Just returned from Spokane and what a trip it was! Stayed at the Burch dorms on the Gonzaga campus. Learned a lot about people and things and weather in June in the Northwest. Highlights included much self-reflection, much time alone which is always time well spent! I was thinking that there are no coincidences, and things happen for a reason. Maybe not the reason that you think it happens in the first place. I have a lot to consider from the Arts Impact Training. It was fun, engaging, and exciting. I learned a lot. I met a lot of wonderful people. This sounds like the typical conference. But it was not typical. It was above and beyond, something that gave me a lot of time to think and reflect on what I'm doing personally and professionally. When that happens, it's always time well spent. The rainstorm on Tuesday night was especially unusual for June weather here in the northern hemisphere. Quite stunning, that storm was. I was perplexed by mom nature, but she is always one to present exciting surprises. I have decided today that I wish my personal life to be dull and boring, without drama. I wish my art life to be exciting, tremendous, filled with extremely high-highs, and big, audacious, hairy goals THAT are REACHED! I wish my art life to be filled with high drama, and along with it, high value funding with high value people. I guess the words that stuck out for me at the conference were: conflict, the color yellow, Kek, immigrant and outsider. I think I learned more about me that anything...don't forget the power that is within. It's the greatest power there is.

Sometimes I Feel So Guilty

Oh well, it was my big mouth that is now keeping me up at night. I said something to someone I shouldn't have, but it's the last week of school before Christmas break, and I had to say something. The backdrop wasn't being painted, the decorations were not being put up, no one was making the gym look like anything Christmas-y was happening there in a few short days, so I asked the AmeriCorp worker, Susan, and the other worker, Christina, "do you know that the program is Thursday?"

Then I watched as it slowly sunk into their heads that they were abysmally behind the ball. But now it's keeping me up at night, thinking, was I wrong to say that?

Susan replied, "every year, it's the art department's job", a dig at me. I didn't say anything to that. Then she went on, "when do we have the time?" The backdrop she began to paint which was only started on Monday, was a very complicated affair, so it was going to take a super-human effort to finish it by Thursday. Then there is the problem of the unicycles!

Went to the teacher's meeting. That was fine. The principal is very fair, a great person, and she is trying very hard to make it all work.

Also, now I will get paid a little something for the yearbook. Last year it was a volunteer effort, and I spent gobs of time on it, and it was great, but really a pain to produce with the computers that they had. Now they have newer IMACs, so it should be a lot better.

Thinking about Christmas and all that it entails, family, friends, eggnog, music.

I'll just be glad when it's Friday and I can relax. Then there is Chelsea! And don't forget The Fat Tones! But there is always Jackson Hole, which will be a dream come true, that will go really well.

As I travel through time and space.

Cooking Thanksgiving Turkey