The meeting was opened by Jill and Mark, Colin, Maria, Tom, Dave P., , Phyllis, Dave H., Dolores and Seowa welcomed Kathleen to her first meeting. After a brief round of introductions, the following topics were posted.

Retirement Funding

Spending less or not at all and still feeling a part of society

Balance at work and Networking to share workload

Future of VSC post Mike Lenich

Highlights of the conversations :

Retirement funding :

Ideas and questions such as « How to retire in one’s 50’s », What is a simple, mindless way to invest for retirement and what are ideas for socially responsible investing ?

At some point we will each reach a physical &/ or mental state that will terminate our working lives. Maria posed the question of what if it comes earlier rather than later ?

Phyllis brought the topic of Viaticals to the investment discussion. This is a secondary market for buying the life insurance policy of an elderly, perhaps terminal person in order to give them cash in exchange for the payout on their life insurance policy when they die.

Spending less of not at all and still feeling a part of society :

Dolores is on a haitus from work and has found that much of her social life, and feeling connected to society is related to consuming. When the consuming is greatly reduced feelings of isolation come front and center. It takes courage to chart one’s own course in our materialistic culture.

Two books were recommended. Not Buying It, by Judith Levine and Is the American Dream Killing You ?, by Paul Stiles. Sidebar : I went to the library and read Not Buying It in about 2 days. It gives a first hand expression of the feelings and emotions of not consuming. How one’s friends deal with it and how we look for loopholes in all things ! (Great suggesstion, Kathleen) !

Dave is chairing a task force at work to improve work/life balance and suggests constinually

remembering what we value. Are our actions supporting our values ? Ask the question, « What would you do today if you were going to die tonight ? »

Maria is looking for ideas to partner with like minded peers to share in the work load. This is challenging in an industry of people who work quite excessive hours in order to live the high life.

Future of VSC post Mike (and Linda) Lenich :

Mike has announced that he and Linda will be stepping away from active participation in VSC at the end of 2006. Mike has been the rock of the administration of the group for the past 10 years, negotiating meeting space, answering untold numbers of email inquiries, facillitating the open space meetings, serving as the public contact for media and like-minded groups and providing a consistent, successful model of how the principles outlined in Your Money or Your Life can in fact transform lives. We are grateful to the many hours Mike has given to this group and we wish he and Linda much happiness and success in the future.

For the group to continue meeting beyond this year, new leadership is needed. The group will meet in May and again in September-December after a summer hiatus. If you are interested in assuming a leadership role in the organization, please contact Mike or Jill or come to the May meeting. At this meeting Dave Hampe and Seowa Gabla expressed interest in serving, perhaps in a team manner. A measure of interest was taken on the following items. Individual interest in assuming leadership was Moderate. Interest in the group continuing is moderately high, with all attendees hopeful that the meetings will continue. Interest in finding a new space is low, with the suggestion that we approach St. Pat ‘s for an additional or larger room.

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Recorded by Jill