Back to Life

Safely back in the A-T-L after three wonderful days at Interlochen Arts Academy up in Traverse City, Michigan. The weather, as expected, was near freezing at night, but gloriously crisp and cool during the day. I met countless wonderful people - professional dancers, actors, musicians, creative writers - and could easily have seen myself attending the school and making the same type of friends my wife did.

For the creatively inclined, Interlochen is a panacea for the typical American high school. Talent and creativity are encouraged, not just by faculty, but by fellow students. Instead of funding stadiums and new uniforms for the football team, Interlochen spends money on theaters, practice halls, and exhibition rooms. Granted this is a fairly typical scenario for an arts academy, but for someone like me who attended a typical suburban high school, it was a totally foreign experience. Those kids are damn lucky.