GREAT EXPECTATIONS . . .

It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

ML, NL and the Alien, J2, JC, C, Soy, Jaime came over to my place to paint the town red ... or the office "Appalachian Trail" and the bedroom "Harlequin Blue." It was too much fun, though I think we'll all need a break before hitting the next house and the next major project. After a rocky start in both rooms -- C writing his name on my bedroom wall does not count as proper painting technique, and JKA stepping in paint repeatedly was just downright goofy -- everyone got into the rhythm of things pretty quickly. The local Pizza Hut (and a free pizza) followed, as did a wild and crazy second coat. I have never seen Soy and Nancy do anything so furiously before in my life, as I saw them blend and reblend and roll and roll again last night. They are powerhouses. You all should hire them and pay them lots of money. JKA was, of course, the most phenomenal light director ever (if she would just stop hitting people over the head with the lamp). As for the men ... well, I don't really know what they did in the other room, but it turned out beautifully.



Because I can't tell you in accurate terms what last night meant to me, I offer an excerpt from the email I sent to my painting team instead:

there was a moment towards the end of the (long) night where i sat on the window
sill of the bedroom watching the men finish up the edging, looked up at my
awesomely blue walls, and felt tears welling up in my eyes as i realized that i
have awesome friends who don't care that the ceilings are bizarrely high, who
don't care that there isn't enough light, who don't care that blending is harder
than it seems, who don't care that they have paint spatters (not to be confused
with spiderman) all over their feet, who don't care that they had pizza instead
of steak for dinner, who don't care that it's almost midnight and there's still
cleanup to be done, who don't care that they have to take out the garbage, who
don't care that they are surrounded by people who have never painted before, who
don't care that it's not their house.

i love crying tears of happiness.

thank you for my rooms.
thank God for yous.