Back from the City

It seems like it's really difficult these days to find people who are genuinely kind, people who love you and do things for you just because, and not because they expect anything from it. I found some of those people this weekend when I went to Oklahoma City to present a paper at a conference and visit with some friends.

The conference I went to was for communication studies students. My paper was one of the ones selected to be presented on a panel, which I did on Saturday. It was fun and weird at the same time. Fun because I like to share my research with people, and weird because in talking to all the PhD students, I realized two things:

1. Although I am a nerd, I am DEFINITELY not as big a nerd as 90% of the people I talked to this weekend.
2. My interests are WAY to broad to be as focused and specific as you have to be to write a dissertation and be a "real" scholar.

So that settles one thing, at least. I'm pretty sure that I don't want to get a PhD. I'm desperately afraid that I'd turn out like some of the people I talked to this weekend and become even more socially challenged than I am now. That would not be good, people.


Me and my panel...see what I mean about nerdy?

There were other fun things to do in Oklahoma City besides go to the conference, though. I got to stay with my friends Emery and Chris, and their adorable little 3-year-old boy, Ezra. He is quite possibly the cutest little boy in existence. Seriously. If People did a "Top 100 Cutest Kids" instead of the sexiest man thing, Ezra would totally win. Each morning when he saw me stumble groggily out of the guest room, he would suck in his breath with surprise and (I think) delight. It was like he was simultaneously shocked and excited that I was still there. I played with him and his cars, as well as the western town. Some gruesome crashes occurred, and some bad men got thrown into jail. It was great.

Did I mention that my rental car fell through? Apparently if your license is expired and you forget to bring that slip of paper from the DMV that says "yes, Andrea did in fact renew her license," they won't rent you a car. Crazy. So Emery, in the goodness of her heart, came and picked me up at 11:30 p.m. And Chris, because he is one of the most sincerely kind people you will ever meet, let me borrow his work truck to get back and forth from the conference. I am so, so blessed and humbled by Chris & Emery's generosity.

I also got to see Joel, a friend from the days when he, Chris, Emery, and I all went to the same church in San Luis Obispo. It was great getting to catch up with him and hear what's going on in his life. While I was on the way to have lunch with him, it started to SNOW! So cool! I've never driven in snow before. It wasn't cold enough for the snow to stay on the ground, but it was good enough for me!

Thank you, Chris and Emery, for all your hospitality! You make Oklahoma a friendlier, more exciting place :)


Kathy found the dissertation of one of our profs at Sac State and I suggested we take a picture...ok, maybe I AM a big nerd.