Looking strong as an ox, Joel approached me with a smile that would swoon even the coldest of hearts. As I handed him a bag full of goodies — glow sticks, a dinosaur grabber thing, a sumo wrestler stress ball, a dolphin princess puzzle, and more — I could feel the youth radiating off his person. He is going to have some fun with his new toys.

Confessing that he is awful at writing blog posts, Joel left us with few words again. But that’s all he needed to share his modest perspective of the first half of his dancing experience:

“Hard to believe it’s already Saturday! The weekend is flying by, and the only indication of the passage of time is the steadily increasing ache in my feet. Something I’ve realized since my original post is how much more effort and work is required for captains and committee members than dancers. Maybe my attitude will change over time, but I have seen many Rules & Regulations captains or OPP committee members looking far more stressed and exerted than myself. I just get to play with kids, dance, eat, repeat. Here’s hoping the rest of weekend is as fun as the first half.”

We will check back in with Joel a little later, and we will find out if he develops a sudden passion for journalism.