Blog

So, Kansas? Wonderful place, great people, I’d go back in heartbeat.

But Missouri? Not so much.

Let me explain. On Thursday, I took a flight from Syracuse to Chicago, then another flight from Chi to Kansas City, Missouri. I don’t know why they call it that. It’s like putting Jersey City in Pennsylvania, but nobody asked me my opinion. Arrived in KC at noon. Was supposed to fly out at 2pm, headed for Hays, Kansas. (named after a fort – Fort Hays. That was in Kansas. Not Missouri or New Jersey.)

Flight status? Delayed. Delayed. Delayed. Delayed. Delayed.

Four and a half hours later… canceled. gulp I had to call the very, very nice people who organized the trip and not only cancel my dinner plans with them, but give them palpitations because I was supposed to give three presentations and the keynote at their conference the next morning, and I couldn’t guarantee I’d be there. The airplane guy promised to put me on a very early morning flight and get me to Hays on time. (He looked a little shady.) He gave me a voucher for the hotel (a Radisson, v. nice) and a voucher for ten dollars (ten whole dollars!) for a hotel dinner. Oh, my God!! The choices!! The staggering abundance! Well, I could have….. a miniature garden salad – Yes! And a glass of water, wa-hoo. I was rocking out on that big fat ten dollars. Thank you so much for the love, Mesa Stupidhead Airlines.

After not much sleep and much staring at the alarm clock, I got up and arrived at the airport well before the sun for my early morning flight.

Which I did not have a seat for because the same shady guy who gave me ten bucks for dinner, thoughtfully booked me on the mid-afternoon flight to Hays. Which would get me there just in time to wave good-bye to all of the conference goers.

I don’t know if it was the murderous look on my face, or the fact that the lasers shooting out of my eyes melted the basket of plastic luggage tags, or the flexing of my massively intimidating biceps, but a lady who worked for US AIR (which subcontracts the Hays route to Stupidhead) was able to get me a seat. Bless her.

I arrived in Hays at 8:45 am. Was swept into a waiting minivan (cue the action movie music, throbbing bass line from James Bond, preferably), and arrived at Ft. Hays State University at 9am, tires smoking. At 9:15, they turned on the microphone, and I started talking.

Many, many thanks to all the students who made the day so much fun for me, and the teachers who had to work hard to bring them there. Thanks also to everyone who showed up, period. I had a blast.

There was only one bad thing (other than the stress caused by Stupidhead). Because of my abbreviated time in Hays, I didn’t get to see the buffalo.

Guess I have to go back. But not through Missouri.

If the Action Philosophers comic book series had been available when I was in college, I would have been a philosophy major. At the very least, I would have earned a better grade. Seriously – this is great stuff. Thanks to Stef/Jared/Grinch/Dave for making me read it. (Note: the creative geniuses behind the series are grads of Syracuse University.)

I am in Kansas-prep mode, preparing for the conference on Friday. The nice thing about this conference is that there will be teenagers there, in addition to teachers. I am having fun reviewing my material for their presentations. The website for my hotel claims that there is a buffalo herd down the road. I sure hope so.

Banned Book Week is coming up September 23 – 30. I believe that one of the greatest strengths in America is our ability to read and think what we want, without interference from the government. In many places around the world, people do not have that right. Read more about Banned Book Week!!!

The ALA has a great place where you can vote for your favorite challenged book.

My poetical thought for this autumn day:

Gary and Jim sell me thin-skinned apples
– trees bristling like greedy porcupines –
melancholy, sour-sweet apples.
Winter stalks.

September 11th always throws me against a brick wall. I slide to the bottom and bleed a lot.

But I’m better today.

I ran another 5K on Saturday and finally had a decent time. I have insane running goals for myself and am probably 2 years away from making them, but it felt really good to be moving in the right direction.

Last night BH and I watched National Treasure. It took us forever because we kept stopping the film to scream about the plot holes that were large enough to sail a three-masted ship through, and the historical anachronisms. Very entertaining. Read more here. Nick Cage must have really needed the money.

Progress in the new book has slowed because I came across some plot and motivation holes of my own. Had to go back and rework early chapters to set up the big stuff that starts to happen by Chapter 10. Don’t know how much more book work will happen this week. I have to prepare for my trip to Kansas… then I have to take it.

Coolest link of the week: Get your name in a famous author’s book and support the First Amendment!

Does it get any more exciting than that? No, it doesn’t.

The Forest is quiet today. Deep in thought.

Random thoughts today….

1. I hate ragweed.

2. I love old-fashioned diners (great breakfast this morning…. quite possible the best waitress in the world.)

3. Why can’t they make a peanut-butter flavored toothpaste?

Oh crap…. my procrastination alert button is flashing. Must go back to work.

Tell me something random.