A funny thing happened on the way to McD's...

Close to the lunch hour today I was heading from a meeting back to my office when I decided to stop at McDonald's and get an ice cream cone to hold me over before I could actually eat lunch. I went through the drive-up window, handed the first girl my $1.79 (I know, right?? When did the prices skyrocket on frozen cream??) and then went to pick it up. This guy comes to the window -- he was foreign, I think maybe Russian but I'm not sure.. He smiles at me and says "So beautiful!" and I look at this great cone he's made that would make my mom proud and say "Oh yes, it is a great cone!"

At this point he looks at me funny and points at me.. "No, YOU so beautiful. Have a nice day!"

Has Vegas jaded me so much that I can't even see a compliment coming? That I immediately think the complimentor is talking about someone or something else... EVEN something as trivial as an ice cream cone???

I started to think about this on my drive home... This guy didn't want anything from me -- not my phone number, not to see me again. He just wanted to tell me that he thought I was beautiful and go on with his day. It was genuine -- again not something you see/hear of much out here -- and to be honest, it was close to the highlight of my day.

THE highlight of my day was getting to meet Lon Kruger -- head coach of men's basketball at UNLV. We're working with him on an event, and he was one of the nicest guys I think I've ever met. Again -- very genuine. When my dad asked me how the meeting went, I told him he seemed like the nicest coach I'd ever met -- even possibly nicer than Coach Callahan (UNL) who had offered to call my dad and tell him to take me to Ireland when I had to drive him around during my college internship in Kansas City -- and I don't say that about just anyone.

Today was my first day back in town from a long weekend back home. It was the first time I'd been to Iowa in 6 months, and believe me, I needed it. I'm going to be back 3 more times before the end of the year, and I'm hoping that will hold me over for a while. Hopefully no more staring out my window in bed, watching the lights of airplanes as they are on their way out of town, jealous of whoever is on that plane on their way back home to see family and friends.

I'll write more about home later -- great trip, great Iowa game.. No sleep but great times :) For now, I'm going to go catch up on that sleep though...