I don't know how long this e-mail will end up... hopefully short... but
probably not. :-) [<--- that would be, not]
I had a great, great time. I want to still be there. I have rarely - if
ever - been a part of such a loving group of people. Let me amend that by
saying I have groups of very close friends who mutually care about each
other, but I felt that this group was unique in my experience in that it
was so free of ego - people I met were remarkably giving and generous and
rarely tied up in their own issues... Sure, there was a little of that - we
*are* human after all (with the possible exception of a few living angels!)
- but at least for the weekend, it was all on the back burner.
I learned so much from everyone - about giving generously (I am thinking
particularly about Anne Anne Anne and also John V.T., Les I, Sharon and of
course Ashara... as well as other people)... about looking out for each
other... about taking a back seat to others (something I am not as good at
- anyone notice? :-))... about cooking salmon... and playing guitar (though
Marcel someday I *will* have you show me a song to crack open new horizons
- I was sorry we didn't get to that)... and singing with an amp (I will
find a way to Practice that for next year!)... And I think I was able to
give some of those things to others, too. For which I am happy and grateful.
Of course, I am totally thankful for the HUGS (and thanks, Steve P, for the
virtual hug earlier - it was yummy).
Here are, in no particular order, specific thanks and thoughts for people...
Hell - I can't believe you came so far, and I'm so glad you did! I didn't
get much of a chance to talk to you but I love that you are so bold and
funny and upfront. And I appreciate the possum skins (I think - though
horribly I think they were left in the hotel room, after all my careful
planning! Ack! What do you suppose the cleaning staff will think about the
rubber flask and those skins!?).
Jimmy - your hugs are the greatest! I wish I had more time to talk to you
but your presence was so strongly felt whenever you were in the room, and
it was warm and funny and gracious.
Anne - you are the best kind of living angel ever - so so generous and
thoughtful and I really appreciated that - I hope you are enjoying the
denim shirt and I can't wait to see you at Asharafest next year!
Stephanie - I am sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, Steph! I don't
know where you were when I left! But that just means that there is no
good-bye and that we'll connect again soon. I'm so glad you came - I loved
doing our mocked-up versions of Tori and Joni on piano and voice - and
especially loved how into your classical pieces you were when you played
them! Next year we won't be so nervous about our performances, 'kay? and
you'll have to tell me about the Tori show after you see it.
Steve P - as I said before, too bad about Don't Dream, but we'll do it next
year, full throttle! You are such a diva on the piano, I love it. And I
think every so often we should (all) just send virtual hugs out to random
(or, well, not-so-random, but different) people - they are so special even
though they can't quite measure up to real touch.
Claudia - I want you as a friend for real, Claud... when I get over
admiring you for your quiet confidence, and that inside beauty that just
shines through, and your singing which made me cry though nothing ever
does. If we were hanging out I would be torn between wanting to hear you
sing and wanting to talk and talk.
John V.T. - it was just so great how much you had to give, John - not only
the chocolate (which was great! and I'm still eating more, my gawd!) and
the cheese (which I avoid but can appreciate for the sake of others!) and
the salmon and the peanut sauce... and the pictures - especially the joy
you had sharing them with everyone - but also your smile and your hugs and
support and attentiveness to the welfare of everyone else. I notice you
watching to make sure everything is ok - I am that way, too. Stay in touch.
Jim the Lama - how can I thank you enough, not only for coming to freakin'
Ann Arbor 4 hours out of your way to pick me up, but also for taking me on
as a project ("Kakki, have you met Yael yet? etc). You are so thoughtful
and concerned about others... And the pictures. Everyone should get a copy
of Jim's picture CD - I have seen a few sneak previews and they are
glowing! (not literally). Don't forget our car drive conversations!
Kay - hotel buddy. I love your songs so you'd better get that CD out quick.
It was great getting to know you - show yourself more on the list.
Gregg - ditto! good to see your first post - keep it coming. I've been
listening to your CD and I am so happy listening to it and thinking of you
making your joyful noise... I appreciate your scolding me for putting down
my guitar playing - I will remember that and remedy it. Next year you'll
think I am a cocky little ho :-) I am wondering how you made that sort of
sliding metallic overtone sound on Fearless Heart - do you know what I mean?
Nikki - it was so great to meet you after talking online so many times. I'm
sorry you weren't feeling so well - it was fun to sing along with you on
the beach and yes Sheryl does need more heart, sometimes I get very
absorbed in the sound over the feeling. You inspired me to pick up Leaving
Las Vegas so I am practicing it now.
Sharon - you are so warm and one of quiet deeds. I labeled that honey-bear
"Sharon's bees" with permanent marker so everyone in my house knows it
comes from your bees. It was really good to meet you and I love hearing you
talk openly and matter-of-factly about gay stuff - very few in my life are
quite so un-hung-up about their sexuality and I think it is such a great
model for me. hugs to you.
Gawd, this is getting awfully yearbook-y. Someone kick my ass if I start
writing "have a great summer!" At least I can't put bubble dots on my "i"s
on email. Aren't you glad? OK, keeping on...
Les Irvin - I wish I had talked with you more, but I did enjoy the little
talks we had about the Halloween industry :-) - you are another of quiet
generosity and I am grateful to know you and of course grateful that you
are the alpha and the omega of the list.
Les from London - I got so much joy out of sitting in Ashara's dining room
with you and Willy the Shake playing music and singing Joni songs - you are
so unassuming but so magnificent in guitar playing and I felt so privileged
and grateful that I could sit there and be treated as a musical equal with
people who obviously had so much experience. I loved all the music last
weekend (though I have to say I don't feel too bad to have missed
reggae-Joni!) but sitting in that room was special because I did not for a
minute feel dwarfed.
Willy - same as above - I really loved talking to you - I felt so listened
to... though the fest was so hectic and there was so little time to connect
with everyone, I felt like even when we weren't talking about anything much
you were fully present in the conversation - that is such a rare quality
and so important (I know I don't always have that). Spending time with you
was joyful. And next year please sing Sweet Bird again - it was so beautiful.
Sue - it was great to catch up with you again! We should make opportunities
for minigatherings in MI - there are a bunch of us around here. I hope
you're having fun with the kids.
Kerry - Harold and Maude forever. Don't forget to check out State & Main as
well as Rushmore. I love those movies. And their soundtracks. Rushmore even
has a Cat S song on it - I swear it MUST be a tribute to Harold and Maude.
You are so easy to talk to.
Rose - I'm so glad to have met you after all our talking! Though we didn't
get too much chance to talk... I hope things are going ok. I apologize for
waving your smoke away - I know that is annoying! But I don't mind having
to do it, so don't take it personally, 'kay? I know I'll see you often in
the virtual world.
Michael - I felt automatic kinship with you. Somehow I knew I just wanted
to hang out with you lots of time... even though there was no way to do it
with all the people and excitement, I was happy to have some time to hang
out during shrimping and shrimp souping. It was a very shrimpy weekend and
goddammit, my backpack still smells of shrimp, so I have jonifest with me
still. I know we will stay in touch. I loved hearing you play, and singing
Amelia with you though I guess I had a different version going in my own
head, timing-wise! Sometime maybe we can play human jukebox (you musical
genius, you), perhaps when I am in N.O. in April! I can't wait - not for
the conference, but to get to hang with you. hugs, my friend.
Susan Guzzi - we barely talked, but I appreciated your warmth and support -
I could feel that coming from you as you watched everyone perform Saturday
and that was a comfort as I was up there on that quavering stage. Oh, I
guess I was the one quavering.
Marcel - we've definitely had our share of political bickering on the
list... so I was like, gawd, how can I like this man so much?! :-) But I
did. I really enjoyed talking to you, and loved hearing you play and sing.
I hope that your wife ended up enjoying herself more than she expected...
And speaking of that... it was great to see Jeff B enjoying jonifest. I
don't think I even exchanged more than a word with Jeff, but he epitomized
cool. That was glorious in itself... and once the music started, wow. Kate
- the same to you, as far as music goes - I loved hearing you play. I also
really liked talking to you though it was in such brief snippets. I hope
when I go to Cali next I have more chance to talk with you and Jeff.
Russ - your piano playing was awesome! I wish I could have heard your
Judgment of the Moon and Stars but I suppose it is good to have things
hanging for the future.
Jeff - speaking of things for the future - we will do People's Parties
sometime, because your playing is so great, it has to be heard by all. And
because I love singing it with you. I really enjoyed our conversations on
Aimee Mann and music and playing guitar... and the walk on the beach...
start singing. :-)
Victor - you are awesome, Schmendrick! Your songs have the best
progressions in them - I love that unexpected. Talking to you was special -
I appreciate that you are so encouraging and kind.
Catherine - so little time, but I'm so glad I met you because I always love
your posts and you are as sweet and funny as they are. I wish to have heard
you play guitar. Hey, not to put myself down or anything (note that,
Gregg?) but I'm sure you were more experienced on the instrument than I was
and that didn't stop me from guitar hogging! And no one seemed to mind! How
wonderful was that... Anyhow sorry that you had to leave so soon but we
will meet again.
Mags'n'Brei - you are together because I always saw you together! The two
of you are so sweet, and it was wonderful to put faces to the words I have
exchanged with such frequency. I can't wait to see you both again.
Chris - I totally loved our drive! Hooray that we got lost, otherwise we
would never have gotten such giggles over "no parking" signs. (the local
ordinance board: "I know what we should do!"). I know that if we lived in
proximity we *would* keep hanging out - I had too much fun not to. Your
bass playing was divine - and it was such a rush for me to play with other
people doing lots of instruments - bass is so powerful. Yum.
Steve Mixon - speaking of people game for playing... your mandolin playing
was so cool! I can't BELIEVE that I was leading a frickin' song on vg8 with
you highlighting on mandolin! I wish I could do you justice (and one day I
will!); it was awesome, and tremendous fun. You were so game for everything
- it was great.
Leslie Mixon - friend-with-my-hair (though darker and less purple)... i
love to hear you sing. and we didn't talk much but I really appreciated
being so welcomed into songs with you...
Donna - wild woman. good gawd! I can't believe one person can bring so much
fun into a room! how is that possible? Sorry to have driven you on a wild
goose chase - those hotels were feckin' impossible to find. I can totally
imagine you as the protagonist's voice in "Carey" - all that wild dancing
and playing. Next year you must perform!
Amy - your singing brought the room to silence. some people seem to have
that ability - it is so amazing. I was very glad to meet you and I hope
next time I get a chance to really talk to you beyond "that sounded great"
and "do you know where the mop is?" :-)
Bob Murphy - I will definitely let you know when I am in Providence next,
whenever that is... ahh... I miss Providence... though not as much as I
miss jonifest! It was good to get to meet you and next time we'll talk
more, I hope.
Bob the covers man - Bob, you are one energetic dude. Not to mention
supportive and kind and exuberant. I'm so glad to have been graced by your
warmth.
Patrick, Jody, Lori, Steven from Vancouver, Pearl and Steve - I know there
is so much I could say about each of you... I am running out of steam here
tonight... but I will not forget you or your support and I do have
wonderful and warm memories of each of you.
Alison - Alison, you are so spunky. i really enjoyed hanging with you in
the crowd on the porch...
Wally - Bjork! you are unique, birthday fairy. I still am having a hard
time putting my image of you as the birthday fairy with my new and real
image of you! Somehow it is hard for me to picture a birthday fairy with a
hefty black beard. :-) It was great fun to be in the same room as you,
especially when you were singing so exuberantly.
Kakki - I can't wait to see you the next time I am in LA. We barely had a
chance to connect but I suspect it will be so much fun to have some of your
time and conversation! I enjoyed the little moments that there were.
Maggie the culinary goddess - you were so amazing getting it all together
and staying so cheerful and smiling and peaceful! I want to be just like
you! :)
of course Ashara and Sal - you are wonderful!!! thank you for starting
this, for opening up your house to all these great weirdos (I include
myself here). It was awesome awesome awesome. And besides that, you are
great, and have such a great sense of humor... and tolerance (for the
weirdos again). I can't wait to encounter you again.
If I forgot anyone, I am so sorry. It isn't because I didn't care but
because there were so many wonderful, mind-blowing people...
And I suppose I could go on and on about amazing special moments but there
were so many. All I can say is:
I could sing all day every day. Especially with you.
People I had special moments with know what they are and who they are and I
valued those about all else.
lovelovelovelovelove,
Yael
