Greed...

Today I heard from a very good friend of mine, who spoke with conviction, attentive to something which must have been on his mind for more than a thinking minute.  He spoke of greed, and with the most honest of questionings he pondered over one of our truest threat.  He wondered of the devastation greed has and will continue to have upon us.  It is of a high sin, made real and forwarded through all old texts and yet we see it rise like a death flame and seek selfishly to be touched by it.  It is a strange beast, full of lure, all the while it seeks and destroys, like some vengeful spirit once done wrong.
I have set forward my life as an adult with a highest respect for those who do and who seek nothing but continued activity of the strongest and most selfless ways.  I seek guidance in the simplicity which is truth and in the easiness of a genuine smile (that I seek to receive daily and which I bestow abundantly).  I grow more aware of the difficulties of this beast, for it beats at my door daily when I reach for that which I don't need but want so urgently! It is so that I feel to bring others around me, those who care and act, who participate and share, who, like myself, try to harden the chest which keeps this Greed at bay...may we succeed in our in-devours, or be taken away having fought off its gripping venom. 

Of Care and Activity

It has been in a very interesting time working on CICER.  The main interest still holds, that of sharing and giving, learning and living.  They are simple things, elements of life that we can often do without but which without we would be less.  In this current move towards placing steps in stone with CICER I have organized a committee, which, up to this point, has been made of friends and colleagues, people I admire and have worked with.  I hoped to share the same steps with this initial group that I plan on sharing with every coming resident.  We are now in the stage of accepting applications, we have gone wide, reaching for the distance with hopes of building connections.  How things will go, no one knows for sure, but we are able to direct many of our living steps as we float in this sea of life.  Doing something good, something productive, something which brings others in, for contact, discussions, possibilities and many other sharing elements, well, it can only bring you closer to you.  I look forward to what will become, seeing as we have a five year pilot plan!  But for sure what will be is a step in the right direction, one of care and activity.  Check back as I feel this will be a pretty active blog!

Applications are OPEN...

Applications Dates: January 31st - March 30th, 2012

CICER is now accepting applications...go to www.capeverderesidency.org for all the information and join us this year for a great experience!

After a Bit of Rest

It has been a while since posting on 'the worth of critical engagement', but I have been busy, with life, family and work, along with goals, dreams and wishes.  Besides this, or along side it, CICER is growing.  We have a new site (www.capeverderesidency.org), made possible by googles' wonderful approach to making things simpler, and we have recently come back from Cape Verde to further the connections of CICER there.  So, this year has been positive and a move towards bigger and wider participations.  I will be coming back to the blog as a space to write more personally about the everyday discoveries regarding running such an organization.  I hope this will continue to be looked at as another form of dialogue between concerned world citizens and the wider concerned memberships at large.
Please comment at will, and let's keep the dialogue going!

The site is up!

Well, some time has passed since my last post, but no time has been wasted! The official CICER website is up and running, although with some slight miss-steps, but its function is erect!
There, persons of interest will be able to review previous residencies and access information on what the residency is about; if they are new to the game!
It has been some labor putting it up, mostly labour that is not part of the residency, working and organizing ones personal life, but when possible the gears have been pushed so they can produce the best possible speed; the site is up and that is great.

I am now aligning residents for next year, those who will be invited. Next year is an 'invitation only' event. There will four weeks of residency compared to the normal five weeks which will be the norm for the following years.
We will also have six residents instead of the usual five. By having an invitation only crew I will be able to run a second pilot, where their concerns about the running and functioning of the residency will enable CICER to be better prepared for it's official inauguration in 2011. Application will be accepted for that year towards the end of 2010.

Well, that is it for the moment, though there is much more to say, sometimes less is best! Glad to be rolling again, glad the project continues!

Check back soon, and don't forget to visit us officially at www.capeverderesidency.org

In to the New Year...

Good day all... and Happy New Year. Yes I understand that it is already close to the end of the first month, but never to late to welcome and be welcomed in to a new year. It is a year which has seen already incredible things happen, from unjust killings by nations states to hopeful biginnings from a powerful arm, let's see what else the year has to give!

CICER is in progress to try and fund the lodging for all residents starting 2012. I am looking to secure funding through some resources in the island and by looking to find support for exhibitions in 2012 and 2013. What this means is that residents in 2012 may be able to come having only to pay for their air trips, which is close to where I originally wanted to get to; where residents would pay no expense.

With this topic though I have been reminded of a strong feeling I carry with me, which is that we should all contribute to things we like, experiences which may change our ways of thought and creative output. What this means is that it may not be too sensible to have everything payed for for residents, where residents, literally, pay for nothing. There is something to be said for paying for something you care for, having contributed financially to something that may change you or alter you way of creating. I mentioned this previously on a passed blog, and have sense been reminded by friends that I should keep this concern in mind. I will work on it and see where it goes. It could be that any other funds which CICER secures goes to CICER Community, a partisan organization of CICER. They will be looking to do community projects, and whenever possible help in community outreach and awareness. More on them in time.
Will be back with further news soon. Stay safe and constructive!

C U SOON and
BEST WISHES to A NEW HEAD OF STATE, MR. BARACK OBAMA.

In the near future!

Though it has been a bit of time since the last post, thoughts, felling and everyday eating still continues to be had. CICER will soon be working on its website for both the Residency and the Foundation. For all those who have inquired about the Residency please e-mail me directly on my email address: arocha@saic.edu. By doing so I can respond to you quicker!
As we stand, due to some personal issues in 2008, 2009 CICER residency will not be taking place. Seeing as we are still in the construction stage, this is not bad. We look to launch both the Residency and the Foundation next year with celebrations in more then three countries, United States, England, Spain and Cape Verde. All information will be provided when the time comes. We will still be holding three more years of residency based on personal invitations only, after these three years we will be opening up the Residency for open applications.
We should be posting again in the beginning of the year, we hope that by then the website will be in play.

Kind regards, and please read on below to find out more about CICER 2008, A Personal Journal
CICER