When it was announced that Louisville would be the host of the 2021 NCTE Convention, I immediately started planning. What if I found a space, brought in
Brough Brothers Distillery bourbon, and had
Eatz Louisville cater a party? What if I invited the Louisville Writing Project family, my CT teachers, and friends and authors from Penguin House, people from the Brown School, and threw a wild, pre-50 birthday party, all in celebration of everything that LWP & Jefferson County Public Schools invested in me? What would that be like? I made preliminary contacts with spoken word poets, musicians, and artists, too. It was a vision.
Alas, Covid.
It's all good though, because I attended a session on speculative fiction last night (love Nicole Mirra, Stephanie Toliver, Antero Garcia, Tiffany Nyachae, and Ebony Elizabeth Thomas) and I re-realized the importance of dreams, possibilities, imagination, and hope. They are such sprites in a world of magic (both the burden of that, and the panacea...I listened).
We, obviously, can't be in a shared physical space, but a crew of the CWP-Fairfield team and I will be together with superstars from across the nation - site Directors and writers, teachers and students - presenting on our work, thinking, shortfalls, and accomplishments early on Saturday morning. So, I woke up and was at the liquor store by 8 a.m. - yes, I was surprised, too, that liquor stores open that early. Go breakfast drinkers, Go!
The National Writing Project family is what keeps me going, and although not all our teacher-leaders were part of this project, several did step up and help the dream to occur. So I made them gift bags. I couldn't get Brough Brothers in CT (yet), so I went with Maker's Mark, Bullet's, and Evan Williams. And I can't afford the gigantic bottles, but I can afford a drink.
Several years ago, in Bridgeport, CT, a local bar offered what they called a modern Old Fashion. It was simple syrups, a squeeze of citrus, root beer, and a shot of Makers. To say that it changed my life is an understatement. I found my drink...one that hits every tastebud.
Here's the direction.
- pour ice in a nice glass.
- pour a shot of bourbon or two over that ice.
- squeeze an orange or tangerine into the mixture and dump that in, too.
- Then, moderate with root beer.
Now, we all know how we get at NCTE, especially in hotel rooms before we head out into public. I can only imagine the 'trouble' it would bring us in Derby City. So, that's what the mask is for. If we were there, we'd be able to go incognito as we acted as fools, intellectual fools, while we talked reading, writing, equity, possibility, and literacy.
Ah, for me, it's the flight. It's the winged hope we fly with, and the wildness of yesterday's stories weaved into the ones we tell today. Pegasus, is also the name of
the parade that leads towards The Kentucky Derby every year. I am thankful that I was welcomed to such traditions while I taught at 1st and Muhammad Ali and Jean Wolph, Director of LWP, took me under her own wings (and yes, the dollar story was kind to me - who would have thought they'd have such horses?).
And I left the Thank-You card in your gift bag blank. It's for you, as I'm sure you can think of numerous people you'd like to thank that have helped your dedication, devotion, and tireless efforts for so many years. It's a Thank-You from me, but it's also an invitation to pay it forward. This is teaching. It always has been and it likely will always be this way.
Yesterday's sessions left me inspired, as I'm sure another day will do today. I'm forever thankful for the yearly gathering. Saturday night, however, I hope my Connecticut teachers will have a modern old-fashion on me. May they put on the mask, saddle the winged-Equus ferus caballus, and be free from normal responsibilities for just a little while.
I am, because we are. I so appreciate you being a part of the human togetherness.
Shoes and elephants, Elephants and shoes,
Bryan
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