System Overload

My brain's about to explode.

After weeks of dithering, last month Michael and I decided (finally) to commit to a repeat of last year's fundraising cabaret at our local theater. Woot! It's scheduled for September 6, and it's going to be a blast. Michael's got some terrific local performers lined up, and my dear friend Francine just happens to be scheduled at the World Cafe with her band that morning, so she's going perform for us as well. (Francine is one of my oldest friends. She sang at Michael's and my wedding, and it was the only time I cried during the whole [long] ceremony. She's wonderful and pretty and I'm so happy she's going to be with us on the 6th, I could bust.)

(P.S. -- If you have kids, or know kids, check out The Dream Band Jam! They are phenomenal, and have mastered the delicate balance of making awesome music for kids that doesn't make adults want to pour battery acid into their own ears. Truly, it's wonderful. Check 'em out.)

FURTHERMORE. At some point I also decided that, to replace last year's weekly cookie sale madness, this year we'd have a wine-and-dessert reception. I'd get the wine donated, and have a chance to exercise my baking jones by making the desserts. Then people started offering me stuff that would be appropriate for a silent auction (jewelery, babee!), and I said to myself, Self, the wine-and-dessert reception should be a silent auction as well. Brilliant!

And that way madness lies.

I am an inveterate list maker, but I can't get a handle on all the ideas floating around my brain. Theatre tickets! Restaurant gift certificates! Massages! Who do I know who knows someone at the new restaurant that's opening in Swarthmore? How much money do I have to spend at my local salon in order to comfortably ask for a freebie? Who can I ask to help with set up and tear down? What about some live music? My brain is bombarding me with ideas and I can't seem to grip any of them.

Last night's Big Idea was to make the silent auction a little sexier by inviting one of our local politicians. It will likely be held in mid-October, and our local congressman is facing a tough re-election. Plus, the more visibility I can leverage for funding for PKD at government levels, the better, right? Right?....

So, the current master to-do list reads something like this:

• secure donated items for raffle baskets for cabaret
• organize helpers, signage, and refreshments (purchased, thank gawd) for cabaret
• organize PR for cabaret
  
• secure donated items for silent auction
• organize helpers and signage for silent auction
• get wine donated for silent auction
• decide what to bake for silent auction
  
• bake my ass off for silent auction
• organize PR for silent auction
• hunt down Joe Sestak and make him come to silent auction (the $25 I donated to his last campaign should help a lot in this regard, don't you think?)
  

So, do any of you know anyone who knows someone in Sestak's office?..........