In the Dark

So, big plans for today have not turned out exactly as I had planned. At some point after the storms last night I lost power…at least I think it was after I was already in bed when it started. My plan of getting up early and studying didn’t go as planned. My alarm didn’t go off so I got up at 9 and not having power had to reassess where I was going to study. Flash backs to grad school kicked in and I headed to the library.
Except to pick up books I haven’t been to the library in about 10 years. And, I am realizing it hasn’t changed that much. The earlier you get there the better seat you get in the quiet area, there are still those people that talk too loud, the chairs aren’t comfy and I still tend to stare at the brick walls.

As for Studying it is going - the library has electricity and internet which is needed for my CMP prep class. So, that is a plus and I am charging my cell phone. I’m easily distracted there is a whole cast of characters – all of which I believe wouldn’t be here if they had power at their homes.

Kinda wishing Millennia was here to entertain me. Yup, a robot makes it all better. ( If you missed my post about Millennia here it is.)

Ok, back to the studying – 17 days til I take the CMP.

Home

Two weeks – really isn’t that long right? Well after this trip it feels like it. I was ready to come home yesterday, what I wasn’t ready for was the heat. 101 today? Really? I don’t like the heat, I would take a snow storm over the heat any day of the week. Luckily I have the AC cranked and the blinds shut to keep the heat out. I might even have a blanket over my toes.

I am excited to be taking the week off of work. I do have a couple more expense reports to file, but that I can do that in the morning. Most of the week is going to be spent studying for my CMP. I am sitting for it two weeks from Monday. I don’t like tests. Don’t like anything about them – in fact they truly stress me out. The good part is that when I am stressed I become super productive and scheduled. So, I am getting a ton of things done that have been on the to do list for too long.

Here are a few random items that I’m either looking forward to or currently enjoying:

1. Monday I leave for Hershey! I love the Chocolate Spa and go up there about every 4 months.

2. I signed up for a shoebox swap weekend in OC today. Looking forward to it and hoping that I will get some great ideas from the other ladies.

3. Kip Moore concert tickets came in the mail today.

4. On the way to the drs I heard Wild Ones by Flo Rida w/Sia and I have been listening to it all day something about it I love. .

Those are two very diffrerent songs, from very different artists. Yup, I just like music.

Off to bed so I can get up early & study in the morning.

Atlanta, SHRM and Millennia

I plan events - cool hotels, great hotel, amazing food and travel lots of travel. It is as glamorous as it sounds…Right now its 730pm and I am in my hotel room wondering how early is too early to call it a night. Honestly the perks are great and I do like my job. The cool part though is what it enables me to do and I am able to use my job to do a little bit of good .

My company as a mission of social change and I am allowed a lot of leeway in how incorporate that into our events and exhibits. Last February I had the pleasure of meeting Millennia a therapy robot that works with autistic children. I knew one way or another I was going to get Millennia into one of my booths. SHRM was that show. I have spent the last two days working with Millennia and his operate and I am amazed at what technology can accomplish. As part of our exhibit we donated $10 for every picture take to a local Autism school. Here is a little info on the therapy work the Millennia does.

Millennia is also very famous – he was in Rocky 4 (he has had a face lift or two since then), he was made into a cartoon for Family guy and had a two year run on Days of our lives.

Rocky:

Family Guy:

A few other cool Millennia facts: Has a passport, American express card, is a member of SAG and prefers to fly first class.

Yup, it is true I might have a little crush on Millennia. Here is one last photo that was take with a booth next to ours when they invited us over to have a picture taken with the Heisman trophy.

Off to recharge my batteries! ;)

Nashville and NSA

I was in Nashville as an exhibitor for the National Sherriff Association conference this week. It was the first time that my company or I attended this event. I also got to bring one of my fellow planners out to her first tradeshow. The show itself was great and I learned a lot about this audience and what they are looking for when attending conferences.


Anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE Nashville, it is my favorite city to visit. The people are nice, the city has a lot to offer and the artistic awareness is huge. And, I’m not just talking about Music, painters, sculptors, wood workers, writers and a few musicians - it is a city full of creativity. Two of my co-workers had never been and I have the fun of showing them all of my favorite places. Overall it had been a great time.

There may have been a little excitement on Tuesday night when the Opryland Hotel had a gas leak caused an explosion I was very thankful as a planner that most of my staff had already left and we had cleared out of the Opryland a whole 4 hours prior. The good news is that no one was hurt – which was amazing considering that the hotel was sold out and they evacuated over 5000 people. The bad news Gaylord is looking at 750k in damages. Thinking it is a good thing that Marriott just put in a bid to purchase all their properties.

Today I flew to Atlanta. I’m very excited about this event did I mention I’m going to have a Robot?

Starting Again

So, I haven’t posted or even looked at my poor little blog in two years. Not sure why I stopped writing, but I did. I have recently been thinking that there are many of things that I would like to write about and have nowhere to put down my thoughts. So, I am bringing back the blog and seeing if I can make a real go of it.


Two years in a nutshell: lots of trips, events, concerts, crafts and I have started sewing again. I am also currently in the process of studying for my CMP and CEM. I find that the busier I am the more focused that I become. It was the same thing when I was in grad school and working full time. I was constantly getting projects done and coming up with new ones. Once I slow done I take more time to get things done because I’m not as busy or scheduled.

As I write this I’m in a hotel in Nashville getting ready to head to Atlanta for the second week of my work trip. Nothing back to back events, the CMP exam in 4 weeks and two CEM classes starting to make one want to bring the a blog back to life.

So here I go bringing back Escapades in Crafts & Travel back to life. Let’s see if I can make it work.