4.4.1 Supporting Evidence for OP

 We shared about what was going well and challenges.  The meatiest part that sticks with me and that is relevant to this OP is discussions around design: Charles validated my belief that a design regarding the OP and the core report were basically two separate design. We also discussed whether the core report is the meat of the OP or the process of learning.  Where we (or at least I) arrived is that Gaia's flexibility and openness means that whatever is most appropriate for each associate is what Gaia would most encourage.  OVerall, it seems like the process of learning is what is focused upon in Gaia.  The supporting evidence is really the space for the technical or specific meat of the project.  While our personal journey is the meat of the OP.  I notice that I want to be inspired to pull my "core report" to a higher level of professionalism by having it reviewed by peers and advisors.  I know that my OP 2 and 3 were way more heavy on the content of the projects and that is what I felt like was the most important thing for me to be spending time upon.  I also joked that having lived for over a decade at Esalen Institute, I don't need a lot of help with introspection on my process.  I feel like I do reflect and I am comfortable with this.  That being said, there is huge value in the journalling that I am doing during my projects that helps guide the projects.  

Overall, I feel more clear about the path of my OP 4, that designing how I design OP's and how I design core reports and how I document and present these learnings is the learning in itself.  I want to spend significant time and energy in this OP on the presentation, documentation of the OP (not the catering) which is perfect because this one I did almost exclusively for me.  Whereas with OP 2, I hoped to create a document for people who would like to hire me to install solar systems and  OP 3 is now available to 3 years of students that I taught beekeeping and cheesemaking to at Esalen. 

What went well?

This OP really helped me understand design.

What was Challenging?

I struggled with what it means to design vs what I do naturally.  Seemingly the templates/structures that I have resistance to making are a key learning for my ability to create structure around myself. I want to allow structure by telling myself that I am free within that structure.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this OP was the massive rethinking of what is possible in an OP.  I expanded myself by diving into the process rather than solely the content of my catering gig and was greatly rewarded by unknown good benefits of lots of wonderful content regarding design.  This is particularly wonderful as I am studying Integrative EcoSocial Design.

What would  I do differently next time?

One of the most salient features for me is the interplay between letting all the information sit in the chrysalis in one ambiguous unarticulated form vs. creating structure.  I think I was happy with my autolysing and my structure but I may play around with creating the structure even earlier to see if that becomes even more efficient.  It loses something of the artistry but gains for the engineer.   It is disturbing slightly to recognize how much I like deadlines.   One specific thing that I would like to work on for my level of presentation and clarity is to have more numbered lists highlighted with Bold or colored headings rather than long blurbs of text.  Shorter sound bytes that convey information.  I feel like this would help me work on being concise and clear. 

What are my next achievable steps?

Make more templates for things that I do regularly like a standard shopping list.  Invite regularity/sructure into my life in other ways.  Regular meditation practice.  Create structure.

This Output has spanned from June of 2013 through February of 2014.  It will culminate with the event in 2014; however, I chose to submit the design as a project as opposed to getting wrapped up in the execution of a catering event.  I tend to get wrapped up in the doing rather than the designing, so I intentionally used this OP to illustrate design.  Over the years, I have often remarked that getting to the catering event is all the work that is difficult in catering.  Showing up and cooking for people is like playtime; whereas it is laborious to insure all the staff are there and trained, that the food that we need was ordered and delivered/picked-up correctly, that there has been clear communication between organizers/caterers and staff for any event.  
Just this month, the organizers have contacted me regarding some suggestions I made in July, 1 week after the event, regarding their use of work exchange helpers.  This illustrates for me a very solidly important aspect of design which is the reflection/documentation.  Even though, this was primarily for their benefit (although I was affected so not purely altruism), I had taken notes as to how their program ran  This aspect of time management in knowing when to do the necessary work seems crucial to me.  I am getting in better habits of writing down what I know when it is fresh and clear.  This is my best use of time management.