Yes, It's True! Senorita Invierno is Coming to Vegas!

Alison Winter (Senorita Invierno http://senoritainvierno.blogspot.com/) and I spent probably a good hour on the phone yesterday, talking between Spain and Washington State. She's serious as a heart attack about flying over! I'm excited. She's excited. She might even decide to share her many sesos with colleges in the U.S., if she can find one around here who wants what she can do...

It'll be good for two "starving artists" to meet each other. When we were chatting yesterday it seemed like we were hitting on all cylinders. If she were to take the DISC Personality Profile test, I'll just bet we're both high IDS's.

Now I'm looking forward to the convention instead of semi-dreading it (only because of nerves, see previous blog). I will be re-connecting with Margot Worthington from Colorado and Angie Solomon from Texas at this convention, too -- and who knows how many other terrific people I have met over the years... If we get any sleep at all over the weekend, it will be a miracle! I may arrive back at work on Monday with a feeling of jet lag!

I know the first convention I ever attended with a "gang" was like that -- Los Angeles, 1988. We slept so little (and remember I am a teetotaler and don't do drugs, sex or rock n roll) that when I got home and back to work the following day, I was unable to understand the sentences that people were speaking to me! It was just the most bizarre experience ever! And I was prominently displayed at work as an office manager for a continuing education school for real estate, insurance and securities agents! Someone would say something, I would see their lips moving and hear sounds, but my "communications connection" was burned out and wasn't translating the sounds into words! I had to keep saying, "I'm so sorry. Would you repeat that, please?" And they would, and I still wouldn't get it! Embarrassing!

I will certainly work very hard to avoid that at this convention! I need to retain my job! (I retained that one, too, but probably just because the agents didn't squeal on me to the boss in Seattle and there was no one else around to question my temporary loopiness . It was a one-person office. Now the truth can be told!)

This morning our Bible study segues from the life of Christ to the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. Pastor Braaten is going to show how all of the elements in the Tabernacle foreshadow Christ. I have had a smattering of this information in the past, and it gave me chills then, so I know when Pastor Braaten explains it in his unique, inimitable way I will probably puddle up. It always amazes me to peel back the layers of the Bible and find the nuggets God has placed there for us to discover and applaud over!

Alison did tell me she is really enjoying LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS by Chuck Missler. She thanked me for pointing her to it. (All the rest of our conversation was squeals of shared delight and the discovery that we are, indeed, "thick as thieves" where so many similarities exist. I sometimes think only an artist can really understand another artist. We are a weird bunch!) I hope the rest of you will take that as encouragement and order the book, too. (And come to Vegas, if you can!) You'll want to buy the Missler book because you will want to highlight so much of it and go back and read it again to refresh your mind about all the great stuff in it. I had a whee of a time doing that last weekend, and plan to do it again this week sometime, because I didn't get all the way through it last weekend... ran out of time.

In the next couple of weeks, Jackie and I will probably be using one weekend to drive to Oregon and get our aunt, who is doing well now and wants to move closer to family while she does feel good. We have found her a wonderful residential care home just a mile from my condo and across the street from the dialysis she needs. So I will miss a couple days' worth of blogging then. I'm telling you this in advance so you don't think I've died on you when it happens! I will just be temporarily out of reach of my computer...

Must leave for church now. After that I will be enjoying a lunch with a shirt-tail relative, Quentin Rinehart. He just got back from 10 days in Hollywood and is filled with stories to share. I can't wait! He is one of the most clever people (with a word) I have ever met or known. Spending time with him is always a highlight of my day!