Day 2 Austin

Day 2 Austin...6 p.m.

Brain overload. Language study fried me by 11:30. Turkish combines the most challenging elements of several languages I no longer speak well--super. I need to sit and practice with peers over dinner. There are Longhorns everywhere, cut into the chair backs in our conference room. Talk by Jen (aka Dr. Gates-Foster) was fab, and holy cow, she's giving us her power point with an awesome array of maps and pictures. This is way better than my Mex-Am War show (except mine had tejano music, take that, period D class.) The Ottoman presentation was interesting too. They had great names for dignitaries.

Liv having a bit of a rough time, sniffly on the phone. It's really tough to hear.

10:45 p.m.

Just back from Antone's at 4th and Colorado in Austin, listening to live music with a handful of my colleagues. Hadn't done that for ages--live music in Brookfield is only at the library on Sunday afternoons, it seems. Lonestar beer: $3. College kids all over. Guys in overalls playing the mandolin (okay, there was one, but I thought it was cool). My brain has been on overload since 2:00 p.m. Makes me have renewed sympathy for our students. How can a person pay attention to so much information in one day?
Austin is, according to Dan, our taxi driver (himself a Nigerian 30-year resident of Austin, with a master's degree in public policy) not like the rest of Texas. And we feel it. I mean, it's hot, but it's funky. Cool, in that crunchy way. Dan intimated that it was regarded suspiciously by the rest of the state. I can only imagine the nuances therein.
We had fabulous lectures today, although my brain felt full after each. I expected to drool cerebral fluid out my ear at any moment.
Talking to Liv before dinner was tough. She's having a hard time (at least on the phone--I'm sure it's more fun on the ground). Ruby, on the other hand, was perfectly buoyant. Interesting.

Need a good night's sleep. Several sessions tomorrow, starting with language. Yikes.