Bon Voyage, Au Rivior, Via Con Dios & Farewell!
This is a special note to all my friends in Atlanta attending the RWA National conference. Not that they'll read it. They're too busy traveling and settling in right now. I won't whine about how badly I wanted to go because there are plenty of people like me who stayed home. I hope they all have a great time.
I'd attended a handful of local chapter conferences before my first and (so far) only National Conference in Reno last year. I'm an introvert, but I wasn't the least bit nervous. After all, I had a driving buddy with me, the wonderful Michele. She and I took turns calling each other Thelma and Louise on our 9 hour drive through some truly picturesque and book-worthy scenery. Chris and Cory, our Cherry roommates would be arriving the same day and we'd never met them in person, so anticipation levels were high.
Michele was feeling shy and made me promise not to leave her side during the conference, so we stuck together like glue. The funny thing is that she ended up being quite outgoing once she'd settled in, while I got shyer and shyer after the initial excitement wore off. I realized later that my introvert self just needed some alone time. After a few hours alone in our room Fri afternoon I was good to go.
I met so many cool Cherries while I was there. Old friends: Barb T, Betsy, Cory, Chris (who took home a Golden Heart!), Heidi, Katy and of course, Jenny herself, who also took home a Rita! New Friends: Jill, Sue, Molly, Rox, Ellen, Lani (who took home a Rita!), Barb P (who got "the call" while we were there!) and so many others. I saw some Cherries I'd met before, old friends: Robin, Pat and Kay. Gina, Carol and Lorelle from my local chapter too. Susan and Harry--not cherries, but fabulous people--also from my local chapter. I missed a couple of Cherries I really wanted to meet: Deb and Pokey.
Are you getting the idea that National conferences are more about people than about anything else? To me they are. I have a wonderful local chapter, OCC/RWA (and we have fabulous workshops every month) and don't get me wrong, National did have some super workshops! Jenny and Bob's on Collaborating was great, Barbara Samuel's PRO retreat was wonderful. JAK and SEP were informative and fun. The workshop committee did a bang-up job. But the thing I carry with me is a mental snapshot of the smiling faces of my friends. I hope that they are all having a fabulous time.
Huge hugs,
Kim:)
I'd attended a handful of local chapter conferences before my first and (so far) only National Conference in Reno last year. I'm an introvert, but I wasn't the least bit nervous. After all, I had a driving buddy with me, the wonderful Michele. She and I took turns calling each other Thelma and Louise on our 9 hour drive through some truly picturesque and book-worthy scenery. Chris and Cory, our Cherry roommates would be arriving the same day and we'd never met them in person, so anticipation levels were high.
Michele was feeling shy and made me promise not to leave her side during the conference, so we stuck together like glue. The funny thing is that she ended up being quite outgoing once she'd settled in, while I got shyer and shyer after the initial excitement wore off. I realized later that my introvert self just needed some alone time. After a few hours alone in our room Fri afternoon I was good to go.
I met so many cool Cherries while I was there. Old friends: Barb T, Betsy, Cory, Chris (who took home a Golden Heart!), Heidi, Katy and of course, Jenny herself, who also took home a Rita! New Friends: Jill, Sue, Molly, Rox, Ellen, Lani (who took home a Rita!), Barb P (who got "the call" while we were there!) and so many others. I saw some Cherries I'd met before, old friends: Robin, Pat and Kay. Gina, Carol and Lorelle from my local chapter too. Susan and Harry--not cherries, but fabulous people--also from my local chapter. I missed a couple of Cherries I really wanted to meet: Deb and Pokey.
Are you getting the idea that National conferences are more about people than about anything else? To me they are. I have a wonderful local chapter, OCC/RWA (and we have fabulous workshops every month) and don't get me wrong, National did have some super workshops! Jenny and Bob's on Collaborating was great, Barbara Samuel's PRO retreat was wonderful. JAK and SEP were informative and fun. The workshop committee did a bang-up job. But the thing I carry with me is a mental snapshot of the smiling faces of my friends. I hope that they are all having a fabulous time.
Huge hugs,
Kim:)
posted by Cherry Red at 1:26 PM
5 Comments:
LOL! I hadn't checked your blog until after I just updated mine. Is this a case of Great Minds Think Alike? :)
I wish I was at Nationals too. But I know the Cherries will be having a great time and that makes it all good.
I loved hearing/reading all the stories from Reno and can't wait to hear all the stories from this year.
........don't be cranky.....read my blog......laugh it up.
Yeah, I'm thinking there's a whole epidemic of blue moods going around.
And Kim, darling, I'm having an ARC drawing on my new blog, and wanted you to know because I remember how miffed you were that the one in the auction got away!
Hi Caryle-
Great minds indeed! I saw your blog. :)
Hi Charity- I don't begrudge the others their good time, I just wish I was having it with them. :)
Hi Robin,
I saw that you were having a contest (computer's acting all wonky and I can't get the page to load) but I felt sort of guilty entering since it might get you a new reader and I'm a guaranteed sale. ;) Will pop by when computer is acting better.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by.
Kim:) AKA Sneezy
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