Leah's Journal

5 September 2003

It's been a busy summer as well as a leisurely one with eight full weeks away from school. That has changed with a Tuesday class in Health Care Economics and a Thursday class in Health Planning. Both classes require several projects and much writing. As with the others, I'll get through these.
I have asked one of my past teachers to serve as my practicum professor; the practicum (minimum of eight hours a week for 16 weeks) will be one of my last requirements before graduating next June. Anyway, the professor offered me the opportunity to not only experience an interesting practicum but to perform one with pay and with potential for future employment. It is with a Dallas-based consulting firm with contracts in NYC, upper NY state, and the Southwest. I need to get a detailed resume to my professor. Although I have a resume, it could be so much better. Kathleen has said that she will help me and Margaret has said that Kathleen is excellent at that type of thing, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. I just hope that Kathleen has the time and will get back to me about the attachment that I emailed to her earlier in the week.
This weekend I am serving as a volunteer at AARP's 50 Plus Celebration - it's really their convention but they don't call it a convention. Debbie Reynolds and Dr. Phil, amoung other luminaries, are scheduled to be there. I was originally scheduled to be Greeter in the Exhibit Hall on Saturday afternoon. I cancelled because of a better offer for Saturday.........the Popcorn Festival in Valpairaiso Indiana and an excellent social gathering at Marge's house afterward. My reassignment is better, too, - now, I will be assisting with the ice cream social on Sunday afternoon.
I meant to write a couple of weeks ago about my trip to NJ/NYC. What fun we had. My return flight was several hours before the blackout and that was lucky. Anyway, the hightlight of our trip was the cocktail party honoring Ann Richards and her book launching. I had nothing to wear and so Rita went shopping for and without me. The dress she ultimately chose was perfect and fit me perfectly - a snazzy, kneelength, little black taffeta number with spaghetti straps. With it I wore a tissue-thin cashmere shawl from Nordstrom. It has tiny brilliants sprinkled over it with lovely colors blending from royal blue to a cool teal. It's really pretty. My sisters, Margaret and Rita, were beautifully decked out as was niece Meredith whose organization, texinthecity, was responsible for producing the event. We had fun during the day helping with the party preparations as well as during the evening's festivities.
New york is full of strange sights - strange people. After we left the party, we went to the Port Authority area where the New Jersey bound shuttles are boarded. (Meredith lives in New Jersey.) There was a black man walking down the street with a white woman. He had some type of electronic device in either his nose or his mouth that produced a dazzling light show in primary colors that cascaded one upon the other. Not wanting to be perceived as a tourist, I did not stare.
The shuttle was not ready to board. When I saw a perfectly inviting plastic chair just sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, I thought, "Perfect!" And so, I gracefully glided over to said chair while Margaret decided to buy some sundries. I sat on the inviting chair - and continued to sit.......the damn thing collapsed beneath me in middle of the sidewalk! So, there I was with my feet and posterior on the ground, knees bent at chin level, in my beautiful, snazzy black number and star-spangled shawl. I couldn't figure out how to get up. And nobody came to my aid except, you guessed it, the black man with the mouth-emitting light show. I was so happy to see his extended hand. He hauled me gracefully to me feet.