Quitting (Mark presents)

Symptom-free (of potentially contagious disease) people with the capacity to listen considerately to diverse viewpoints are invited to attend after successfully RSVPing.

We begin the meeting at 7:30 pm sharp in the mezzanine of the Graduate Hotel. Feel free to come up to 30 minutes early and hang out with us beforehand. After you come down the stairs we may be in either the main room on your left or in the conference room around the corner on your right.

Sometime in the late 1980's I quit the UW for the 3rd and last time. I had an economics final. I had found studying for it quite stressful. I liked economics and found it interesting but disliked the stress of trying to achieve a grade. I remember well sitting in the classroom looking at the exam. I read through the questions and thought about them. Then I wrote my name on the top of the exam and turned it in blank. The teacher looked stunned when he saw my blank exam. I walked out of the classroom with no idea what my future would be, I just knew I didn't want to put myself through more stress and suffering. I walked out into the main campus plaza, sat down on the concrete and cried.

Many years later I was sitting in the kitchen of a rooming house I lived in and managed talking animatedly with someone about economics. Two other residents who lived in the building and whom had both majored in economics walked into the kitchen and asked "What are you talking about?". I excitedly said "economics". They both immediately turned around and fled the room.

AMAZON FORMAT (AZF):
At the beginning of the meeting the presenter will read the above text aloud.

OPENING ROUNDTABLE FORMAT (ORF):

1. The topic presenter begins the discussion by explaining why they are interested in the topic and some introductory thoughts on it.
2. Each participant in turn going clockwise from the presenter describes their general thoughts on the topic.
3. If one is not ready to speak they can just say “pass” and the next person speaks.
4. After we've gone around once anyone who passed will get a second chance to comment.
5. Once everyone has given opening remarks or passed twice, Opening Roundtable is completed and the meeting shifts into its main format.

TIMED DIRECTION FORMAT (TDRF>5):
If there are more than 5 people present we will use the format below.

1. We will divide up the timed direction discussion time by the number of participants plus one (for a buffer). A timer will be set for this amount of time.
2. Each participant in turn will become a Discussion Director and lead the group discussion.
3. If one is not ready to direct they dimply say “pass” and the next person becomes the Discussion Director.
4. Anyone who arrives after step 1 (above), may participate but will not get a turn as Discussion Director.
5. The Discussion Director can make statements or ask questions, or interrupt or redirect the discussion at their discretion.
6. The discussion participants can state their own opinions only when asked by the Discussion Director, not Interrupt others and accede to the Discussion Director’s interruptions or redirections.
7. When the timer goes off the person speaking finishes their thought and then the next participant clockwise becomes the next Discussion Director.
8. After we've gone around once anyone who passed will get a second chance to direct.

At the end of the meeting, participants will have an opportunity to vote on the topic and format for the following meeting.