TLC at Career Day

Today was Career Day at Kerr High School in Houston's Alief School District. It was definitely a new and different experience. One I can't wait to repeat.


After arriving and checking in and getting some complimentary juice, a very nice senior girl (who plans on attending UT next year to study chemical engineering so she can do cancer research--how awesome is that?) led me to the cafeteria. They had all the tables set up with tall signs that stated the career at that table.

I headed to the table with the AUTHOR sign and started setting up my stuff. I put up the two little signs of my upcoming book covers and stood up a copy of OH. MY. GODS. for display. I set out my brand new bookmarks and my brand new buttons. Then I sat and watched and waited.

There were tons of other careers represented. Here's the (mostly exhaustive) list: media, aviation, energy, health, military, gaming, business, engineering, fashion design, business, ballet, zoo, law, culinary, photography, music, cosmetology, and the Harris County Medical Examiner (awesome!)

Everyone seemed great (especially the super hot firefighters and EMTs in their cute uniform pants and tight navy blue t-shirts--yum!) except for one guy.

While I'm sitting there waiting, the yo-yo from CenterPoint Energy (sorry, CenterPoint, but my electrical needs are provided by Green Mountain sustainable energy and I feel no sympathy for you or your representative). He came over before the students arrived. Here's how it went:

"So, your write books?" He smiles and tries to look all deceptively congenial. "What kind of books?"

I smile back, because I do not yet know that he's a yo-yo. "Teen fiction."

Still smiling, he says, "Oh. So mild bodice rippers."

I am no longer smiling. I am blinking rapidly and staring blankly at him. Did he really just say that? Does he know how completely ignorant and retarded and generally without IQ that made him sound? Clearly not.

Looking confused, I just say, "Um, no. No bodice ripping."

But on the inside, I'm thinking, Idiot.

So, other than that, the day was great. (And it's not like I'm going to hold that one yo-yo against the school or anything. They couldn't know!) I met some really wonderful students who asked terrific questions and who have a great headstart on become the next generation of writers. (They also seemed very excited to know that I hated everything about English class all through school. Yay English-haters! Um, I mean, Study your grammar!)

Then the counselor introduced me to the librarian (delightful) and the English teachers (wonderful). I stayed an extra hour-and-a-half talking to them! (They could get away with talking to me for so long because Kerr is kind of an alternative school. Students have to apply to go there and the education is heavily focused on independent study and self-motivated learning. It's a lot more like college than high school.)

Anyway, Career Day was wonderful and I highly recommend it to everyone. But if the smiling bald guy from the energy company approaches you, lock and load your witty quips because you just might have to use them.

Hugs,
TLC

PS--Students of Kerr High School ... EMAIL ME! You promised!