The official title is "Discussing The Lines That Make Us: Stories From Nathan's Bus: Session 2.” Isn’t that hot? Did you ever hear of a more exciting, juicy event title that definitely didn’t sound like a business conference? Me neither. While no one will mistake that mouthful for the latest Katy Perry tour, I like to think it’ll still be fun.
There were tons of people at the first two events, but this is the one you really want to check out. The ending is always the best part, and I’ve had a great run at Redmond Library this past summer. The Friends of the Redmond Library and City of Redmond have sponsored such a bevy of events throughout– interviews with me about specific chapters of the book, a repeat of my MOHAI lecture about cell phones and loneliness, last week’s “gettin-to-know-ya” personal author talk (thanks for making that such a total smash! I'm still blown away), and yesterday’s group discussion with Dori and I.
What I want to emphasize about this last event is that it’s an opportunity to participate. We spend a lot of time consuming media, especially during these times of withdrawal, and it feels good to stretch the other muscle: not just receiving thoughts but putting them forth, reaching out, an exchange of thought rather than the ol’ one-way transmission of passive consumption. Have a thought about my book? Does it call to mind events or opinions or questions you’d like to share?
Well, this is the event. Dori is a superstar facilitator who’s guided hundreds of group discussions, and you feel safe in her hands. There’s an art to it, and she’s got it. I wouldn’t know where to begin, but she can make something as sterile as a Zoom meeting feel like a comfy living room roundtable.
You can come to this discussion with nothing to say, thinking you’ll just listen, but you’ll find yourself wanting to chime in, and we’d all love to hear from you. I'd love to hear from you. I’ve spent enough time blabbing at events over the summer, and I want to hear your thoughts. Have you read my book, or blog? Perfect. What you have to share in response is just as valuable. If you haven’t read the book, that’s fine too; you’ve probably crossed paths with me, virtually or otherwise, and know that I value community and kindness. Maybe it’s something you have stories about, or something you struggle with. Either way, talking about it will feel good! This is what Thursday nights during COVID are for!
You need a KCLS library card. Register for the event here; you’ll notice some fun “task” suggestions down below. They’re not requirements, but they might make for interesting conversation if you do end up doing them! Let’s talk about all this and more Thursday!
Peruse earlier videos of me and the book from this past summer here, courtesy of Redmond Library.