October 31 2017

Proof of J-Low and a Letter from Rudyard Kipling

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    3 Comments    ,

Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday to Juliette Gordon Low, or as I affectionately call her, The Original J-Low.  I was once admonished in a comment about how disrespectful I was to refer to her as J-Low instead of Daisy.  Well, I have proof that she even referred to herself as J-Low!  I once highlighted the The Juliette Gordon Low Papers Collection from the Digital Library of Georgia in a previous post, so I’d like to refer back to it for a glimpse at how she signed some of her letters:  Continue reading

October 28 2017

Rename the Savannah Bridge!

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    No Comments    , ,

There was a display in the Hall of Experiences at the G.I.R.L. 2017 Convention about renaming the Savannah River bridge in Savannah, GA to the Juliette Gordon Low bridge.  They had an enormous banner that everybody could sign, plus they had laptop stations set up if you wanted to electronically (and OFFICIALLY) sign the online petition.  And then you got a G.I.R.L. Agenda pin!

Here’s the link to the petition:

https://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/advocacy/the-girl-scout-advocacy-network/sign-a-petition-to-name-the-savannah-bridge.html

Update 3/6/18:  It looks like Georgia lawmakers are backing away from the “Low” Bridge due to the name “low.”

October 26 2017

2017 National Convention: What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been

National Governance    2 Comments    , , , , ,

The OFFICIAL G.I.R.L. Convention patch!

Whew.  I’ve already covered what happened during the 2017 National Council Session, so here’s my experience with the rest of it!  This was my first convention, so going into it, I had no idea what to expect.  It was definitely sensory overload, but a good kind.  Like going into Willy Wonka’s factory but it was all Girl Scout related.  But there were no oompa loompas.  Or Everlasting Gobstoppers.  OK, maybe it was nothing like Willy Wonka’s factory.  Nevermind.  I’m really not sure what to equate it to.  But can I just say OFFICIAL Scarfapalooza??  I’ve never seen so many in one place!  Anyway, here’s a few highlights!  Continue reading

October 11 2017

2017 National Council Session Wrap Up: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

National Governance    8 Comments    , , , , , , , , , ,

I walked in the door from the 2017 National Council Session and Convention a little after midnight Sunday night, and it will probably take me a number of days to recover.  Things are still a blur.  Plus I’m old.  😉

At first, I had planned on combining both my convention and session experience in one post, but I realized they each need to stand alone.  I was also going to let a week or so pass in order to let things settle in my mind.  However, I believe I need to at the very least get the business out the way first so that my recollections are as fresh as possible.  Feel free in the comment section to add to this commentary or correct any mistakes you come across.  Continue reading

September 29 2017

The Calm Before the Storm

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    2 Comments    , ,

There are only a few days left until we leave for the National Convention, and I’m starting to kinda sorta get ready.  I’ve made all of my swaps.  I’m not quite to 300, but I will have three different kinds plus two limited editions.  I have 97 of the OFFICIAL scarf swaps, 150 something of my cat comic swap, and 40 something of swaps from my daughter’s Destination from this past August.  So catch me early if you want an OFFICIAL scarf swap and bring a good one to trade!

Continue reading

September 18 2017

Lifetime vs. Annual Membership Dues Rebuttal

National Governance    2 Comments    , , , , , , , , ,

Disclaimer:
Disclaimer:  The following is my own personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the view of my council’s delegation.  Addendum 9/26/17:  To clarify, this rebuttal speaks solely to the claim that National Board has the authority to raise membership dues and does NOT speak to the amount of lifetime membership dues.  In my opinion, Proposal 3 is specifically about the amount of lifetime membership dues and does not imply authority whether it passes or not.
Learn It. Love It. Live It.

This blog post is (yet) another continuation of a series about membership dues, proposals, and who has the authority to change them.  It’s not really necessary to read the previous three if you haven’t already, but I highly recommend it because I might have already answered some questions, plus I go into depth as to my explanations and rationales as to why the National Board does not have the authority to raise membership dues.  You can start here.  But this one is a direct follow-up to the blog post called The Lifetime Membership Dues Amendment Contradiction where I stated that this year’s National Session Proposal 3 contradicts the National Board’s previous assertion.   Before we begin and in case you’re just joining us, here’s a refresher:  1)  The National Council DID NOT vote at any point to give authority to the National Board to raise dues, nor was there ever a proposal.  2)  The National Council DID NOT vote to raise membership dues from $12 to $15 at any session.  3)  The National Council DID NOT vote at any time to raise membership dues from $15 to $25.  For a list of all proposals since 2008 and their results, read this blog post.  Continue reading