It started with the pirate bang, which was the sweatiest of parties, but very, very fun.
After the Bang, the whole "Love's Labours Lost" crew went to Jose's for food and more dancing. This is one of those images that repeat most frequently when looking back over the past month or so: eating and dancing at Jose's until sunrise. We dance salsa, merengue, bachata, argentine tango and tango nuevo. Songs like Paolo Conte's "Via Con Me" and Elvis Crespo's "Suavemente" string together dozens of nights, it seems, of learning new steps and enjoying ourselves to the fullest.
Another image is that of rehearsal - lord, was there a lot of that - and, thankfully, also performances. After all of our hard work fixing up shakespeare's least performable play, the shows were, by all reports, wonderful. We received a flood of compliments, and had perfect weather for all but one night. Oh, and I may or may not have played a ridiculous academic modeled after Martin Walsh and Final Fantasy 10's "Lord Widebottom," and that performance may or may not have involved dancing around with horns on my head.
The best part of the show, though, was getting to work with old friends like JP Dutka (pictured here with me as we sped along in a golf cart; I am driving), Carol Gray, and Beca Fried. I also made a number of new and very good friends, whom I will miss terribly.
See, that's the conclusion to this month-long collage: I'm leaving. My job, as many of you know from speaking to me, has not turned out to be what was expected or promised. It's really very frustrating, and as that job was the main reason I moved back...
So it's back to NYC, to a job that pays very well in a city full of opportunity. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be going back in crazytown, leaving this (albeit pleasant) retirement community. I'm entirely too young and resourced to be anywhere I'm not challenged and excited and productive and happy. It's time for a new movie to start.
There's another bang this saturday, if you're in town. You should go. I'd like to see you. (Yes, you.) Or contact me. Soon.
So for now, I've got to get back to my farewell tour of friendly ann arbor faces and start packing. See you back here in less than a month (i promise, this time).
