It's a sunday morning haze -- lots of talking around in circles with semi-cryptic lefty jargon -- but still common threads emerge from the morass.

There's a need for "a blueprint" to tie together the various constituencies, interests and strategies. There's a need for this blueprint to legitimately engage people in their own communities and cultures, but still roll up to a larger (state, national, global) narrative which can drive and sustain meaningful change.

One tactic which came up in a number of places, and thus might be worth looking at, was the notion of building locally-based organizations which hit national representatives when they're "at home" in their district or state. This seems like something that could really work and be widely applicable to many different issues.

Another common thread is the need to take initiative, to be willing to take leadership and take risks. Do it, and worry later.

There's also a lot of talking around in circles. It's frustrating; maybe I expect too much from my cohort. I believe people need to move past the "complexity" which surrounds any issue -- which exists, and which is complex -- and get down to where the rubber meets the road. Complexity exists, but calling out its existence is of little value unless the next steps are taken to map and negotiate it so that steps can be taken to improve people's situations. When we don't dive into the issues, the conversation quickly becomes a series of complaints which produce little or no resolution... reminds me of bar-talk on a bad night in Brooklyn at times; ritual conversations. I take conversation seriously, about as seriously as I take my politics, and when both are meandering around like two people who are too afraid to hook up it gets me agitated. Selah.

Good things are emerging. It's just that (as always) I want it faster.