It's Showtime!

Ok. My 9-1/2 year old is "in a band"... The Drens. (I believe the name is a derivation of the word Nerds). The Drens perform Sundays under the loving guidance of Jenni & Steve Bliss. (The pix are of their first performance, but Steve has uploaded the performances from Sunday http://www.blissworks.biz/#/videopage/4529931014. ) The Drens have grown to a whopping nine members! Alayna, William, Pyper & Mahlin trade on vocals; Austin beats out the congas; Zion runs keyboards; Josh is lead guitar & Jadon wraps in up with a smooth bass! Not to forget little Ellie, who is a back up dancer (and not a bad singer herself).

Early in the week, Steve will compose & send music & lyrics by email so William can practice at home. Half the band actually belong to the Bliss family, so they start instrument practice at home. Come Saturday, all kids who are "in" gather at the Bliss house where Jenni organizes rehearsal like a pro. (Some days I've counted as many as 20 kids, just hanging out at the Bliss house . Jenni handles this as if there were three. I don't know how she manages this. But I promise, if I were put in her shoes, I'm sure I'd handle have to do something totally inappropriate, like finding a way to mainline vodka ...But Jenni? She's something else.)

If the group are tight enough, then on Sunday we all meet up at Guari Guari for Open Microphone Night (owned by Gordon & Richelle from NY), and do their gig!

If this weren't enough to fill the drama craving, William recently participated in his school's annual cultural event where the children dress up in fantastic costumes and perform dances, class by class. What a Gala! Ok, so the program was oral and I didn't understand a thing. But the costumes speak for themselves and really, they're a Drag Queen's envy! It took all my personal restraint not to rip a headpiece of an unsuspecting fifth grader!