October 2006

Tonight I write from seat 8D, in a perfect circle of light, on the last leg of my flight home from the Galveston Symposium in Austin, Texas.

It seems those of us gathered did our best to respond to the local campaign: Keep Austin Weird. Freed from the confines of a pre-set agenda, we found ourselves grappling and blundering, laughing, looking and listening our way forward into a peculiar diversity of influences: the austin lounge lizzards, improv theatre performances, the art of a young collaborative print artist, Harriett's Eyes, and, as advertised, North America's largest urban bat colony...

Undoubtedly we felt the frustration of a shared creative process.. and the "ah, that's better" as we shifted into smaller groups.

But we also felt that great un-nameable that happens 'over and above' the commotion of our togethering. 'It' was there in the thank you from one of our participants; she described the belonging she found within our group as a 'first-time' experience for her since her move to the USA from Argentina some months ago. 'It' was in the banter between the group's comedians.. in the exchange of practice details, communal and otherwise... in the warming of relationships spanning decades, and in the noticing and wonderment of those that are just now beginning. I sensed 'it' with our group of five on the last night - especially in the words spoken: "... now I feel known." And we all felt 'it' in Lynn Hoffman's closing sentiments as she reflectively addressed the whole group: "I'm so proud... so proud of you."

Back to seat 8D - signs of descent now... people chatting about the newly white landscape appearing beneath us - it seems only the grass is white, yes, the streets are still wet... the two year old across from me, finally hoarse, revs up his protest, his whole body into it now... older sister - maybe she's four? - shoots her hand up to make a final series of adjustments to the row's overhead lights...

And then I am home.

We take both the weird and the warmth of Austin with us.

Dear new and old friends, how wonderful to have been with you.

Janice