November 22, 2004
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The Daily News
1 Camp Anytown never ceases to amaze me. Richard is like Socrates; he is clearly one of the true sages of the twenty-first century. The more I watch him teach, the more I learn as an educator, and the more I can share with my own students.
2 We had a tremendously talented staff, for the most part. What's amazing sometimes to me is watching each staff speak, and then when it gets to Rocha, Wolcott, and Richard, you could SEE the soul; it's almost palpable. Those are three of the greatest teachers I've ever seen assembled in one room, and I am in constant awe when I watch them speak to large groups. I sometimes feel sort of like all I do is shout over people, but those three deliver like the great voices of the ages.
3 I'm amazed at what new things I learn each time I go there. No matter how cynical one could be in approaching the experience, it always delivers so many positive messages that I begin to see lessons beneath the lessons, and mountains and mountains of wisdom. It is THE single best teaching/learning retreat anywhere. I need to get this down while it is still fresh in my head, because yeah, the stuff does wear off, but some of the lessons go pretty deep.
4 This group was pretty special. While not as strong, personality-wise, as some of their predecessors, they had a HUGE heart. The boys in particular showed a tremendous amount of sensitivity and insight, when they weren't farting in sleeping bags. But isn't that camp?
5 Seriously, these students grew tremendously as the very short few days moved through the shadow and light of the forest, and into the starry nights.
6 The food rocked, as always.
7 Something I hadn't done before was that I got up at 5 a.m., showered, and went into the lodge building, leaving all the lights out except my flashlight, got hot chocolate each morning, and then played Cheyenne, my Ovation guitar, to a dark, empty room. It was very spiritual, coming each morning before the hike, and before breakfast, in the darkness, alone, similar to the Theatre, only in many ways, better. I have seldom sung and played better.
8 Each time I go to Anytown, I make a decision that I am going to make some sort of major behavioral change, and then I stick to that. I won't tell what it is, since that is sort of like giving away a wish, but let's just say it's been done, and I have improved my life and the lives of those around me with this decision.
9 So, thanks Tracy and Paz, and yeah, all the facilitators and especially, the very special delegates, who might still be reeling from the experience.
10 I sure am.
11 Speaking of reeling from the experience, nothing is more perplexing than returning from Camp Anytown to the fiasco that took place at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The NBA's David Stern did the right thing in suspending players in what Bob Costas declared "the ugliest..." sports brawl in U.S. history. I quite agree. I really feel that Ron Artest needed an Anytown hug.
12 My idiotic 49er quote for this week: "There has to be a turning point where we say, 'We have to go out there and win some games'." --Kevin Barlow, who had 14 carries for 30 yards, a 2.1 yards-per-carry average.
13 That could be tied with the Raiders' Kerry Collins: "Three weeks ago, that was about as bad as it can get." In other words, we are losing by fewer points, like that's a GOOD thing.
15 Was that the Beatles' tune Across the Universe playing in a commercial for digital cameras?
16 Yeesh. John Lennon is officially turning over in his grave.
17 Sometimes, you come back from somewhere like Anytown, and you feel like Rip Van Winkle, like you were sleeping, and the years have passed, and you have returned to a much uglier world.
18 Sadly, it's the same old world. We just saw it's potential. And arriving back, we now see that there we have a full plate. NOW I understand the Symbolism of the Food, of which there were mountains in the forest.
19 No wonder I cry behind my sunglasses every time I leave Camp Anytown.
20 Go out and make it better.
21 Peace.
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