Re: [UUPoly-L] Introduction of myself and the Chicago Poly Conference

[melodywinnell@gmail.com]

I'm hoping to go to the conference with my husband. We're in the chicagoland area and I'm on a few chicago poly lists, but have never made it to any events yet. We're in NW Indiana and everything seems to be in the western suburbs which really isn't doable on a weeknight especially.  I just became a member of the First Unitarian Church of Hobart January 25th and I love it there. It is the first place I came out as poly and was welcomed with open arms.  

I'd be very open to a UU Poly gettogether though, it just is dependent on location and date/time.
Melody
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Salmi <alan.salmi@yahoo.com>

Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 20:17:35 
To: <uupoly-l@uupa.org>
Subject: [UUPoly-L] Introduction of myself and the Chicago Poly Conference



Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the list, so I though I would give an introduction.  I will officially be a member of the Unitarian Church of Evanston on Feb. 22nd if all the paperwork goes through, although some years ago, I was a member of 2nd Unitarian in Chicago.  I have been a lifelong spiritual pilgrim and identify myself primarily as a NeoPagan Hermeticist with Taoist leanings (I know, it's a mouthful!). After some reflection last year, I "came out" poly after dating a wonderful woman who was poly and a professional philosopher.  While that has transformed into a friendship (largely due to the one hour of distance between us), it led me to a new label for myself.

I have to admit, however, that the signs were there from early on:  I got to know the boyfriend of the girl I had a mad crush on in highschool, with no jealousy, I read Heinlein, went to science fiction conventions where experimentation in relationships was common (even before the word polyamory was invented by Morning Glory and Oberon) and had a relationship with a girlfriend who was a "groupie" of an particular band member (what the hell, I thought, every woman in the audience wanted the guy and he wanted MY girlfriend, which I took as a large compliment!).  So, that label became appropriate.

Since then, I've been trying to read poly books, listening with some regularity to Cunning Minx's podcast and going to her book club a few times (she's here in Chicago with me).  I've also become involved with organizing the Chicago Polyamory Conference, our first attempt here in the Windy City to do a hotel style convention with guest speakers, etc.  We have several people giving talks:  Robyn Trask (founder of Loving More), Cunning Minx (well worth hearing from all her adventures with the podcast), Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (from the "first family of polyamory" and a personal favorite of mine), Pepper Mint (an activist from San Francisco) and Lakshmi Devi and Ananda Santosha (tantric teachers and poly coaches).  

So, in this economy, we offer a great chance to meet other poly folks in a nice warm hotel in the midwest for a great price.  We need early registrants to make this thing happen, so check out the site:  http://chipolycon.org/

Finally, if there are list members in the Chicago area, I'd be interested in knowing, perhaps we can do a UU Poly meeting here!

Love more,


Alan Salmi, L.C.S.W.
Psychotherapist
Consultant
Lecturer
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
 -Frank Zappa
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