Stage Fright? What Stage Fright?

So Simon had some reservations about performing with the Circus Arts Club at Many Cultures One World (a multi-cultural festival at school) this week, and in fact made a point of dragging his mother down to the gym half an hour before the curtain call to tell Mr. C (the coach) that he wasn't going to perform.

Mr. C handled it beautifully: "Simon, man, I know you're ready, you've worked hard and learned a lot. And you know those butterflies in your stomach? Once the show's over they'll flutter out into the sky and you'll feel really good!" He also said that if Simon really didn't want to do it, that was okay too. In the end Simon stepped up, with aplomb and enjoyment, and reported the disappearance of the butterflies shortly thereafter (Simon recommends watching this video backwards for maximum effect, but we're not sure that's technically possible for those of you viewing at home):





Meanwhile, Josie surprised us by spending an hour making this card, apparently as overkill penance for a truly minor backseat bickering episode with her brother.

We were more than mollified by this effort, and have considered whipping it out in our own defense once or twice recently, after lashing out unnecessarily at those near & dear to us.

We're not sure how ethical it would be to re-gift this particular item, but the thought has occurred to us that there may be a commercial application here -- mass-produced cheerful yellow cards, suitable for distribution by kith, kin, co-workers, bosses, bureaucrats, politicians... anyone with amends to make. We could even print up T-shirts for the chronically crabby... Maybe the past-tense verb would inspire a change of heart in a few curmudgeons, anyway.