Good Morning

No, I am NOT wishing you a "Good Morning" in the traditional sense. I am saying that it was a GOOD Morning today. A good morning beats a bad morning hands down.

This is the fourth conference I have had to attend since August 2007. The first in Boise October 2007. The meeting room there drove me nuts. The second was in Los Angeles in January 2008. The presenters there drove me nuts. The third was in Atlanta in June 2008. The organization there drove me nuts.

This one is not driving me nuts. It's OK and I had a good morning. So far, I have nothing but good things to say about this event, from the planning to the delivery.
My Senior Corps Directors meeting this morning was great. I give it very high marks, probably an 8 or 9 on a ten scale. Those who know how I despise these types of meetings will be shocked to read the above words and rating. It's true, this event has been going splendidly. It's a great way to end my tenure in this position. I am actually looking forward to the remainder of the event--that's so rare that it's hard to believe. I have nothing cynical or comical to say about the event. How rare is that? VERY rare!

Anyway, it was a fun morning--a very good morning--and a fine lunch with fun people.
I am taking a break now but will attend a seminar or two later this afternoon.

One thing I learned this morning is that this is a real good time to be leaving the RSVP program. The national federal bureaucracy that administers us is getting really heavy-handed with a lot of stuff and there a HUGE amount of new bureaucracy heading our way real soon. It's almost like a tsunami of bureaucracy and it's not a pretty sight. I am heading to the high ground not a moment too soon.

I made a real nice little "hooray" speech for Kent 7 Colette and had the other State Directors join me in a round of applause for them. I've learned they are two of the greatest people I could have ever had the pleasure of working with in this position. They are so awesome and I am so proud of them.

There were about 200+ people for lunch so I suspect that's a safe bet for the approximate attendance for this event as VISTA's and AMERICORPS kids continue to trickle in. I must admit that it is a lot of fun watching the wide-eyed "service kids." You can see their idealism written large across their 20-something faces. Their urge to serve is almost oozing from their pores. They emit a palpable positive energy that's really fun to be around--kind of like standing around a waterfall soaking up the negative ions. I really love seeing young people so eager to serve--it really makes an old person feel proud to be alive. Kind-hearted kids are still out there!

I don't know if I am going to be able to "take a hike" today. It's been trying to make up its mind between snow and rain all morning. Most of the time, it's been rain--not heavy, more of a Seattle Rain (AKA--a heavy mist). Afterall, they call this place The Inland Northwest so sometimes they have to have a Northwest-style rain to prove it.

Well, that's about all for now. More tonight. Cheers, jp