Hey you guys,

Thanks for keeping me busy doing what a facilitator does. I'm glad
to have the chance to interact with you this way (Aleta, Karen,
Melanie in particular).

A couple of comments on the insightful message from Melanie (below):

1. There ain't no "board!" If you participate in this thing, you
have as much right to effect its direction as you are willing to be
responsible for. That's how it works. When a "committee" decision
is to be made, the host of the meeting (there have been two so far,
hosted by the Chartains) has the privilege of inviting people, but
ALL of us are notified, informed, and consulted on issues that affect
us.

2. She may not have realized it, but Melanie has given us what might
be the coolest name yet:
"THUMPING PARTY." Thanks Melanie!

3. And thanks again Patter, and Orlene, and Aleta, and every last
one of you for forging into the unknown with us. There's a signpost
up ahead...it reads: "Entering Community."

with love,
bobby g

>Hi All;
>Long time no see. (I have Monday night rehearsals, and as I'm the
>conductor, I can't very well bail out, so I've missed you guys. For
>those who don't remember me by name, I'm the woman who sings up into
>the stratosphere and has a long blond braid.)
>
>Having started many musical groups myself, I think it is perfectly
>reasonable for Patter, who began this whole party/drum thing way
>back when in his living room, to keep the name. It's kind of his
>band, whether we all think we're part of it or not. The thing is,
>Patter organized this thing, taught bunches of folks to play, lent
>dozens of people instruments, and hosted this entity. It was his to
>begin with. It has been very generous of him to include all and
>sundry, if you think about it. And now he's passing the torch. He
>wants to keep the name, and it seems like a pretty small thing, in
>terms of how huge this thumping party has become.
>
>Things changed. Yup, some of it happened without consulting us, the
>masses, but now we're being consulted. We're being asked to find a
>name for ourselves and to participate in a more organic way than
>just showing up and beating a path to the food. We're being asked
>for opinions. It's true that there hasn't been a lot of invitation
>to join the organizing "board," but really folks, how many of you
>would put in the time and energy it took to get this show on the
>road, and find a home for us (go on, just try to find a place that
>is willing to host drummers), and build a Web site, and find guest
>hosts, and and and. If you really would like to bend your elbow, I'm
>sure the "board" would welcome you. Otherwise, how nice that
>something else has changed and it's time for us to employ democracy
>again.
>
>I, for one, am very grateful to Patter for giving me a nice place to
>see just how fast I can drum before my heart explodes, a place to
>fool around with leadership and following, listening and hearing,
>and for meeting people I otherwise might not have tripped over,
>medievalist that I am. To me, watching Patter own the name of the
>group he founded and poured so much love into is a great way of
>applauding his efforts.
>
>A rose, after all, by any other name, would still find the beat.
>
>Melanie