screamingflea
5-9-11, 12:14pm
I can't believe my good fortune. Yesterday I traveled from Eugene to Portland OR for a seminar given by a very highly regarded author and instructor in his field. He's an international name.
Since I don't have a car I tried to work out several plans to get there. Amtrak was very obliging with its rates and schedules, but getting to the actual classroom in the exurbs was a real sticking point. I asked around among my Eugene friends to organize a car pool, but no one was interested. Finally I got creative and asked the instructor if anyone else who'd signed up was coming in from Eugene.
No, they're all in Portland, he said. I'd better come pick you up at the train station myself. It'll be pretty early so I hope you don't mind having breakfast together on the way.
I'm really glad that exchange happened by email, because for a moment I squealed and squirmed like a 12 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I got to pick his brain all by myself for 2 hours! And he's a hell of a nice guy in spite of (or more likely because of) his Ultimate Alpha Male status. Most highly accomplished martial artists are. We had a lot of fun, and I learned a tremendous amount. My only misgiving was that he refused to let me pay for my food. *sigh* I'm so put upon ... >8)
On the Amtrak bus home, I saw a complete double rainbow that I would have missed if I were driving, and I got some sleep too. If anyone is wondering, Amtrak buses are far superior to Greyhounds. Yet another highly useful piece of information from a very educational day. The whole experience left me scratching my head as to why I ever owned a car in the first place ... and feeling very blessed indeed after the whole experience.
Since I don't have a car I tried to work out several plans to get there. Amtrak was very obliging with its rates and schedules, but getting to the actual classroom in the exurbs was a real sticking point. I asked around among my Eugene friends to organize a car pool, but no one was interested. Finally I got creative and asked the instructor if anyone else who'd signed up was coming in from Eugene.
No, they're all in Portland, he said. I'd better come pick you up at the train station myself. It'll be pretty early so I hope you don't mind having breakfast together on the way.
I'm really glad that exchange happened by email, because for a moment I squealed and squirmed like a 12 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I got to pick his brain all by myself for 2 hours! And he's a hell of a nice guy in spite of (or more likely because of) his Ultimate Alpha Male status. Most highly accomplished martial artists are. We had a lot of fun, and I learned a tremendous amount. My only misgiving was that he refused to let me pay for my food. *sigh* I'm so put upon ... >8)
On the Amtrak bus home, I saw a complete double rainbow that I would have missed if I were driving, and I got some sleep too. If anyone is wondering, Amtrak buses are far superior to Greyhounds. Yet another highly useful piece of information from a very educational day. The whole experience left me scratching my head as to why I ever owned a car in the first place ... and feeling very blessed indeed after the whole experience.