20:25 19 August 2014 In a truck East of Salt Lake City, Utah by GS Jade Barrett CsbNews.org correspondent Jason Aldean
“People see you onstage and the glamorous side, but they don’t see you traveling 600 miles a night, eating truck stop food and spending time by yourself staring at walls” – Country Music Star, Jason Aldean
There is a certain joy in being able to make a four day journey by road, especially through the USA’s sparsely populated West. The fact that there are so many more spectacular vistas than one can count provides the most jaded traveler a heightened sense of appreciation for the untold joys of our natural phenomenon.
By the same token, ninety six hours in a truck is a very long time.
With Dr Donna Wood as my co-pilot, we have had the benefit of discussing every aspect of the game of bridge, from the auction to the play; best practices for the operations of tournaments and clubs; advertising and marketing of the game; website development; online and real world publishing; and the recruiting, education and training of both directors and players. Dr. Donna Wood Benton CA
These four days of meetings have been instructive to us both, as we discover the strengths and weaknesses we were unaware the other had. Suffice to say that the time has been well spent.
I am reminded of a number of times when my partner and I have agreed to a convention or treatment, presuming that we both utilized the device in exactly the same way only to discover that we had differing points of view on what was supposedly such a simple thing. Doesn’t everyone play (enter name of convention here) the way I do?
It is also important for the partnership of any type to recognize that there will be disagreements (perhaps some more passionately discussed than others) as to style in the manner in which the individuals make their best effort to achieve a common goal.
Barry Harper once noted that I had lost my mind during the bidding and emerged victorious despite my best efforts. He also expressed gratitude for both our First Place and a great story at my expense.
All in all, perhaps I should have more of my teammates drive across half of North America with each other. Who ever survives the journey still has a job tomorrow.
