1. It's good to be with people of your tribe. I have writing friends, but we don't ever get to be together as often as I'd like. At a writer's conference, I get to be around people who "get" this side of my life. They understand the struggle, the passion, and the craziness that live inside my writer's brain. I like being around my tribe.
2. In each class, I always learn something new. It is a goal of mine to learn something new every day. I want my brain to be active and creative. I want to stretch my brain muscles as far as I possibly can. I simply don't want my brain to get old. I turned 50 this year, so that seems to be an issue with me. I know my body is getting old, but inside I feel the same as I did at 18... only smarter.
3. At conferences we get to meet literary agents and publishers. THAT is the main reason we go to Writers Conferences. Doors are open at conferences that might never be open otherwise.
*In the interest of total transparency, I must also add that getting to stay in a hotel room by myself is an added bonus. I adore my family, but I adore them more if I am allowed some alone time now and then. Here is a funny for you. All alone in my hotel room, I had the opportunity to sleep later than normal. Anastasia and Brigid (the main characters in my novel) woke me up at 5am wanting to talk to me. I tried to shush them and go back to sleep, but they refused to be shushed. So alone in my hotel room at 5am on a Saturday morning, I got up and wrote.
At this particular conference, I made a few new writer friends and I met a literary agent that I really, really like. Now I'm hoping she really, really likes me! I sound like middle school girl fawning over the most popular boy. But seriously, the relationship between an agent and writer is very personal. The agent is made aware of all your hopes and dreams. You deposit those hopes and dreams into their (hopefully) capable hands, along with your precious baby book. Then you hold your breath hoping the agent can open the doors to publishers, eventually leading your book to be published for all the world to see. I am hopeful after our interview. I will keep you updated.
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I turned 50 this year, but that doesn't make me feel as old as my youngest son turning 21 yesterday. I no longer have a teenager and now both of my children are "legal." I honestly do not know how this happened without me noticing. I tucked my wee boys in bed one night and BOOM! They are men. Amazing.
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June also seems to be doctor month for me. All my specialist get to see me for my official yearly visits. My visit to the Autonomic Disorders Clinic did not go well. My blood pressure was up extremely high and they were quite concerned. My sweet doctor changed my meds and it is much better. With Dysautonomia there may be no apparent reason for the increase in pressure. Instead it is likely a misfiring of the autonomic nervous system telling your body to do something that it should not.
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In an earlier time in my life, I was absorbed by politics. As a professional photographer, many of my clients were candidates and officials. I am a constitutional conservative which means I will vote for the most conservative candidate on the ballot. All that said, I am not happy at all with the current political landscape. If feels like we've fallen down the political rabbit hole with no hope of finding home. Things get "Curiouser and curiouser." (My favorite quote from "Alice in Wonderland") All I know to do is continue crying out to God for guidance on what I need to do with my vote. He will provide an answer, so I encourage you to pray along with me.
I leave you with one more favorite "Alice in Wonderland" quote.
"It would be so nice if something made sense for a change." Amen to that.
