things are actually one, from my perspective).

So I was sitting out on the porch, eating my breakfast - with all kinds of thoughts swirling through my head, and many, many contradictory emotions moving through my body - when I glanced over and saw this 

Perfect. 

Orange. 

Flower.

It was like in the midsts of a mental & emotional hurricane, I somehow found the eye, or the eye found me; Just for a second, all of my focus was on that flower. And then I was able to hold it. And then hold it for a little longer. And a little longer after that... And then a little longer still..... 

And I thought this a revelation, considering my circumstance and state of mind at the time; As short as it was, and then as sustained as it became, I thought "That's it!" THAT'S IT!

The reason this moment was so beautiful for me was because I realized that in pure focus (which we either find, or finds us, or is cultivated, or is some combination of all three, or, I'm not even sure...) there's no room for anything else. There's no room for judgement, no room for mind wandering, no room for hemming & hawing, there isn't even room for emotion or sentimentality. It just, as my Dad sometimes puts it. 

Is. 

What it is. 

It's laser-like focus. Jolting us into the here & now.

I was happy to have experienced that beautiful, clear, noticing, moment: That perfect orange flower, out on the porch: Truly & deeply.

Maybe that's what leadership is to me right now; In the midsts of ____(fill in the blank with anything)____ , being able to see, hold, and appreciate. 

The 

Prefect. 

Orange. 

Flower.

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Mini Reflection on Systems #8

skillful action = minimum effort -> maximum output

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Reflections On Airports, Wingtips & Being In Motion

May 2017. Somewhere Between Here & There

I've been back and forth between SF & SD a lot lately, and reflecting. As I tend to do at the end of the school year, but also, specifically, on my Mom, who has been & continues to be a complete and total enigma to me; When I think about her, one of the first things that comes to mind is a piece of advice she gave me long ago, which was: "Always have enough for a plane ticket home." For her that was, and still is, Switzerland. She used to tell me about her travels back & forth, and how regardless of what was going on, regardless of why she was traveling, she'd always take comfort in looking out the window to see her flag on the wingtip -- a constant for her, in many different scenarios; For some reason this really resonated with me, as did her ticket advice. . . . . I think a lot about why I am the way I am, and generally, why people are the way they are -- Is it nature? Is it nurture? Is it an inextricably intertwined combination of both? I dunno.... But I do know that for whatever reason, I've come to value & love airports, wingtips, always having enough for a ticket home, and - as demonstrated by my current line of work - constantly being in motion. 

Maybe my flag is my iPod, and my wing is the speaker... 🇨🇭  ✈️   --->📱 📻. ...

Yeah...

Maybe.

*If anyone wants to bring this post up to me on the ground next week, instead of vaguely alluding to its' content, or ‘speaking to me in code’, you could say "Hey Jakey, I saw on your Instagram feed that ________." Or "Hi Jakey, I read on your blog that __________." Etc. That would be my preference. 

[artistsintheclassroom8]

Mini Reflection on Systems #7

Moral Conundrum Questions (not rhetorical, but genuine & information seeking):

1) If I participate in a system that I don’t fully believe in, am I being integral?

2) If I participate in a system that I don’t fully believe in, and do nothing to try to change it, am I complicit?

3) (Whatever the answer).. How far does this extend? — Classroom? School? City? County? State? Nation?

I think about this stuff a lot, and sometimes it feels overwhelming :(