Week Thirty-Five: My Last BEDA post, and a wrap-up of the Unschooling conference!

Written on September 2, my first day with power since the 28th. Still no internet, but flush toilets are working!

[Edit as of 9/4: Electricity is back, and so is the internet. everything's working again!]

The conference I went to was utterly fantastic. I got to see some of my friends who I haven't seen since last year, and I got to meet some new friends who are equally amazing as the ones who I already know.

It was five days of hanging around with the most supportive, creative, and really genuinely nice people I can think of.

As it is usually, my conference was a mix of games, thoughtful conversations, music, and silliness. I did end up speaking on the panel, and I have to say that it was absolutely nerve-wracking, and I really can't see myself doing that again. My fellow panelists were amazing, and were great about letting me take the microphone and shove it into their hands when I couldn't answer the question we were asked. If either of you are reading this, please know that I am so grateful for how nice you were to me.

I did end up preforming at the talent show, in two different acts. I played and sung Here Comes My Baby as a solo act, and then I did a duet with my friend where we sung On The Rise from Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog. I have video of both those performances, and I'll probably upload them to YouTube and post them here when I get internet back again.

One night, we decided to learn how to dance Thriller, and I have to say, I have never had so much fun learning a dance. (Also, there's a LOT of pelvic thrusting that goes on in that dance.) We all got together and did Thriller together at the dance, and there was a group of maybe...15 people, all zombie-walking in synch. So. Cool.

Of course, just like last year, there was a LOT of playing Werewolf...and staying up to un-godly hours. It's also my one year anniversary of starting to learn sign, and it was SO helpful (and awesome) to be able to sit there in person and have a whole conversation with my ASL tutor and not even need to say a single word. It really showed me how far I had come in a year.

Going to this conference is rejuvenating. When every one of my age peers are getting ready to go to college, or finish up high school, or do something very school-related, it's nice to have a reminder that I'm not the only one who's continuing on this (admittedly radical) path.

It's hard to believe that I won't see a LOT of these people until next year, but I've made promises that we'll keep in touch on the computer, and for some of them, promises that we'll actually see each other in person more than once a year.

The worst part of the whole conference is giving everyone hugs and then walking away to your own car. I try not to become all melodramatic about it, but I couldn't resist literally hanging on to one of my friend's ankles when we had to leave him. Goodbyes suck. A lot.

At the same time, I know it's not a final goodbye, just more of a "see you again". Next year, it'll start all over again. A wonderful conglomeration of hugging, dances, late nights, games, conversations, new experiences, community, art, music, laughter, support, bravery, connections, and most of all, joy.

~Whimsy