go to the Elizabeth Gilbert lecture in Portland

the train ride was fun, the lecture was fabulous and the B&B was a real treat. I am really glad I took this trip – and the back-and-forth about whether to make it a family thing or a solo girl trip really showed me that alone-time is important to me and to speak up from the beginning about what I want deep-down.

I bought the round-trip train ticket today and booked a room (which turned out to be on special!) at a B&B within walking distance of the lecture hall. So this is going to be a solo “girl” adventure after all. From now on I will stick up for my desires from the git-go; better for everyone all around. I had pictured this trip as a solo thing back in December when I got the lecture ticket. When Paco started throwing out ideas for making it a family trip it would have been better to speak up for myself immediately and say I wanted the alone time. Thinking about how to translate sticking up for myself into a goal of its own. Anyways – I have a couple books to read, my writing stuff, some CDs and a little suitcase—and of course the lecture ticket itself. It will be fun!

So it’s been three months since I bought my ticket to her lecture in Portland. My initial vision was that I would take the train to Portland which meant I’d have about 4 hours to myself for reading, writing, whatever. I found an Old Victorian Bed & Breakfast within a block of the theater where the lecture will be. Once I started talking about this little “adventure” Paco wanted to come along and bring Max: all of us would take the train together, find someplace to sleep overnight then take the train back the next day. Well now we’re a little more pinched financially (thanks to the increase in my health insurance deductible from $350 to $6,600 not that I am bitter). I thought for a couple days about bagging the whole thing but I would really like to see her speak. So now I’m thinking I’ll just drive to Portland, see the lecture then drive back that same night. Not quite the idyllic journey I imagined but heaps better than missing it entirely.

last night. Googled Elizabeth Gilbert to see if she has a personal website which of course she does. Just for fun clicked on events and voila: tickets go on sale next Friday for her appearance in Portland! This is a lucky break for me! Typically I develop an enthusiasm for something and find out the person/group has just been in Seattle (or the vicinity) and I’ve missed it! Considering Eat, Pray, Love is the story of Elizabeth Gilbert’s year abroad in Italy, India and Bali – it is a trivial thing to get to Portland (for heaven’s sake) for this lecture!