Having a Time and a Half in Nashville – Round 1

Hey there – reached half way point of my first conference of the summer. This one is for QUILT – a great questioning process that helps bring better questions to the classroom.

We got in Sunday leaving Friday – it is an intense type of conference – we enter the room at 8:00am and the session ends at 4:00pm each day (Monday – Thursday). But the training is a combination of lecture, discussion and activities.

They put in energizers like today we did the balloon round robin – a group of adults passing a balloon around to music and whomever is holding the balloon when it stops has to do weird stuff as a result – lol – our group broke the balloon right away and so we are passing this broken bit of rubber – gawd it was hilarious.

I’ve had a head cold since Saturday so been not at top form but hanging in there.

Got more work responsibilities (more projects - I will be swamped when I get back home - will need another outing like MOnday when we went to the Wildhorse Saloon - I did the free dance lessons and learned this one club dance - it was very funny watching teachers try to dance - lol) and going crazy but hanging in there.

Tonight our group split in two – most went to the Grand Ole Opry – but I and another teacher were rebels. We went to the main downtown district and tried out a couple of bars (one had a boogie blues theme and a free buffet with the music and I ate something crawfish something… it was dark who knows exactly what it was, but it was happy hour and free why complain – lol

Then we hit another place and had more happy hour drinks and food – then on to the most awesome main event for the evening.

We went to see Jason Mraz and Alanis Moressette in concert at the Ryman Auditorium. The venue was F*ing awesome – a converted church we sat in pews. The acoustics were wonderful.

Mraz was funny and good – just him on acoustic guitar and Toca playing a bongo type drum – they were more comedy than music but his voice was wonderful too.

And then Alanis – wow and my concert buddy – she adores Alanis and was singing every song – plus we really felt they hit home because we both are divorced and going through changes in life and stuff. The tour is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of her album Jagged little pill and she re-released an acoustic version – so all the songs had a softer yet still edgy tone – shit it was just – I was singing and rocking and reflecting (damn whiskey sour and long island ice tea and then she sang a couple sons I played over and over when my ex told me he wanted to leave and no way he was going to talk about it or try to save things – turned out it was best for me but still the songs really made me start thinking about that and reflecting and well… kinda in a good mood but deep, wishing some things were different in my life but knowing I can never make them how I wish so that makes me sigh and keep wishing (I am a hopeless hapless romantic) mood….

Then the shuttle ride home was entertaining – our driver was this 36 year old woman who kept up a very frank running commentary and had us in stitches such as the story comparing California men to Florida men and how she took pictures of said men on her camera phone and then left it at home and when she got back her husband was throwing it at her and oh yeah honey she took care of him and shit if he didn’t grab all her regular film and develop it at Wal-Mart but he only found pictures of her with her pants down – and yes this woman kept telling us stuff like that – damn I was at a comedy club

Well more conference tomorrow and not sure what is on plate for tomorrow night – unless others going out I may order pizza and a movie in the room and be a homebody – I have a lot to think about and just well, thinking lots of deep reflective I think I am getting in a bad mood thinking – ah well – another day another dollar and hey I have fun as I go and will always find something even if it is not always the deepest dream – I can still have a good time – oh yeah baby and take Alanis’ lyrics to heart – wine, dine then do me 69 :-D