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25 June 2008

For mrmoonpie, or anyone else, a slice from the Portland Girl's Rock Camp→[More:] from Daughter email.

(I am amazed that she emailed, really, since she's not been the most forthcoming soul in the last few months).

I am still totally exhausted but camp is amazing as per usual. Today I taught my bass class how to play "smoke on the water." which sounds easy, but it really wasn't. It took them a hella long time to all get it but they were super psyched when they did and they took turns playing it solo. I even heard one girl playing it for her band during band practice. It was pretty hard to get them to stop playing and be quiet (eager eight year olds with amplified basses=major cacophony), and most of the girls decided to check out some camp basses so they could practice at home.

Also today a camp coordinator taught me to play the camp theme song (you know, the song everyone sings at the beginning of the showcases!) on guitar so I could play it during the morning assembly on the camp stage while everyone is singing (the campers learn a new verse to it every day). I tried it out at the afternoon assembly and it is pretty neat to be the instrument accompanier to a hundred people singing and yelling. After camp was over I taught it to some other interns: Janie, who plays drums (incidentally, she's in a band w/ Fay) and Dana, who plays bass and is from Chicago. We totally jammed out to it and had a bunch of other volunteers singing karaoke style. Hopefully we will be able to play it like that every morning-it will help us wake up!

post by: danf at: 09:41 | 4 comments

Thanks! Yesterday over lunch (Red Lobster! For the seafood-loving-but-kinda-picky-13-year-old in YOU!), I told her she got in. She's having major cold feet now that it's real, though. I'm trying ever so hard to let it be her decision, not guilt-tripping her into it. So very hard. We have to commit next week, and I won't see her before that.

posted by mrmoonpie 25 June | 10:02

My daughter was like that also. The first year she applied, she did not get in. The next year, she applied and she accepted, but only after MAJOR tredidation. Once she went, though, it really changed her life, for the better.

It's crazy-making, watching them go through the process. I hope your daughter gets her nerve up and does it.

(although any pressure from you will result in the opposite.)

One of the good things about the PDX camp (and I suspect the others) is that they really fight against the whole relational agression dynamic. They go to great lengths to make everyone fit in.

Good luck.

posted by danf 25 June | 10:07

Thanks, danf. I'm going to email her some excerpts from this post.

posted by mrmoonpie 25 June | 13:39

The registration packet (and payment) is on its way!

I was really, really good, no pressure, she's the one who has to go, all that. danf, your and your daughter's words made a huge difference to her. Her mother (my ex) was nervous, and asked the camp staff a bunch of questions, to which they responded thoroughly and reassuringly.

I'm so fucking excited.

posted by mrmoonpie 03 July | 09:47

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