ASNE Institute June 5 (part II)

Sunday (continued)

I finish my fast eating a toothpick-skewered club sandwich alone in the hotel bar/restaurant. Their version of balsalmic vinaigrette looks like dijon mustard and is tangy enough to make me cough. I sit at a window watching people pass by the homeless hangers-out on their way to nearby church services. Seeing them reminds me that it is Sunday.

A family at another table asks for the channel to be changed from Arena football to the Giants game. The waiter shuffles through the channels and eventually lands on the game. I eat quickly. Eating alone prevents me from wanting to savor the food; besides, it has been a long fast and I'm kind of focused on staving off the pangs.

I make my way back to the room, take a shower, and shave off my three days' growth. I don't feel comfortable with the beginnings of this beard. When the stubble is gone, I debate taking a nap, but realize that time is short until the registration begins. I walk up Telegraph Street to the campus, under Sather Gate and across Berkeley to the J-School building (North Gate). The campus was described as having a slight incline, and I see two of my fellow institute members struggling up that slight incline.

I join Amy (FL) and Loretta (MD) on their way up the hill. We arrive together and meet Susan (AK) and Kelley (AR). The project organizers let us in the building and we grab name tags and bags while we wait for others to arrive. I make small talk with outhers at the table in the J-school library and we begin to read each other's bios. As the program gets started, Marcia Parker introduces herself and encourages us to introduce ourselves to the group. People are wordy and it is before dinner, but nobody seems to be impatient. We tell our individual stories and I am surprised to hear the variety of locations, situations, and experience levels of the other teachers.

Oh, I almost forgot...the food! Prime rib, salmon, rice & tofu, fruit, asparagus, bread pudding with sauces and condiments. Mmmm. Our keynote speaker is Matt Wilson from the Marin Independent Journal. He gave us some hypotheticals to get us talking and I note that this group has no problem with conversation. Diana Mitsu Klos (the program director) then addresses us and tells us why she chose us for the institute. We all demonstrated dedication, she says, to the students. That's why we were chosen. Mwaahh- haaa- haaaa...I've fooled her!

After the opening, we walk back and I speak with Jenifer from Texas. Molly from Michigan makes a couple of comments about "mormons" to engage me in a squabble, but after I recover from the surprise, I shake off the comments and avoid the inquiry. Not really in the mood.

Tomorrow I want to run and explore. Our schedule overfloweth, and sleep will feel nice.