MOVE. THAT. BUS. (DCA)

Look up community in the dictionary, what does it say?

Community (n.) – a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Common attitudes, interests, and goals — November Project has those. However, the definition of community leaves out a couple things, like moving a grill four-tenths of a mile to help a couple get into their new home as part of an early-morning workout.

Wait. WHAT? Go back and re-read that last sentence.

What in the actual heck happened at this morning’s workout?

Well folks, I would go so far as to say it was one of the most fun, community-driven, HISTORIC workouts that has ever been held with #NP_DC, nay, THE WORLD. We started off with a lil’ DJ Cristo bouncy-bounce, where he channeled the lemurs of Madagascar — you know — WE LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT — then we broke up into 8 teams. Oh yeah, somewhere along the way it was revealed that we were helping NP’s resident favorite couple/dog moms/soon-to-be actual moms (!!!), Rosie and Rachel, move from their apartment on 14th Street to a new house on Iowa Avenue, roughly 5 blocks away.

The move-out crew, led by a diligent and highly-focused StairMaster Steve Full, quickly went to work retrieving everything from boxes full of trucker hats (literal hat-tip, Rosie), to kitchenware, to a futon from the old apartment. It was then shepherded down the block where a masterful Jake Lloyd played traffic-cop.

From there, the assembly line chain was cranking, people running down the streets carrying mattresses, blenders, and a bevy of other homegoods. Cool cool cool, so lots of people just standing around with their thumbs up their butts right? ABSOLUTELY NOT. This is NP, folks — if you ain’t moving, you better be dropping down and doing some spice right on the sidewalk. Push-ups, squats, and mountain-climbers could all be spotted on the side-streets leading up to Rosie and Rachel’s new house.

Watching teams of people carry dressers, and all the other random crap people have when they move, honestly warmed my heart. Work together; meet someone new; these are core tenets of every NP workout, and it was beautiful watching them play out on the streets of northwest Washington this morning. Sweat beading around people’s foreheads as they hoisted mattress covers overhead — ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? You cannot get this anywhere else, folks.

After about 20 minutes of smooth assembly-line transfers, the final item, the grill, was carried, and handed off, to make the final turn into home. Who was waiting there? Eileen Whelan, of course, of the trusty Good Morning Washington Storm Trackers. Today Eileen found a storm called November Project, with a forecast that called for 100 PERCENT FUN. She interviewed a VERY camera-ready Jake, who NAILED his talking points (what a natural), and then tossed it back to the in-studio crew, but not before the Tribe could wake up the entire block with a nice “GOOD MORNING, WASHINGTON!” send-off.

That moment when @Nov_Project_DCA has moved you in, everyone has popsicles, & you’re on live TV#DailyLola @RosemaryWardley @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/J3DTmO250P

— Jake Lloyd (@jakelam2116) July 21, 2017

Ice-pops and oranges (plus some cold brew if you knew whom to talk to) graced the front lawn — a welcome gift for the moving crew. People cleared out, and the street was returned to its quiet wake-up routine.

Woah. If that run-down doesn’t give you chills, maybe go get your pulse checked, ladies and gents. This was one for the November Project history books. I genuinely hope you had fun this morning, and that you felt like you were a part of this insane community. You are. YOU build it and create every Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Without you, we’re not here, and Rosie and Rachel are still sitting in their apartment figuring out how to move all their precious and worldly belongings. So, from the absolute depths of my heart, thank you, thank you for being here, and being yourself, and making this community so delightfully fun to be a part of.

A special shout-out to Kalaen Denali Dickenson and Steve Full. KDD, you were building this hype train two years ago — thank you for seeing it through. StairMaster Steve, thanks for being the floor general in the apartment — you’re the absolute man. Thank you to Rosie and Rachel. This workout could not have happened without your trust and faith in the November Project community. Thanks for letting us haul your shit around — it was almost too fun to be legal (seriously, I saw a couple anxious cops circling the block).

Alright you human UHauls, you ready for some announcements?!

TOMORROW: #rcthrowdown Crystal City Twilight 5K — Join Team NPDC on our quest for world domination to have the most fun, #raceeverything, and rock Crystal City for a night. More information/details: http://bit.ly/Twighlight5K

MONDAY: You know the drill, Meridian Hill Park, NW. 6:29am, keep it quiet for the neighbs, ya heard?!

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