Today was PHENOM! I love encountering interesting people….

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My day started off kind of slow honestly. I have not been sleeping well not for any one particular reason that I can think of, but I just seem to race through the night with continuous thoughts. The race goes on! Tonight I have a feeling that I am going to hit the hay hard. I am very tired. Hopefully I will have great dreams as well.

I went to a book signing tonight for a guy by the name of Chad Gibbs. I found that both Chad and his family were cordial towards someone they did not know….a first time author such as myself. Chad offered some personal advice about his book, his journey to agency, a traditional publishing contract, and everything in between those stages of starting a proposal for the Greater Good of Mankind. His book entitles God and Football: Faith and Fanaticism in the SEC. If you enjoy the wonderful sport of football, you might find that this is a pleasant read. I have heard chaplains of athletic departments speak, but I have never encountered a book about such topics. Chad has done what I seek to do: breaking through the threshold of starting with a first book, signing with the publishing giant known as Zondervan. I admire that and hope to learn from those who have accomplished what I have not thus far….granted I started this grand adventure this summer.

I think you might find my encounter with a store employee comic to say the least. If I have a decent conversation with anyone, I typically am friendly and outgoing to the point I will ask them to maybe hang out sometime. Guys handle this shy-factor quite well. Girls on the other hand maybe prefer a more indirect way of communication. I spoke with a girl named Sarah Beth (SB) at the counter about book clubs in the general Birmingham metro. There were like fifty clubs located all over the city. I figured getting involved in one might assist in my writing….help me to be more literate or whatever. So we will see about that. This store happened to have a wall space dedicated to each book of the month for each club. So Sarah Beth pulled out a folder with the book lists of this past year for each of these clubs. We generally dissected each club as masculine or feminine, but she knew many more of the titles than I did myself. It might explain why she works at such an eclectic establishment in book sales with the additional observation that she is an library science major at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, but she was an Auburn fan. War Eagle! So I really did not think too in depth about our meeting each other. I was in the store meeting other people, browsing, and talking to Chad for maybe no more than thirty minutes. Before I left I figured I would ask SB to grab some coffee on another future occasion in a very public place. She was as surprised by my asking as I was surprised by her reaction. Her face turned Crimson Tide red like she decided to like Alabama instead of Auburn for a few quick seconds. She was flushed with flustered feelings. I kind of felt bad honestly because she did not seem that shy communicating like a general saleswoman at the counter. I found her speech to be very helpful and calm in a logical sense of being an intellectual bookworm. I kind of dig when anyone can hold a decent conversation about literary matters or anything else. I really tried not to giggle in front of her despite the fact that I laughed when I got into my car leaving the store. She gave me the “look me up on Facebook” line. I told her that a last name would help considering there might be several Sarah Beths in the University of Alabama or Birmingham networks. As she walked back to the counter, she did mention her last name. She also told me that I knew where she worked. In my limited experience southern girls are not crazy about the outgoing, ambitious, gregarious, leadership-type. They might prefer a more Luke Perry style of communication….laidback, suave gelled hair, a motorcycle owner, and something like out of the Grease movie I suppose except tonight I did not get Sandy. I am not sure if this cup of coffee will be poured. I took her response as a maybe which is better than a “No” but not a definite “Yes.” I enjoyed the moment, and it makes a decent blog entry.

I spent about three hours in O’Henry’s, the greatest coffee shop ever in Birmingham. I met a campus outreach minister from Montevallo and also a professional European basketball player who was American but played in Luxemburg. I felt like I was on Rodeo Drive in Hollywood for a brief moment, but in respect I did not ask him to sign my coffee or anything. I figured that might be a little inappropriate on a first meeting basis. Gratefully he extended an invitation to visit him if I indeed decided to return to Europe on another backpacking adventure….shoestring budget here of course. They were such cool guys. Unlike the awkward bookstore moment we exchanged contact information rather easily. Guys will be guys I suppose.

I rounded up the evening with some close friends for dinner at PFChangs. I enjoy eating at this restaurant about as much as any Asian cuisine I have ever tried. The company of friends was fantastic, and the day ended with a good story to tell. In the face of the pale clouded moonlight, I did not get a coffee moment with the girl, but I had an amazing day with some amazing people even if a maybe is an undecided maybe.