I write too much about changes, frustrations and things that I miss or struggle with ... I really use the blog more like a journal than anything else. It is a good thing my husband does not read it (hehe). Tonight, however, I would like to reflect on my AWESOME Saturday afternoon/night.
Morgan and I have volunteered with HeadCount (http://www.headcount.org/) since 2004. HeadCount is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit voter registration organization that started in the "jam band" communtity but has since reached out to other genres of music, local events and much more. Anyway, we've been registering voters at concerts for 6 years now. After I got pregnant and we moved to North Carolina I took a more "behind the scenes" role and we have both missed being in the field terribly - becuase we miss the civic engagement and miss seeing so much great music! (Okay, living in Raleigh vs. San Francisco might also have to do with the lack of music ...)
Due to a variety of reasons it looks like I'll be running the Raleigh team until the election on November 2, 2010 - and I must admit I have been seriously jonesing to get into the field for a while. The Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area is ripe with opportunities to do voter registration and the senate race is very competative this year ... not to mention all of the state politics. Raleigh is the capital after all. I see opportunity everywhere and it is hard for me not to jump on it!
For some time we have been scheduled to work the Jack Johnson/ALO/G Love concert in Raleigh last night - it was planned intially as a big night out doing something we love - but after the tables turned it became something we were responsible for ... which was all well and good until our babysitter canceled for band practice. We couldn't find a replacement so we took Raymond to the show to work the HeadCount booth and for his first big time concert!
How much more family friendly can you get then a Jack Johnson show? How much more nonprofit friendly can you get than a Jack Johnson show?
Raymond was AMAZING. We arrived at 3:45 and he hung out with us all afternoon and registered voters without a peep at the booth - and THEN was happy as a lark (with earplugs) to enjoy the show and dance the night away with mommy and daddy in the lawn until 11:30. He also got to meet Jack Johnson! There is a photo - but Jack's photographer took it so hopefully I'll get a copy to share.
Morgan and I totally got to reconnect to an acitvity that is very meaningful for us and have a great day and night! And while working a show for HeadCount is like putting on your favorite comfortable pair of jeans - doing it with Raymond was new, wonderful and easy. I feel really blessed to have had the expereince and such a wonderful day with my boys!
Its funny that the day to day, family vacations, holidays, etc all present challenges and sometimes frustrations in learning how to do things with Raymond ... but music is easy. I guess that is becuase it is at the core of our tradition.
Don't forget to VOTE November 2, 2010!
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