I'm here for the National Educational Telecommunications Association meeting. My days are spent in sessions -- all useful and interesting. It's a good learning conference.In addition to the break-out sessions, we also get current information on the state of the system, from such respected industry leaders as Patricia Harrison of Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Paula Kerger of PBS.
We also had a breakfast during which we watched Amy Goodman present "Democracy Now" live.
And then, there are the evenings. The first night we had a reception at Lidia's (as in public TV's Lidia) restaurant. Lots of people were crammed into the tent for the reception (and good treats) including Hari Sreenivasan of "PBS NewsHour" and CPB's Jennifer Lawson.
There was entertainment, too.
The walk over, through Union Station was as fun as the reception. Kansas City has an elevated indoor walkway that snakes through various areas, making it safe and warm to get from spot to spot.
The interior of the building was amazing!
The second evening's activity was a reception at the American Jazz Museum, which included a tour.
Dennis Winslett was our guide -- and it was all the more meaningful and fun because of the musical interludes he included to emphasize certain points.
It's a terrific museum with lots of interactive exhibits, film, and displays.
The design is terrific, as is the flow. It's well worth the stop for the Kansas City traveler.
And while you're there, stop in the Blue Room at the museum. Rated one of the best jazz attractions in Kansas City (and for a city known for jazz, that's saying something), it really rocks!
The museum is adjacent to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. One of my heroes is John "Buck" O'Neil, whom -- if you saw Ken Burns' film "Baseball" -- was a remarkable narrator with his own story.
There was a special display honoring him.
Across from the museums is the Gem Theatre -- stop by there for some terrific jazz performances.
And then, it was home to gear up for another day of learning and fun.
But it will be tough to beat this evening! (Although I can tell you, my free day, Friday, will -- Looking forward to meeting fellow blogger Beth of Gathering Dust for lunch! Can't wait!)
Till then, it's music in my head as I drift off into fuzzy dreamland!NOTE: If you enjoy biography of a sort, or books on Paris, or Hemingway, visit Chopsticks and Strings for a look at "The Paris Wife."
