Less Morose Than Yesterday

So, all things considered, things went really well yesterday. It was, predictably enough, more than a little chaotic. The performance venue wasn't decided until five minutes before we were supposed to start (cafeteria or auditorium?!?!? we went with the auditorium at the insistence of several of the kids) and as we were about to begin someone suggested we dig out the larger sound system from the storage closet rather than use the boombox, so that threw us a little off track. No one really knew what was going on, but it turned out that this was okay. The kids in my group had a really great time, and for the first time, they seemed to be enjoying and supporting one another. The kids in the audience had a blast- they kept storming the stage and joining in the dancing. There was some spontaneous beat-boxing and pop-and-locking and even though the whole event might not have been very organized or practiced, it was truly a community event, and isn't that kind of the whole point? After all, my thesis is "community engagement through youth theatre performance." Theatre, not so much. Engagement, definitely.

I'm heading down to NC for a couple days. Some dear friends just moved down there to open a coffee shop in an old, British double-decker bus. Neither of them, however, has ever really made coffee, so I'm going down as a "consultant" to teach them the ropes. Bring a little Seattle style to the joint. I'll return just in time for AIDS Walk 2007. My team, Team Supersnack, has raised over $25,000 and we're actually closing in on our completely preposterous $30,000 goal. Pretty amazing, I say.

The sun is out. The cats are happy. The grass is growing. And I have a plane to catch.