Cafe Hitch-hike

2019-06-24

Growing back my cajones

This damn airport didn’t have enough seating for me to get a beer or an Old Fashioned, so I sit at a deli counter instead with a cold brew (coffee). Can you believe I’m on the damn road again? Bahahahah, it’s Hitch-hike’s Summer World Tour 2019! I made a blitz of a visit to DC for the librarian convention.

OMG, I had almost as much fun here as I did at last year’s convention in New Orleans. The library vendors threw a lot of shindigs (with quality entertainment, liquor, and eye candy in the form of sales reps), but that wasn’t the only option. The Smithsonian museums had summer solstice events and were open until midnight.

I went to Smithsonian event that had hip-hop, reggae, and one of the guys from Thievery Corporation (ooh, love them!). I danced the eve away with a guy who worked for Voice of America, and apparently had a complicated life where he was helping his young adult siblings get on their feet. The company and conversation was brilliant, and he walked me to my rented private room and bath a few blocks north of the convention center. If I scored, I might had bragged about that, but since I didn’t— what is the opposite of bragging?

As usual from these events, my brain is flooded with updates. However, this was probably the most people-centered conference I’ve attended. I also took a field trip with to some national research libraries. DC has a lot of young people and I had some nice interactions with them, including new librarians. I kind of felt like a ‘big kid,’ but to me, it was another reminder of the passing of time.

I got a lot of encouragement on some ideas and may have identified a mentor. Although I took in a gross ton of info and new contacts (not to mention feeling really, really, really spent), it was very worthwhile and am thankful I got funded for most of it.

Now, I return to that joyful building. We got word that another person is leaving us. I think we had about 100 people when I started 4 years ago, and now we have about 75. I admitted to regretting my house purchase (especially since I got vested in the damn pension 2 years earlier than I thought I would), but Sonny, one of the guys on my executive cabinet of men (advisors, that is), told me to stick with my original plan and make the best of it. I think Sonny’s right. There’s a lot I can still do, especially grow back my cajones before my next big life initiative or change.

I now return to mi casa, Puppy Dog, a place where I’ve really toughed it the fuck out, and the rest of the summer. Things await, yet I’ve got some things to move along as well.

downwind | upstream