I like you

As this project started a little over a month ago, it is only a handful of times that I have conducted my survey at Great Lakes Aquarium so far. Regardless, I have learned so much already.

I use coloring pages and pencils as a ploy to lure visitors, young and old, to my table. If the kids flock to it, the adults follow, and voila! a potential subject to fill out the survey. Meanwhile, I chat it up with the kid, which always is a joy.

Sometimes the young artists just want to draw their own pictures. While we gabbed away, one youngster drew endless hearts and animated them. She then handed her masterpiece over to me, writing “I like you” at the top.

One lesson is to cherish the intangible stuff. I cannot gather needed responses from every interaction that I have and that is not only okay, but it is part of the process.