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I love this. I can’t wait to hear how it was to talk with E. Strout.

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Thanks, Ellen. I am taking detailed notes for both of us.

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Jan 16, 2023Liked by Robyn Ryle

I've just finished a few weeks of Elizabeth Strout books. Hope to hear how the workshop was. Impressed you could drive a T. A friend picked me up in one and I couldn't figure out how to open the door let alone drive it!

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I only figured out how to open the door by watching other people, Sandy! Workshop is amazing so far.

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Jan 16, 2023Liked by Robyn Ryle

In the before, before times - pre-Covid, pre-911, pre-cell phone- I would go on a vacation by myself and never tell anyone where I was going. I was thrilled that no one on other than the airlines and hotel staff knew where I was.

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That is a very Randy sort of thing to do. Also, I'm not really in St. Pete, but will only reveal my top-secret, hidden location for the right price.

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I love this Robyn, on so many levels. Yes, I love to take the occasional trip by myself (I did it a lot more frequently when I was working full time) for all the reasons you suggest. Hotel rooms really can be wonderful spaces. Then your Tesla experience is a hoot. My daughter's ex-partner had one, which I rode in a couple of times, and it was clear that this was a car built by tech-bros who just wanted to show other guys how cool they were. Given my pragmatic (and 60+ year-old) POV, I wasn't terribly impressed. Now that Musk has shown us all that money does not equal genius, I would run away from them...but understand you can't do that in the airport rental car office. The story of the roller-skater in the airport was priceless. It is clear you didn't have to fly on the day the FAA went belly-up. My wife flew to her mom's on that day and it sounded like hell. Finally, so glad you are getting out to the writer's workshop...getting to do something you really like and really missed in the pandemic lockdown. Terrific piece. DJB

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Thanks, David! Yes, the whole idea of "reinventing" driving turns out to be a lot of work for, you know, actual people driving cars. And so glad to be spending time in hotel rooms again. No, I avoided the whole FAA debacle. Hoping to avoid any further airline snafus...fingers crossed.

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BTW, congrats on the Bengals win!

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Thanks! Yes, very exciting, though that game might have aged me ten years, as sports fandom tends to do.

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At one time I had no fear of traveling by myself. Not quite sure how I feel today. Course, now I’m an old lady,but as a young college grad I went to Europe by myself, making friends along the way. I was fortunate to meet a gay guy at the London airport… we clicked and did England together. Someday I’ll tell you about crossing into East Berlin thru Checkpoint Charlie by myself.

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Yes, I want to hear all the stories!

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