Is it possible to have too much fun?

My apologies to all those unnamed in this article who turned up in
fabulous costumes and who made great contributions to the meeting.

The highlight of my week was, believe it or not, the annual general meeting of Eastern Edge Gallery, which is an artist run centre here in St. John's.  I normally avoid committee meetings like the plague and AGMs are often the worst of all: lots of boring reports, no real discussion of ideas and oodles of formalities.  However, we really shook it up at EE.  It was a Halloween meeting that started with a delicious brunch cooked up by our chairman Andrew Harvey, who came dressed as Pippy Long Stockings. Our intrepid Membership/Outreach Chair Louis Atkinson was dressed as Count Elvis - talk about a photo opportunity.

So in between the food and frolic we had a costume contest, which I believe  was won by Makeout Bandit Chris Shortall.  Chris even had little fortune cookie style slips of paper with come-on lines.  Mine said, "How much does a polar bear weigh?  Enough to break the ice."   We also had fun prizes.  I rustled up some gift art magazine subscriptions that were generously donated by Visual Arts Nova Scotia, C magazine and Canadian Art.    (I went as Minnie Mouse.)  And we wrapped it all up with fake awards to keep the laughs and cheering going.  Of course we did all the business stuff.  Who wouldn't listen to a budget report given by John Weber as Obi Wan?

But the absolute piece de la resistance was a visit from Thriller Grams.  Nothing breaks up the tedium of minutes and reports like a troupe of dancing zombies!  I think this idea from Neightbourhood Dance Works is nothing short of inspired.  I believe it costs $100 to be surprised and thrilled by this group of dancers who perform the choreography from Michael Jackson's Thriller music video.  I kept thinking that in a perfect universe I would be in their ranks.