Let the games begin

It's day one of week one and as of eight o'clock in the morning, nothing is happening. I would call it a tense calm, but to be honest everybody's still asleep. I wonder how my new staff feels about it, or will feel about it when they wake up. They leave a few hints: Brenna is chomping at the bit, Nick seems a little nervous about the particulars but ready overall, little things like that. What's strange to me is that the staff isn't hopping up and down in anticipation or bracing themselves like sailors before a wave; they seem to be facing the unknown with a sense of mild curiosity.

Training week seems to have flown by. Everyone knows a few games and songs and we even picked up some new ones, courtesy of British Jenny from England. Yes, our goofy collective sense of humor is in full swing now, too. Our hikes went well and quickly, our boring, mandatory lectures were absorbed and our special duties have been outlined. Let's get some kids in here already.

Tonight we face our first - no. It's not our first challenge. I was going to psych myself up for opening program by calling it our first true obstacle or some such rot, but to do that would be to ignore the baptism by fire that was the Window Rock hike. And opening program is really only a challenge for a few - all of them capable. Alex (playing the stranger) could work on his volume, but he knows his lines. Brenna's already changing Acuma to be a little less hokey/Tonto. Steve and Valarie delivered the traveler and matron perfectly at practice. I coached Nick a little in the farmer yesterday, I'm sure he'll be fine on stage. So as long as the lawman (Dan) doesn't explode out of his vest we should be good. As for me, I'm playing a part that seems made for me (possibly because I wrote it): the old codger.