Polycamp 2008 Schedule of Events
FRIDAY
1pm Opening Circle: Everyone who’s here….
Getting
acquainted with everyone.
1:30 pm Creating a Poly Peer Support Group:
Pete Benson
Finding counseling resources which are supportive of a poly lifestyle is challenging. Creating your own peer support group may be a good middle ground between professional counseling and just muddling along on one's own. This workshop will show how to set up and run such a support group it in your own area. We’ll discuss the mechanics of running a group, and will demonstrate a real support group session, talking about live issues that people bring to the workshop—so think about poly relationship issues or questions on which you'd like to get input from sympathetic poly friends in a confidential setting.
2:30 pm Poly Parenting Discussion: Moderator TBD
Do you have kids and are poly? Have you thought about having kids and worry about some of the unique circumstances and problems raising kids in a poly household? Come and discuss these issues and more with others in the same boat.
5:00 pm Potluck Supper
Bring food to share and cook (there’s a large charcoal grill which will be divided between meat and vegan/vegetarian cooking) with the rest of the camp! There’s nearly 100 people registered, so bring enough for you and maybe 4-5 more and everyone will have plenty!
7:00 pm Concert: Skinny White Chick
SJ
Tucker and Betsy Tinney Rock out Polycamp! Get ready for a fabulous musical
evening, beginning with Sooj Tucker. Her voice, her writing and her playing are
phenomenal.
8:00 pm Ch-ch-changes: Tree
When Poly
relationships change: Adding a partner, when your SO is in NRE with someone
else, beginning co-habitation, break-ups, new - or new-to-you children.
These are stressful situations anyway, but there are special circumstances when
you're Poly too. We'll investigate and discuss those differences.
8:00 pm Bardic/Drum Circle, Dancing
Bring an instrument, your voice, and your sense of fun. Time to get together
around a fire and do some serious drumming and dancing. OK, not so serious!
SATURDAY
There are basically three tracks ongoing all day: Arts n Crafts, Workshops, and Outdoor fun and games.
Arts n Crafts:
Beginning at 9am in the lodge. Several different things will happen in the craft and quilting corner. Check the door of the lodge for specific times and activities. Here’s a list of options for you:
Workshops
9:00 am Starter Poly: Richard Gilmore
What is "polyamory", anyway? Don't people get jealous? Isn't polyamory just a fancy word for good old-fashioned adultery? How is it different from swinging? Is polyamory the same thing as polygamy? Is it safe to be "out" as polyamorous? What about the kids? How did this movement get started? How is it different from the "free love" of the sixties? How can people find out if this lovestyle is for them? All these questions and more will be addressed in this presentation.
9:30 am Geezer Poly Panel Discussion: John Ullman, Moderator
We
will speak about our personal reality of being poly geezers. We may want to
contrast our present to our poly younger years, and maybe a little about what
our fantasy of growing old as poly's, but the main thrust will be what our
lives are like now.
11:00 am Safer Sex and Negotiation:
Zoe Duff, Kiki Christie
How
to reduce risk and keep the eroticism
2:00 pm Poly and Queer: Jenboi Peters
The
Poly experience as it intersects with the Queer experience. As
simultaneous members of multiple counter-cultures, our experiences are at
times doubly rich and at others doubly complex. Join discussion on the
inevitable collisions of Queerly dating Poly.
Outdoor Fun
9:30 am gather for ~
Family Nature Hike by Jack and Jerome
Last year
Jack and I did a hike just for fun during the day at Polycamp with our children
and it was a blast. So this year, we have decided to share our love for
nature and the outdoors with you. We will take everyone on a hike
that is easy to moderate for skill level and is extremely child
friendly. Booklets will be handed out for free with various pictures and
descriptions of things we will see through our meanderings. Jerome will
focus on plant identification of several native species to our area.
Several berries were ripe along the trail last year and we hope to let people sample
a few this time again. In addition to plant identification we
will make reference to nature conservation as well. This activity will
last until we get tired and booklets will be provided for free. Please be prepared with lots of water, sunscreen, perhaps bug
spray, and good footwear (Note: sandals are not a good idea)
12:30 Ice Cream Social Tree
It’s I Scream, You Scream, we ALL Scream for ICE CREAM!!! There will be vegan and sugar free options available.
1:30 Volleyball game - Jerome
We
will be gathering up anyone who wants to play volleyball for some good
fun. Please bring water and sunscreen.
2pm Mad Hatter Tea Party: Judith, M-Jo
Come one and all to the Mad Hatter Tea Party. Dress up fun and
crazy, wear your Maddest Hat. Our Tea has been donated to us by the Seattle
Tea Cup, thanks to them very much. What to Bring: Favorite
Tea Pot and Cup; a Small tray of a Goodie to share with others (if home made
labeled with ingredients); and a Poly topic for conversation. NOTE: we will
have extra pots and cups in case you can’t bring one.
3:00 PM Boffer Fighting Jerome
Boffer fighting is a contact game that uses mock swords that are padded. Jerome has been practicing boffer fighting for over 15 years and has done several years of heavy fighting in the SCA (competitive sword fighting in a medieval re-enactment group). He has organized and run several boffer tournaments and wars within the SCA over the last 5 years. Rules for safety will be covered as well as appropriate conduct. This activity generally focuses more on children and especially young adults, however, all are welcome. Safety, sword technique, individual fighting as in tournaments, group fighting for wars, as well as how to build boffer weapons properly will be covered. At dark, Jerome will cover a game called "Vampire" that utilizes group strategies and is excellent for young adults. Honor and Safety will be of the utmost importance. Please bring water, good footwear, and a good temper (bad tempers and poor sports will be asked to leave).
5:00 pm Communal Dinner (Stir the Pot): Moonstorm
Bring
your dinners to the Lodge and participate in our version of Musical Chairs!
6:30 pm Circlesinging (Let's Get Polyphonic) Ben Silver
Circlesinging,
as practiced by Bobby McFerrin and Voicestra, is
a form in which a leader/facilitator, during the course of an improvisation,
develops and gives out parts to different sections of the ensemble (which is
essentially acting as a choir or vocal orchestra). The piece continues as
the leader or other members of the group solo over those parts. While
this is happening, the leader is also still directing the ensemble, sometimes
taking parts out, putting them back in, and changing them altogether.
Both participating in and witnessing the creation of the music that emerges is
often an exhilarating and joyful (many have said spiritual) experience.
8:00pm Karaoke:
Richard Gilmore, Sue Tinney
A hit at
last year’s Polycamp, Karaoke makes a grand return! Make sure to check out www.polycamp.org and look at the songlist.
Then plan on getting up and giving your all. People have been known to wear
costumes…funny hats…. Wigs…. And get people to spontaneously become their
chorus. So let’s have some fun!
Sunday:
9:00 AM Legally Speaking: Val White
How to
stay out of legal trouble while poly . . . housing, health-care, owning real
estate, criminal prosecution and more.
11:00 AM Raffle: Tree
What did
you win??? And a discussion of next year's Polycamp
12:00 PM Closing Circle: Moonstorm
Come and
have final thoughts and thank you's as we leave camp for the year.