NEXT

Dig yourself a hole

Make big promises.

Burn your boats.

Set yourself up in a place where you have few options and the stakes are high.

Focused energy and serious intent will push you to do your best work. You have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. (Better than the alternative).
Seth Godin

So it appears that is exactly what I have done...dug a really big hole. No one else is going to raise these dollars...10,000 plus of them. So guess what I'm going to be doing this last week before school starts?!

Thanks to Andrew Raimist and a few others, I have a list of to-do's that can definitely become a ladder for climbing out/up/over the top!

Thanks to Dorlene Dunn Waleha, I have seen my reflection in the community arts mirror.

Thanks to Gerard W., I have seen  the face of the community in that same mirror.  I quote:

In reading your description of who you are, and what you're about at the end of the "blog", I am compelled to personally thank you for all that you and your colleagues have, and continue to do for us men in the Allen Ave. Transitional Program!! I have been on-line this morning at the employment office, for I do not own a computer, researching a Mr. Sigurd Bronger, whose identity and work would never have been known to me had it not been for Mr. Longyear and our Craft Alliance Metals class. The Klimt02 website led me to his book, and subsequently to his art. The creativity that Robert suggested to me and my personal artifacts last night in class was so inspiring....and to follow his suggestion that I continue with the website to extract my own artistry from within, in order to create AND complete my assignment is truly amazing and so very, very inspiring. You are truly creating possibility and discovery in me, alongwith a needed dose of patience, and I will politely suggest that the same is happening among my peers. 
It is my hope that the power of call / response / and discovery will continue in each of us, and I am confident that gratitude and sincere appreciation is felt by each of us for your vision and pioneering challenge to be the best that we can be. I am honoured to be a part of the program and your CollabARTive Thursdays.

I have used this before and will likely use it again....here's to the power of the NEXT step!