Many of you probably heard that Dave Eggers paid us a visit last week. But did you hear about all the stuff he DID? Let’s just say we packed his Sunday. Some people who are as busy as Dave might resent this, but as far as we can tell, he had a blast. As did we.
The highlights:
This year, we have an editorial board of high school students who are working with teens from 826 Valencia to determine the content for the Best American Non-Required Reading anthology. Readers of this blog have long heard us lament the fact that We wish there had been an 826 when wwwweeeeee were growing up, so we’ll spare you the details on how incredibly jealous we are of this lucky group of students. In fact, had we not, over the years, grown so very fond of them, we would likely narrow our eyes every time they walked in. You know what else we wish we had been able to do? Have dinner with a TED Prize winner/Pulitzer-prize nominee/Heinz Award in Arts and Humanities winner who also happens to be a really-nice-and-cool-guy.
Pictures you will not find in our high school year books, #736:
Dave Eggers meets with the Best American Non-Required Reading editorial board.
Jokes were told, wisdom imparted, and a number of falafel sandwiches consumed.
We then whisked Dave over to Quack! Media, who hosted a wonderful evening of snacks, drinks, good conversation, a fun and informative discussion about all things 826 (with slides!), and a series of hilarious spots about 826michigan and the Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair that Quack! put together with Tally Hall. (Many thanks to Al McWilliams for all his help and hard work.)
But the night wasn’t over. More whisking: over to Cafe Habana, where Dave was the guest of honor at our volunteer appreciation party. It was the cap to a practically perfect day, enjoying the company of our sublimely amazing volunteer force and the man who brought us all together. (Many thanks to Cafe Habana for giving us their swanky basement…and for waiting until forty-five minutes passed our proposed quitting time to kick us out!)
(And thanks, of course, most of all, to Dave, who never ceases to inspire us.)