Yesterday I went to a seminar put on by the state board of community & technical colleges, primarily for student services types, about using the web for student services. (which astute readers may remember my mentioning earlier. It was actually only a half-day, not a full day.)
I’ve written up my professional take on the experience, but there was more to it than that which I feel obliged to write about.
Sinus headache. Everything else about the whole day has to be understood in that context. I took Excedrin, but it only ever faded to a dull roar. So I was on edge and having trouble concentrating.
As an extra bit of fun, I wasn’t able to carpool, so I took the bus to Green River…where I’ve never been before! That turned out pretty well, if a little chilly waiting at the Federal Way park & ride. I had time to read, try and make notes, try to get over my headache; although not time to eat. (Which probably didn’t help the headache any.)
Here’s a thing I don’t understand: why are (almost) all of the community colleges in this area located in beautiful spots in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE? And Green River’s campus was typically baffling in its layout too, because of *course* I’d forgotten to bring a map. A very nice librarian got me oriented in the right direction.
Afterwards, I hung out in said library for a bit, and then headed back…but with a different transportation path. Bus to train, this time, and I just barely made the train. But, wow that’s nice. Clean, comfortable, well-lit. And that odd flowing swaying motion of the train, which I’d forgotten since that trip home 13 (!!!) years ago.
Something I can’t forget, or at least would prefer not to: must bring laptop to all events which might require note-taking. My paper note-taking sk1lz remain meagre, but I (usually) take copious notes if I have a keyboard. Someday I’ll figure out why, but in the meantime, I reiterate to myself: must bring laptop.
(The evening was very nice, with dinner at the amazing Vuelve a la Vida. Do I have any readers in vicinity? It’s on Pacific near 56th. Followed by an unbearably corny Chuck Norris movie. Is there any other kind?)