It's been awhile, eh?

Ok, so my last major post was in October, right? Or something?

Well...
I'm still here. Here, meaning: HOME in Lake Worth.

It is PRETTY CHILLY today: highs in the mid 50s, lows in the 30s... definitely TEA DRINKING weather. If only this head cold of mine would disappear, I'd actually (MAYBE) enjoy the chill.

A little recap of November and December:

November 2009

Zooming out of a LOOONG October, I continued with my grad school course work with Naropa's Masters of Contemplative Education program, but my work with the Lake Worth Unschoolers group continued to diminish. I began to get the sense that, while a Homeschooling Resource Center would be a great addition to Lake Worth, I am not the one to make it. Contrary to my own tightly held beliefs, working with young homeschoolers about once a week was NOT the ideal teaching life for me. It requires a kind of dedicated passivity that doesn't come naturally or easily to me with ANY project. I started to understand that, while there is no reason at all for me to distance myself from the group, there wasn't a particular pull toward it either. I still adore the families and youth that are a part of this tight little network, but by mid November I started to seriously consider returning to full time teaching, in any school environment. I also started to seriously daydream about starting a school- something I previously was LOATHE to do, but have reassessed and committed myself to this for the forseeable future.

MEANWHILE...at the very end of October I had received an email inviting me (and the LW Unschoolers) to be a part of an infoshop/activist center/lending library getting started FOR REAL in Lake Worth. I knew some of the participating members well (Panagioti, Jill, Penny) and others I barely knew, but in our initial meetings there was a lot of energy behind the project so I committed to helping get it started. WHAT A WHIRLWIND!!! By November 1 we signed the lease. Soon, we had applied for a Fictitious Name (LAKE WORTH COMMUNITY INFOSHOP), had electricity and internet service, moved in bookshelves, books, and furniture. And then, MANY HOURS OF MEETINGS LATER... WE HAD A NAME!!!! The Night Heron Grassroots Activist Center was born in November 2009, and our grand opening event, for a TIGHTLY PACKED HOUSE, on December 12, garnered warm fuzzy vibes in the community and a great write-up in the Palm Beach Post Neighborhood Post for Lake Worth.

Very exciting stuff.
I really loved getting to know and work with this fiery, energetic crew, both on and off the steering committee. I'm now holding free tutoring and homework session twice a week after school at the Night Heron, and I deeply enjoy having a home away from home to work on projects I'm passionate about, particularly culture jamming and self-directed educational opportunities, which this space is FULL of.
Honestly, I can't say enough good things about it. Sure, we have some issues, but to have a center like this up and running pretty smoothly after just a month is a DREAM COME TRUE for many of us. It took up gobs of my time in November/December.

And, I kept teaching hoopdance. One of my 2009 highlights was Kellie's Birthday HoopMaking Party and HoopJam at Jeweled Lotus Yoga in Leesburg. Thank you for inviting me up to do this, I know we all had a great time!

Thanksgiving was a lovely quiet day... actually, there were a number of lovely quiet days in November and December: making hoops, laying low to recover from small illnesses, etc.

December rolled around and around and around: joined a gym, went twice (hmm... what's up with that? it is SO FUN THERE!), HOOP PATH WORKSHOP in St Pete rocked my WORLD! THANK YOU ABBY!!! And thanks to Roni and Danielle, my lovely roommies and hoopsisters. It was a BEEEEAAAAUUUUTIFUL reunion with some amazing spinning souls, not to mention the fact that I FINALLY got a workshop with AMAZING Spinstress Brecken Rivera. HOT!

Made a bunch of hoops for friends for XMAS presents... suddenly, I LOVE Xmas. :) Also, had a fabulous time at the annual SOLSTICE party at the Canew house. FINALLY a good dance party. FAVORITE resolution for 2010: more parties less meetings!

Finally, NYE performance in downtown St Petersburg with the Hoola Monsters!!! What a fantastic time, and the best way to ring in the New Year I've ever found. THANKS TO THE HOOLA MONSTERS FOR INVITING ME!!! Shellie, Kiyla, Abby, Amy: I LOVE YOU GIRLS!

SO that's where I've been these last few months. Looking forward to an active 2010- lots more hooping, writing, and teaching then 2009.
Starting... NOW!
:)

Come visit the Night Heron. 13th North Ave and G street. We'd love to have you.
Open hours Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays 10-6 and great events all month.