RevGal Friday Five

Groups

1. Tell us about any group(s) you currently belong to. (e.g. book club, knitting circle, walking buddies, etc.)

I'm not a good "group" person (i.e., not a joiner per se). Having said that, I'll list those that come to mind: At church I'm on the ruling council (Session), and I participate in two Bible Study groups.
Work-related groups: By default I'm on two-becoming-one cataloging groups, and somehow on at least one subcommittee, God help me (and Amy who is on it too).

2. Do you feel energized or drained by being in a group situation? If the answer is "it depends," on what does it depend?

Generally, I feel energized with the church ones and nearly suicidal right now with the work-related ones.

Obviously, it's dependent on what I'm able to take away from the group, and the people I'm in the group with, as well as whether I feel 'forced' to be there.

3. Is there a role you naturally find yourself playing in group situations? That is, do you naturally fall into the leader role, or the one who always makes sure the new person feels welcome, or the quiet one who sits back and lets others shine, or the host?

I'm NOT the quiet one. I tend to be the tension-breaker, unless I'm the tense one. Occasionally I will fill a leadership role, and sometimes I'm a greeter or a host, but I mostly like the collegial atmosphere of a well-oiled group.

4. Handshakes vs. hugs: discuss.

I know someone who rarely shakes hands and won't hug people, not because she's standoffish, though she seems that way. It's because she's quite concerned about illness--she's had a double-lung transplant--and especially in the winter she touches no one unnecessarily. We now do "elbow bumbs" in church if we're greeting people and we think we're germy.

In other venues...handshakes for work-related stuff, or a wave. Rarely hugs.

Odd, I love hugs now, but my family almost never hugs each other. Thank God I grew out of that whole WASP 'no-touching' rule!

5. Ice breakers: a playful way to build community in a lighthearted manner, or a complete and utter hell of forced fun and awkwardness?

If I'm going to spend more than one meeting with people, I don't have a big problem with icebreakers, but if it's just a time-killer thing at a training seminar or conference......screw it. I'll break my own ice, thanksverymuch. And I lay that attitude squarely at the feet of MAS, Queen of All She Surveys.