2/12/2000 VS Chicago Meeting Notes

Don, Mike, Ron, Louella, Jill, Dave, Ross, Tracey, Linda, Lisa, Elizabeth, Bob and Mike, welcomed Woody, Pam, Gail, Dick, Jan, Micky and Bob, to their first meeting.

Mike opened the session with an overview of the Open Space meeting style the group uses. After a brief round of introductions, the group began posting discussion topics and/or questions. They developed an agenda as six postings resolved into four discussion topics:

• F.I. (financial independence) and kids -- how much money do you need for them?
• F.I. via tithing 10% gross income -- courage + wisdom / Singer 20% or > $30,000
• Can you really reach FI by investing in bonds? / Are 30 year bonds The answer as the US Government moves toward being debt free by 2013 and bonds will be in short supply??
• Without our health we have nothing! How do we implement healthy living with Simple Living?

With twenty folks in attendance, to best provide ample opportunity for everyone to participate, the group decided to discuss the topics in two, concurrent groups. Using Open Space's "Law of Two Feet", folks could freely move about from one topic to another. When a discussion was over, the group moved on to the next topic (Open Space => "...whenever it starts, is the right time for it to start; whenever it ends, is the right time; whoever shows up are the right ones;...").

The smaller discussion group sizes and openness of the meeting space got everyone quickly involved in discussion. Observations and thoughts offered by participants, led to new and synergistic ideas and insights. Some folks floated freely between the two discussion areas, "pollinating" each with ideas from the other. Lively discussions ensued in both groups...

As discussion drew to conclusion, the group came together as one to share highlights, observations, "Ah-ah's...", and insights:

• reach a point of financial self-sustainability and then going on with work to provide dollars for "tithing" (ie, 20% or give away anything you make over $30,000/year). Edwene Gaines is an example of someone who both lives by and teaches a 20% gross income tithing principle. You can contact her at:
  Edwene Gaines,
  P.O. Box 294, Mentone, AL 35984
  Web site: www.prosperityproducts.com
  Email: prosper@peop.tds.net.
• kids and simple living => live the example
• effects of eating healthy (and not eating heathy) and clearing of the rain forest to herd more beef (cattle)
• reaching FI comes from understanding your attitudes about money and using that understanding to create savings -- it's not investing in bonds that creates FI -- it's your savings that generates your new income source

We concluded the meeting at 12:15, looking forward to continued discussions next month.

(Posted by: Mike Lenich)

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