What a crazy week. I can't believe it's almost over. I can't believe that I have so many things to do this weekend. I can't believe I haven't uploaded pictures lately. I can't believe much at all.

Frances was the Petit Prince, and it was amazing. It was an incredible experience for our whole family. We were worked to the bone last week, and the long hours are still taking their toll, but it was worth the pain we endured running back and forth downtown day after day, shutting down our entire lives for day after day, everyone missing all kinds of school, and just sucking our life into a black hole. Frances was not only thrilled to have a big role, but we had the kind of learning experience that many people only get through a field trip (if they're lucky).

Now the General Assembly is voting to determine whether funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts is going to be cut by 50% in a year and within two years be eliminated completely. This would be devastating for small arts organizations and non-profits like the one where Frances and Rutledge dance. They rely on these grants to be able to put on their productions that reach out into the community, and without them, small businesses are, by necessity, going to be closing their doors or drastically reducing what they are able to do. This will leave primarily the for-profit businesses, and while there's nothing wrong with them, they simply often don't provide the same opportunities that a community production organization can. We have a nice dance studio down the street, and it would be so convenient, but the chances to perform alongside professional dancers in multiple shows a year is something that this place can't begin to offer. The view into the life of a professional dancer, the chance to learn from practicing people who have made this their living, the opportunity to work in a theater, to take direction, to cooperate as part of one large whole, to learn about all of the work and expertise that goes into the lighting, the sound, the preparation of the physical space--they are all educational moments that we couldn't duplicate elsewhere. Then I think about how much Spanish we have learned, how much we've learned about people from somewhere different from where our ancestors came from, how much we've learned about the traditions, the things that other cultures hold dear--again, unparalleled elsewhere. I realize that cuts have to be made across the board, and I certainly believe that people need to eat, have adequate healthcare and security forces and education, but the Arts Commission has already had 30% cuts in the past year and started at a lower per capita level than most other states fund their arts. And these arts organizations that would be affected by the proposed cuts often fill the gaps left by elimination or reduction of arts programs within the public schools. Even as homeschoolers, who may not always feel directly affected by educational budget cuts to public schools (though these, of course, have short and long term effects on us as well), we are concerned about what is beginning to feel like a broad-reaching huge reduction in support of the arts will leave as a legacy to future generations of artists...who are also workers, contributors to the economy, and carriers of our culture. If the arts continue to be cut in schools (and certainly they are among the target areas of educational budget cuts) and in the greater community, what will ultimately happen? Where will the arts survive? If only they were truly free.

So today, we went down to the General Assembly as part of a rally to support the continuation of arts support in Virginia. When we first arrived, we couldn't find anyone--just two lonely-looking men outside with signs (Frances asked if we would have pitchforks and flaming torches). We rode down with another family, and we sincerely hoped that this was not the entire showing of the arts community; if it was, perhaps they didn't need the state's support so much after all. But then we heard that the action was going on inside. When we got into the Capitol building and headed toward the House chambers, we discovered a line hundreds of people long, stretching back down the stairs and around the halls. We waited for about 45 minutes to get in to the House chamber to watch the budget debate. Frances had another chance to be on the news--she was filmed for a piece on Lynchburg's ABC channel 13. We were only about to listen to the speakers for about 15 minutes, and then I had to go and rescue my car from getting parking ticket, but the important thing was to make a showing and to be part of the presence of people who would be affected. What was unexpected is what an incredible field trip this all turned into (and it had to be good, since we missed dissection class yet again--it's been weeks since we've been in a groove with it, what with the snow and the illnesses). We are planning to go down to the General Assembly again in the coming weeks, hopefully at a time when we could sit for a bit longer and wouldn't have to wait so long to get in, leaving us restless. Today, people were asked to not stay for too long so that all of the people who wanted a chance to come in would have that opportunity.

Then tomorrow night is my baby's birthday party. Rutledge has never really had a birthday party before. He had a two family dinner last year, but this year he is having a real party at the pool. It's going to be small, but he is so excited. And Saturday I need to leave before 6 a.m. to go to a training meeting for Classical Conversations up in Northern Virginia. I'll be gone all day. And I have several mini-essays to write (in my copious free time tomorrow!) before that. Then I have a swim and dive meeting on Sunday night. We have a one day outing planned next week, so anything I don't get done now is going to end up pushed off to almost Wednesday. It feels terrible to be worrying about what I won't get done by next Wednesday when it's still barely Friday of this week.