Tarheels and other things.

A few things of note:

1. Grandma has recovered from her surgery. She had four separate breaks in her arm and will be moving to the Extended Care Unit at the hospital for a few weeks.

2. I am in North Carolina in the living room of Havaleh, my best friend from high school? Why am I here? Long story. I am traveling for work, to a conference called the "Dynamic Communicator's Workshop." It begins in Asheville today, and I flew into Charlotte last night and spent the evening with Havaleh, who lives here. Hooray! I'll be in Asheville until Thursday, learning about public speaking/oral communication, giving speeches, etc. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm looking for the beautiful 2-hour drive to Asheville this afternoon.

3. Yesterday, on the airplane, I saw three students walk on board wearing shirts that read, "Western Washington University Plastics." I almost passed out, because I'd just discovered earlier in the week that one of my rafting friends who's a student in the WWU Plastics Department would be in town for the weekend at an engineering conference. (This in itself felt random enough already. Now several students with whom he is attending the conference happen to be on my flight from Dallas to Charlotte. Dallas to CHARLOTTE? Not perhaps the MOST popular of possible flights for people who live north of Seattle. Super Random!)

So, I introduced myself to a very nice-looking engineering student named Cassandra in the Charlotte airport restroom saying, "You go to Western? I know Kurtis!" She was like, "What?! He was actually supposed to be with us right now, but his flight got messed up! He said he had a friend who was going to be in town this week! This is sooooo weird!" We walked out of the restroom, and she introduced me to Luke and Marty, who were very cordial and very surprised at the weirdness of this all saying, "We're in Charlotte, North Carolina of all places." We then enjoyed a nice chat on the way to baggage claim about how we were already sweltering in the 78-degree heat that felt shocking compared to our Northwest home. My life is WEIRD! (Consistently weird, like, last summer when I ran into someone I met in Kenya at a Farmer's Market in Eastern Washington....) *Queue 'It's a Small World.'*

4. I have rented my first car as a grown-up. Since I'm 25 now, it only cost $30. I wish it were something glamorous, like a Sting Ray. It's a Taurus. Not even a close second.