Day 39: February 8, 2016 Smile for the Camera

Day 8, 2016 Smile for the Camera

February 8, 2016 

I loved our field trip to Berks Nature. I learned and listened to Dr. Nature and Tami Shimp sum up in simple terms complicated issues such as Riparian Zones. Not only did Tami have a wide knowledge base, she was also accommodating and flexible. The students enjoyed it as well.

A number of months after our adventure she contacted me and asked if I would do an interview for a feature on their website - The People Chronicle. I love this kind of stuff - so I said yes. She thought it would benefit Wider School as well. 

I went on a rainy thursday afternoon to a building on Penn Street. I took a scary elevator to the fourth floor (I should know these kinds of things before I say yes - I hate elevators) Slouched in the chair I spoke so causally, too casually, that someone should have taken my pulse. Where were the mirrors to encourage some posture, where??!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it while I was there but on the way home.........

I was a mess. I called Lynn and said, "My interview on NPR is definitely not going to happen now." Man, there was my moment and there it went! All in one interview....

The entire drive home my head was repeating things like: "Tami, I am so sorry. You don't have to use it." No, I couldn't call and tell her that, she would feel obliged to lie. "Tami, if you don't use it, no problem, I won't be offended." No, that's a big fat lie. I would definitely be offended. "Tami, I wish we could have warmed up a little. I wish someone would have pushed me up in my chair." Oh, I so wanted to call her and beg her to lie and tell me I did fine. That would be too much - Tami would avoid me forever if I did this. So I aborted my plans. We never exchanged numbers anyway.

Yesterday, I received an email. "Oh, by the way, we wanted you to know the video is done." I read and reread the email and did not see the words "you trashed our project." Phew. When I watched it I simply breathed deeply as if I just let out air on the other side of a PA tunnel. The stupid smile on my face was not to be contained - it was fine. The video was fine. I didn't say anything earth shattering but most importantly I did not say anything stupid! What a big fat relief.