Dialogues and Conversations

ANOTHER WAY TO THINK – An NVC course

ANOTHER WAY TO THINK: how to translate your judgmental, critical and blaming thoughts toward yourself and others into compassionate communication. Before you speak, you think. This four-week workshop will help you formulate empathetic ways of thinking that can profoundly affect what you say.

The workshop will take place Monday nights, 6 – 8, in the Garrabrandts Room of the Bangs Center in Amherst, January 5 – January 26. There is no fee, but participants are asked to purchase a workbook ($26.00, $$8.00 ebook); some copies will be available on loan.

This workshop will be led by Robert and Sharon Raymond of Shutesbury, long-time practitioners of NVC For more information or to register, please contact sharon@simpleshoemaking.com.

the workshop is for anyone in any relationship – especially one with yourself!

Workshop flyer:NVC alternative way to think

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It’s Not About the Nail!

Learn how to give an empathic response, using the principles of nonviolent communication.

Location: All Things Local store, downtown Amherst (104 N PLEASANT Street)

Time: Saturday, December 6, 3-5

"It's not about the nail" is a youtube video that has been viewed more than 8 million times – it seems people are yearning to understand how to respond emphatically to the distress of another person, or to distress of their own, but might not yet have the tools. During this workshop, presenters Sharon Raymond and Gabor Lukacs, both members of the All Things Local store and students of Nonviolent Communication as developed by Marshall Rosenberg, will offer you some tools for your empathy kit.

Watch the video – we’ll watch it again during the workshop – then join us Saturday, December 6, 3-5 at All Things Local Artisan Gallery and bring your baffling conversations for us to translate – no charge and welcoming to all.

Posted in All Things Local links, Celebrating Amherst, Dialogues and Conversations, Group Process, Reskilling Workshops | 2 Comments

Traveling bicycle dinner

Come to an event on Thursday, June 5 at the Florence, MA VFW, from 7pm to 9pm, where over a gourmet vegan dinner and beer a group of avid bicycle advocates, authors and film-makers will talk to us and entertain us with their movies and stories. Elly Blue http://takingthelane.com/, author of several books, among others travels around for the fourth summer now to raise much needed funds for their work.

The event only costs $10 if you pre-register at https://www.bikereg.com/dinner–bikes-tour-event (or $15 if you chance it at the door), because of the voluminous help of numerous sponsors.

For more information go to www.dinnerandbikes.com/about

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Conversation About Region-Wide Resilience

On March 15, at Antioch University in Keene NH, fellow Transitioners and Resilience-Builders from around New England will gather to discuss the resilience of New England as a whole. The discussion will be much richer with you present, and we hope you will consider joining us. Register here.

The day will allow for a lot of open-ended discussion, so that we can consider open and important questions, such as:

– Why are we focusing on region-wide resilience?
– What are the key dimensions of region-wide resilience?
– Is New England the right region to consider?

A team has drafted a short Concept Paper about region-wide resilience to jumpstart this conversation. It is offered in the spirit of provoking reflection and as a springboard for further discussion, and we look forward to your reactions. Please read, download and add comments about the Concept Paper here.

We will also spend time “workshopping” potential action ideas that are percolating among this network. These are ideas that would invite involvement from the region as a whole, and/or, would have a regional impact. If you have an idea, we want to hear about it. Please respond to this email and let us know.

Event Details:

Join the Conversation About Region-Wide Resilience
Saturday, March 15, 2014
10am – 4:30pm
Registration at 9:30
Coffee, light breakfast, and lunch provided; Donations will be requested to help defray costs
Antioch University
40 Avon Street
Keene, NH
In-home hospitality is available on a first come, first served basis

Hope to see you,
Sarah Byrnes
On behalf of the convening initiatives: Transition Portland & the Resilience Hub, Somerville Climate Action, Global Awareness Local Action, Transition Montpelier, Transition Newburyport, Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition, and the Transition Keene Task Force

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Holiday Greetings

Rob Hopkins, a key founder of the global Transition movement, has been following things we in Transition Amherst have done over the past year. He has looked at our website and he mentioned some events we had in his blog here and here.

Now he’s asked if we’d like to be one of 30 Transition Initiatives around the world sending a holiday greeting to everyone who connects with the Transition Network — at least the 1400+ Transition Initiatives in 44 countries. He’s also asked for a photo — he’s referring to a fun Transition practice where a whole bunch of people from a town gather in a room with a balcony above them and bunch together and wave to a camera.


Hi Tina,

During December I am planning every day to post a different ‘Season’s Greeting’, a short message from one Transition initiative to the rest of the movement. It need only be 2 or 3 paragraphs, perhaps mentioning something your group has done this year that it is very proud of, something it is looking forward to about next year and a short message to the wider movement. We have been choosing groups based on those that appeared in the most recent roundup. We’d be really honoured if Transition Amherst felt it might be able to do such a thing.

I would need it next week, might that work for you? Thanks. If you had a photo of the group too that would be fantastic.

Thanks, and many thanks for all that you do.


Catalyst and Outreach Manager, Transition Network.
43 Fore Street, Totnes, Devon. TQ9 5HN.
You can follow my blog here or follow me on Twitter as @robintransition.
My new book The Power of Just Doing Stuff: how local action can change the world is now published.

Posted in Celebrating Amherst, Dialogues and Conversations | Leave a comment

Fall 2013 New England Transition Gathering

On October 5, Saturday, Portland Maine

Why have we all connected to do this work of Transition?
Why would anyone want to engage with us?
Why would we want to connect or align regionally?
What responsive structures could be put in place among us for transition?

Come to the Fall 2013 Transition Gathering in Portland Maine to find out!

At this event you will hear stories of best practices, lessons learned and responsive structures that build resilience. There will be multiple resource sharing opportunities throughout the day, copious opportunities to deepen our connection, collaborate, network, and enjoy delicious locavore food. Doors open at 9:30am.

Join us the night before to hear Rob Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Network and John Rooks of The SOAP Group speaking at Ludcke Auditorium at UNE, starting at 6pm.

Register for the gathering here: netransition.org/events/7/transition-regional-gathering/.

Please note: you will need a homestay “ticket” to be on the list to receive contacts for community-sourced lodging/couch surfing/tenting options.

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Eating Locally

Help All of Us Eat Local?

You’re Invited to a Community Forum to Discuss Ideas:

Monday, Sept. 23, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
at the new store site — 104 North Pleasant St., Downtown Amherst

Next to Food For Thought Books

A Kitchen Team has been working on ideas for cooperative use of the commercial kitchen, little dining area (four tables), “tasting island” and more. How might the kitchen help you eat local food all year ’round? If you have ideas, want to be a producer, want to buy take-out food, want to eat local prepared meals, preserve the harvest, or simply support eating local, please share your thoughts!
We invite you to join the conversation and tell your friends.

Tell us what you like to eat! Fill out a survey at the event or online: www.surveymonkey.com/s/TWMBTCY

Share your ideas at the forum or by emailing: ATLCoopKitchen@gmail.com

Anyone can apply to be a producer and sell products in the market. For more information go to: www.AllThingsLocal.coop

If you can’t attend the forum, but would like to share your ideas OR indicate your interest in commercial use of the kitchen, please write up your ideas and email them to the All Things Local Kitchen Team at ATLCoopKitchen@gmail.com as soon as you can, and no later than September 24. The Board of Directors has asked for a proposal for use of the kitchen and food products to be sold fresh, for immediate consumption. The Kitchen Team is assembling an Initial Use Proposal to help kitchen use get off the ground quickly. We must create an initial plan to ensure that the kitchen is utilized as soon as possible, yet also be able to function without a Kitchen Manager for at least several months. Next year, once food preparation businesses have generated a flow of income to cover kitchen costs, volunteers and members will be expanding the dream. Our shared mission: to use the co-op kitchen to help provide the whole community with healthy, local food.

What do you like to eat? What ideas do you have for how the market can help you and people you know eat more local food? The kitchen, the market, the four tables for eating, and the “tasting counter” will be a fabulous resource. We look forward to your help and ideas!

See you Monday, or communicate with us via the survey or email!

Please help us spread the word about the Community Forum and survey.

Yours in Happy Local Eating,
Peg, Amanda, Hwei-Ling, Tina & Trish
All Things Local Kitchen Team
www.AllThingsLocal.coop
ATLCoopKitchen@gmail.com

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Climate Summer 2013

A team of five is traveling through Western Massachusetts exclusively by bike: they are the 2013 Western Massachusetts Climate Summer team. They are building the movement against climate change, and are working specifically to put a preemptive ban on fracking in Massachusetts.

Their upcoming events this week:

Tuesday 7/9, 6-8pm showing of “Gasland” documentary at Northstar Downtown Hadley

Sunday, 7/14, 2-5 pm at Lampron Park in Northampton: rally/celebration of bill H.788 to ban fracking in Massachusetts – we will be having the activist band Melodeego come play a set and also have several speakers – this is our BIG event so please spread the word!

Here’s a blurb for our rally to share:

Anti-Fracking Rally
Lampron Park, Northampton – July 14, 2-5 pm
Come out to our rally to celebrate H.788, A Bill to Ban Hydraulic Fracturing, co-sponsored by Peter Kocot from Northampton! Activist band Melodeego (music from the movement, powered by the people!) will perform, along with several speakers to rally excitement towards a frack-free future for Massachusetts.

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Interview Downloadable

Our interview can finally be listened to from here – two MP3 format sound files, about the transition movement and transition towns in general, and what is going on in Amherst in particular. They may take a while to download, as they are large files:

First Part

Second Part

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WMUA interviews Transition Amherst

We will talk about Transitioin Amherst’s story and future. John White and Gábor Lukács will be interviewed on WMUA’s Focus program this Sunday, 12 noon, by Eleanor Manire-Gatti. Please tune to 91.1 FM to listen to the program.

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