Valpo Road Trip

I left work on Thursday a little later than I wanted to, no surprise there, but I still made it out way ahead of traffic. I was a little nervous about driving to Valpo as I'd never done it before from either home or work. My husband normally drives when we go, and if I'm not driving, I have no chance of remembering how to get there.

I celebrated when I saw the Welcome to Indiana sign. Still gives me the same thrill it did when I saw it almost twelve years ago on my way to becoming a freshman. Also, this time it meant that I was nearly out of the construction on 294--yea!

I came into town on Route Two, I think. It brought me by the new part of town with the Pier One, Barnes and Noble and Culvers. These kids have it so lucky. So many fast food restaurants now within walking distance. When I was there, it was either Subway, McDonalds or, in later years, taking your life in your own hands to cross Rt.30 by foot to the Taco Bell. Anybody else remember Miller's Mart? Ick.

First campus building I saw was Wehrenberg, the dorm where I lived my junior and senior year. My eye immediately found Becky's old room. Top floor, second window from the end. I know for sure because mine was directly across the hall, facing out across campus instead of the parking lot. A wave of homesickness washed over me because the building looks exactly the same. Like if I pulled into the parking lot and found my way to the top floor, Becky might still be there and my room would still be my room across the hall. Nobody ever tells you the downside of having great friends from college is that you miss them constantly when you no longer see them every day.

I passed what used to be called the Eastgate Entrance for campus, I don't know if it still is, and then the field where much beer and some blood is spilled every year in the Sig Tau alumni/active football game.

I checked into my hotel, The Fairfield Inn right there on Rt.30, and promptly started to get nervous. I had a couple hours to kill before I needed to be over at Huegli Hall. I wasn't worried about the talk--most of you know, I can babble on about pretty much anything for an extended period of time--but the reading portion of the program was making me feel a bit queasy. Reading aloud in front of a group is much closer to a performance than I'd like it to be. You can't read flat monotone and you can't bury your head in your pages. You have to make it interesting, without overdoing it. But the worst part is that as you read the pages aloud, you hear bits that clunk. Things you could have fixed or made better...but it's too late now! Aaaaack.

So, I pulled out the first couple chapters of The Silver Spoon and read over them, familiarizing myself with them again, even though, at one point, I would have sworn the words were burned into my brain. Then, because I'd been invited to bring a work in progress, I pulled out the first chapter of Bitter Pill. I'd never read Bitter Pill to anyone out loud before and I was eager, although still nervous, to see what kind of reaction it would receive. In my opinion, it's really different from The Silver Spoon. And it is truly a work in progress, still. So, I hoped the reaction might give me some clue about what parts might still need revision and what parts were okay as is.

I changed my clothes three times before leaving, same outfit but three variations, and ate a package of Hostess Ding Dongs for some chocolate courage.

To be continued tomorrow...