Just overflowing tonight, filled up, zesty and satisfied and may find it hard to sleep after such a stimulating day. Starting with a quiet, centering walk, as always. Past the bird feeder and the bench and the hibiscus tree in bloom by the softly streaming creek. 

It's the day of the play lab readings; there a rehearsals and plans and coordination and details, and no doubts. No doubts. All is well. A phenomenal team. Writers who collaborate supportively with each other; actors who are generous, generous, and disciplined and show up for the playwrights. Remarkable. I love this part of the conference. The page to the stage. The playwrights get to show their work to the entire conference: what they've accomplished. Their words from the page to the stage in the voices of actors. There is so much movement, so much learning, for one and all. Laughter fills the auditorium in so many unexpected places. And poignancy, tender moments, and absurd ones too. All doubts that came into the room on Saturday, our first day together, have been overcome. The stories are good; worth telling. Unique. We listen, we take them in, we let them change our views, expand our horizons. Because, yes, there are things we haven't understood before tonight's plays. 

In our All Voices open mic, after the plays, I read two poems in our open mic, along with our usual group of about 15-20 other readers. One of the poems I read I thought was finished. Practicing it this afternoon I had an insight: I needed to change a pronoun. Finally. Finally, this poem I've revised for two years is finished in a new, more satisfying way.

Whether or not I'll sleep tonight, at least I'll rest, and be glad for this day, this conference, these friends, these artists, this community and my place in it.

All photos and text ©Kelly DuMar 2018