I snuck out of the house early Sunday morning and, fueled by Yum Yum Bake Shop donuts and black coffee, I drove to Washington, DC to spend the day at the ALA convention and VOYA reception. On the way, I listened to David McCullough’s awesome John Adams, which has me very excited for the 2008 Presidential elections. Next time I drive to DC, I think I’ll revisit McCullough’s Truman which I read aloud to my son when he was an infant. On my arrival in Washington, I parked in garage spot B52 guaranteeing that I would not forget my car’s location and also dooming me to a full day humming the lyrics to Planet Claire. (…she drove a Plymouth Satellite… faster than the speed of light).
Despite ten billion people wandering about the Washington Convention Center, I ran into friends almost immediately. This is a habit I picked up from my great friend Greg Lasalle who is sure that wherever he is, there’s probably somebody he knows and/or wants to talk to just a few feet away. I used to be amazed at his ability to run into people in Times Square and Disney World and Hollywood, but now I think that it’s just a matter of kinda keeping yourself open to the universe and tuned in to the moment. In other words: pay attention. Greg is really good at that.
I spent much of the day wandering around the exhibit hall chatting with writers and illustrators whose work I love and also gathering up way too many books for my kids along with one or two special ones for me (THANK YOU DANA REINHART!!!). Luckily, my fancy free paper bags did not rip till I was approaching B52 later in the day (…planet Claire has pink air… all the trees are red...) Before that, my vegetarian lunch – which was very nearly terrible when my garden burger got replaced by a vegetable that some people call chicken...
...became an unexpected treat for two reasons. First, there was this food court exchange:
...became an unexpected treat for two reasons. First, there was this food court exchange:
Me: Excuse me. I ordered a garden burger. This is chicken.
Frazzled southern accent fast food lady who is sick of persnickety book people: I have chickens at home, honey. They live in the garden. That chicken sandwich is just a chewy garden burger. You gonna love it.
Note to food service people: I’ll eat pig poop on a pork chop if you make me laugh when you give it to me.
The real reason lunch was so enjoyable, however, is that in the midst of the crazy crowded cafeteria for conventioneers, a stranger asked if she could join me at the empty chair at my small table. I like strangers so it was no problem. I guessed correctly by her YALSA button that she was a teen librarian. (…some say she’s from Mars… WELL SHE ISN’T!) After chatting for a moment, we realized that we’d met via email a few months earlier! It was Lindsay Dunn, totally awesome teen librarian from the Eva Perry Library in North Carolina. And if I didn’t already think that Lindsay and her library are awesome, I would have quickly been convinced later in the day when I saw half a dozen teenagers in Eva Perry Library t-shirts who had traveled from North Carolina to attend the ALA convention. Some libraries struggle with getting a teen group organized. The Eva Perry Library takes their teens on the road! I saw them making friends with Gene Luen Yang, chatting up Jack Gantos, and generally having a fine, fine time. I was blown away by how great these young people were. I really want to visit that library!
Finally, the VOYA reception was an absolute treat. I didn't know anybody when I entered the room, but luckily I was wearing my "Don't Be A Weenie...Read David Lubar" button so I was able to make friends quickly (and scare off the people I wouldn't have liked anyway.) I’m really glad I attended the event because 1) When somebody says that you’ve done something that merits a “perfect 10,” I think it is good form to show up for the party if you can, and 2) I had really wonderful time getting to know fellow 10’s Nancy Werlin (a 10 for The Rules of Survival) and Cinda Williams Chima (a 10 for her Warrior Heir).
On the way out of Washington, I swung around town to snap a few photos. I’m embarrassed that I’ve only visited our nation’s capital a couple times and never really done much seeing of the sites. On the great lawn in front of the Capitol building, I found a small crowd admiring a map of America built out of Legos on a platform the size of a basketball court.
There were people from all over the world gathered around the map. With the capitol building in the background, we studied Legoland together (…no one ever dies there… no one has a head…) Together, we pointed out Cape Kennedy and the Sears Tower and our own hometowns. We were all amazed by the millions of tiny blocks that made up the America at our feet. And then every once in awhile we’d just look at each other from Pennsylvania and Pakistan and Detroit and California and Australia and just start to laugh.
There were people from all over the world gathered around the map. With the capitol building in the background, we studied Legoland together (…no one ever dies there… no one has a head…) Together, we pointed out Cape Kennedy and the Sears Tower and our own hometowns. We were all amazed by the millions of tiny blocks that made up the America at our feet. And then every once in awhile we’d just look at each other from Pennsylvania and Pakistan and Detroit and California and Australia and just start to laugh.