Day two of a four day BER trip, and so far we've dodged some weather bullets and had two very neat surprises.

Dodged bullets: Due to the mega storm that's all over the country today, Southwest canceled all flights into Chicago until tomorrow morning, but fortunately we arrived on their last flight from Detroit and arrived at the hotel in the far west suburbs without incident last night. Today I suggested to the valiant people who made it to the seminar that we eliminate formal breaks and lunch and try to end two hours early. They agreed, I talked faster than usual (Yes, that can be done!) and we were on the road to Milwaukee by 1:30 and arrived here by 4:15. Now, if the participants make it to tomorrow's seminar and we are able to fly to Minneapolis tomorrow evening, we'll dodge all the weather bullets.....I hope. They're sure not dodging those weather bullets in other parts of the country!

Two neat surprises:

At the Detroit seminar was a woman who had attended the exact same seminar a year ago. She told the group how excited she was to return to get yet more ideas and repeatedly and with great enthusiasm shared how she had used a technique from my seminar in her classes. I tried to convince her to travel with me and be my cheerleader at every seminar. What an "upper" she was!

Upper #2 was today when a former student turned Spanish teacher was in the group. She commented that winning the "Spanish student of the year award" in 7th grade - way back in 1972 - was something she never forgot. What a wonderful gift to find out almost forty years later that I had an influence on her life and that she is now influencing her students.