See, now this is how you tie a story into a Christmas song:

(click picture for Google Video link)

I confess I am still on a rocky roller-coaster ride about these stories, since I actually did submit one. I also have a friend whose story was already tentatively accepted, but Team Clay wanted to know what other shows it might be considered for besides Wichita. Since I'm the only friend of hers attending different shows, I may be called on to read her story.

Not only would that terrify me, but it would also kind of annoy me if hers was picked and mine wasn't.

I think that's the crux of the problem here. Each night, Clay is going to put three storytellers on stage to face an audience full of people whose stories were not picked. (Or who simply don't want to hear strangers' stories rather than Clay's voice.)

This is not likely to be a very receptive audience.

But Clay knows his audiences better than anybody. The fact that he's reading these stories and getting to know his audience personally - and not just the "craaaa-zy" ones consistently in the front row - is the best reason to have participated in Teacher's latest activity.

I already recorded my story so I can send it to my brother as his Christmas gift, so the effort that I spent on this activity has certainly not been wasted.

And if Clay chooses me to read - either my own story or one of my friends' - then I can only follow his direction, and let his vision guide me.

What did he say right before his final AI competitive performance?

I'll do my best.

love, hosaa practicing, practicing, practicing