Once and Future Travels
The Dewey Beach trip went well. Highlights: a walk on the cold, blustery beach and a reading I took part in the last night of the conference. A former writing teacher (a fellow presenter)told me he liked my reading. "I laughed out loud," he said. Fortunately, the passage I read was meant to be funny. He didn't remember I had been his student 19 years ago until I reminded him (and maybe not even then). I didn't mind -- so perhaps that means I wasn't seeking approval from a former teacher but affirmation from a fellow writer?
Austin was okay. I didn't realize what a sprawling city it would be. And architecturally, it's completely unmemorable. I was there so briefly that I saw just a bit of the downtown area as well as some other parts of the sprawl riding to and from my out-of-the-way lodging (the Off Ramp Motel, as a friend aptly called it).
A highlight, having nothing to do with the city: For the first time I met one of my blog readers -- that is, one I didn't already know. Having figured out from my description of the trip that we were going to be at the same conference, this person e-mailed me before I left, and I told her what panel I would be on. Long story short, she came up and introduced herself. It was very nice meeting her; she said mine is one of only three blogs she reads.
She also said I wasn't nearly as "big" as she'd imagined. Apparently, my post on my ill-fitting jeans made a vivid impression. To others of you who picture me like this, I'm not big. But even skinny people can get spare tires.
Speaking of which, today I went for a run in the beautiful pre-spring weather. Just as I was tuning in to A Prairie Home Companion, the band Old Crown Medicine Show came on to perform their rendition of "Wagon Wheel," which I previously praised. Stopped at a light, I did the jogger's street-corner dance to the beat of the song and practically started waving my hands in a "testifying" fashion. If I ever run a marathon (which I never will), I think I'll have "Wagon Wheel" playing on a continuous loop. You can listen to it here; it's in segment 8 of the show, a rebroadcast from June 2004.
Several months ago, I decided I would start making a point to experience some cultural events that I've always wanted to. Just pick up and finally go do them. I mean, I'm 44 -- why keep waiting? One of these is to attend a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion in St. Paul, Minnesota. Another is to see a play at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, Massachusetts. (I almost did this one last summer; when the idea occurred to me, there was one play left in the season, but I couldn't fit the trip into my schedule.) Another is to see a show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the original site of the Grand Ole Opry.
I'll be adding to the list as I think of things, and I hope to check at least one of them off this year.
On a final note, my pal "Diablo" -- who happens to loathe the sound of Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor's voice -- has put down stakes at La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat). Welcome, Diablo! (He also hates shout-outs. Hee hee.)
Austin was okay. I didn't realize what a sprawling city it would be. And architecturally, it's completely unmemorable. I was there so briefly that I saw just a bit of the downtown area as well as some other parts of the sprawl riding to and from my out-of-the-way lodging (the Off Ramp Motel, as a friend aptly called it).
A highlight, having nothing to do with the city: For the first time I met one of my blog readers -- that is, one I didn't already know. Having figured out from my description of the trip that we were going to be at the same conference, this person e-mailed me before I left, and I told her what panel I would be on. Long story short, she came up and introduced herself. It was very nice meeting her; she said mine is one of only three blogs she reads.
She also said I wasn't nearly as "big" as she'd imagined. Apparently, my post on my ill-fitting jeans made a vivid impression. To others of you who picture me like this, I'm not big. But even skinny people can get spare tires.
Speaking of which, today I went for a run in the beautiful pre-spring weather. Just as I was tuning in to A Prairie Home Companion, the band Old Crown Medicine Show came on to perform their rendition of "Wagon Wheel," which I previously praised. Stopped at a light, I did the jogger's street-corner dance to the beat of the song and practically started waving my hands in a "testifying" fashion. If I ever run a marathon (which I never will), I think I'll have "Wagon Wheel" playing on a continuous loop. You can listen to it here; it's in segment 8 of the show, a rebroadcast from June 2004.
Several months ago, I decided I would start making a point to experience some cultural events that I've always wanted to. Just pick up and finally go do them. I mean, I'm 44 -- why keep waiting? One of these is to attend a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion in St. Paul, Minnesota. Another is to see a play at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, Massachusetts. (I almost did this one last summer; when the idea occurred to me, there was one play left in the season, but I couldn't fit the trip into my schedule.) Another is to see a show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the original site of the Grand Ole Opry.
I'll be adding to the list as I think of things, and I hope to check at least one of them off this year.
On a final note, my pal "Diablo" -- who happens to loathe the sound of Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor's voice -- has put down stakes at La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat). Welcome, Diablo! (He also hates shout-outs. Hee hee.)
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