Dear 826 Seattle Fan, Let’s start off with some programming highlights:
Hello all, The kids and I really enjoyed our time with all of you yesterday. They checked out almost all of the CYOA books in our library. The experience also gave them some much needed confidence to create their own writings. Please let all the people know how much I appreciate the time they gave to my students. All of them were so energetic and engaging and the kids loved them. Thanks! As usual, 826 Seattle is right in the middle of a controversy involving the solar system. In the words of Justin, our store manager:
Now, just for the record, Justin is an emotional guy (obviously), but we also believe that some of you readers out there might believe Pluto really is nothing more than a ‘Dwarf Planet.” We welcome all points of view. In fact, if you are over the age of 10, you might want to consider participating in the writing workshop (taught by the gifted Rebecca Brinson) before you join the protest march: DESCRIPTION: Though considered a planet since its discovery in 1930, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. Are you, as a die-hard supporter of Plutonian planetary rights and an inclusive solar system, going to stand for that sort of celestial flip-flopping? OR! Are you, as the scientifically rational being that you are, going to put up with these single-issue protestors who wouldn't know a trans-Neptunian body if it elliptically orbited their face? Either way, 826 Seattle wants you! Come bemoan/celebrate the revocation of Pluto's planetary status by writing argumentative essays to support your side. We'll focus on convincing our audience of our point-of-view through the use of facts, professional opinions, and well-placed wheedling. Come for the essaying, stay for the march to a local coffee shop and rally (yes, speeches!) will take place. Who knows – there might even be a counter protest! 
Soon, we (this includes you, dear reader) will be able to answer our most compelling questions about space right here in our own Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. This spring, coming to you by popular demand: the WorldWide Telescope. Well, truthfully the WWT is already here. Just google it. But, that said, soon we will have constructed a special WorldWide Telescope booth where everyone – young and old – can explore space using the footage from this powerful space lens. If you are a kid you will also have opportunities to write space stores with us. Then you will create a slide show illustrating your story with, say, pictures sent down from the Hubble Telescope. We’ll ask you to record your story which will then be placed in a special 826 Seattle folder on the WWT website. We’re not kidding. The entire world will have an opportunity to hear you read your story while looking close up at the actual locations described in your story. A drama on the third ring of Saturn? No problem. Your space vehicle gets stuck in a crater on Mars? Let’s show you what that looks like! Are we excited? Yes. Special thanks to our pal Curtis Wong who is, as near as we can tell, Mr. WorldWide Telescope, and Microsoft who is footing the bill for this. One last thing about the store: Get updates on products, in-store happenings, and goings-on in the Solar System and beyond by following the GSTS on Twitter @SpaceTravelCo or the blog of our fearless leader, Captain T. McGillicuddy Remember the good ol’ days of the Mustache-a-thon where hearty growers of facial hair did so to further the good work of 826 Seattle by getting $$ pledges for growing? We really had fun for the three years we did the Mustache-a-thon – not to mention we raised some important cash for our cause. So why did we stop? We were determined not to get in a rut. Motto around 826 Seattle: stop while you are ahead and then move on to something even more dynamic!
Enter: Dance Your Cash Off – a five hour dance marathon to celebrate our fifth year anniversary. Now, there are some hair splitters out there who may think that five hours can hardly be called a marathon. I mean Wikipedia says a dance marathon is at least 24 hours. But 826 Seattle hasn’t been around for 24 years – only five. Longer would be excessive, and besides, everyone would be so tired! The who/what/when/where will be coming. Just know: if you want to dance, you can…but you’ll have to pay. If you want to come but don’t want to dance: you can…but you’ll also have to pay. If you want to come and dance but don’t have any money: you can….but you’ll have to get sponsors to pay for you. You can also get sponsors to pay for your beer, your bathroom breaks, your opportunities to share your best dance moves solo in the center of a circle… yes, basically, just about everything at our dance marathon will be sold. Want to stop dancing for ten minutes? No problem! You can buy your way into the Official Take A Load Off area, just pay by the minute. Emily Hoch, our terrific events intern, is managing this event. If you want updates on details, or have a great connection with a dance instructor who will donate a lesson, or own a bar with the perfect dance floor please send an email STAT to: info@826seattle.org and put in the subject bar “Dance Your Cash Off.” Emily will get right back to you.
Our Two Big Annual Fundraisers:
April 30th: "People Eating and Giving" with Dave Eggers and Tom Robbins at the Tom Douglas Ballroom. If you have a fair amount of cash sitting around and would like to eat a lovely meal, drink some wine, meet Dave and Tom, explore your own writing life with our Youth Advisory Board and wish to support our important work, let me know. (terihein@826seattle.org). What do we mean by 'fair amount of cash,' you ask? Ticket to get in are $150. Then, we’ll want you to raise your paddle to pledge more (which we hope will be at least a hundred dollars per person.) Last year’s People Eating and Giving was not only incredibly fun, the generosity of the guests is all over how we keep doing what we do free-of-charge to our students. October 1: Don’t Forget to Write (A Check) breakfast. I’m very excited to say that Dinaw Mengestu, author of that lovely novel The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (yes, the same book that our Book-It Theater performed last year), is flying in from Paris (I’m not kidding) to be our speaker. Dinaw worked with at-risk kids in Harlem years ago and he really believes in what we do. We are also excited because so many of our students at 826 Seattle are Ethiopian, as is Dinaw. Mark your calendars! Happy Note: Meron Kasahun has been coming to 826 Seattle since 2007. She was our youngest ever youth advisory board member and is now our newest Youth Mentor. She spends Monday through Thursday tutoring students during drop in, modeling good homework habits, and vacuuming (an important skill for all of us). Not only that, she was just accepted to Summer Search, a terrific program that provides life changing experiences in places far away from Seattle. Program Director Kathleen and I are committed to helping Meron get in shape for this summer of fun which will include running around Greenlake once a week after drop in (and vacuuming) is over.
 Side note: if you are NOT a kid and want a little entertainment come see how we’ve managed to cut down the number of phone calls our drop in students make. We’ve installed a rotary telephone which, in the words of one student is “so much work.” Frankly, none of our students know how to dial it and when it rings they are shocked by “the ring tone” never considering that a telephone can only have one available ring. Here is Sagan demonstrating her technique:  And lastly: Years of hard work and constant operation have finally claimed the lives of two of the in-store DVD players. These players play whimsical content on the various video screens scattered throughout the store. Are you upgrading to BluRay? Have an extra DVD player laying about? We are happy to put them to good use. Contact Justin at justin@826seattle.org.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for my May update when more questions will be answered, such as:
PS: Fun night coming up at The Crocodile as the SeattlePI.com celebrates it’s first year as SeattlePI.com. Guess who is the recipient of the evening’s proceeds? You guessed it. 826 Seattle. Check it out! http://events.seattlepi.com/seattle-wa/events/show/105543625-seattlepicoms-first-birthday |