I sleep in, look at my phone and there's an emergency message from Tasha (WSAJ staff).  Today's speaker, Lisa Blue, is leaving at 10:30 instead of 1:00.  Get up, eat oatmeal, have Cristina drop me off at The Homestead.  Clare (WSAJ CLE) fills me in.  Bob Dawson and Greg Price are pulling together a speaker lineup of WA and OR lawyers who will do 10 minute smorgasbord style presentations.  So the emergency is handled.

However...  I know Lisa Blue by reputation through AAJ.  I've heard her speak and she does a great job.  However...  I believe that when you make a commitment, unless there is a family related emergency, you should keep a commitment.  Maybe that's what happened here.  I don't know and do not want to pass judgment (though it is hard not to).  Because if it had been a family emergency why not tell us so we know.  Why leave us completely in the dark.  It makes us feel that we are not important or trustworthy enough to be told the reasons why.  And so the default is to assume in the negative.   Here are a few of things I've done to fulfill speaking obligations: 1)  flew to Atlanta with pneumonia; 2) physically drove all night to Wisconsin (with a stranger who was going to otherwise miss a wedding)  when a plane wouldn't take off due to storms in Chicago; 3)I flew to Hawaii and back in less than 2 days when a trial was delayed and thus overlapped.  I don't need claps for this.  It is just to illustrate my feelings of disorientation.

Anyway, I go into the windowless conference room in time to catch the end of Lisa Blue.  And then former Justice Faith Ireland receives the Carl Maxey diversity award.  Her gracious and humble acceptance of the award removes the aura of "what the heck!" that I've been experiencing up to now.  It grounds us.  She is one of the original Glass Ceiling breakers.  A true inspiration.