Conferences–The Good, The Bad & the Really Ugly
Many of our fellow RWA sisters are headed to DC, or are already there. You have my deepest blessings and wishes for outstanding success. Please tell me all about it as I want to know all the gory details. There are some parts I will miss but the crowded elevators, the overpriced meals and rooms, missing all the sites to sit in class aren’t among them. With the Internet, networking has become so easy that many face to face meetings aren’t as necessary–this is my opinion only.
I’ve been asked more than a time or two why I don’t go to National, especially when it was in Dallas three of the years I’ve been in RWA. Duh, Dallas, what fun is that? I’m not a fan of crowds although I can hold my own. I thank being a dirt track diva for that now. I can wield a pretty mean tire iron if I have to. The ugly truth is that National isn’t my style of learning. I’ve gotten more out of smaller conferences–ours being the very best. And my BS meter pegs soooo easily these days.
Don’t get me wrong, I like conferences. I’m at one now in gloriously beautiful Memphis, TN, with my husband! And it’s free. Just last night I networked with several people, handed out business cards, promoted my book, The Twisted Sisters, and stared at all that eye candy Kira & Annie would drool over. (They did have shirts on but the ones they had on were a second skin.) While my dearest goes to class, I am free to explore the city or sit watching stupid movies or lounge by the pool. Nights are for parties.
Did I mention the male to female ratio? 100 to 1.
July 14, 2009 at 8:32 am
Dang, girl! 100 to 1? What conference are you at and why didn’t you invite us?! {pout} And all that eye candy . . . . yum, yum.
July 14, 2009 at 9:11 am
WHAT? And you didn’t invite me??? Don’t you realize I need all the inspiration I can get? Seriously!! What conference are you at? *grumbles* 100 to 1 and I’m not there.
THere is something seriously wrong with this picture!!!!
Btw– take pics! *beg*
July 14, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Ladies, calm down. Uh…pictures are easy to come by as most don’t want to be known. The conference relates to DH’s work.
I’ll see what I can do at the parties tonight.
July 15, 2009 at 6:24 am
Boo boo up there as I should have said AREN’T easy. I did get a picture of Dieter & Jason–neither would take their shirts off but Don got a picture of us. Will send later but alas not spectactular. None of the really hot guys would let me. Did have a carriage ride last night. ahhhh
July 14, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Hearing about your escapades is about as much fun as experiencing them. And safer. Although I swing a pretty mean tire iron, too. (Especially when I have John holding me up.)
LOL
July 14, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I’m with you on National, Meg. I haven’t been since 2001, and haven’t actually attended a workshop when I did go since . . . um, mumble mumble 1989. I’m not a big whatever-it’s-called –audial learner? I learn best by doing, next by reading, last by listening. It’s just entirely too easy for my mind to start making up stories.
Though I did enjoy the conference when some New York baseball team was staying in the same hotel. (I’m not a baseball fan, so I didn’t know anyone, but damn . . .!)
And our conference when the Marshall University football team was staying in the same (small) hotel. (I’m not a football fan, but damn . . .!)
July 15, 2009 at 6:28 am
OHYessss. I remember that awesome conference. One of the first times I ‘felt’ tiny.
Wouldn’t it be better to have regional RWA conferences like they do for DH’s work? Wouldn’t be a fantasy to have agents, editors & publishers PAY us to attend? sigh….
July 15, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Reminds me of when I was 15. Went with my family to Colorado when my brother attended the Boy Scout Jamboree. Me and 15,000 teen age boys. What a torture! If there was another teen age girl, I never saw her. But I always had an entourage when I visited the campsite. Very heady for a girl who couldn’t even date yet.