While in Oklahoma City for the CASE District IV conference, Jeanie Bismark, executive director of the SAU Foundation, was determined to get me in a cab. I was excited. The opportunity came on Sunday night as we prepared to hit the town for dinner. Cattleman’s Steakhouse in the OKC Stock Yards would be our destination.

Like someone who was very sophisticated and seemed to know what he was doing, I walked out the front door of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel and asked the valet to call us a taxi. He asked where we were going, and we told him. Without missing a beat, the valet looked up to the back of the parking lot and beckoned a black, stretch limo. Our ride awaited.

A limo?!?! Yes, a LIMO!!! Needless to say, we were a bit giddy. Josh Kee and I actually had photos posted to Facebook before we ever left the car. It was too neat to pull up at the restaurant in a black limo. I felt event more sophisticated than when I had asked the valet to hail a cab for us!

The driver gave me his card and asked that I call him when we were ready. The only thing neater than arriving at the restaurant in a limo was leaving in it. I must note that the driver worked on tips only and that no university money was spent for the limo ride.

Later in the evening, some of our colleagues from SAU rode in the limo. The driver remembered us. I guess we were the only ones to get that excited over the ride that night.

I still have the driver’s card. I guess I’ll have to look him up next time I’m in OKC. It was a very memorable experience to say the least.

What a busy couple of weeks it has been. Fresh off of a very busy Founders’ Day week (a week in which we had the biggest party in Southern Arkansas University’s history), I left for my first CASE District IV conference. In case you don’t know, CASE is the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Our district IV conference was in Oklahoma City. It was an excellent conference. I learned more than about different aspects of higher education advancement than I knew existed, and I was able to pick up some information that will significantly assist me in my job. I hope some of it helps the university as a whole.

I’m blessed that my job gives me the opportunity to travel. I was able to do some things that I really wanted to do. I went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the Myrial Botanical Gardens, rode in a limo to dinner, ate at an array of excellent restaurants, saw good friends that I haven’t seen in a while, and waited in the cold wind for a trolley for almost 30 minutes. The trolley never showed up.

I’ll blog about these events separately. I had an amazing time, but I’m glad to be home. I’m glad to be in Magnolia. We have a lot of events coming up. I’ll keep you posted.

I read a book this weekend. That’s right. I read a book. The whole thing – cover to cover. It was the latest from John Grisham, “The Apprentice.” I absolutely love anything with Grisham’s name on it as author. He is one of the only writers who can keep my attention. I bought this latest book on Thursday night during a quick trip to Walmart, Magnolia’s social Mecca. I started on it as soon as I got home, and thanks to a day off work on Friday, I turned the last page sometime around 2 p.m. Saturday. What an awesome book. My only complaint, and this is my complaint with every Grisham book, is that the ending leaves one hanging. In almost every book, they just ride, boat, or drive off into the sunset. I want to know what happens next. Maybe he’ll write a book one day that does nothing but give the ends of the stories.

This time next week I’ll be at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City. I’m attending the CASE conference. For those who don’t know, that’s the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. I’m looking forward to it. I’m glad that my job allows me to travel from time to time. It seems to be getting more frequent here lately – even if some are only day trips. It gets me out from behind my desk and out of the office. I love my job, but I hate sitting behind a desk all day.

Now back to thinking about my last topic. I promise, as soon as I remember what it was, I’ll provoke your thoughts. OH, and add Paraguay and Indonesia to the global phenomenon that is JeremyLangley.com!

Until next time…