Pathways Digital Experience Team

Welcome, welcome to the TMI new team, called Pathways Digital Experience team! A team that we needed and hoped for from more then a year now. Positive thinking: We GOT IT! 

From January 2017, now more then 1 ½ year, we were dancing in the rain. We loved dancing and even that Can Can that she is dancing here in a photo I took about her in France while the rain arrived and all around her took out their umbrella.

Rain, did not stopped her dancing!

She put her head up, smiled and proud continued to dance. A whole group danced and did not stop, even as the rain got stronger. 

Somehow, it was and still is the same with the Pathways Education Program. We love the Paths and the Projects and the Educational material, so we continued despite the rain, the User Interface (Digital Experience) problems we got on our way.

We become stronger because we persisted.

Having got through a hurdle, we were ready to help others through it. We stayed in teams or paired and got through whatever come from the user (digital) interface, and got through it.

This night, I woke up, looking at my Iphone for the time, I got, again, lost in Facebook notifications. One of them was of utmost importance. At my question "what interesting happened in Chicago during the Pathways Party", Mark Snow the first Pathways D.T.M answered: We were told that Pathways Digital Experience Team was formed.

At my question, about them, he answered what is here (as an image): The Pathways Digital Experience team is a dedicated group of staff tasked with reviewing and improving Pathways - now that the rollout are complete, WHQ is now directing its attention to making Pathways better and more user-friendly.

Recognizing, finally that the rain is falling on us, that there is a user experience problem, is a great step. And beginning to address it. Let us be positive! Telling "why not before" will not advance them or us a single step. Thinking ahead and seeing in our mind's eyes an improved user interface, will help us continuing to dance in the rain, till it stops. Helping others not to slip. Showing them how it can be done, as it is now, and helping the team realize all they could do. 

It will not happen overnight or in a minute as the rain can stop outside, but it will happen. Looking back, we will be proud of ourselves : "I even danced way back in the rain!"

Social Speeches: Eulogies for John McCain

On the line of my education to Social Speeches, one kind of speech I missed for me, till yesterday Eulogy. 2 ½ hour long in Washington National Cathedral, for John McCain funeral, two former Presidents, Obama and Bush, Meghan, one of his Daughters, one of his best Friend, Jo Lieberman, Kissinger... I learned a lot.

Here bellow is Meghan McCain's full eulogy of her father. She was the first to speak.

Even in an Eulogy, personal stories and humor work!

The beginning of Obama's speech seemed almost like a Roaster, with lots of laughter, even from McCain's wife and all the mourners.

I wrote down in my notebook each time he made all audience laugh, mostly the first 8 minutes in his speech, that later become more story and political. Great speech to listen also.

First laugh "John liked to be unpredictable"

It is worth to listen also to his friend, Jo Friedman's Eulogy, again has stories and humor in it. And I was told, McCain arranged many of his funeral, this last months, inviting the two presidents, personally.

I added the pictures because the video's picture does not show up in my blog before opening the post.

I decided, to find other kind of social stories, birthdays, toasts, giving and receiving awards online, even if "officially" I finished the Social Stories Project. As for the next one, my "find the positive" journaling, I realized that looking to the negative and troubles I got into, gives me great stories and laughter too. Tomorrow, more about that.

Education Awards to different clubs

Here are my lasts Education Awards and the clubs who declared them to Club Central.

In January, Level 2 to D.T.M Masters and in February, Level 3 of Dynamic Leadership to Yaquina Toastmasters. Then, as soon as Pathways launched in D91, Effective Coaching Level 5 (Proficient) offered to Lewisham Speakers Club, from London, and as soon as Pathways Launched online, Leadership Development level 5 (proficient) to Witty Storytellers Online, in May. Before end of Toastmasters period I was asked to offer one more point to Lewisham Speakers, so they got Dynamic Leadership Level 4. I did not yet finish the level 5.

Motivational Strategies Level 1 offered to Firebirds Collective, who had my last award in 2016 December, just before I begun Pathways, and the Level 2 will come from Lewisham, I am waiting the VPE or President to figure out how to declare it to Club Central.

As you see, they are "my" paths, not any club's path as some still believe. The paths we chosen are ours, member's path and do not belong to a club. While declaring them fast in Base Camp is important so we can go on to the next level, and only a BC manager can approve them, declaring the award in TMI is separate and any Club Officer (but us) can do it, at any time. Faster, or later. But it is OUR choice which club and when, if we have more then one club. 

Doing now L5 in DL / L1 in French LD / L3 at MS and L1 in TC

As for now, I still have four clubs I belong officially, and possible will to two more soon, if they need me at chartering. As with the Paths, for me it is worth to discover more clubs and more paths, of course the path costing a lot less then even a six month membership in club. 

I got my Club Mentor Award, waiting to get my Pathways Ambassador Award. And of course, later, my Pathways Guide and Ambassador Award for another district (online). You see the Guide Tasks as a "curriculum" there is a lot in it, and I finished in fact all, but did not want to declare it closed, till I am over the last, 15th Virtual Support Session, to help Base Camp Managers and First Adapters in my allocated clubs with their Pathways questions. 

There is a lot behind me already four path finished, but what is really interesting to me are the projects before me, and the paths that are just at the beginning. Doing each differently.