We do not stop playing because we are old, we grow old because we stop playing

In my TDEV class we each have to facilitate a workshop. This week we had the avant garde workshop. It began with half the room just covered in props and random stuff. There was fabric and feathers and hats and instruments and string and a big roll of caution tape and sunglasses and umbrellas, etc. Our instructions? "Okay guys. Go crazy."

So we played. A roomful of 18-26 year olds put on crazy music, danced around and just played. It was incredible and fantastic. There were no inhibitions, we just fooled around and laughed and it was like being four years old again. You forget how great that is. I haven't had such a good time in... a long time. There were people being pulled around on rollerskates by a piece of yarn. I was belted to another person and we walked around with kazoos and bells. There were people playing catch, there were people wearing party hats and singing. Why did we stop doing this?

Lots of people think it's stupid, taking drama and theatre. People don't see the good in doing exercises and playing. But I am learning so much about LIFE. About what living is about for me and about how I must live to be happy. I am having a great time. I may not be preparing for a great, sucessful career. I may not make gazillions of dollars, or have a stable financial life at all. But I am going to understand what makes people tick, what keeps people interesting and lively, and what is really important. And in my opinion, it is doing something you love and that is good for you. Playing. I learn from acting like I'm four. I think we get stupider as we grow up. Growing up scares me. I don't want more and more responsibility. I want to wear stupid sunglasses and sing and dance and just create.

We also learned about "happenings" in the 60s and 70s. Someone would organize a happening, you'd hear there was a happening at such and such a place here and this time. You show up and you find something like a pool full of jello. And something will happen, of course (hence, happening). Why am I not a child of the 60s? Who doesn't want to be offered a pool full of jello and just play? Who doesn't want to just go somewhere, and have something happen?

We also put together the Jabberwocky poem (if you don't know it, you should read it, it's AWESOME poetry from Alice Through the Looking Glass). Don't tell me you can be in a room with the Jubjub bird, a tum tum tree, and bandersnatch and the jabberwocky without feeling somewhat magical. That is what life is about for me. Moments like that.

I am physically exhausted. I am worn, from long days and too much work. I am sad that I don't know when my next chance to PLAY will be. But it was awesome.

In other news

Today I played a human sacrifice to a bear puppet named Jeffrey. Speaking only in gibberish. And got credits. That was after my back massage.