Eric started the night with his report on the Golden Gate Bridge. He took us through the initial construction, all the way up through to how the bridge is used today (suicides, mostly). Kristin learned that the bridge is orange, I learned that the bridge goes over water (I know, I know...give me a break... I've only ever seen it for a couple of seconds in the beginning credits of Full House), and Eric learned that fewer people pay attention to the songs he writes than he maybe thought.
Jack offered a report on Christina Georgina Rossetti, who wrote some pretty intense poetry in her day. She is an interesting figure, and it was cool being able to see Jack take his report on Pre-Raphaelites a step further this month. Here is a link to one of the poems he shared last night, in case you wanted it for your own funeral. Click Here.
I, then, gave a report on various people in history (or at least on wikipedia) named Jack Shepherd, or some variation thereof. I feel that, being bitten by the LOST bug, we can look forward to at least two more of this style of report from me. Maybe next time I'll start earlier and have something more substantial than "There was this one guy who was in a British soap opera." Sorry guys.
Heather reported on Donating Life, which is something she recently took a class on. She was able to address the concerns many people have on donating organs, eyes, and tissue. It was educational, as well as being inspiring. If anyone is interested in more information about how you can save, not just one, but many lives, through donation, I found a valuable link. Click Here. Heather, if you have any other links, please share them in the comments.
Deanne followed with a report on three of the more recognizable and popular mountain ranges in the valley. She discussed the history of the naming of Piestewa Peak, as well as some interesting points of fact about Papago and Camelback. It was a great reminder of the beauty we are surrounded by, as well as our valley's rich history. I think what I liked most is knowing that Deanne really had a deep appreciation for everything the mountains had to offer, and that appreciation really came though in her report.
Bill ended the night with a report on a book he recently read on John Adams. It was a great refresher course on high school history, but with a billion times more passion than I can remember my teacher injecting into the lesson. Biographies remain my favorite report night types of reports, if only because they offer real insight into humanity. It was kind of cool knowing that our second president had a real competitive streak, and a great sense of humor.
Thanks again for a great night. I'm really hoping nobody is tiring of Report Night yet. If anyone can offer suggestions on how you'd like the night to go more smoothly (such as, tell your damn kid to stop screaming and go to bed already), feel free to share in the comments section below. We're open to time and day changes if it would mean more people could attend.
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