#6: Set Design

First, a quick note.  I'm surprised, given the particular bent of so many of my readers, that no one has yet observed that I am off on my countdown.  So, whether you weren't paying attention, or have already intuited my intention -- I just wanted to note that my timing is intentional.  I had  hoped to make a little joke and an observation, but since no one has taken the bait, I'll go straight to the observation.

On January 19, while we are still on GW's watch, we all have the opportunity, regardless of our politics, to celebrate a day of healing, restoration, and recommitment to our country and our communities. On the last full day of the Bush Adminstration, on Martin Luther King's day, on the day before Barack Obama is sworn into office, we can volunteer to work together in community service.

There is a great database where you can create your own event or celebration:  http://www.usaservice.org/page/event/create

And on the same website, you can enter your zipcode and search & sign up for events in your neighborhood.  I found 100 events within 50 miles of Concord. 

http://www.usaservice.org/page/content/eventsearch

For those of us who really want to see the soul, the people, and the economy of our country restored to health and balance, I truly believe the best way to begin -- short of starting a new business -- is to join one of these local initiatives, or start one of your own.  Find a meaningful way of giving back -- in joy, in generosity, in love.

So, I plan to be done by January 19th, because I don't want to be looking backward anymore at what might have been.  I plan to be part of something great.  I hope you'll be there, too.

Then again, it might be more fun to  contemplate a career switch to set design. A discipline formerly reserved for theater and movie professionals, set design has 

been elevated by the Bush Administration to a very important role in domestic politics.  

As a political set designer, one might be called upon to devise fancy photo-realistic backdrops, complete with illusory shelves stocked with images of boxes stamped "Made in America".  Or slap sheets of paper over the "Made in China" labels on actual cardboard boxes .  Props of this sort are needed to more effectively persuade the cameras of our healthy manufacturing economy -- actual "Made in America" boxes, apparently, being rather difficult to find. 

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0122-10.htm
"Strengthening America's Economy"