Only in America
This has been one weird week. As fuel prices rise, I feel like I’m a one man band causing scarcity across the country. Here’s the past week:
Last Friday, flew to Chicago at the end of a busy day in SF and overnighted at the O’Hare Hilton. Now there’s a fun time. At least I avoided the tunnel and broke out into the big outdoors to a fantastic 70 degree evening in Chicago. Gorgeous weather as I crossed the traffic bound street to some odd stares of a couple of cabbies. Up early the next day to catch a plane to Hartford, Conn. where, thank the goddess, Kim had hired a car to get me to the Threshold meeting in an obscure NW corner of the state in Lakeville. Turned out the previous day they’d been hit with a storm that left dozens of stately trees lying across streets and driveways. Looked like a tornado had hit. Jumped into the Threshold swirl, as Ann B. once termed it, and helped out with orientation. Had a great walk with my old friend, Roger Miliken from Maine. Once my partner on a wilderness fast for four nights alone in the White Mountains, he’s become a regular guide for others in a questing frame of mind. Found myself drawn back to that deep time, as Roger and I walked in pitch black darkness down to the lake and caught up.
Threshold has become a treasure and a long time partner/ally of Tides, and both of us have thrived from the synergy. I was remarking to John H., who is just finishing up with his remarkable, and role-modeling experience with Beldon Fund, how the community seems to renew itself regularly. At 27 years old, it still exhibits many of the characteristics of a young organization. That it has charmed a new generation is not surprising, and now it’s being guided by an extraordinary new president, Michelle Grennon. She’s brought a grounded, thoughtful, and steady hand to the helm of an impossibly complicated beast.
Monday morning found us introducing Rob McKay, Chair of the Democracy Alliance, and Simon Rosenberg, of New Democracy Network, to the assembled folks for an exploration of how the political and social landscape is changing. They were terrific. Smart, funny, personal. Just the mix that Threshold thrives on. Lots of talk about the political scene and how progressive philanthropy can think about it. It’s going to be a very different world soon, and not simply because of a national election. The social trends are moving, and the progressive infrastructure is being built. Evidently, we are in for “interesting times.”
And, then, off to flights home on Tuesday, just in time for the Democracy Alliance Investment Committee meetings at Cavallo Point. Two good days of wrestling with the DA’s upcoming evaluation and inevitable rebalancing of its portfolio. Staff laid out where we are, and then the expected wide-ranging conversation commenced. Really good stuff. The DA’s commitment to building permanent progressive infrastructure is alive and well, I can assure you. And, it is being vetted, pushed, tested, and evaluated in ways that can only improve what emerges.
As it ended today, I found my way back to Tides’ offices, did some quick check in’s on Momentum, dropped my car off for son Max (no scratches, please), and taxied to the airport. Jammed flight (are there any other kind these days) to Vegas, picked up a car, and drove 5 hours to Grand Canyon where I’m about to spend 3 days refreshing my wilderness first aid skills. Tests, scenarios, lectures. Can’t wait. I hope I never have to use what I know, that’s for sure. But what was that scout motto? Be prepared!