Saturday, February 25, 2012

rearview mirror looking


I don’t what the future of blogging holds but I know it has provided me a few surprises. Yesterday, I visited a blog which was new to me. (BTW, no matter how long you have been blogging visiting a new one every so often is a good practice) This particular blog was named “THE DARK (IN)SIDE”. 

My blog reading surprise over there was a name mentioned that triggered looking into the rearview mirror of my mind. 

The FF post (see my last post if don’t know about the FF post) over there mentioned that Anne McCaffrey had recently passed away. If that name isn't familiar to you, she was a Sci-Fi author who lived in Wicklow Ireland. I never read any of her fantasy books but I know her stories had dragons because of a trip to Ireland.

My minor connection to this author relates to a job assignment I had in Ireland over 20 years ago. If you are interested you can learn more about our family’s adventure in Ireland in this older post. A co-worker asked a favor of me when he heard of my upcoming Ireland trip. I recall it was a Christmas present for his wife. 

He wanted me to take two dragon drawings to Anne McCaffrey for an autograph. As I had done on previous trips, I headed to the nothing-to-declare line at the customs checkpoint. The customs officer thought my odd shaped package was worth stopping and calling me over. I told him it was a gift worth about $15.00. He let me go on.

Our plant in Ireland was near the Shannon airport which is far from Wicklow. I was able to connect with Anne on the phone and asked if she could pick up the dragon drawings at our Dublin office. She didn’t travel into the city she explained. The package was taken to Dublin on one the regular inter-office trips but I’m not sure how it finally met her pen. 

Today I’m pleased with myself for writing down my thoughts about my Irish adventure in a small notebook. It’s not much but it refreshed my memories. Here’s a few lines of another day there:
I walked out of the hotel. The sun was shining in my face and rain was pouring down. So when It turned around there was, as I expected, a rainbow. This rainbow was one of the best I’ve seen. It was complete and one end landed on some trees on a far hillside. 

To summarize - I was checking out one of the FF posts hosted by Mrs. 4444; an author’s name mentioned had me going back to notebook I kept on a Irish project from 20 years ago because I remembered carrying dragon drawings to an emerald isle author.

If I dream while staring in the rearview mirror 
I see Ireland.


another circus 

17 comments:

Jillsy Girl said...

did your co-worker ever get them signed and returned?

Antares said...

Liked this post. Read her books when I was young, sorry to hear she passed. She was a great story teller.

lisleman said...

 Yes I believe so but I need to look him up.  I don't remember taking them back with me.  I'm guessing they might be worth a little bit money now.  thanks

lisleman said...

 She was popular and won awards.  I only spoke with her on the phone but I remembered her name.  thanks

unknownmami said...

Lovely post and looking back. 

oceangirl said...

Beautiful picture, beautiful post.  I wish I had kept notes, but then we hardly kept pictures.

Bearmancartoons said...

I keep saying I was going to keep a diary to remember things....still haven't but I guess my blog is working that way sort of.

lisleman said...

 thanks, I certainly do more of that now than ever.

lisleman said...

 I can't claim the picture.  I found it years ago on the web.  I've written before about the change that digital pictures have made on our lives.  More picture taking and sharing than ever before.  thanks

lisleman said...

 Yes I think blogging does that but depending on your type of blog you might not capture very personal things.  There are many private subjects that I'm not going to post publicly.  Writing them down is one thing but sharing them with outside is something to be careful about IMHO.  thanks
(Oh those blank bounded books are not much money.  remembering and writing that's the problem of course.)

Tara R. said...

That is a very cool capture in the rearview. 

McCaffrey is one of my favorite writers. I was very saddened by her passing. 

lisleman said...

 I'm not a reader of dragons and such but after learning of her death in this odd blog reading way I've come to understand that her female characters were very strong and bold.  Do you know if the Avatar movie was related to any of her stories?
thanks

Tara R. said...

Having read many of McCaffrey's books, the dragons in those weren't that similar to those in Avatar. There was more of a rider/dragon connection in her books, and they were very integral to the stories. Often as much main characters as the humans.

Hindi SMS said...

great

Mrs4444 said...

I love this story. Very cool. Amy is a gem and a blogging friend who goes way back to my early blogging days. I'm glad she finally graduated and has been blogging again AND that you met!

lisleman said...

 I was just commenting on another blog by a Barbara (Long Hollow) how some people just don't get it about blogging.  Blogging = sharing and we make connections that are real.  The friendships are not virtual at all.  thanks

Mrs4444 said...

This one's going in my fragments this week--I couldn't have said it better myself! :)

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