In Navajo tradition, when the moon eclipses the sun, the sun dies and is reborn anew. This is the reason why the Navajo peoples, out of respect for the great event, usually just sit inside, stay quiet, and do not eat or drink. Considering the crowds expected to descend upon Central Texas this month for the Great North American Eclipse, I can hardly blame them. But whether you plan to put on eye protection (you are using eye protection aren’t you?) and gawk at the skies or prefer to observe the sun pagans outside your window from the comfort of your living room, I like the Navajo sentiment.

Rebirth. We can all use more of that. Especially since this isn’t expected to happen again here for another 300 years.

Spring has sprung Primetimers. The weather has been more spectacular than usual, and now is the time to get outside, meet up with some old and new friends (see what I did there?), and enjoy it before we all rush back inside to the air conditioning and pray for winter. I’ve started the Backyard Movie Series up again, and lots of people are starting to hold outdoor concerts and hikes. So let’s get out there.

We do now want to formally welcome the newest member of the PrimeTime Leadership Team, Patty Watson!  You may know Patty if you’ve attended one of the one-of-a-kind -events she has hosted for us ~ such as indoor mini-golfing at Dirdie Birdie’s or The Community First Village of Lights.  If not, I hope you will soon have the opportunity to meet this friendly native Texan who loves spending time outdoors, exploring new places, and making new friends. Hiking and discovering new trails are some of her favorite pastimes. She’s a live music fan and is always up for an exciting road trip. Her passion for adventure and meeting new people is a constant source of inspiration and joy in her life, and she is looking forward to sharing her ideas and enthusiasm to make PrimeTime the best it can be!

And we want to give a shout out to all of our Event Organizers in March. You are the lifeblood of this organization, and we couldn’t do this without you.

So thank you Robert, Louise, Clare, Sherrie, John, Miki, Andy, Jeffrey, Michael, Patty W., Nancy, Greg (with 2 G’s), Lisa, Deborah, Barbara, Mireya, Greg (the other two G’er), Anne, Lynn, and, yeah, I did a couple I guess. That’s 3 G’s thank you.

The Leadership Team would also like to remind you to please be considerate of your hosts by being on time, canceling with 24-hour notice if possible (1 hour doesn’t cut it!) and thanking them for their efforts.  We hope that more EOs will step up to host now that the weather is getting warmer and days will be longer. 

There’s so many events in Austin this time of year we are not taking advantage of. So we thought it might be nice to add a “Cool Events in Need of a Host” section to this newsletter. See something you think you might like to go to? Maybe you should host an event. It’s easy. It’s fun. And stuff is always more fun with a group of friends. We’ll be glad to help with any of the technical stuff if you need us to. All you’ll need to do is show up, greet people, and have a good time. You’ll be doing yourself (and our group) a service.

So what’s happening in Austin this month that maybe you might want to host? Here’s just a small sample.

The 15th Annual The Sherwood Forest Faire (through April 21) – Get your turkey leg on for food, drink, shopping, games and entertainment in a fun medieval setting. Sign up for courses in traditional skills and crafts such as blacksmithing, glassblowing, pottery, horseback riding, archery – the list goes on. Outside Austin between Buda and Elgin. https://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/

The Moontower Comedy Festival (April 10th through 18th) Numerous comedy events, from headliners to first timers. Individual tix and badges still available. See the schedule here. https://www.austintheatre.org/moontower-comedy/moontower-festival/

Swing Dance Classes (every Thursday at TFWC Mansion) Classes are cheap and put on by the Austin Swing Syndicate. https://austinswingsyndicate.org/

The Austin Blues Festival (April 27 – April 28) – Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughn and more at Waterloo Park. https://do512.com/events/2024/4/27/austin-blues-festival-ft-buddy-guy-brittany-howard-big-freedia-jimmie-vaughan-robert-glasper-more-tickets

How about a Pottery Class at Feats of Clay? Different skill levels are welcome, and new classes start all the time. https://featsofclaypottery.com/classes

Music America: Iconic Objects From America’s Music History at the LBJ Presidential Library (through August 11). Curated by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music in association with the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Hard Rock International along with dozens of prominent collectors of American music ephemera, this exhibit features artifacts from artists like Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Chuck D, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Ella Fitzgerald, Lady Gaga, Woody Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Faith Hill, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Carlos Santana, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Tupac, and more. (https://www.lbjlibrary.org/exhibits/temporary-exhibitions/music-america-iconic-objects-americas-music-history)

And that’s just a sample guys. We’ll formalize this section more in the coming months, but for now…why not help us by hosting an event for one of these? As I said…we’ll help you with the technical parts if you need it, and chances are I think you’ll have a bunch of grateful Primetimers shaking your hand for stepping up.

Meanwhile, we also want you to save the date of May 19 for Primetime’s 5th Anniversary Picnic. The event will be posted soon, and we’ll be asking you to tell us your protein choices so we know how much and what kinds to get. So please don’t skip those questions when you sign up.

Meanwhile, as always…Keep on Truckin’ Primetimers!

Gregg, on behalf of Louise, Andy, Barbara and Patty