Entries this day: Josephine_meet_Scott YRUU_interview

Josephine meet Scott

5:50pm CST Sunday 26 January 2003

Josephine has just arrived home from the SDC? this weekend. After she ate a piece of pie, she and I are going to the lake so she can learn how to drive Scott.

I'm excited, and release the outcome to the universe.

Hahaha you Superbowl watching city! No one will be by the lake to bug us!

7:44pm

Josephine did great driving. I drove us to where the weird boat dock things are at that park, explained what the transmission does, and how the engine, clutch, transmission, gear shift, wheels are all connected. Used the technique that Fred suggested for learning how to teach someone how to drive a standard: don't fuck with the gas pedal, but just put the car in first and slowly let the foot off the clutch and find that magic point where it begins to roll forward. Once the left foot knows where that point is, begin to use the gas as well. That teaching technique worked quite well (Thanks, Fred!) and Josephine was driving like a slow Mario Andretti in no time. She even got started from stopped on a hill! Most excellent!

She drove around that little loop thing a few times and then she drove along the lake, all the way under Mockingbird, and then did a U-turn before we got to the next big intersection. She made good time on the way back, getting used to 3rd gear a few times. Once we made it all the way back past the park area, and to the stop sign just past the old railroad tracks that go over the street, we switched drivers and I brought us home, mostly telling her verbally what my feet were doing as I clutched, shifted, braked, gassed.

YRUU interview

12:31am CST Monday 27 January 2003

On Saturday, January 25, 2003, at 10:04 PM, -=annie bricker=- wrote:

alright, guys, you are all the ones that replied to my call for an
interview.  first, thanks so so so much for helping me out.  now, here
is some other things:

when you reply to these questions, reply directly to me, and not to
each other.  its not so great if you guys see each others answers,
cause that always influences you and all that jazz.  also, feel free
to "talk outside" the questions.  if some question brings to mind
something else you want to mention, or if you just want to say some
stuff at the end of the interview, go for it.  in a perfect world, id
be interviewing you all in person, and im sorry that cant happen, but,
if you want to talk more about the interview later, you call call me
or ill be online monday night around 10pm your time.  also, alot of
these questions might seem super obvious, but, i cant interview myself
so bare with me.  advisors, i definantly want your point of view.
alright, so make with the questions, annie.


1)  How did you get into YRUU?  Parent?  Friends?

My mom wanted to raise her kids in a religious setting she
appreciated.  She searched around and found UUism.  I was 5 or so.  I
grew up in the church and YRUU was therefore a natural progression for
me.  I didn't realize that not all churches have youth groups.  Ours
was relatively strong while I was there.  We called ourselves N.U.T.S.
Northwoods Unitarian Teen Society.  At the time it didn't even sound
like a funny name.  Of course the pun was there, but the joke wore off
after a while.  We were just the nuts!

In my high school career, I attended lots of lock-ins, youth sundays,
bake sales, beach cleanups, mostly with youth who seemed older and
cooler than me.  When I was cool and older our church had an annual
retreat.  Fred and I always had something for the talent show.  I'd be
in the talent show multiple times with various people.  Wacky stuff,
silly stuff, youth stuff.

I attended 8 rallies, 2 SWUUSIs, 1 spring conference, 1 ConCon from
1986 to 1990.  I cried leaving my last rally at age 19 and 11 months.

- - - -

I became an advisor in YRUU after I graduated from college.  I wanted
to give back to the community that had given so much to me.  I
actually just dropped in on a rally, Houston 1996.  No one knew who I
was, but I sure knew where I was.  It was the exact same energy I had
left 6 years previously.  It took me about a year of rallies to fully
transform from a youth to an advisor.


2)  How long have you been involved in YRUU?

I've been involved as an advisor longer than I had as a youth,
including my transition year.  I started advising at Houston 1996, and
missed about 4 rallies and a couple of SWUUSIs from then to Houston
2002.  Maybe I missed 5 rallies; I dunno.


3)  How is YRUU structured?

From the bottom up, YRUU begins as like minded youth in their
churches, seeking similar brainwaves with which to connect.  They meet
probably once per week for 1 or 2 hours.  Sometimes the youth hang out
outside these official YRUU meeting times; it just depends on the
friendships that are forged.  Youth groups with enough youth may find
a need to create a leadership body within itself, and may further
choose to create a YAC (Youth Adult Committee) designed to communicate
between the youth and the adult members of the congregation.

Separate yet geographically close youth groups may find/create
opportunity to meet with one another, combining energies and
compounding the fun with shared stories, jokes, activities, worship,
play, etc etc.  Such connections can actually result in a new layer of
leadership (such as HAC YAC (Houston Area Churches Youth Adult
Committee) formed around 1998 or 1999 and continues today) to help
maintain calendars and plans and funds.

Still larger collections of youth groups may connect for weekend
conferences, lasting from Friday night to Sunday morning.  Conferences
may be just time to play and hang out, or may be focused more
carefully on worship or social action or any given project the youth
wish to accomplish.  These usually happen with support from some
district-level leadership body, even though I haven't mentioned
districts yet.

From the top down, the Unitarian Universalist Association with offices
in Boston, Massachusettes, is a big ol' monstrosity thing that is all
wazzap and tries to support and promote the denomination from a larger
perspective.  Congregations choose to be part of the UUA if they want.
The UUA does not often seek to create a new congregation in a specific
location, although this may be shifting a bit.  North America is
divided into 22 or 23 (I think 22 now) districts by the UUA.  With
geographically smaller districts in the northeastern US, where the
population density of UUs is apparently high, and geographically huge
districts in the west, midwest and southwest (whut whut!!)

Um, oh, there's a continental level YRUU office called the Youth
Office, which has 3 full time youth staff members (Youth Program
Specialists), 1 adult staff (Youth Programs Director), and maybe
others.  This office is overworked and underfunded for the amount of
stuff they do.  "between" the youth office and the districts there is
a continental leadership body called Youth Council, which includes a
member (or 2) from each district, and some youth 'at large' positions
for otherwise under-represented demographics within YRUU.  This
committee meets once per year, for a week right after the week long
continental conference (ConCon), which is held in a new location each
year.  A subset of Youth Council is The Steering Committee, which
meets 3 or 4 additional times each year, trying to make sure the tasks
of youth council are completed.

4)  Do YRUUers have any language that is unique to YRUU?  Some lingo?

YRUU has songs that only exist (so far) in YRUU.  Southwest District
in the past 4 years has produced 2 songs that I know of:  "The Walrus
Song" and "Ants and Cheese."  The Walrus Song seems to have "made it"
into the institutional memory of the continent.  I don't know if Ants
and Cheese will make it.

"Crush his dude!" was a rallying cry that used to mean "join me,
friends, in raucously climbing on top of our friend, crushing him to
the ground and keeping him from breathing easily for a moment.  Jason,
you sit on top."   Very few YRUUers in southwest district know this
term.

"Silent Football" is a game that I've heard *many* times in YRUU, and
very few times outside of YRUU.  In fact I've never actually heard it
outside of YRUU, but I've heard of it outside YRUU.

5)  What values do you as a YRUUer hold most important?

Youth empowerment.  I let the youth do what they want to do, encourage
them to believe in themselves, to create that which they want to
create.

6)  What is unacceptable in YRUU?  (even beyond the big 4)

country music.  Well, it's extremely rare.

7)  What makes YRUU different from other youth groups?

Youth empowerment.  That so few rules are required to create such an
 incredibly strong loving community.  Allowing the youth to be
 themselves and be loved for being themselves brings out the best in
 each youth, encourages them to share their finest talents, and as
 they are comfortable, their worst fears.  This bonding make YRUU the
 best thing available, anywhere.

8)  Tell me some old school YRUU stories.  The legends of YRUU.

Whooooooooooooooooooooo.

- - - - - - - - -

Houston Rally 1986: My first rally.  It was customary for us to have
YRUU initiations at rallies for the rally virgins.  I was pretty
scared, but put on my tough guy facade so I wouldn't seem so scared.
The older youth put us all into a room, and called one youth down at a
time.  When it was my turn to go, Ginnie Kilgore (recently finished a
pilgramage across France, is now in The Netherlands) brought me down
from the waiting room to the main room.  On the way, she put ice in
the back of my underwear.  Brrr.

Anyway, I got to the room and it was all dark except for one light
shining upon a chair.  I was told to go to the chair.  I turned
around, put one hand on each arm of the chair to sit down.

"Stand in the chair."

Without flinching, without adjusting my arms, without sitting down, I
pressed my body up so that my feet were above the seat.  I stood in
the chair, relished in the collective "oooooh" from the audience
shrouded in darkness.

"What is your name?"

I told the voice in the darkness.

"Where are you from?"

I told the voice.

"Why are you here?"

I don't know what I told the voice.

"What are you thinking right now?"

I don't know what I told them.

"According to the latest issue of the (blah blah blah) magazine, the
physical, psychological, and emotional reactions you have just
exhibited are the same as those of your first sexual experience.  You
may now sit down with the group."

That was Friday night of my first rally.

- - - - - - - - -

Houston 1986, day two of my first rally.

On Saturday, we played ultimate.  I was so happy, so high on life,
that I played ultimate frisbee while barefoot, even though the ground
was littered with those spikey sweet gum ball things.  I got back from
ultimate and my dad had called.  Or he was on the phone.  He asked
"what have you been doing?"  I replied something like, "I don't know,
but I've been having a *great* time!"

- - - - - - - - -

SWUUSI 1987.  Back in those days, the high school group met in Bayview
(at main camp near all the adults).  Maximum 40 youth at SWUUSI cause
that's all that could fit in Bayview.  One night late late we were
walking to the lake.  Walked by a tent that I happen to know contained
Amy Leyenberger's family.  We were talking rambunctiously loud after
most adults had gone to bed so her mom goes "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

Someone in our group goes, "oh listen, that tent is leaking!"

- - - - -

SWUUSI 1987.  On one of the first days, we all went to the lake to
swim.  Christina Branum (now Christina Branum-Martin, who has advised
at first church Houston) and Ginnie Kilgore (who I met at my first
rally) and I swam about 200(?) yards across a little bay to where we
saw a hill that we wanted to climb.  We had seen a green field on the
hill that looked interesting.  Turns out the field was a yard of some
apparently wealthy family, for the streets in this neighborhood
brimmed with Porches, Jaguars, Mercedes, etc.

We didn't snoop too much, but went back to the lake and decided the
lake traffic was far too crowded for us to make it back across safely.
So we waved down a ski boat and asked if they would give us a lift.
They were like, "sure!" and then "hey, do you guys wanna go skiing?"
Of course we do, so we did.  We tried to get both me and Ginnie I
think on skiis at the same time, but that didn't work.  So then just I
was skiing, and while the boat was turning, I was wayyy outside the
turn, hauling ass over the water.

Just as the boat was turning into a cove, another boat came out and
our boat had to stop.  My rope went slack and I almost fell.  I didn't
fall, however, but when our boat sped up again, the rope went taught
and I almost fell.  I didn't fall, however, but when the waves from
the first boat hit me, I fell.  Those in the boat said it was quite an
amazing fall, as I somehow flipped forward, twisted around, and got
bopped in the cheek with a ski.  Right on the bone below my left eye.
I said to myself, "self, I hope I'm not bleeding." I touched the spot
and there was blood everywhere.  Damn.  I knew that meant I'd have to
quit skiing.  Turns out it also meant 4 stitches and no more swimming
for me for the rest of that SWUUSI.

- - - - - - - -

Oklahoma City Rally 1987

As a group, the entire rally went out to the midnight showing of Rocky
Horror Picture Show.  I really had no idea what all was involved.  I
had never been.  I planned just to wear some messed up clothes, but I
realized that was too simple after everyone else kept adding more and
more stuff to their appearance.  I ended up with eyeliner, an ankh
drawn on my left cheek, a pentagram drawn on my right cheek, and my
hair in liberty spikes.

When we arrived, I looked so convincingly not like a Rocky Horror
Virgin, that one of the regulars asked if I would help them on stage.
I lied that I had been to Rocky once, but that I didn't feel like
helping them.  Truth was I was scared shitless about what they were
planning to do to the virgins!  Turned out to be no big deal - just
taught them the Timewarp, and yelled "Virgins!" at them.

Ironically, after Rocky Horror that night we had YRUU rally
initiations at the rally.  I did a couple of the initiations.  Liberty
Spikes in my hair, little funky mirrored shades as I grilled the
virgins with the questions I had first heard at my first rally.  I
almost cracked up laughing at one point, but I kept it together.

- - - - - -

Dallas Rally 1990

Back in my rally days, Dallas Rally was the biggest, most awesomest
rally every year.  Always held right around Valentine's day.  Always
around $14 (from what I can remember).  Always awesome.

On Saturday, after ultimate frisbee, we went out and climbed on the
wall next to Preston Street, on which the church is situated.  We
watched traffic go by, waved at cars, tried to get a reaction out of
people.  Never interfered with traffic per se, but waved and cheered a
lot.  The highlights were the Porsches & BMWs & Mercedes...  the
highlight of the highlights was:  "LAMBORGHINI!!!" We all jumped off
the wall - yelling and waving as we ran toward the sidewalk.  The guy
saw us and revved up his engine.  The sound was beautiful.  so
powerful and cool.  Vroo-Vrroo VROOOOOOOMMMM!!!!  It was completely
kick ass awesome.  The car was beautiful red and fantastic.

We quit waving at cars after one driver *bumped* a van because he was
watching us and not the road.   We were all, "Ooops!  gotta go!"

- - - - - - -

Austin YAC retreat 1998 or so

Austin Roth sat across the circle from me in a game of Silent
Football.  I was dictator.  Jeremy Loomis-Norris came into the circle
and sat squarely in Austin's lap, grinning his huge grin up at me.


"Customary Tip of the Hat!"

Austin raised his hand.

"Mr Austin?"

"Mr Dictator, I cannot see anything."

"Hmmm."  I held up my hand, with fist closed.  "How many fingers am I
holding up?"


"Mr Dictator, I do not see any fingers."

"Mr Austin is correct.  Customary Tip of the Hat!  Customary Shroop!"

Austin tried in vain to play, not being able to see anything going on.
Valiant effort.


- - - - - -

OKC Rally 1998 or so

Silent Football game in the corner of the hallway.  I had *just*
explained the rules.  For the very first move, I fwapped to Danny K.
Danny K's eyes grew wide, he looked around like a scared rabbit, then
jumped up and ran away.  We never saw him again that game.

- - - - - -

OKC Rally 2000 or so

Silent Football game where I made Kris Scott play a new improvised
tune on guitar and sing everytime he wanted to tattle.


9)  How do you communicate with other YRUUers?

mostly electronically.  Some phone calls, some face to face, some
written letters.  Always always always with love.
I'm quite thankful for the opportunity to live at the Bibby's house, a
junction for YRUU travelers.



10) Do you hang out with other YRUUers outside of structured events
and meetings?  How often?


When I was a youth, no.  After I graduated, I called up some of my
favorites and hung out a bit, but didn't keep it up for too long.
Went to the zoo once with Cheri.  I don't think I've ever seen her
again.


Nowadays yeah, when they come say HI here at the Bibby's house.  Back
a couple years ago, Bryn went to Australia.  Wende and I went to see
Wende's friend's wedding.  Bryn came to visit us while we were there.
That ruled.  I have also traveled to Europe with Bryn, as an escort
for her to see her university.  Not that she really needed an escort,
but she invited me to go and I certainly wasn't going to turn down an
invite to see London and Paris for my first time.


11) How has YRUU changed your life?

As a youth, I felt unloved in high school.  Had like 1 real friend.
In YRUU, I had lots of friends.  Lots of people who loved me for who I
was.


As an advisor, I believe I have really truly positively affected the
lives of many people and therefore the world.


12) How has the scene changed since you started going?

YRUU is a lot bigger now.  80 people used to be a big rally.  Now 80
is a medium sized rally.   40 youth were SWUUSI youth camp.  The
energy is the same.  The songs are different.  We had "Bish Bish" and
"Good Friends" and "Yogi Bear."  We also had "Plastic Jesus" and
"Halls of LRY" and "Hello, my name is Jesus"     We didn't have the
beaver song, the walrus song, Ants and Cheese,  Moose named Fred,
Aristasha, Pie pie pie...


Anything else you want to add...

I have learned that the greatest pleasure for a
mentor/teacher/advisor/old-person is to receive a note, a greeting, a
message from a young person formerly in one's charge.  Being a YRUU
advisor has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I
have learned many things from my youth and my experiences here.  I've
grown a lot; I've helped many people grow.  I have learned to chase my
dreams with wild abandon.  I've blessed people with "you can do it"
long enough that I now pretty much believe it's true for myself as
well.

comments

Name: Casey Jones

Email: amazedwithme *redacted*

Subject: Silent Football

Comment:
Hey Rob Man,

Interesting thing happened to me today. I was in French, one of my 2 favorite classes and i was talking to the teacher about how i had used French to get around not using pronouns when we played silent football at SDC this previous weekend. I didn't mention the name of the game and my friend Nik asked me. I told him and he goes "Hey i've heard of that.". Thinking he must be mistaken i go over some basic rules with him to confirm he really did know how to play. He said he had learned it from really close family friends his age that play it. Then the bell rang and i didnt get to talk to him about it any more. I think it's awesome that the game may of spread outside of the YRUU community and i plan to ask him some more tomorrow. Anyway i thought you might find that interesting.

-Casey-

Name: Amy Walkowiak

Bubblegum *redacted*

Subject: N.U.T.S.

Comment:
I like your name for your old youth group. I haven't seen many youth groups who had a name for it, but when I lived in Albuquerque our youth group was called "La Amikoj" which means "the friends". They made it up in the 70s, do you remember Esperanto? "they" were trying to invent the language that over time everyone would speak and it would be known as the universal language? well, it failed horribly (duh) but La Amikoj is in this language, I'm pretty sure it's called Esperanto.
when I came to oklahoma I remember asking someone at the church where the la amikoj was and they looked at me like I was crazy.
anyway, just thought I'd tell you. I just like how you guys had a name. I think all the youth groups should.

Love,

Amy permalink