What's a groovy?

How do you have people follow the rule, "don't do anything you don't want to do" and still get things done? Some things actually require work! And repairs! Vic recognized that the way was to make the effort itself irresistibly fun and came up with the idea of a "groovy," where a group of us get together - the skilled, the unskilled, the partiers and the flakes - take on a goal and throw a party around it. Part of the plan is that the goals for the groovy are well defined and easily accomplished in an agreed amount of time so that at the end of the day everyone can go home feeling like they had fun and got something done. Sometimes a number of groovies are strung together over days or even weeks to achieve a larger goal - one piece at a time.

The necessary elements of a groovy are food, plenty of beverages, good music, at least one person who has some idea of what they are doing, and a bunch of folks to support that person. Participants can help out by hauling & stacking or sawing & painting, doing as skilled a job as they are able to or would like to learn to do - many a city kid learned to wield a hammer or use a power tool at a groovy.

There are always people who do their part by making and serving refreshments. Others clean up the clutter as the project goes along. Someone mans the music, someone goes and gets supplies or throws the ball for the dogs. There's the very popular contributing of advice, which may or may not have relevance.

Part of a groovy is that there's always got to be at least one flake who shows up late, does little or nothing, gossips, partakes of the refreshments and leaves early. Sometimes it's a gathering of flakes contributing to the party atmosphere while the experts do their thing. There's a spot that's right for everyone.

Things are generally more fun when gang-tackled and we enjoy being together. When we groovy, we get something done and share the experience of accomplishment that bring us closer together and creates the stories we relish telling.

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