Trip Notes

I survived my first official out-of-state business trip. The trip was to a large conference where I was to maintain my organization's booth. Here are some highlights:

• Talking with people. On a normal office day, I can pester only a grand total of 8 coworkers. And though I'm an introvert, I'm a social introvert and I like meeting new folks. I credit this to 5 years of coffee slinging and customer service.
• Meeting folks from my seminary. My school has several campuses scattered throughout the states. I had a blast meeting people from other campuses (and some alums from my own).
• Dinners in a foreign town. One horrible restaurant with lackluster service, saved by company and conversation. Thank you Orlando contingent. One rather decent TexMex meal, generously paid for by folks I'd met about a hour before dinner was served. Thank you North Carolina church staff.
• Multiple opportunities for future partnerships to think and pray about. This actually began a few weeks ago, and once again the same school came up this week as a possible PhD location. This is, of course, after I'd written it off in my mind as a "would be nice but it would never work out" idea. Now I feel prompted to reconsider the option. And that was only one of the amazing opportunities discussed!
• Watching the Bride of Christ. This was a Christian conference, comprised of a denomination going through a rough-but-necessary transition. The juxtaposition of the Body marred by the effects of a sinful world but fighting for Truth contains sadness, beauty, mystery and humility, and draws us to grace, and our rest in Christ alone.

Downsides...

• Cold, rainy weather. I volunteered to go partly because it was in what should have been a warm state. At least warmer than where I am now!
• Getting (motion) sick on the flight out there. Not fun. Thankfully, I did not get sick on the way home, and I almost finished The Once and Future King. Should have been whipping through some Hebrew flashcards... tisk, tisk.