Janis Ian

I was a fan of Janis Ian in junior high and early high school. I felt that she spoke for me. I knew that she was playing in the auditorium as part of the closing festivities for the conference (although the closing keynote is tomorrow), but there was an overlapping session to which I went. Afterward, I went to the auditorium.

It was a shock to see her looking so old, but it's happening to the best of us -;) Her voice is still incredibly beautiful. It was strange to realize that I knew the words to songs to which I haven't listened in years. Many years.

And then...she started singing the first verse of "Jesse" (a song that I've always loved) a cappella and shivers shot up my spine and tears filled my eyes. Then I really started crying in earnest.

After the song, she said that she had been "the person looking out the window at the stars, waiting for my people to find me and take me home". Yes. Me too. Exactly. That's exactly how I felt as a kid. Hell, I still feel that way sometimes. Then she said that it was important for us as librarians to support young people because we don't know who they'll be or whether they'll be an artist who will support the feelings of others. (I'm paraphrasing slightly, but that was the basic idea.) I started crying harder....

And then she played "At Seventeen," which everyone recognized. I cried my way through that too, although by seventeen I had come into some looks, so it didn't literally apply, but her songs have always represented my emotional landscape.

Well, if I had to break down in public, I can't think of a more welcoming, inclusive group of people with which to do so. I believe in librarianship and that it can make a positive difference. I believe in respect for the individual and inclusiveness. (I like the fact that the more largely-attended sessions, including Janis Ian's concert, had sign-language interpreters.) I have always rooted for the underdog, always will, and believe that it's important to do so. This conference had elements of a revival meeting for me, which surprised me because, while I enjoyed the conference last year in Anaheim and learned a lot from it, I didn't feel that way at all last year. Next year, the conference is in Las Vegas, which I'm sure will have a very different feeling.

And I couldn't think of a better way to end the conference for me. Tomorrow, I'm leaving to go back to Springfield briefly, pick up my car, and start driving to Michigan. My plan for tonight is to take a nap and then go out for a walk along Michigan Avenue.

Michigan Avenue Redux/Uno's

After I woke up from my nap, I planned to walk down Michigan Avenue, but wondered what I would do about dinner because most restaurants close at 9. I had a moment of regret that I hadn't had authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza while I was here. Then it occurred to me to check where Uno's (one of the two great Chicago deep-dish pizza chains) was, and it was three blocks from my hotel. (The location of the hotel could not be better.) So I ordered a takeout pizza online, and went for my walk.

Michigan Avenue is a mecca for commercialism, and rather upscale commercialism at that. However, I always thought of it as a great democratic street because you'd see a street person walking next to someone in a fur coat (back when people wore fur coats), and no one thought twice about it. It's a marvelous place for people-watching. During my walk, I stood at a light next to a guy who was singing in a perfect falsetto. I did the circuit down to the Water Tower and looped back towards Ohio Street and Uno's. I did stop by the Water Tower and stood and looked around a bit, but some long-dormant voice in my head said, "Adrienne, do not stand around and look like a tourist" (for safety's sake). I decided that was good advice and kept going.

Michigan Avenue pedestrians are sheeples with a death wish. (I guess that makes them lemmings.) One person would cross against the light, then another, then everyone would despite any traffic. However, I also saw someone crossing against the light on Michigan Avenue (multiple lanes of traffic), which to me borders on the suicidal.

So, on to Uno's. The three great Chicago rivalries are North Side/South Side, Cubs/White Socks, and Giordano's/Uno's (deep-dish pizza). I was a Giordano's fan when I was growing up in Chicago, but there was an Uno's in Santa Clara (CA), of all places, and I became addicted to their four-cheese pesto pizza. (It has long since closed, alas.) I ordered a four-cheese pesto pizza here. I had to wait a little, but got my pizza and brought it home (I guess that says something about how at home I feel here) to the hotel. I've been shoveling in bites of it while I write. Yum. (Burp.)

So I did everything that I wanted to do. I wouldn't change one thing about my trip except maybe for the second elevator at my hotel to work. (Now I'm wondering if the first elevator isn't working because I just heard an alarm.) I understand that imperfection is the natural state of affairs in the universe, and this has been a rare moment of grace.

I have plenty of time to get a good night's sleep, pack, eat breakfast out, and make it to the train station.

"Jesse"

A You Tube clip of Janis Ian singing "Jesse" that has some of the same beauty and emotional power as the concert today.