It all started Friday night, April 19th. I boarded my flight from Bethel to Anchorage, and was sitting there reading Round Ireland With A Fridge by Tony Hawks. I overheard Jim, the flight attendant, chatting with a man behind me about his recent trip to New York, where he saw Bette Midler in a one-woman show on Broadway. I piped up, telling Jim how jealous of his trip I was and inquired a bit more about the other shows he'd seen. At this point, he noticed the title of my book and alerted Bruce, another passenger.
"Look at what she's reading, Bruce! Miss, this man's wife is from Ireland!"
"No kidding? Well, I'm going to Ireland at the end of May. Got any tips for me?"
Well, of course he did. He gave me some great advice for my itinerary. As Jim went by, I ordered my red wine, and as I tried to pay for it, he scoffed and shooed away my card. Well, I'm not one to argue, so I happily sipped as I read about Tony's struggle to hitchhike around Ireland with a fridge. (You really must check out this book - though I will say this: you will burst out laughing, embarrassingly so, so if you're uncomfortable in this possibility, be forewarned of reading it in a public place. However, I've found that doing so leads to some of the best conversations.)
At this point a 22ish looking young woman, who I later learned was named Lillian, was seated right behind me. She loudly inquired, "Are you single?"
I had no idea that she was talking to me until she tapped on my shoulder and repeated her question.
"Are you single?"
I didn't quite know how to respond. "Yes...?" I wasn't sure if this was a poll or a proposition.
"That's awesome!! Have fun flirting with the men in Ireland then!" And she extended her hand over my seat in a gesture known as the fist-bump. I didn't want to make the situation any more awkward than it already was, so I reluctantly returned it.
Toward the end of the flight, I heard another question, or rather a command, from right behind me.
"Hey look at this!"
Again, the tap on my shoulder, and, "Hey, look at this!"
I turned to see an electronic cigarette. "Ever seen one of these?!" She seemed so excited.
"Yes, I have." I figured honesty was the best policy here.
Lillian seemed even more excited now. "Kudos for people who need it right? Yeah, put it there!" And another offer for a fist-bump over my seat. I'd already fist-bumped her once, so clearly I couldn't avoid it now. I found myself wondering how I had engaged in two fist-bumps within such a limited timeframe. Do I project an aura of one who fist-bumps? Before now, I'd never thought so.
After the flight, Bruce, a legal consultant who lives in Seattle, and I ended up chatting in the Alaska Airlines Boardroom. We enjoyed some more conversation about rural Alaska and Ireland and then went on our separate ways. All told, I somehow managed to drink about a bottle of wine at no cost, all because I'm a chatterbox.
I got to Portland early on Saturday morning and went to the house of my fabulous Aunt Susan. My mom Julie flew in later that morning, and we began what would be an excellent ladies' week: massages, restaurants, facials, shopping, movies, and all things indulgent that are required during these types of occasions. My favorite of all? Walking on trails with towering trees and greenery all around us. I'm sorry for the lack of pictures, but my camera died. Oops.
My CM training was a fantastic experience; I networked with some truly talented teachers and got to tour two high schools in the Portland area that utilize the CM framework. I even met a woman who seemed interested in my project for my Master's degree, and she offered to help me crunch numbers and be a sounding board for it. I have a feeling I've stumbled onto another great resource and mentor.
My return to Marshall was uneventful. The last month of school was a whirlwind, as it always is. My year ended with the opportunity to do some curriculum mapping in Mountain Village at the district office, another adventure and story for another time. I'll try to detail it and any Ireland adventures in the weeks to come!
Ciao!
My return to Marshall was uneventful. The last month of school was a whirlwind, as it always is. My year ended with the opportunity to do some curriculum mapping in Mountain Village at the district office, another adventure and story for another time. I'll try to detail it and any Ireland adventures in the weeks to come!
Ciao!
