Quirky, Driven, Collected, Well-Meaning and Overbooked: Anything to Make Me Laugh as the Intensity Begins

After a suit and jacket kind of morning - always campaigning for financial support to conduct strong literacy programs - I hunkered in my office for a day of planning and writing. My goal was to feel accomplished so I could do a farewell dinner for Anisa Libuya to celebrate his graduation and to wish him the best before he returns to Zambia on Sunday.

While writing, however, I knew I needed to find an article that I discussed while presenting at the USN conference in Chicago. I found my bag in my office which was unpacked from the Illinois trip and pillaged through the materials. Lo and behold, I found more than the article I was looking for. Packed in my conference materials were two pairs of underwear that I never did find while I was at the National Writing Project meeting. It was a humorous (bonus) kind of afternoon that made me stop and think - but I also laughed.

Alice and I always said that we act unconventionally because if we tried to put on an air of professionality and authority, our whacky inner self would sure find its way out where we least intended it. This proved itself in the 'business' materials I unraveled from my April trip. I'm so glad I didn't make this discovery while at a convention or in a room full of teachers (it's much more fun to air my 'dirty laundry' in cyberspace!).

Seriously, the next week is a mental challenge to get on top of the Louisiana week to come while attending several fortunate events in southern Connecticut and NYC. POW! Writing Our Lives! and Literacy!

It all goes hand and hand in the odd world that has always been my life. I'd have it no other way.