Training Session

We had training at work and it made me think of those awful 80s style training sessions where the facilitors meant well but you came out having learned nothing but lost the will to live. You know the ones I mean. It inspired this:

Training Session

Post-it notes and play-doh
Play dumb but have fun
No question is a dumb question
And there is a parking lot for thoughts that rock your boat.
Write your thoughts on the tree of objectives and expectations
Growing from the trunk of ground rules on a
Flip chart with smelly pens in a variety of fruit flavours.

Check out the emergency exits and toilets

Introduce your partner to the group in three words

Shouting above the air-con that freezes the room.

Understand who you are and what you want

With name badges and thumbs up

Allow the feelings to come into the room and the work will happen.

Bless this meeting; bless this group; bless this crap.

Gather round the brightly coloured laminated arrows:

Visuals 'to make you think'.

Call for volunteers to press blu-tac to cork boards

Split into groups for animated discussions.

Go to the activity tables where you will find
Glu-sticks and craft scissors; pipe cleaners and stress balls

Be creative with kindergarten exercises!

Polysterene cups full of seeds and scroggin.
Think of surveys done about urine traces collected from nuts
And there's no milk for the tea or coffee granules.

Stimulate yourself with brain teasers - but look up the answers

Play with the plastic hammers and rattles

And when you hear the squeaky rubber chicken,

Report back with your findings and help yourself to a prize.

Surround yourself with inspirational quotes on fluoro A4 paper

Like a cheap bargain basement market store.

'We're not here to persuade or influence; we're here to facilitate the process.

I see the role as being a conduit rather than a preacher

Or a teacher.

Let's just recap and review what we've done.

We've looked at insights and blindspots.

We've been on a collective journey towards improved understanding

Kua puta ai te mārama

Thank you for participating in our puzzle.

You've worked hard today; give yourselves a round of applause

Go well; kia kaha

Finish with a quote and a feedback form.

What did you like most about today?

The End

Wellington Summer Festivals - Something for Everyone

There's always something going on in Wellington, and that's why I like living here.

We've just had the Sevens and there is cricket coming up. The fact that sailboats are constantly whizzing about on the water suggests that there are regattas and whatnot occurring for the boatie folk. Events are planned or have been raced for swimming, dragon boating, running and 5-a-side football.

Circus artists are performing on the wharf and the Cuba Street Carnival is on this weekend. There are outdoor film screenings, Shakespeare productions and music festivals. Recently we have had concerts in the park form a variety of artists, the One Love concert, featuriung dub, roots and reggae, and even some decent acts - Fur Patrol and David Byrne among them. In the coming weeks saxophones and double basses will abound in the Jazz Festival.

Festival is the word of the summer with one for the Chinese New Year, a Pasifikia one, and a beer festival in Waitangi Park coming up in a couple of weeks. Touring exhibitions include one of Leonardo da Vinci's more imaginative creations, and the Boston exhibition of Monet and the Impressionists at Te Papa.

Amidst all this is the Fringe Festival. I am trying to get to some shows - so far I have seen two (both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed) with more scheduled for next week. I hope to write reviews of them, but in the meantime here's my review of The Mountain which was published on Lumiere.

Wellington is a wonderfully compact little city (little more than a town really) and it's pretty easy to get to any of these events. It markets itself as the 'culture capital' and this summer it has certainly showcased its assets. From ballet dancing to Billy Connolly, there has been something for everyone. And there's plenty more where that came from.