Once again I’ve been a negligent blogger! In my defense, I’m 26 weeks pregnant with baby girl #3 (yay!) and I’ve been fairly swamped since the holidays. We got back from a whirlwind Christmas vacation—to see family back east, skiing and a New Year’s Eve wedding in Colorado, then on to L.A. for a day at Universal Studios and the heartbreaking Rose Bowl game—and I’ve been playing catch up ever since. School started back up for my older daughter, but we’ve been getting hammered by storms, which meant a lot of snow days and delays, which is obviously not ideal for productivity.
Anyway, I managed to fit in my interviews and finished my stories for the TQ Mountain Home Awards. I loved the homes I wrote up—a remodel in Alpine Meadows, another along Incline Village’s shoreline, and two beautifully designed and executed homes in Martis Camp. All gorgeous, all awe-inspiring, all of which made me want to gut my own home and start fresh. Oh well.
We had our first proof last week and the second proof today. A few hiccups getting a couple of stories in, but it all looks great and I’m excited to see the final issue. We were supposed to have the second proof tomorrow, but pushed it up as we’ve got another storm rolling in. At least now I’ve got a lull from work, so if this latest storm hampers my productivity, then at least it’s a valid excuse for hot chocolate and a movie date!
I wrote about quilt designer Karen Colbert, who is based in Incline. She creates these beautiful and intricate designs out of fabric that are so much more than just quilts—they’re art. She was really interesting because she never considered herself an artist growing up. She worked in an engineering firm and later got her degree in business administration from Sierra Nevada College. It wasn’t until she was pregnant with her daughter that she took up quilting was a hobby and yet, somehow, it became her livelihood. I think it’s fascinating the different routes people take in life, and a reminder that even though you may think you know and understand the track you’re on, things can always change.
We went for the Associated Collegiate Press National Conference. Got in Wednesday night, spent Thursday morning sightseeing and ducking into museums, then got to the conference headquarters at the Grand Hyatt in time to get registered and grab seats to see Donna Brazile, the DNC chairwoman. She was incredible—not only was she incredibly interesting, but she was so much fun. I wanted to go out for drinks with her. And she was just the kick-off to other great speakers: On Friday, we heard from Bob Woodward (Bob fricking Woodward of Watergate fame!), then Saturday we had Edward Snowden beamed live from his secret location to address us. He was wonderful. When he got a huge ovation, he remarked that journalists are about the last group that like him. He, too, was wonderful. Both he and Woodward both had a lot to say about the importance of journalism, as well as how the future rests in the hands of the audience. I found them both incredibly inspirational.
Besides the great conference, I got to see my brother and his girlfriend, plus enjoy three full nights that I didn’t have to worry about a child waking me up in the night! The students got a ton out of the conference, too, and got to get in some additional sightseeing after I ducked out on Saturday afternoon to catch an earlier flight back so I could be home for my daughter’s fourth birthday. Anyway, great event and great to be in D.C. just two weeks before the election!
In the meantime, the Summer issue of Tahoe Quarterly hit the stands (and looks fantastic!). This was the first issue with TQ’s new editor, Sylas Wright, at the reins. It was hard saying goodbye to Kyle, but I think Sylas will be a fantastic fit for the job. I’ve got an article about painter Jude Bischoff, and I wrote the Looking Back piece about the history of the Hyatt Lake Tahoe throughout the years. Before it was the Hyatt, it was a teamster-owned casino called Kings Castle. It didn’t last long: the owner kidnapped and threatened his keno manager, and it went bankrupt not too long after. Still, pretty interesting!
I’m not trying to start transitioning back into work mode—I’ve got an article to write for TQ’s Ski & Ride issue, some freelance work to complete, plus I need to start prepping for my second semester at Sierra Nevada College. I’ll be teaching the same classes as last semester and am really excited to return!
Alison O. Bender 