Orlando we heart you!

hello! after packing and repacking Sat. night we woke up Sunday and spent the day packing and smoothing out finding bikes that would hold the trailer, and averting other similar disasters. Luckily for us our new friend and bike hero for the day, Zach, biked us a bike, saved Lylee from a top heavy bike, and safely navigated us through the suburbs to downtown and even showed us 2 bike trails that involved many lakes and trees ( little econ and the cady way trail- check them out if you live in the area!) After biking 20 miles downtown we arrived at the black box collective where we facilitated a workshop on radical health care for communities, followed by a show with lots of of local musicians (thanks panhandeler, kelly, and Ariel www.myspace.com/arielbui ) and great sets by Evan and Shannon. I love that all the Orlando folk we met happily greet strangers with a hello, name exchange, and a hug. It is so nice to be in such a welcoming and friendly community, not to mention the fact that hugs are great! We were lovingly put up at the Orlando food not bombs house and awoken to happy loud noise music and vegan banana pancakes and grits as the crew got ready for Monday breakfast in the park.

Shannon and evan on the lil' econ trail
photos (L-R) our bike hero Zach!

radical health care for communities workshop at blackbox collective

Panhandeler



Kelly and Evan

Evan singing a kelly clarkson song to fill some between sets space (notice the heart on the wall behind him)

Shannon singing/ telling a story

(next row) Ariel and Sebastian singing
Monday.
After waking up early we had a sunny leisurely bike ride up to Rollins college where we had a workshop: from activism to organizing. We had great turn out and a good mix of faculty and students and people involved in many different kinds of work on campus, but all excited about more activism on campus and networking to connect all the different groups they were working in, and realizing how the (seemingly) different struggles overlapped and shared common ground. In the afternoon Evan and Lylee successfully found a beach! and proceeded to go swimming and lay in the sand, a crazy concept for this Northern girl whose body is still expecting it to be -20 degrees. I honestly don't understand how anyone around here gets anything accomplished- I would spend all my time frolicking outside. We were fed copious amounts of dorm/campus food (woohoo!) and had another great show. Rollins folk were fans of both sitting on the stage AND singing along, which made for a fun evening, and Ariel played with us again. Thanks for being so friendly Orlando!









Photos from the workshop at Rollins.
Human knot, circle game, mapping exercises, oh my!






we still miss you art! can't wait for you to get here so our foursome is complete