Friends to play with!

One of the key themes in the Special Topics: Affecting Change in Nutrition and Dietetics course I facilitated this winter was 'findings friends to play with'. I certainly found some here today at the conference. My goodness...a convergence of the like minded! I have not experienced the like. A musician from Montreal who plays personal concerts to folks at the end of life. A film maker providing training on making 1.5 minute films. A vocal coach who does song with people living with Parkinson's Disease. Artists who do all sorts of work with all sorts of community groups to establish connections for the purpose of social comparison, creating new normals, assurance, collegiality...all with the connecting marvel of caring for other humans. My interest in connecting people with and through food got A LOT of nods..."That's all so sensible", they would say and from there we would move on to conversations about the food supply, food sovereignty, culinary therapy and culinary history. All so wonderfully encouraging. Phew. A wonderful bunch.

I learned about and had a demo of a dance/movement technique that I just have to try...the Nia technique. A combo of dance, martial arts, and healing arts. There is a class at 7 am... I'll be there. The added interest to this conference is that I have lost my voice...kind of liberating to sit in stillness and be able to focus on being a listener.

Had a tour of downtown Detroit today from a local artist So many gorgeous buildings. The huge street widths and beautiful architecture speaks to the flow of cash in another time. Now so many buildings are boarded up. Reminded me of what Winnipeg did offering building space to artists for cheap to revitalize the downtown. I hope these gorgeous spaces in Mordor can be likewise resurrected into use.