This can't be reality

I'm not sure what happened today.

Somehow all sorts of my favorite things happened all in one day and I hadn't planned on such big happenings.

The morning was our usual fun routine of getting ready for school, walking to Victoria, and singing badly almost the entire way. After I dropped off Viv, I hopped on the bus and set off for Queen's, giddy about picking up my office key.

Yeah.

No key.

Sigh.

But the woman in reception told me one of the guys was in the office so I could get in. Now, what's fascinating about this is that I never saw her leave her desk so when I got up to the office I asked Gareth, "how do they always know you're here?" And he said, "they called me." "But...but...I never saw her call. Cloaking device? I figured there were cameras everywhere."

Then I saw his water bottle:

Did you see the size of that thing? I cracked up and then had the problem that occurs after one hits her 40s...you know the one...malapropisms combined with memory gaps. Awesome.

So I said something along the lines of, "it's like one of those things with big bottles...these...big...heavy...funny...offices...lots of spilling" like a cavegirl.

And Gareth said, "you mean a water cooler?"

Yes.

That's what I meant.

Give me my brain back, 40s.

I logged on (it worked) and got busy with work

(if you haven't read Hyperbole and a Half, you're missing out)

Ping! Email!

Monday night I met Patricia and liked her right away; she's at Queen's researching for her PhD so I hoped I'd get to see her again and she emailed me that Professor Michael Freeman would be speaking to her reading group at 11:00 and I could attend.

Some of you may not know his name, but when I read that I could hear him speak, I got shivers. He started The International Journal of Children's Rights and has written countless important articles and I'd get to sit in the same room and hear him and learn from him.

Pinch me.

He's really, really funny. I was endlessly delighted that I was learning and laughing and that all of it was completely unexpected when I woke up this morning.

Laura Lundy, who organizes the reading group and hosted Professor Freeman, had previously given the group "homework" of rewriting Nursery Rhymes as Children's Right Nursery Rhymes, in honor of his visit.

Jennifer won the Michael Freeman Award because he liked hers best!

The original:

Jennifer's revised version:
Sing a song of justice, all children have the right,
With fifty-four new articles, their future sure looks bright,
The UN has directed, each child begins to crow:
We will be respected now, Sam's wind of change will blow.

The leaders are in Stormont deciding what is best
The parents and the children, put children to the test
They tut their disapproval, for who can they control
When these wee human voices rap and roar through rock and soul?

Jennifer Gorman with Professor Michael Freeman

Did I take a selfie with Professor Michael Freeman? Yes. Yes I did.

the reading group on International Women's Day

The next group needed the room we were in so everyone parted ways for lunch. Patricia invited me along with some of the members of the reading group. It was a fantastic time with a lot of laughs and discussion of research and projects and it was a treat to hear the ideas each woman has because all their PhD reasearch will help make the world a better place.

Leanne, Sheila, Antje, Patricia

As usual, I got a little lost (some buildings don't have signs). I wanted to try to see at least a little of my neighbor's poetry reading before I had to pick up Vivian and I had to figure out where it was. I asked a few places, but nobody could find any information about it.

The most central location is the Lanyon Building and the Gift Shop/Welcome Center is there, so I walked in, hopeful. Score!

This awesome girl searched in their system, on Google, and finally called the Seamus Heaney Centre, got the building and room number, wrote them on a sticky note, and passed it to me better than any baton pass in Olympic 4x4 relays and I flew out the door.

I'm a jerk because I can't remember her name.

I got to hear Tess for a few minutes, was happy to see our other Fulbrighter neighbor Marilyn, then dashed off to get the bus for Vivi pick-up. On my way to the bus, I stopped back in the Welcome Center to thank her, tell her I made it, and let her know she nailed it. Selfie time!

On the way home I heard "Feed the Birds" in a high-pitched operatic voice alternated with "Spell I-CUP". 

I also got an email saying I can bring Vivi to sessions at the Berlin Fulbright event since I haven't been able to line up child care so I'm incredibly relieved. Thank you, technology, for coming along so nicely that now I can bring earbuds and an iPad and still attend sessions.

This day!

Tomorrow: I've got to book travel to Berlin. I'm vacillating between flying straight there or taking a train ride, at least one way. Cost will be the deciding factor, but I still want to investigate it because Vivi and I both love riding trains and getting to see countryside and cityscapes pass by.

Tomorrow: Make an appointment to get an eye test because I'm pretty sure things about 30 feet away aren't actually blurry.

Tomorrow: Finish reading Connected.

Tomorrow: Keep up my relationship with Google Spreadsheets for research.

Tomorrow: Pinch myself. This can't be real life.