Off to @NCTE in Anaheim, California, and Thankful to @valeriekinloch For Inviting Me a Few Days Early for Resolution Work. Okay, Educators...We Got This.

Perhaps we got somewhat accustomed to at-home conferences, where we could sit in a pair of sweats and be dressed up around the neck and shoulders...for a couple of years this worked just fine. Sadly, we lost Louisville, Kentucky, which was my dream location for presenting Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University work. That was going to be my homecoming -- food at restaurants my ol' students now own, bourbon at distilleries hosted by alumni, and plenty of sights to see. 

Alas, I celebrated that experience from home. Louisville, though, is always the place where I got my teaching legs and learned to fly with student writers

For numerous NCTE conventions I've brought what Susan James calls an entourage. Truth is, these people could give two flying @$@#$ about me, but I funded their travels to present on the great work they do in Connecticut. It is true that I donated professional development fees to CWP, so we could assure numerous teachers were at the conference presenting their excellent work. We peaked at 15 from the Nutmeg state. Alas, we are a smaller crew this year, as school districts aren't allowing for teacher travel and those of us who lead National Writing Project sites are trying to find our way within a different landscape. 

I'm looking forward to many things this go-around, but most importantly I can wait for the reunions. It's been a minute, and although I'm in ZOOM-Land daily with many scholars, writers, and site directors from across the United States, it will be great to see them in person. I imagine my Jim Carrey/Robin Williams/Pee-Wee Herman character will come out as I run into each, and every friend who I've longed to see the last few years (including Valerie Kinloch...she's the graceful, intellectual Queen to my opera-singing frog-like tendencies).

The biggest fear, of course, is getting there. 

The airport is 38 miles away, but in Connecticut that can be anywhere from 60-minutes to 4-hours. Parking is booked. Flight is booked. And I remortgaged my home to get a shuttle from LAX to the hotel in Anaheim. Oh, to be a Disney fan willing to pay those prices...I guess I am.

I'm looking forward to meeting and presenting with many, including Alice Hays who has been with me on a wild ride about visual literacy and the storytelling of pageantry --- reading and writing neediness meets Winter-Guard International...can't wait to analyze an Amanda Gordon poem performed by Sun Lake High School with her (our geek-game is A+++++). I'm also looking forward to digital literacy presentations, a celebration of 6 years of Reading Landscapes & Writing Nature, as well as an NWP collaboration that is leading to publications in 2023 (woot woot). 

So, I've got my mug of coffee and am setting out on an adventure, knowing my first dinner is tonight...California time...which I will have to adjust to. 

All love to Karal at home. Edem is in full control of her this week...as the only one left on Mt. Pleasant and still in the home. Meanwhile, I'm thinking about hosting Thanksgiving the week after. 

We got this, NCTE & NWP. Really, we do!!!!