Yes, Please, When Can We Do It Again?

I had a good day today. It started with a forced ejection from a warm bed, out into the cold world for our weekly Sunday morning in Central Park. Every time I go to Central Park, I am renewed. Let's face it folks, sometimes New York can be relentless--people, noise, activity, smells, you name it, it's here, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It can get a sensitive gal like me either REALLY EXCITED or REALLY GRUMPY. Walking in Central Park early in the morning on Sundays is like a jump start to that place in me that feels at one with everything. Dare I say that vague and yet often uttered, new-age word? Yes, it CENTERS me. I love the trees, the inexplicable quiet, the beauty of it all. I especially love the dogs. They have become the surprise delight in New York. They KILL me. I love seeing all the stiff and uptight people with these dogs that are just so HAPPY and GOOFY and filled GLEE. I never thought I was particularly a dog person, but they've won me over since moving to the Big Apple. They crack me up and make me unbuckle all the grown up shackles that I put on during the week with all their infectious energy. Thank heavens for dogs in New York!

After our walk, we went out to breakfast and then Graham walked me to the Natural History Museum, where I was joining Danny Gregory's sketchcrawl. On the way there, I got that scared, first day at a new school feeling. Graham pointed out that it was doing one of my favorite things (drawing) at one of my favorite places in New York (the museum), with one of my favorite bloggers (Danny). It was kinda dumb to not take part. So I breezed in only half thinking that I was sure everyone would think I was a FREAK.

After waiting in line, I was a few minutes late, so everyone at the sketchcrawl was already seated in the Hall of North American Mammals, drawing either a bison or a moose. Without a word, I took my seat and began drawing the bison. I got out the markers and began sketching wildly with red and blue. When Danny Gregory came over to see what I was doing, it was like the REALLY COOL kid suddenly noticing that you exist. Inside I was thinking, STAY COOL, LOOK AT THE BISON, not at the guy who has the new, strange honor of being an INTERNET CELEBRITY. Although we didn't visit all that much, I would say that Danny Gregory seems JUST LIKE YOU AND ME. I know, AMAZING! He seems nice and funny and I like that he draws on pages that he has washed with watercolors. Very cool.

At the sketchcrawl, not only did I get to draw in public with a number of people, meet an internet celeb, but I got to meet members of a very inspiring family, who's example inspired me to go down into the subway last week to play music. It was great to meet them (Hi Rick, Brenda, Shepard, and Pearl!)and to be able to show them where the fishes were.

Later, after lunch, I tried to find where the sketchcrawl was regrouping, but never could locate anyone, but a very nice British guy named Nigel. So we sat down at opposite ends of the room and I drew the Mule Elk and he drew a Brown Bear. Do you want to know why I remember that I was drawing not just a mere deer, but a Mule Elk? Because about 5000 people came around the corner and looked at the case and said, "Oh, Mule Elk." It's true. EVERY TIME. I didn't even need to look at the plaque.

I asked Danny if he was going to make the sketchcrawl a regular thing and he said, "I don't know, do you think I should?" I think I said some rather dumb, inadequate things at the time, because I was nervous and wanted him to like me. So let me say what I really think: YES, PLEASE, WHEN CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?