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Friday, February 5, 2010

Hello, My Name Is...

I spent the past two days at a work conference near San Francisco sharing ideas with fellow industry professionals and learning a few new things along the way. I was pleasantly surprised to have a few "a-ha" moments, and meet fellow young professionals at the event. My industry is notoriously filled with "seasoned" workers, and I felt like I was able to really come into my own and share with people who are truly my contemporaries. This is not the first conference I have been to with my job, but it does qualify as the first where I am taking away valuable information.

I consider myself a friendly person, but not a go-getter in terms of meeting people. At this conference, I made sure to introduce myself first to others who were sharing my space at meal time, and always offer my famous handshake. Didn't you know I had one? Clearly we don't do business together.

These days away also counted as the first time I stayed in a hotel on my own. I am not too sure if that is normal or not at 26, and I had mixed feelings about the solitude. I enjoyed the lovely hotel room in its perfect splendor, but did have a sense of loneliness, especially because even in just over a year, I have become accustomed to Scott by my side every night. This trip also counted for the second time I have ever flown alone. Call me a dork, but it's oddly empowering to be traveling alone. I feel so, well adult I guess, navigating SFO like a pro.

I am happy to be home now, in my own bed, and able to take a break from the work brain that has been going non-stop all week, and enjoy a chili party this weekend, as well as a trip to Disneyland.