party, talent show, and ceremonial cake cutting for shakespeare's 444th bday

i threw a party last night in college corner and it was great, great fun. it was an occasion that reminded me that all is not terrible in the rural rustbelt.

it was really pretty amazing. especially because karen and shelley helped make everything happen. they helped shape up the apartment. they advised on all the decisions i dither about. shelley took on the challenge of the popcorn machine i rented from the local hardware store. karen and shelley made sure that the sangria flowed.

i invited a lot of colleagues including neighbors and staff people and faculty members. it was a pretty amazing turn-out. people came early and stayed late and seemed to really enjoy themselves. bob brought his microphone, his p.a. system, a mic and mic stand and two guitars. he set himself up and played some music. sylvia and arthur, renee and wietse's children, performed a scene from julius caesar, with the help of anderson, the son of don and carla. don read a wendell berry poem and circulated a petition. carla, shelia, and scott did yoga headstands in which their legs for a W for william. (sheila and carla hold named chairs on campus, and scott is one of our yoga teachers at the gym, he lives in town.) peter, a Distinguished university professor, sang two songs a capella. mike and sarah performed the ASL alphabet three times in sync, slow with the right hand, slow with the left hand, then fast with both hands. susan, another full professor, inspired by the antics, got on-line and recited a rabelais poem about cod. ann elizabeth and robert used the overhead projector to recount an illustrated retelling of sonnet 116. jason brought a casserole that included a fiddlehead fern. mel, my downstairs neighbor -- the dog trainer, also got on-line, then drank a lot of wine, and found the cords for peace and prozac. she borrowed bob's guitar and then let loose. bob and mel continued to play music and sing for another hour or so. dozens of others -- too many to name this sunny sunday morning -- were an appreciative, if a little bemused, audience.

it was pretty amazing.

i wish that you could have been here.