IAVM storms Portland

If you’ve followed my blog for some time, then you know IAVM (International Association of Venue Managers) is an organization very near and dear to my heart. I joined for the first time just 4 years ago. It’s strange to type that. Not because that 4 years has flown by, but because it’s hard to […]

Florida, It’s Been Real

The conference is winding down. The last sessions have been held, I exchanged my last business card this evening and the swag has been packed. It’s always bittersweet at the end. I’m very ready to get back home to the Sweet Boy and the Schmoo Cat but am very sad to be leaving friends. So […]

Soaking It In

Today was proof of one thing and one thing only (okay, maybe a few things, but one IMPORTANT thing) – you really never know what you might take away from a day at a conference. Today seemed fairly mild according to the schedule. I’d spend half of the day chasing around partners in the trade […]

Machismo part 2

I’m sunburned. I’m also convinced that the sun in Florida is closer to the earth than the sun in Arkansas. It’s quite the trick, but somehow, the sun has pulled it off. I paid attention very closely to every detail of today trying to pull out snippets that would result in an entertaining and well […]

Salamanders and the Macarena

After what felt like an entire day of travel (isn’t that the case for any trip out of a small airport town?) I finally made it to sunny and humid southern Florida. I haven’t been here since 1999 and judging by the pictures taken on that trip, it wasn’t as humid then. Although, it was […]

A Post-mortem

Post-mortem – it’s a dark joining of words referring to the time after death. It’s also what any convening of the event planning forces, post event, is called. Throw a big party then schedule a post-mortem to talk about it. Get a huge festival off of the ground then schedule a post-mortem… are you getting […]

And Down

Disclaimer: my humor and wit is taking a bit of an afternoon nap right now so this post might be lacking just a bit in those areas. It shall return soon, I promise. I’m writing this final conference post from the Phoenix airport. I found a very empty Jet Blue gate (they always seem to […]

All Good Things Come To An End

The last night of a conference is always bittersweet. Every bone in my body is ready to head back to Arkansas, to the Sweet Boy, to the Schmoo cat and to my own bed, but a part of me wants to stay immersed in this environment. My brain wants the continued wealth of knowledge that […]

Something I Just Can’t Shake

Something away from the conference (but not necessarily away from my career) has derailed me today and I’m left with the life and energy just sucked right out of me. It was one of those afternoons that left me wanting to throw a fit… you know… the kicking, screaming, 5 year old throwing a tantrum […]

Shoot For The Moon

Allow me to start by expressing my deep hatred for my iPhone right now. I took a lot of notes today upon said phone and somehow, half of them were deleted. I can’t imagine I deleted them but I also don’t want to accept that my small piece of modern technology is plotting against my […]