Thanks, everyone, for being part of the Bryant Park Project. Look for us here.

The cast of the BPP.

Zena Barakat

 

These are just a few of the people who made the Bryant Park Project such an amazing place to work. Last night I left our office knowing that I had just one day left with everyone here, one more day to make the show that we all love so dearly. I was depressed, and I knew there was only one thing I could do -- bake.

There is something about measuring, mixing, and frosting that I find incredibly soothing. My mom always baked for me when I was young, and I remember watching her take the time to paint the food coloring on the apple cut-outs on top of her pie. It was like edible proof of how much she loved us. Last night when I was carefully mixing and coloring my third batch of homemade butter cream frosting, I was just overwhelmed with feelings for this group. I leave the BPP with a final batch of baked goods, 24 ice cream cone cupcakes filled with all my love.

I read somewhere recently that the average person laughs 17 times a day (all right, a depressingly paltry amount of laughter to begin with) but I know that I met my daily quota at our morning meetings alone, and exceeded it many, many times over throughout the rest of each day here. Being at the Bryant Park Project was like being part of one big continuous postmodern vaudeville show, with routines both comic and serious, whose stage extended virtually everywhere and could include anything.

Thanks for letting me in on the act.

Anthony Famiglietti.

Photo Credit: New York Road Runners

 

One thing we didn't get the chance to air is Mike Pesca's interview with U.S. Olympic Steeplechaser Anthony Famiglietti. Fam, as he's known, is a real running hero of mine. He always seems to run with real guts; he goes as fast as he can regardless of what everybody else on the track is doing. That's what he did at the Olympic Trials in Oregon a few weeks back, and he won the race by a ridiculous margin. Here's Mike's interview:

Now get e-mailing. Use this version of the story from today's show. This is our lasting legacy on NPR!

I want to reiterate that I do have a sense of perspective and that although this is a profound loss for me -- personally and financially -- it's not all that bad in the grand scheme of things. We are all healthy people, we have the ability to work elsewhere, we will all be just fine.

But to help us accept the loss of the show and the Web experience we all loved (I mean ACTUALLY LOVED -- how rare is that?) I picked the song "Smile Smile Smile" by Dan Zanes. It's about loving simple things about other people, and about how that love ripples and expands and eventually circles the world. Enjoy.

From start to finish, through thick and thin, the Bryant Park Project team has been innovative, entertaining, informative and a class act. You've created more than a show, more than a community - you've created a family, and for that I thank each and every one of you.

Cheers, BPP, and thank you again - it won't be the same here without you.

The wonderful Revolution 21 fired over this clip from our earliest, earliest days.

It's the BPP's Most.

Why McCain and Obama are causing marital tension / An epic Bill Gates e-mail rant / Northern lights mystery exposed / A germ-zapper's guide to clean / Fan injured, 17 ejected in Ohio baseball brawl

It's the BPP's Ramble.

The Top Ten Myths in FBI History / Scrabulous isn't playing fair, says Scrabble maker / Don't ask tourists age or wage, China warns

Click to view

Photos courtesy of George Horner

 

After walking by these pithy posters for seven years, I finally slipped a note under the door asking the poster maker to get in touch. George Horner e-mailed me and invited me to see his collection, from the inside.

The last blog post happens on Friday. BPP friend and NPR guy Andy Carvin has agreed to handle comments through the end of Monday, wherever you are.

The Facebook page will remain live. The main Twitter stream will freeze at some point on Friday. Twitter.com/bppdiner will stay live, collecting updates that mention "BPP." We'll also watch for replies through Summize.

And now, thanks to Rob Paterson, we're building a whole new town. It's on Ning, it's free, and all the cool BPP kids are doing it.

Blink three times and we'll have a staff blog. We'll post it on Ning and Facebook and the Twitter Diner account, so you'll know where we are.

But remember, you were always a part of the show. And you still are. Keep the lights on, will ya?

After the jump, a list of places to find BPP staff and friends.