SNAP! 2012 Recap

You know how boring it is when you go over to someone's house and they think it'll be fun to pull out albums and make you look through three hundred vacation photos, 200 of which are random scenery shots? 

This post is nothing like that, because (1) I forgot my camera in my hotel room 90% of the weekend so you don't have to sit through a whole bunch and (2) there were no bizarre rock formations at SNAP! Oh and (3) I'm the opposite of boring, helloooo. So there you go, let's talk photos and my experience this past weekend.

Okay. Personal confession time: I am afraid of doing things alone. I don't eat at restaurants alone and I certainly don't go to movies alone. I don't like to be the person who runs out of the car to read the miniature sign on business doors with their operating hours to see if they're open yet (seriously stores, how hard would it be to make that readable from a vehicle?) and I about had a panic attack the first time I had to pump gas on my own without someone to talk me through it (okay! You can do this! Lift the handle... don't hyperventilate...calm down and look like you know what you're doing!)

Basically, I have this deep seated anxiety about looking like a big dork. Surprising, right? Considering that when I want to look like a dork, I'm all over it like butter on toast, much to my husband's chagrin. Anyhow, my point is that registering for SNAP! took me so long because I'm a giant wuss. I don't have any good bloggy friends who would be there to hold my hand and make sure I didn't accidentally fill my car with Supreme. I had to be a big girl and go to a conference... with hundreds of women... alone. Blerg. I am so melodramatic.

I share my ridiculous issues mostly because I know I'm not the only one out there intimidated by the idea of going to a conference, and I wanted to say that I'm so very glad I went. Don't get me wrong, the opening dinner was terrifying and I felt like everyone else knew each other and I wanted to call my mother and beg her to pick me up from sleepaway camp.  But by the next day when I started going to sessions and meeting smaller groups of women and I forced myself to introduce myself... it got easier. 

 

  (Emily, me, Beth)

It got a lot easier, and it started becoming fun. And I was learning things like how to get noticed by people in TV or print media, how to decipher legalese in blogger contracts, and how to make people look hotter by using Photoshop Elements -- all very important things, especially the last one and especially for pictures of moi.

(A morning light photography walk with Kristen Duke)

Everyone was so nice, and I met so many fabulous ladies. My roommates, who I had never met before, were both such great ladies and I was so glad to spend time with them, especially since one of them had wine, in her infinite conferencing wisdom).

(Roomies: Patty from Deep Space Sparkle, me, and Marcie the wine bearer from Celebrating Moments with Marcie)

 I was so surprised that some people even recognized me (like Mandi from Vintage Revivals and Beth from Home Stories A to Z) and one person, the fabulous Margo from Blue Family Scene, even wanted a picture. With me. HA, I love it. Ohh, and I love her and had to have some fun with the moment:

I had a wonderful time, met a ton of great ladies, exchanged a billion business cards, ate a lot of yummy food, brought home some serious swag, learned some good stuff and bought some crazy cute earrings (an important fact that bears mentioning). I will definitely be going to more conferences, and I imagine it will get easier and easier, even for an introvert like myself!

(me and Cassity)

 P.S. I am a big dork. Please don't hate me! :)