Yeah. It Feels Like That.

Hotel Receptionist as I checked out to head to the airport in England: "Our computers are down so I'll need to send your receipt on to your home address.  Let me just write it down..." (grabs a pen and starts writing "Miss")  "Now, it's Miss..."

Me: "ummm..."

Receptionist: "Or it is Mrs....or Ms, rather?"

Me: "uhhhh....ha, actually, it's Dr, as of yesterday."

Receptionist: "Oh!" (shocked blinking) "...Now is that you, or your husband?"

Me: "It's me."

Receptionist: "Oh!" (frantically scribbles out "Miss" and writes "Dr")  "Well done.  Dr. Nelson, then?"

Me: "I guess, but you could just address it to Katie Nelson."

Receptionist: "But I thought you said you were the one who was the doctor."

Me: "Yeah..."

Receptionist: "I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused... You're Dr. Nelson, am I right?"

Me: "I am, but you could just... you know what, nevermind, I don't think I need a receipt."

Receptionist: (looking relieved) "Alright, I'm sure you can just check your bank statement can't you." (crumpling up the page of Miss-es and Dr-s).  "And congratulations! "

Me: "Thanks, very much!"


Another long flight, after an existential week in England, and we're back in America where mail is not addressed by title, and I will hopefully never go through that again.

But the viva itself, I could definitely stand to do again.  It was positive, pleasant, surreal, and wonderful.  To be sitting there, with these great minds talking for hours about my book!  And they said it was good.  They said it was really good.


vita est bona.  life is good.