Welcome, November

How can it be November already? How can stores already be decorated for Christmas? How can all my overwhelming class projects be due so soon?

I know a lot has happened in the past week, although now I can't remember hardly a thing...

I suppose it all started last week when I got to hang out at the public radio station for work. My supervisor was a guest on the "Noon Edition" of WFIU, and I helped him with his research! I was very pleased with my diligent efforts on trying to understand why Bloomington's poverty rate is so high. At one point I wanted to grab the mic and talk, but only because I've been on Chinese television in front of tens of millions of people. Being on a radio station in front of maybe a couple thousand people is a piece of cake! But I was quietly locked away in the control room where I could only watch all the interesting behind-the-scenes work. For example, callers can ask the guests questions. One guy was put through to the show before they had properly vetted him. You could tell he couldn't speak very good English, and he didn't realize he was on a radio show:

Radio host man: "Go ahead, caller, what is your question for our guests today?"

Mysterious caller: "Ummmm, hello?"

Radio host man: "Yes, we can hear you very well. What is your question?"

Mysterious caller: "Hello? Ummmm.... is Travis there?"

(Everyone slowly realized that Mysterious Caller had the wrong number.)

Radio host man tries to recover: "Eh, sorry, must be a bad connection."

So everything seems to be interesting these days, especially when I try to keep an adventuresome spirit. It was honestly another super challenging week, especially getting rejected from yet another job and having difficult conversations with people. But I was reading in my devotional to try and re-frame setbacks as opportunities. That is indeed my goal.

In other news, my dad and wife, Marilyn, are currently visiting! It's been fun to show them around our fair little city and eat at good restaurants. Today I took them to nearby quaint Nashville, Indiana, where we got to walk around and look at never-ending antique and knick-knack shops.

There's not a whole lot else to share, but so far November is a fascinating month...

With my dad on a beautiful November afternoon!

Giant, awkward ice-cream cone in Nashville! I couldn't finish eating the whole thing...

Being in Nashville is like being in a Hallmark card or something.