On 4/12/05, Nancy Hesler and I had our first meeting at the home of Autumn Drake. Our agenda was to 1)propose the DoP campaign as the activity goal of the group, 2)discuss ways of increasing our membership, and 3)introduce the developing song I've written, "Blue in a Red State." If anything, Autumn is more radical than I am, although she describes her husband as being 180 degrees away from our viewpoint. After greetings and introductions, it became clear that agenda item #1 was a foregone conclusion. Then David Drake and daughter Jenna left to go bowling. Most of the rest of the meeting was taken up with Nancy and Autumn getting to know one another better (I had had a 2-hour phone conversation with Autumn and had talked to Nancy all the way to Columbia, so I knew we were all on the same page) and my helping 18-year-old Danny get acquainted with his guitar. (We put the strap on and adjusted it, I showed him how to wear it standing up, and I taught him the chords he needs for "Blue in a Red State.") Item #2 was not addressed until we were on our way out the door, and this is my greatest concern since Autumn is even more isolated than I am. Item #3 was a success; they all liked the song and agreed that it would be effective as a rallying song. We had been a half-hour late in arriving, and it was after midnight when we finally left, by which time Mr. Drake and Jenna had returned. I believe I scored some points with this staunch Republican; details in the "Reaching Across the Aisle" forum.