angel's thursday...as thursdays are currently my day off...

but days off aren't really days off are they? I leave such thoughts to sunday funday...;-)

so, so,

I awoke slowly on thursday...as it was my first official day off in....weeks.

A very kind scientist passed my name on to Sue Babson, a journalist at the Kansas City Star. I started the morning with a pleasant conversation with her.

She will feature me next sunday in the weekly spot, "how I got the job."

I enjoyed talking to her about the work I do at the library and I am very excited for the opportunity to be featured.

;-)

I had plans to meet with Mikey at Black Dog Coffee Shop around 5ish but I quickly realized I'd have to push it back a couple hours for shane evans was hosting an Barack Obama community forum at 6pm.

Me and Mikey agreed on 7ish.

Payton and I had several daily adventures but ended up in downtown kcmo around 5ish. Payton had an appointment with his grandparents in the country, and I wanted to slip by the kcmo public library's main branch to check out their newest exhibit: Woman of a New Tribe (the contemporary black woman).

With Payton and Grandma off, I walked across a bustling block and up a piercing hill to the KCMO public library. Every time I walk up the marble steps of this beautiful building my heart skips a beat. It is a stunning facility. The people both inside and out of this library are always eclectic and diverse... and if you're lucky as I was yesterday...

'a city bus would slip pass you with a gritty grunt as you're walking over a sidewalk gutter with rivulets of smoke swirling from its' slight rectangular openings. your nose would immediately relish in the moment and a 'samantha' tickle tickle would cross your face. looking up, you would sigh, inhale, exhale. Your eyes would blink; open, close, open; and the stream of each subtle passing conversation would flow together into one very important reflection: hold fast to dreams; they are in the every day.'

;-) ...

so...I enjoyed the exhibit indeed. the photographs on display captured the vast spectrum of african american woman in our country; and relished in the spirit and importance of family.

The library was actually hosting an event later that evening featuring african american woman of grace and movement in kansas city, but my desire to attend shane's event and meet with Mikey kept me from staying. I hope to attend another event next thursday on black woman in politics.

so, I booked it over to shane's studio and enjoyed my time there as usual. I signed up to receive information on possibly volunteering for the campaign & I picked up a great packet of information regarding Obama's stance on key issues.

Most importantly, I was able to, once again, bear witness to two teenage performers perform original spoken word poetry and song. I saw them at an event in May at Shane's studio, and was blown away.

The performers are members of a young adult group of poets and singers from paseo high school. The founder is Robert, to whom I met last night; Robert is 16 years old and amazing. I will post information about them in the next couple days as I left my notes at home. ;-) Mostly, I must, must, must get these young people involved with elementia!

After shane's I booked it to overland park to meet mikey. we had a good time. we hashed out a plan to raise $2000.00 in a month. We will venture out into the community next friday to chat with businesses and I am going to set up a pay pal donation account here on the blog. Mikey wants us to maintain a strong push into september so as to restrain from any sort of stagnent--ness.

We put together the skeleton of a project plan to implement this mural into the art curriculum at Rosedale Middle School over a year span. Once we have it fined tuned I will post it.

Mikey informed me that he met with Mindy, pastor of the church of young people who worked out on the lot in July, with hopes that her group would commit a monthly adventure alongside the RDA in regards to community work. She did indeed agree!

Rosedale Middle School started school today and hopefully we will set up a meeting with Mrs. Moore, the art teacher, soon enough.

We ended our evening with a sweet acoustic rendition of Ice Ice Baby. ;-) yep, yep, yep, vanilla ice,... baby'. It was high school band night at the coffee shop. Or maybe it was college students... it's hard for me to tell nowadays.

;-).

My thursday ended on the shoulder of the scientist...watching a very fierce, beautiful, young lady in sparkling pink win the all around gold medal in gymnastics...I, once again, sighed and reflected on the sweet notion of desired & acquired dreams...

imagine it,
dear friends.
&
it
certainly
can be.

i promise.
cheers.
~A