Problem Solving Leadership

December 1998

"The Road to Jemez Springs"

Instructors: David Schmaltz and Eileen Strider

Problem Solving Leadership Workshop (PSL) is a course taught by Weinberg & Weinberg and Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico. These photos are from the December 1998 session that I attended. The participants were divided into two groups, my group was lead by David and Eileen and these photos are from this group only. The quality of the Polaroids is poor but I tried to color correct them as best as possible. If you have other photos you want me to post, please send them to me.

PSL is a very intense week long course on problem-solving, leadership skills, communication, organizaional structure, and personal discovery. It is often the catalyst for change in those that attend. I continue to grow in discovery as I sort through my feelings (ENFP) and reactions to the workshop. It is an experience I shall never forget. I remain in 're-entry'.

During class, I collected quotes and organized them into poetic prose as my final contribution to the class and Verseworks. Each line contains a quote from my notes. No one is named explicitly but I think you will recognize your words. I take poetic license in assembly and meaning (one of my filters). Send me some of your quotes as prose. I'll post them. Enjoy.

Click on an image to see it full-size.

This was my team - 'Crossroads' at the end of a long journey.

"Some Times: Apostophes in a Self-Organizing Universe"

- quotations from class organized into poetic prose

"It has begun..."
with a show of hands, if you can get people to
stop arguing, you win. it's about the differences,
the balance between vision and the way to get there,
a hotly argued topic. Haiku should be vocal and usually framed.
produce some examples, like a hungry trout to a fly,
with choral parts and a rhythm section,
change the world, red wine is nice,
and every customer gets a free taste of chile.
we can be poets, we're adaptable,
we'll make it up as we go, just bring me a rock
in the throws of mid-simulation paranoia,
no data, and the rigidity of the process -
definately an experience...

Sometimes... just because you know where you're going,
doesn't mean you know how to get there
and sometimes, even a map won't help
because often there is a difference between
things that are perceived and things that are desired
especially when you find yourself
trapped in a world of Feng Shui
with roadtrips to Home Depot,
needing oxygen,
under the threat of comedy,
after a transforming lunch,
trying to visualize using your turn signal.

I heard you say, "I need cave time,"
but don't we all, especially when we find ourselves
acting outside our type, fourth function frenzies,
a momentary lapse into Mr Hyde for a few minutes.
if you don't look up, you'll fail
because you should never cut when you can untie
and if all you have is a hammer,
everything else you have, might look like a nail.
it's about making contact because you have to come here
to be here, and you shouldn't leave this place,
caring less about the subject than when you came;
even if you can't find Jemez Springs.

Sometimes, you can't find the exit,
or when you get to where you're going...
you don't know how to return.
at least it's easier to be lost if you're not alone,
the more blind men around the elephant the merrier,
connect the dots, perhaps we now possess the ability
to enhance our environment so that everyone
is empowered to contribute creatively
to solving the problems, seeing more with less,
and sometimes the most powerful thing to do
is do nothing, it could be the difference
between planning and the plan.

We all laughed when we heard the story
of how Frosty got violated last year,
and sometimes being cheap doesn't always pay.
you thought that you hadn't been found out yet,
it took little acts of courage
attempting to unlearn to learn.
you can choose not to have choices -
thanks for fixing the apostophe.
in the end, all the toilet paper
was gone in the men's room and someone was saying,
"if you can read this, then I am probably
inadvertently backing over you."

"Live long and prosper",
yours,
Maysa