Diversity, Leadership….Dance, Sing, Dance, Dance, Dance…..(and the “bestest” care package ever)

July 24^th, 2006:

How much do I love mass transit right now? Wouter, Jared, Brenna, Kenzo, Eduardo, and I sat in the bus for an extra half hour this morning. There was an accident miles ahead of us, preventing us from getting onto the HOV lane. Had I been back home, my calves would have been burning from upshifting and downshifting in my car. Instead, I was happily plugged into my nano, worrying more about finding a comfortable position in which to fall asleep. So how come the transit system in Mass., especially in the Metro West, is so disgusting and user unfriendly? As much as I love my car, I could hang with this every day no problem.

Granted, had I been home, I would have been more concerned about which client or group session I needed to be on time for. Ah well, I’ll enjoy this reduction in responsibility while I can.

Though late, we were able to catch up relatively quickly on the main points of morning meeting. After break, we had an educational session regarding Diversity in culture. Good discussion topic. I especially enjoyed our activities:

· Take a Stand (participants have to literally take a side of a room to show their choice):

o Including questions such as: Do you like chocolate? Were you raised in a single parent household? Do you believe in a God? Do you believe that there is an afterlife?, Do you want to get married?, Have you ever felt like an outsider?, Do you feel attractive?, Have you ever known someone who was gay, bisexual, or gay? Do you describe yourself as LBGT? Are you a first born, youngest, or only child?....etc.

· Snowflake: A pretty simple activity, but effective. We were asked to close our eyes then fold a piece of paper in half about eight times. Then we were given directions to tear the paper in specific locations. However, depending on how we folded and tore the paper, each participant’s snowflake took shape differently. Though very similar, every snowflake was unique and equally beautiful….like people.

After lunch we had the opportunity to interview “leaders” in the Denver area. I found it amazing how each person defined leadership differently. My favorite definition came from Carolyn Love of Kebaya Coaching Consulting who stated that a leader has the ability to lead him or himself. I found this strangely profound. If a leader cannot get him or herself motivated, then how would that person direct and motivate others? The challenge is finding an individual’s purpose, which is no small undertaking. You could spend a lifetime trying to figure that one out. Think I can put it together in the next six months? It would be nice, wouldn’t it?

Vocals went fairly easy for today (the men were given a twenty five minute break while the women learned Japanese….sounds fair to me J ). Dance practice was less easy. We had two hours to practice four dances. Thankfully, I’m starting to feel a little less incompetent. I’ve still got a long way to go, though.

Just prior to starting to practice “Oye”, I was pulled out of dance practice to audition for a solo. Apparently they are torn between Omar and me (I?) for who should sing this piece. It’s really quite funny. Had I been back in high school, I’d be really competitive, but I really hope the best singer gets the piece. What complicates things is that the song is in this Brian Adams/ Bon Jovi rocker style and neither of us sings that style! I feel like Michael is undoing all that work that Ms. Sheehan poured into me 13 years ago. Amazing how that stuff sticks. I just got to work on my growly voice.

So here I sit here, with full stomach after another wonderfully filling meal with Wouter, David and Thora (we had Coque au Jus..sp?). I’m chilling out in “my” bedroom in the basement, listening to a CD recently sent to me by my high school friend Terri. It’s wild how things tie together. Today, I’m auditioning for a solo, which I haven’t done in 13 years. On the same day, I received a care package from Terri. She and I sang together in High School, when I last auditioned for these things.

She and I have been friends since Middle School (oh dear!). We were in band together, theatre, and Singers Unlimited. We drove in together to school nearly every day (except Thursdays when Nanny and Grampy Maki took me) with her mother. What’s amazing is that Terri lived within, I think, a half mile of our school. YET, she and her mother would drive miles out of their way to pick me up so I could get to school. I’ll never forget that.

I think it’s been over 5 years since I last saw Terri. We stay connected through email and infrequent phone calls. However, there’s still a strong friendship somehow. I’m listening to this CD she made, and it’s all music I like. It’s been a good ten years since we last “hung out”. Good friendships truly endure.

Terri is also my hero(ine?) right now. She found the PERFECT book of New England to take with me on my tour. Now I can show my peers and my host families what home looks like. How awesome, right?

So Terri, to you, I say cheers and thank you.