Gangplank the Circus?

So one day a LONG while back we were at lunch and Chris Young was saying how “weird” Gangplank was…  He was referring to how on any given day at any given moment something completely insane could happen and it is just considered normal.  I don’t exactly recall what the particular event was that occurred that made him think that, but I agreed.  In fact, I mentioned I think a little bit of it is in my blood.  I let him in on a little secret.  That part of my family tree includes PT Barnum of Barnum and Bailey circus fame.  I like to think that Gangplank has a little bit of circus in it. (insert bad analogies here)

For example… This week on Wednesday we had a crazy day with a 50 or so people showing up for the brown bag.  Having two separate print news agencies conducting interviews on two separate stories while a local news station was interviewing people on something unrelated.  Later that evening during hack night we had well over a 100 people showing up for about 4 or 5 concurrent events with venture capitalists and business leaders mixed in.  It would seem odd to most, but it’s more regular than not.

Fast forward to today.  After getting out of a sand rail that was off roading in the dirt lot behind Gangplank and loading it back on it’s trailer pulled by a monster truck.  I’m sitting here writing this as the first ReOpenPhoenix is going on and @dfactor is rocking an electric guitar at full blast jamming on a stage with a quarter stack and an audience of people watching.  Again this while odd seems par for the course around here.  Some call it magical, while it certainly is, there is a fair amount of planning that goes on.  I am a big believer in serendipity and I think those that are and prepare for it, open doors for awesome/magic to happen.  Those that know me, know that when I started down the path of constructing a stage for gangplank that I was laughed at quite a bit.  “Why do we need a stage?”  When I stated that I envisioned having a full sound stage and live bands playing here, the laughing changed and turned to them getting out the little white jacket for the “crazy” guy.

I didn’t know when, how or why there would be live music on a stage here, but I knew that it needed to happen and we needed to be prepared.  Nearly 9 months later low and behold… There is live ELECTRIC music from multiple acts taking the stage (earlier this year we had an acoustic act ‘Zilch the TorySteller’ on stage)

My point is that if you want to run a circus, you have to dream and you have to prepare, but you don’t have to have all the answers and you don’t have to do it all at once.  Just be prepared to accept the opportunities that you have prepared for and enjoy them for what they are, imperfections and all.  Weeks like this make me realize how awesome Phoenix is and how incredible of a community is being formed.  We are truly blessed to be sitting it’s backyard!