This is my last blog…

…before I go on break.

Did I getcha? Yes? No?

Are you mad?

In any case, this here is the last blog I’ll write before the school year ends.

And that means that my first year as a writing apprentice is almost up!

So I thought I’d share with you my three favorite things I learned this school year–in and out of school.

Three things that are all wonderful, but in a mundane sort of way. Munderful, if you will.

So buckle up! It’s time to get on the not-magic-not-school-not-bus! (No copyright shall be infringed upon today.)

Raindrops on roses…

Ok, no. We’re not singing that. I just said that no copyright shall be infringed. And this doesn’t have anything to do with raindrops, anyway. Or roses.

This is about Batman.

Yes. Vengeance himself.

Did you know that jails give tours?

Well, they do. And ours had a little surprise…

For school, we toured the Cambridge jail. It’s not that large. I got handcuffed to a bench. It was great.

And you know what my biggest take away was?

They have a Batmobile.

I KNOW. I’m not joking!

It’s this giant black metal tank-like thing with a bat-symbol battering ram on the front. It’s got AC. A top hatch.

And what’s that? You wanna see it? You’re in luck:

BOOM. There it is, in all it’s low-res glory.

Does your local police station have a batmobile? I didn’t think so…

Whiskers on kittens…

I know I said we weren’t singing the song, but it’s topical this time. Swear.

Did you know that there’s an antique store here in Cambridge that has real live cats walking around in it?

It’s aptly named “The Black Cat.” They even have a shelter in the back!

I’ve met some of the sweetest little kitties there. There was a pair of orange tabbies named Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. I swear. They were so cute. One was missing some toes. Didn’t stop him, though.

“So what?” you ask.

Listen.

Do you know the odds of wandering into a random shop only to find that it’s full of adorable cats that want to be pet?

I don’t, but it’s gotta be low.

I take it as a reminder that adventure could be any place. Story can be anywhere, behind any door.

Is that a fortune cookie? “Wander. You may find cats.”

Something about mittens, I don’t remember…

Mittens are Christmas-y… Let’s talk about a Cambridge Christmas.

Did you know that you can just…write a silly little play and read it with your friends?

I certainly didn’t realize that was in my power. But boy is it worth it!

There’s something I think most adults miss out on. And that’s being creative and goofy with a group of friends.

Life’s busy, I know.

But when I was a kid, all I wanted to was go to the park with my friends, sit in a circle, and tell a story. Everyone had a role. A character.

You grow up and suddenly acting out stories is weird. Who decided that? Not cool.

Last Christmas, my fellow apprentices and I were instructed to each write a short, Christmas-themed radio play and cast our fellow students in it.

What? Who does that!

But not only was it fun to see how all my friends would read my characters differently, but it was fun to just sit around in a circle and be silly again. Act again. Tell a story together.

Don’t underestimate the simple joy of doing a table read. Especially with a comedy piece–we laughed so much!

Is there a short play/skit you like? Do you want to write one? You don’t even have to stage it. Just sit around with some friends and give it your all. It won’t disappoint!

And if you’re one of those “Christmas in July” types, here’s a link to the Christmas audio drama we wrote:

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What adventures have you gone on?

What are some things you’ve learned this year?

Where did you go? What did you do? Who did you go with?

Drop a comment to clue me in. I’d love to know!