Pep Talk!

If you're feeling upset, in need of some cheering words of encouragement, or just want to laugh, this might be something of interest. You may have read or heard about the PepToc Hotline on NPR, from Clara Parkes on Instagram, or a myriad of other places. Peptoc is a free hotline project from the students of West Side Elementary in California. Two teachers, Jessica Martin and Asherah Weiss put it together after being impressed by their students' positive attitudes. 

If you're feeling mad, frustrated, or nervous, press 1. If you need words of encouragement and life advice, press 2. If you need a pep talk from kindergartners, press 3. If you need to hear kids laughing with delight, press 4. For encouragement in Spanish, press 5. 

I had to call on Monday morning when I was having trouble dragging myself out of bed. The life advice I received was "If you're feeling up high and unbalanced, think of groundhogs." This made me laugh, got me out of bed, and I've been thinking about groundhogs ever since. 

This was started as an arts project - art as a social practice, a conversation to contribute to the world. If you would like to donate to the school (they had a massive arts budget cut this year), you can click here. Jessica Martin, one of the art teachers who came up with the idea, said, "One of my missions in the art program for the school is to introduce kids to the broadest approach to creative practice as possible. Yes, we're doing painting and drawing, but it's important that these kids also are being exposed to art by artists who are pushing definitions of what art is and the role it plays in our society." Interesting!

Don't be afraid to call Peptoc at 707-998-8410. It certainly won't cure the world's ills, but it may make you feel better for a moment. The advice I received today was "Choose weird" so that's just what I'm doing.