Back in Chicago after a whirlwind of activity and fun in Columbus, where my right brain went on a roller coaster of love! But after a good night’s sleep, what’s bubbling to the surface of the left brain is lots of little details that I really should remember for next time…
Top 10 MAYBE NOT List:
10. Order too few Line Sheets and find yourself at a Kinko’s instead of a cocktail party with cool peers.
9. Eat a huge Black & Tan Sundae (salty caramel ice cream, smoked almonds, hot fudge, caramel sauce, and hand-whipped cream) and call it “dinner”. Oh, tummy, no? YES!
8. Think that the complementary snackage at the hotel is your friend. Meatballs? Unlimited popcorn (on top of #9, ah, no).
7. Ramp up fiber conversations with complete strangers at breakfast bar because they are probably parents of UofOH grads instead of convention goers and you will scare them.
6. Adjunct to #7: Ramp up Fan Girl conversation with complete strangers (Fiber Celebrities) because you will scare them.
5. Lay down for a wee nappy and miss appointment with important person.
4. Forget that that thing in your bag is a CAMERA and you probably should take it out more than once in six days.
3. Forget that that extra bag you hauled all that way is full of projects and maybe you should give Knitting a try at least once in six days.
2. “Run” over to local (heh, 1+ mile away – there’s a N. High St & a S. High St) drug store in your flip flops to get supplies ending up with a super-size thong blister that rattles your stylings much longer than necessary.
1. Try to remember everyone’s name that you talked to without taking some CARDS!
Top 10 DO List:
10. Be sure to drink lots of water because intense convention center AC will suck you dry. Try to remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
9. Remember to thank your buddy Jherri Redding for inventing something called “Frizz Out Gel” that was the only thing that prevented you from being a squirrel head for six days running. Or maybe, sort of separated you from the beastie hair thing that happens when you go south of Latitude +41. (Remember, pictures add 10 lbs and Lie Lie Lie!)
8. Try and get some MiFi for your web needs because it was hit and miss and you went through massive withdrawal being separated from the internetz for so many hours at a time. (Please Convention Center: get (free/included) WiFi by 2011~!)
7. Continue to be amazed (and overwhelmed) by the cornucopia of fibers and styles filling the aisles with over 1,000 booths! Try not to boldly stare and squee so loud, because it is Not Ladylike.
6. Try not to pack so tightly you cannot find room for all the new “carry-ons” you’ll be adding to the mix. Remember: you have to carry that suitcase up two flights of stairs to your apt.
5. Bring nice trashy novel to read at 2am when party goers return to hotel rooms and shower, sing, and, well, never mind.
4. Get gigantic floral display to offset the fact you are tied to your booth as an exhibitor and you need to Refresh!
3. Big “hugz” for the awesome booth sitters who helped out during your “lady” breaks! I’m talkin’ about you Mercedes, Kristen, Jessica, Karen & Jasmine! (Whoa. Was I ever even in the booth?!)
2. Eat as much chocolate as you like, because according to JKRowling, it controls the Dementors.
1. Shout THANK YOU to one and all that came and visited me in Booth 151! I <3 U!
Leave your do’s & don’ts below!
Your booth looked fantastic, I definitely had a few of my own do’s and don’ts as well!
Omg, I’d be flipping out constantly if I had a reason/opportunity to go to TNNA! Heck, I’m getting excited because I’ve got a little list of Michigan fiber festivals for July, August, September, October & my department head is making schedules that allow for all of them (eeeee!).
Do take me the next time…..I would run to Kinkos for you!!!
I used to do industrial trade shows, and my big do was always good shoes. Heel height was irrelevant, comfort was key. I love the flowers, wish I could have gone!
That sounds like a hectic if enjoyable time!
GIve that woman a medal!!!!! xoxoxo
A big hug to you too! Thank you again for dinner and the soda. Until next year!
DO: finally meet people you’ve wanted to meet for a long time.
DON’T: be nervous and think “aw, there’s no way people wanna talk to me. I’m gonna slink off this way so people can do actual business.”
DO: finally spend time hanging out with people whose work you admire, and be thrilled that they’re, you know, regular folks.
DON’T: go through your bag later going “wait, wait, i swear i got her phone number…”
I really wanted to get to hang out with you. Please promise me you’ll holler if you’re out this way. Or just holler any random time.