Chicago Recap, Part II

Is it just me, or is time passing entirely too quickly? How is it that Christmas is just days away? Craziness. Well, I promised a second recap to my Chicago trip, and here it is for your reading pleasure!

I last left you with details of my delightful interview with Dr. Hickey on Friday, December 5th. That evening, Katie and Clayton took me to see more improv (specifically one of our friends from ComedyWorx, Jorin and his team). Without further ado, here's the rest of the weekend!

Saturday
On Friday, my host and hostess spent some time with me chatting about what we would do with our free day. It was the last day I would be in town to do anything, and we could spend it anyway we wanted to have fun. We planned to spend some time improvising some short films, and possibly do some photo shoots. Two things I would have loved to do with them. Honestly, I had completed the major task, and was so blissfully free of worry that I was up for anything they offered.

But instead of filming short movies or shooting portraits, I slept away the majority of the day! Katie had an actor's workshop that morning, which lasted until early afternoon. By the time she returned to their apartment, I had only been out of bed for about 1/2 an hour! It's the first time I've done that in a really long time. It was much needed rest, I assure you of that!

The entire day was full of fun. Clayton took me to meet some of his friends, who lived just down the street. Lucy was one of our kind hostesses, and she made us freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. We sat together in the kitchen as she baked, and it reminded me of living with the Latta girls. Spontaneous gatherings that end up being unforgettable evenings. This was one of them.

After the cookies, we went back to Clayton's and met up with Katie. We got ready for the evening, and then went to meet Lucy and her group for a traditional Senegalese dinner. Her friends had studied abroad, and taught us the traditional dinner and the role played by the "mother" who helps everyone eat from the same plate. It was really fascinating to learn the cultural norms. They let me take a few pictures.

From dinner, we went on to see some more improv. It's amazing what improv has taught me: reading body language, the art of story telling, rules of comedy, subtext in conversations, and more. It's helped introduce me to so many amazing people. In a few words...it's a very big part of who I am and what I enjoy.

That night Katie and I went to another theatre, a nonprofit. We saw three groups perform, two of which were musical acts. I rather enjoyed it, and saw so many familiar faces! After the show we joined up with Clayton at a party not too far away. What an incredible night. We headed home in the wee hours of the morning, and even stopped for a snow ball fight.

The entire day was unscripted, and delightfully so. So many aspects of my life are so planned and timed that the day was a much appreciated time for tagging along. Clayton and Katie were both very kind to let me join them, show me around the city, and introduce me to so many new friends.

Sunday
I confess I was sad to see Sunday come around. I have loved Chicago for so long, and each time I visit I have more and more fun. But, I woke with purpose that morning, as there is much work to be done and what feels like very little time to complete it. With each month that passes, I grow more and more anxious to share this story with everyone.

Katie had a second day at her workshop, and left early that morning. We chatted a bit before she left, and laughed about the weekend. I packed my bags, hoping that they wouldn't be over the weight limit when I got to Midway. With two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, scarf, hat, new down coat, and ski gloves on I hugged Clayton good-bye and walked out into the brisk air.

With the two cases buckled together, I pulled them down the street a few blocks to the train station. With directions on my Blackberry, I easily found my way back to the airport, working up a sweat on the way from lugging the equipment.

With each step I took, I fell further and further into thoughts about the movie. What had Dr. Hickey shared that we had not previously filmed? In what order should I tell the story so that we can keep it moving along at a reasonable pace? Should it be told chronologically or start with present day? What images and graphics will I use to keep it visually interesting for our audiences?

I was so lost in thought that I got in the wrong line at the terminal. The Southwest Airlines woman looked at my ticket, frowned, and threw her index finger up to point me to another very long line. "You have to go to the back of that line," she growled.

Sighing, I smiled and walked away. While in the new line, I kept my head down, staring at my Blackberry (half embarrased that I had been in the wrong line, and half annoyed that I now had to be the last person to board the plane because I hadn't been paying attention).

A quiet and kind voice said, "I like your bottle opener."

I turned around to say thank you, and through polite conversation I found out that an NCSU professor of communications was standing behind me. The key chain bottle opener my friend Astra had given me years earlier proved to be quite a conversation starter. I confessed that I had been staying with Carolina fans all weekend, and she smirked.

"Did you tell them who won the last game?!" she grinned.

"No, I held my tongue and resisted shouting 41-10!" we both laughed a little too loud. The Southwest Airlines ticket taker frowned at me again, almost as if to tell me to get out of town. I smiled at her again. The weekend had been so fun, so full of friendly people, that she wasn't about to negatively affect my mood.

My new friend and I sat together through the flight, and shared many stories. We turned out to be kindred spirits, and I'm so thankful for her company. We sat on the tarmack for almost 45 minutes, and saw lots of smoke coming from the engines out the window. The smell of smoke filled the cabin, and led many of us to think the worst. I've been flying my entire life, and have never thought twice about any crash landings until that day. It made me realize how much I take safe travel for granted.

We skidded around so much in our landing at RDU that I thought I might not see the day this film reached completion. Thoughts of someone else debuting the film immediately rushed through my head, and angrily I decided that this was simply not going to happen because I was not giving it away that easily! This was my project to see through the end!

The second I had that thought, almost as if on cue, the plane righted itself on the tarmack. We taxied over to the terminal and were within moments walking through RDU. I think we all breathed a sigh of relief to have our feet safely on the floor of the terminal. My new friend and I parted ways, and a few moments later I made it to the baggage claim area. Spotting my two heavy pieces, I swiped them off the belt with ease. Finally! They seemed so light, having carried them around all weekend!

My smiling sister and brother-in-law walked towards me as I looked up. Warm hugs were shared, and my load immediately lightened. What a joy to have helping hands escort me home. They have been so kind and helpful with this project! When they delivered me to my little home, my dog was even there waiting for me.

All in all, the weekend could not have been more perfect. It was one of those weekends that you see from a film and think, "Does anyone really live that way?" Yes, indeed, folks. There are moments of one's life that are absolutely this dreamy.

Chicago Recap

It's Wednesday, and I returned from Chicago on Sunday. It's still hard to believe I was just up there, and what an incredible trip I had. The entire trip was just unforgettable. Here's a recap!

Thursday
On Thursday I left for RDU around 8am, thanks to my sister who gave me a ride to the airport. She saved us lots of money on parking, for which I am very thankful. When I got to the check-in counter, I was told that my large suitcase (carrying my camera, lights and tripod) was about five pounds overweight. So, in front of everyone in line I had to find a way to ditch some weight. Eventually my bags were checked and I was on the way to the security check point. There's something both degrading and equalizing about going through security.

A few hours later, I arrived in Chicago. The flight wasn't full and was thankfully uneventful. I casually gathered my bags, reorganized them a bit, and began transitioning to being in the big city! Katie had sent me directions via Facebook, which I had on my Blackberry. So taking public transportation to their place was a breeze (although pulling 100+ pounds of equipment through the snow and ice was tough!). By the time I got to Clayton and Katie's place, I was winded and freezing! I'm sure I was a site to see in my pitifully light peacoat.

Clayton and I spent some time catching up and playing some Wii games, then he walked me down to a place called Potbelly Sandwich Works. We had lunch/dinner there and then walked over to Uncle Dan's to buy some winter clothes, per Clayton's recommendation (for which I am incredibly grateful). I bought a knee-length down coat there (like this one shown), which helped me survive the frigid weather throughout the weekend.

We went back to their place and caught up with Katie later that evening. With lots of great conversations about their adventure moving from Raleigh to Chicago, the ease of travel and excitement/anticipation of the interview the next day, Thursday was just wonderful.

We went to iO Chicago that night to see some friends perform on a team called The Lindbergh Babies 2.0. It was so great to be in the theater again, especially to see so many familiar faces! On the way home that night, I don't think I could have been more grateful for that coat I bought and the journey I was taking.

Friday
By habit, I woke up fairly early Friday morning. Katie had already left for work, so I quietly packed and left for the interview so I wouldn't wake up Clayton. My phone didn't change to the new time (Chicago's an hour ahead of Raleigh), so all morning I was incredibly nervous about making it to the interview on time.

Since I'd left too early to go straight to Dr. Hickey's (on purpose) I spent a few hours at a small table at a dessert store, reading and preparing for the interview. The people running the store were so friendly and funny. They gave me a hard time about carrying so much luggage, and sternly told me I should move to Chicago as soon as possible!

While there, I reread key passages from Dr. Hickey's books, reviewed my notes and questions, and contemplated how the afternoon would pan out. I like to take the time to be sure I'm of the right mindset before I get started, so that AM prep time was critical. However, the time quickly passed and I found myself out on the sidewalk again, heading to a spot where I could find a cab a little easier. Dr. Hickey's place was only about five miles away from my present location, but my weak little arms were about to give out!

While walking down the street, a chilling wind stirred and I adjusted my coat and scarf to keep warm. Looking up again, I nodded at a gentleman doing the very same as if to say, "Yeah, it's cold out here!" We made eye contact, and he smiled as he passed. Then a second after he had passed, I thought to myself, "I know that smile. How do I know him?" It then hit me that I had just nodded and smiled at Tim Meadows. He's now performing at iO, which was just a few blocks away from where we were. Quite ironic that I should pass him on the street, no?!

I immediately turned around to see if it was him, in sort of a double take fashion. But, it being so cold outside, everyone starts to look the same from behind. Nothing but coats with hoods walking along the sidewalk, unless you see someone coming towards you as I just had.

When I got down the block a bit, I stopped at a fairly busy intersection, and within a few minutes a cab beeped at me to see if I wanted a ride. One great thing about lugging that bag? Cabbies spot you quickly because they think you're heading to the airport! I gratefully handed over the bag to let him put it in the trunk and sort of fell into the back seat, stripping off the extra layers that had just brought me so much warmth in the cold wind. Out of breath, I gave him the address and we were quickly on our way to the downtown Chicago apartment.

We had an interesting conversation en route about religion and the differences between Christian and Muslim beliefs. The Pakistani driver told me he was studying the Qur'an, and even cited some of what he had memorized. He was trying to memorize the entire thing, despite not being fluent in Arabic. I patiently and curiously listened as we steadily cruised down Lake Shore Drive. When we came to a stoplight, he stopped speaking and must have read my thoughts because he excitedly said, "It sounds more like singing, doesn't it?"

The conversation lasted all the way to the door of the apartment building, and continued even as he unpacked the car. I think the only pause was when he struggled to lift the bag from the trunk! (I was glad to know he struggled a bit, purely because it made me feel less like a weakling.) I paid him, and scurried up to the lobby, pressing the button for Dr. Hickey's room.

A man answered, and upon telling him that I was there the door buzzed and I went up a few stairs to the elevator to meet him. The second the elevator doors opened, I spotted him there waiting at the door in front of me with a kind, warm smile.

He let me in, and we chatted as I unpacked the film equipment. We spotted a corner of the room to use as a backdrop, and he kindly let me rearrange his living room to set up two chairs, two lights and the camera. He asked about the others we had interviewed, and what I had learned along the way.

I told him about Mike Benge, Greg Stock and Roger Donlon. I probably sounded like a groupie confessing how much I had enjoyed reading his books. Now that I think about it, I have been incredibly lucky to speak with so many published authors. So many of the people we have interviewed have written accounts of their adventures and what they have learned. Dr. Hickey is an anthropologist who has published his findings on the Montagnards, and the two books I have read are so eloquent and informative. Everyone with whom I have spoken on this subject identifies him as the expert I need to know. Because of the work Surry has done, people have been willing to speak with me. It is clear that the respect they have for him washes over on to me, which is much like an unexpected embrace.

It ocurred to me on Friday, as I knelt to plug in the lights and listened to Dr. Hickey sitting behind me, that some authors have a strong voice in print but not in real life. Dr. Hickey is the rare type of author who speaks as well as he writes. And when he speaks, you delight in hearing what wisdom he will impart upon you. Like so many of these experts, he kindly corrects me when I make a statement that could be misinterpreted! I feel so thankful to be surrounded by experts dedicated to making sure that what we share is factual.

The interview was just wonderful. Dr. Hickey was very hospitable, and even offered to serve me tea after the interview concluded. We sat and talked even more about the state of our nation, about all the talk of change and whether or not it will actually happen, and how many folks might be too focused on the economy to care about the war in Iraq, much less what's happening today in Vietnam. He understands the reality of asking DC to change. He's tried it for years, as have all of these others with whom I've spoken.

While I know this reality well, I find that the eternal optimist in me is defiant and difficult to quiet. In the past year, I have studied social media and I have heard people like Jim Tobin tell us that social media gives a voice to everyone. While I'm certainly not the social media expert like Tobin, I do know that this feels like a new era, where big companies can no longer ignore the individual. A time where the government absolutely must listen to each citizen who speaks up. A time where we--as a nation--can once again converse and move as a group. We're not just individuals, we can move together as one tribe like we did in the beginning. It is fascinating to me!

Dr. Hickey and I wrapped up our conversation, and then I began to pack up the equipment. He complimented my skills at fitting so much into one small bag. "It's a gift my grandfather gave me before he passed away," I told him. We then chatted about how so many people in my family served in WWII, a conversation that led to genealogy. He has been researching his family history, and told me that they had been in Chicago for quite some time. Once again, I was so thankful for my grandmother's hard work in discovering and recording our family history. It has become so much of who I am, knowing my family history.

Dr. Hickey helped me hail a cab, and before I knew it he was wishing me luck and I was on my way back to Clayton and Katie's apartment.

That evening we went out to dinner, and then went to see some more improv at the American Theater Company. We watched two teams perform that night, one of which was Pudding Thank You. Pictures I took are here if you wish to see them! The team consists of Jorin Garguilo, Louis Saunders, Adal Rifai, and Ryan Patrick Dolan.

Jorin is an old ComedyWorx player, who has worked hard to help bring Chicago folks to North Carolina. Because of Jorin's help in setting up an annual improv invitational here in Raleigh, I recognized so many familiar faces while I was in Chicago. I'm incredibly grateful for what he's done to strengthen the community. It's a great feeling to recognize so many faces when I visit, and I know that is because of him. Plus, he's a fun, generous improviser to watch, too. Jorin and Adal recently played with my team Temporary Tag, and it was an unforgettable night--they both are incredibly talented performers. (Hope they don't mind the shout out!)

More on the past weekend to come soon! I still have to tell you about Saturday and Sunday, and already I have rambled on long enough for one post. Stay tuned...

Finalizing Plans

I just got off the phone with Dr. Hickey, and confirmed our interview time for this Friday afternoon. My flight plans are in order. And I'm staying with friends who just recently moved to Chicago. There's much more work to be done in the coming days, but things are shaping up quite nicely right now. I'm excited about the journey.