Sunday, October 09, 2005

on the road again

tonite, i'm all packed up and ready to fly out in the morning for pittsburgh and our next convention. i'm excited about personally meeting people i only know thru phone and email. and of course, i'm excited to see old friends.

i'm surprised to find that pittsburgh feels a bit nostalgic for me. i've only been there one other time for our convention that was there 3 years ago. it just has some happy memories, but ones that also indicate change and the continuing journey of life that only pauses never stops.

it was the first time i'd gotten to know a new friend. we ended up not being out late socializing, but being up late girl-talking. she's about my age, single and in ministry. we had lots to talk about. betsey lives here in san diego, but we still spent more time together during that week than we have since. and it was very fun.

pittsburgh was home of liberty tavern and the big ass burger. sadly we found out during sacramento that the liberty tavern is gone and the big ass burger is no more.

i remember going up the duquesne incline for dinner with our staff on the last night. it was an italian place that for some reason i remember mike yaconelli being very excited about. the place felt old mafia italian and the food was amazing. i remember looking out over the rivers as we rode up and down the incline and just laughing with our staff. it was a fun night.

i also remember the fish market restaurant in the hotel and having a glass of wine with a couple of friends--one of whom i didn't know very well at the time but was a bit awed by--jim hancock--who is completely stinking brilliant--and thinking how amazing it was and the mix of people.

it was also the city where my friend for years, david welch, was offered and accepted a job at ys. three years later, he's our director of marketing and my boss (and still my friend).

it'll be interesting to see what memories i make in pittsburgh this time.

5 comments:

'neice said...

I wish we would have had more time in Sacramento...but I am glad you get to be with Jay, Matthew and Gman in PA! Give "my twin" a hug for me.

Len said...

that's cool. I remember meeting David there, very briefly, and hearing he was a possibility to join the staff. have fun for me. :-)

Anonymous said...

I hope all went well and that is was a memorable event!

EYouthWNY said...

How did I not know that David was a fellow 'Burgher? Sat right across from him at dinner and missed that.

Mindi, I'm glad you enjoyed Pittsburgh, I love that city. Thanks for your support during my rather bizarre first time at NYWC (the bizarre being entirely on my part not YS's). Thanks as always for being you.
Peace
Jay

mindi said...

hey jay,

glad you had a good first time at NYWC.

David is actually an Oklahoman like me...he was in pittsburgh on contract with us when they offered him the staff position.

mindi