Chick of Death!!

I have a new nickname today. "The Chick of Death" spawned out of my black NW Jiu Jitsu Sweatshirt and a creative mind. It fits.

Tonight in my non fiction class, we had a guest speaker Robert Birkby, author of "Mountain Madness" a story of Scott Fischer. Robert had been good friends with Scott and decided to write a book to tell the story of Scott and celebrate his life. One of the best side stories about it is that in high school, Scott had a girlfriend named Fiona. Since he was crazy about all things outdoors and she wasn't the relationship ended, but there were stories of that time that Robert included. Because he couldn't located Fiona, he called her the "New Jersey girlfriend" and published the book.

A while after Mountain Madness was published, Robert got a phone call from Fiona's brother. He and his wife had been out to dinner and went to a bookstore afterwards, where they saw the book. Her brother thought, "oh no not another one of these books about his death." but then he realized it was about his life. He picked it up. Read it and loved it. Scott had been a part of the brother's life when he was just 8 or 9 and then Scott disappeared into the adventure that the mountains held.

Fiona's brother, through Robert connected Fiona up with Scott Fischer's parents to reconnect. To hear it told in person, it was far more touching. It was a meaningful beautiful connection that came to be because Robert chose to write a book to honor and celebrate his friends life.

I am so going out and getting the book and getting him to sign it! Robert dubbed me Chick of Death after he shook my hand and remarked on the strength of it. He asked me to shake his hand again, which is when I explained that it was the Sweatshirt of Death that did the job. Especially the intimidating part. And it went on from there.

The other part of class tonight, we talked about sucking it up and asking people for the interview. In my case, I know that Rigan Machado is coming to my school to teach a seminar. Legend has it that he is a super nice guy, but he is, after all one of the founding geniuses behind the sport. It is intimidating. However, what I learned tonight is that I should just go for it. Just ask him. The worst he could say is No.

And since I have been duly named The Chick of Death, how could he possibly say No?!!