The New Jersey Experiment: Cheese Steaks

It's been a long week. I last blogged on friday when I was still sick. On Saturday I slept untill 3pm and was finally feeling better. I awoke to a phone call from James and Michelle Shaddy, informing me that they were on the East Coast and wanted to come see me. They showed up in Camden around 7pm and we headed into Philly to get some cheese steaks, which was something I was still yet to do since moving here. We went to Ishkabibble's on a recomendation from my friend Garret. We arrived in Philly and it was pouring rain. The parking situation looked hopeless, untill out of no where some crack head was standing in the middle of the street directing me into an open parking spot. The man asked for a 5 for finding me the spot and considering that the parking structures were charging 18, I saw it fitting to give him what I had on me (which was 2$). We walked to Ishkabibbles and ordered our cheese steaks. Because it was raining outside, there were no open seats inside of Ishkabibbles. James and I hovered over a group of people for a minute untill they felt uncomfortable and got up (James is 6'5'' and 300lbs for those who dont know him). We were then able to sit and eat our cheese steaks which were every bit as amazing as we could have ever hoped. We then went to Fridays and had a few beers. It was incredibly nice to just sit and have a drink with people who know me inside and out and just truly relax with my friends.

On sunday all of the interns were asked to sing in a Presbyterian church that supports Urban Promise. Considering that I have never sang for anyone who didn't just happen to walk in on me in the shower, It was a interesting experience for me. The nice, old (and apparantly near deaf) people at the church said we sounded great.

We only had two days of program this week because we had to prepare for the Urban Promise Banquet. The banquet is a meal and a show that Urban puts on every year for major donors in hopes of recieving funds. It is heald in the Ballroom in Collinswood. It was one of the coolest buildings I had ever been in. There is a baquet hall on the bottom floor and on the very top floor there is a huge theater. On Wed. we went to set up the stage. As we began to decorate the stage, I think they quickly realized the depth of my artistic ability becuase I was swiftly put in charge of raising and lowering the beems over the stage so that backdrops and courtains and things could be hung. In doing so I earned myself a part in the show (standing on the balcony above the stage pulling ropes to lower curtains and backdrops when neccisary). I was supprised to see how much preparation and detail goes into putting something like that on. The show was incredibly moving. The goal for the night was to raise 150,000 dollars so hopefully the people in the audience were as moved as I was.