I went along to Fiona's conversation on Saturday 5th Oct. Prior to the meeting Fiona gave us two tasks; to bring along something we would like to talk about, and something we would like to give away. The format worked. Fiona has good skills in allowing the conversation to have its own life, while gently leading us.
The conversation flowed around the new bus stop. Is it useful? And the butchers closing. Thoughts on how information is transferred on Tiree and that some people feel that a distinction between incomer and local is relevant. I got to know the other participants better. My topic was 'is there a visual tradition on Tiree?' and I was intrigued by the responses: the houses, the unique light, the lack of shadows, the flatness, the 'Tiree colours', imprints of waving patterns, cupmarks and hares. But not a tradition of visual making perhaps.
At the end Fiona gave us five questions to reflect upon, and asked us to return our comments to her if we wished. The questions included 'what did you expect?'. This made me realise that I hadn't considered what to expect. Only thinking that I would enjoy it and would be stimulated. A reflection for me was that I might come across as quite forceful in the conversation that might be off putting for others. My natural tendency seems to be to be to find clarity in my thoughts by articulating them. The result may sound judgmental and fixed, so preventing others from contributing. Maybe if I had thought about my expectations for the conversation, I could have guarded against this tendency and so learned more from others. Next time!