Finally, some thing about this amazing past weekend! There will be multiple posts on the Jamboree, so this is just the start. ;) If you were not there, I'm sorry. Make your plans now for next year! I really enjoy being home again, but I had a wonderful time and am so glad I was able to attend.
I have never lived in a house with a TV. I was homeschooled. I am the single most pop culturally illiterate person I know of. I might know more about ancient Grecian culture than the one most of my generation grew up in. In general, this is a situation I like. I've never understood the general fascination with what some celebrity is doing or eating or wearing, etc. But there are a few areas that involve things I am into where I am somewhat interested in the big names. The tiny house world is obviously one of those areas. And Jay Schaffer (here) is one of those people. If you don't know who he is, lets just say he pretty much started the modern tiny house movement. Yes, I know, people all over the world have lived in small spaces for ages. But as far as what I and a lot of others are doing now, living in stick built houses on a trailer, he's the one that got it going. So he's about the closest thing to a celebrity that I care about.
On my way to the Jamboree, I learned, thanks to the Jamboree connections FB page, that Jay needed a ride from the Denver airport. I was driving right through that area anyway, so I offered to pick him up. Someone else actually beat me to the airport, but he still replied and then noted that it was late, dark, and raining, and was kind enough to ask if I had a place to stay lined up? I did as I was planning to stay at the free campground and had my van and tent both as options to sleep in, so I told him that. But he said he had this huge hotel room (yeah, you could have put both my and Jay's entire houses inside it and still had some room to spare) with two queen sized beds, and it seemed way too big for one person. And so I ended up being room mates for the weekend with Jay Schaffer!
Not only is he able to design beautiful and functional houses, inspire multitudes with new dreams and goals, and speak to crowds, he is a really amazing person. Very open, genuine, willing to put himself out there to help others (often forgetting that he needs to make a living too in the process) and just a really wonderful person to get to know. While we both were busy much of the time with various commitments and people, and a few other guests came and went from the room through out the weekend, the few times we were in the room at the same time, we had some wonderful conversations.
And thanks to his generosity, this weekend was not only a lot of fun for me, but one of the most relaxing times I've had in a while. I love camping, but having a air conditioned room with a comfy bed and a shower that can run forever without running out of hot water, is really nice sometimes! Not to mention that little bit of a fan girl side of me that does exist finds it really amazing that I got to be roomies with a celebrity for a few days. But the best part was probably just having the opportunity to get to know another amazing person in my life. Thank you Jay for everything you do!
So that was cool. I am sorry all that meant that I missed the chance to hang out with all of you that were at the campground. Probably next year! Now on to posts about the event it's self and all the beautiful homes that were there...
