If This Moment Had a Soundtrack

Monday.

This moment tells the tale of a mismatched pair...featuring some tight jeans.

Tuesday.

This moment is changing gears and changing attitudes.

Wednesday.

This moment of joy-inspired choreography (and Joseph Gordon Levitt) should happen every damn day.

Thursday. 

This moment marvels at the audacity of the entitled.

Friday.

This moment is scandalous and powerful.

Saturday.

This moment is all about a low key rhythm and a surprising sound.

Sunday.

This moment feels like Sunday.

Illogical Logic

A logic model (also known as a logical framework, theory of change, or program matrix) is a tool used most often by managers and evaluators of programs to evaluate the effectiveness of a program . Logic models are usually a graphical depiction of the logical relationships between the resources, activities, outputs and outcomes of a program.   

~ McCawley, Paul. "The logic model for program planning and evaluation". University of Idaho.

I like this definition; it is clear, concise considering its subject, and Wikipedia gave it to me. And I love 96% of the things on Wikipedia. Mostly because it is a fun to say..."Wicc*a*pe*de-ah" Melodius.

But, despite the inherent singularity of the word "model", there is no such thing as the standard logic model. Why? Well, for all of my work in this field, I still cannot answer that. 

Perhaps it is because funders and program evaluators want to ensure that a model reflects the unique circumstances of a program's design; perhaps it is because the program has unique funding considerations; perhaps it is due to the subject matter--a plan for implementing an online training is quite different than one outlining a plan to feed the hungry in Kenya; or perhaps, it is because logic itself is fluid and not easily contained by "structures."

All valid considerations. 

But every now and then, I think the variations exist just to spite me. Variations are creative, artistic, phenomenal! I love them! Poetry in table form! (Go with it.) That is, until you have to rewrite an evaluation plan in non-evaluation terms. And then, my dear friends, you begin to lose your hair. Slowly, and with sweet agony. Because at some point, describing your "plan" for evaluation and measurement of a program--whether non profit or profit oriented--requires several formats: there is the "donor" or customer format, which puts things into simple terms; there is the "Board member" or investor format, which requires that you overlay sustainability planning (translation: funding or profit) over the program design (sometimes a logic model is so impossible to decipher, this becomes sheer wizardry); there is the staff format, which includes internal goals such as the number of service recipients, or total products delivered; and then there is the public health format. Otherwise known as the "completely logical, always inconsistent, and ultimately fluid universe".

I live here now.

For those of you not working in program delivery, Non Government Organizations (NGOs), or domestic nonprofits, the logic model is your "guide to action". It doesn't replace a strategic/business plan, nor does it serve as the action plan (or "how to and when"); the logic model allows you a framework to follow around measurement and evaluation. If properly designed and consistently executed, the logic model will tell you exactly where your program's strengths and weaknesses are. And it will set the stage for analyzing your program's impact and determining where you will go next. It is program efficiency in the making.

And it can be convoluted. Examples:

Fairly typical.
Courtesy of the University of Wisconsin.

Typical...except for that triangle Venn Diagram thing. I mean, sheesh.
Courtesy of the Education Model Program Design.

When your program needs "flying geese."
Actually, I really do appreciate The Performance Institute's approach

And then there is the Public Health Model on Obesity for the state of New York.
You see where things get...expansive. I do not work on things such as this daily--
I simply go by it to create the local versions as a "sub program" component (or some such nonsense).

Do share: how would you find a consistent way of describing these visual variations? Two such innocuous words: logic and model. Until you pair them with concepts like measurement. Or evaluation. Or B-Verbose's brain. Like all things that are mind-boggling, this too will make me a better a writer. Maybe?

If This Moment Had a Soundtrack

Monday.

This moment is bluesy and just a little bit ready to fight. Already aware that today's victor might not be you, you are content to wail your way into infamy. And to leave a bloody trail.

 

Tuesday. 

This moment is ambitious and tormented. Every decision is an opportunity for second guessing, for regret, for redemption.

Wednesday.

This moment is open. The world is merely voyeuristic and you are ready for the tactile.

Thursday.

This moment is brazen.

Friday.

This moment is heady, euphoric. A moment in "reckless abandon". A stop over in a week full of stop overs.

 

Saturday.

This moment is conquered. Tame the game, topple the players, and dance across the stage in celebration.

Sunday.

This moment is nostalgic. It is appreciation for every friend that has traveled the road with you.

Obituaries CAN can be inspiring

I won't apologize for a brief absence in the blogging world--trust me, my excuses would make you bow down to me and revel in my ability to multi-task over a 3 month period. You might even give me a title. I will accept it--hands waving Miss Universe style, a brilliant smile on my very stressed out face!

But, enough of that. I have to share a little link with the world. READ Mr. Patterson's Tale.

Before you all consider me morbid, READ the obituary all the way through. He wrote his own goodbye to the world; he took the time to reminisce over his youthful pranks, he honored his wife, and well...he inspired me to remember that life is a blessing full of seemingly "random" accidents that shape a person's journey. If there was ever proof of a life well laid and well used, it's this little memoir. I like to exaggerate the obit in my head to something like this Big Fish reminiscent montage:

A-ragged-smiling-man-with-his-life-used-up-to-the-point-of-exhaustion-dressed-in-rags-and-tatters-coming-into-town-on-a-60 MPH-motorcycle-with-a-parade-of-cheering-strangers-there-to-greet-him-and-his-pathos-with-lofty-orchestral-music-in-the-background.

 Nice, right? Am I dramatic. Of course! I like it that way. 

Ultimately, this is a story that shows us that if we can laugh at those "random" accidents, and get away with a few BIG mistakes along the way, those experiences will be all the better ingredients for crafting a truly personal legacy. So, maybe we should stop stressing at our youthful age and just get into a little trouble?

Australians Make Bluegrass...well, that is new?

I consider myself mildly cultured; I don't assume that stereotypes are always accurate (i.e. that people who like country ARE country), but I respect the fact that they exist for a reason. If it didn't have a high prevalence rate, then it probably wouldn't be a part of the collective set of "probable truths." An example: techies are smart. When was the last time you met someone who has attended a LAN party in his youth, and that person wasn't a competent sort of fellow? Point made.

Back to the topic at hand: I have traveled; I have a nice array of books (stop snickering friends: understatement is necessary here!), and I think they provide some insight into the world we live in, and the diverse people and attitudes that make it up. All of this together makes me feel pretty good about myself! ::little grin of contentment:: But then, a new combination of characteristics pops up and surprises you! And it forces you to recognize how very little you can predict the ebb and flow of popular culture.

Example(s):
Appreciation of Lady Gaga's Meat Dress
Cowboy Madonna
The phenomenon that is Dancing with the Stars
The effects of Space Jam on an entire generation of my peers (I still have that soundtrack on tape...)
Japanese culture's obsession with Paris Hilton

Ok, these are admittedly very extreme examples. But they explain the "idea" of what I am getting at. Smoosh two things that you think are in direct opposition with one another together...and you get something that has some incredible lasting power. As it turns out, I was just WAY out of the loop and there is a whole culture dedicated to "newgrass". Both in the States and among the Aussies ::sheepish blush of ignorance::

I was the very appreciative recipient of some comp tickets to see a recent performance by the Australian native band, The Greencards. They were free, it was at an adorable outdoor venue (interpret as tiny), and I thought, "Sure. I never go to concerts anymore. It could be fun! And because I am always working, let's network!" How silly of me. I was not prepared  for the musicianship that confronted me; the trio of Aussies and an American (the fiddler was MIA!) controlled their instruments with an incomparable grace and competency. Not only were the strains haunting, lively, and impossibly complex by turns, but the band members were so well synced that the impromptu "battles" between guitar and mandolin seemed a natural extension of the melodies. It wasn't until the sweat was dripping from foreheads and the mandolin player cursed at a missed chord that anyone in the audience knew that we were privy to a friendly display of competition.



Mandolin, Kym Warner; Bass, Carol Young; Guitar, Carl Miner; Fiddle, Tylar Andal (missing)

The venue was intimate, and so the performance was intimate. But the lead singer was a dear, and she quite literally fostered a conversation with the audience. I think the die hard supporters were actually directing the song choice at one point (but as a new listener to the progressive blue grass and observer of the band's kinetic energy, I just can't be sure). The Greencards are now independent artists; once supported by a label that helped foster their popularity, the band apparently chose to seek fan support and creative license in order to make the music they so loved. And while I cannot support the idea of a "lonely island" all of the time--after all, the desire to stand alone or defend one's territory in my professional field is the quickest way to lose a war by "attrition"--in this case, I am thrilled with their decision. Sisterita and I have listened to the album 3 times in quick succession. And when payday comes...can we say purchase plan?

Highlights of the Brick by Brick album:
Tale of Kangario, Loving You is the Only Way to Fly, Heart Fixer

Help support this talented ensemble, and connect with them on Facebook or by their website.

With this inaugural post, I have overcome my 20 month trend of procrastination!

Well, it sure took me long enough. I was 17 the first time I realized that others were blogging; did I join the circus of online over-sharing? Why of course not! What kind of girl do you take me for? But I wanted to. That anonymity, the language options, the freedom from drafting thesis statement after thesis statement...oh, it sounded glorious. But it required delving into the mysterious land of the internet. Which, most of you will now assume I am a relic (translate: too damn old to count), was terrifying. Email, oh yeah, I rocked that. With some ridiculously pretentious username, like scarletpearl (Hawthorne fans, anyone?). Oh oh! I figured out AIM! It was a proud day, I tell you. But a blog? I am a perfectionist, and we do not like to launch ourselves into situations with more than two unknown elements. And the blogsphere was just one large "uh?" So, I justified putting my curiosity off indefinitely. Mission: success!
Then, roughly two years ago I started craving a vehicle with which to complain. Yeah, I said it. I wanted nothing more than to be able to share with some nameless reader the trials and pains of growing into a non profit career for the first time. And dammit, I wanted that nameless reader to give me a proverbial "pat on the head" and accept my need to just be disappointed, confused, and petulant about life. The truth is, I am one of the most optimistic people you will ever meet...only you won't, because that is the point of this thing isn't it? But the early early twenties were rough; I was just out of undergrad, living in a new state with no friends, bursting with energy and lacking in know-how, and realizing that my interests and skills were outgrowing my surroundings. Insert major life change. I quit my job. I studied and thought very seriously about law school. I ran away across state lines and got a few friend "fixes". I burned through my savings and struggled to figure out the next step. Then, lo and behold, reality kicked in. "Self, you need money. Because, well, the Ramen is getting low." So, I took a part time job at a grocery store. "Uh, hey self? Some very cool projects are floating through your radar." So, I dabbled in nonprofit consulting, and loved it. Then, the grand coup d'etat: new job with an incredible organization, and the cherry on the sundae was a new lease with SparkNotes (little sister) in our very own town home! Casa de Fabulous-ity.