A friend emailed me last week and stated though she was visiting a new country, she planned on hitting the treadmill instead of painting the town red. But, of course, the treadmill would have to wait until after she finished watching reruns on the Hallmark channel. Not to be outdone, I emailed her back and said I fell asleep at 7pm on my parents' sofa on a SATURDAY NIGHT watching Despicable Me. And, no, the irony of the movie title isn't lost on me.

In light of my hibernating tendencies, I promised myself I'd be extra social in Las Vegas at WPPI this year. It's just a few weeks away, but I'm already mentally preparing myself for the long days (and nights) in store. I'm definitely not a party animal (if I had to choose an animal, I'd vote myself as a Party Gnat), but the biggest highlights of being at the conference is meeting new people and seeing old friends. I love making friends, so if our paths cross, please say hi…perhaps we'll get to talking and I'll show you my really cool dance moves.

Monday, February 21, 2011
4-6pm Grand Garden Arena
Platform Presentation
. . . Untold Stories
I didn't like my story. The life I was living, my style of shooting, how I ran my business. I asked myself why I kept on making the same mistakes, singing the same awful song off-key. Things had to change. I just had to figure out HOW. Untold Stories will breakdown how to restructure your life and business to tell the type of story you want to live. Out loud.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011
2:15-2:30pm Tradeshow Floor
. . . Kubota Actions booth : Photoshop demo showing post-processing tips and tricks
3-3:30pm Tradeshow Floor
. . . Leather Craftsmen booth : Hosting a FREE album giveaway and showcasing personal sample albums
7-9pm Grand Garden Arena
. . . Women In Photography Panel

Thursday, February 24, 2011
10am-12pm Doors open at 9:30am
. . . Photographer's Ignite

As I mentioned before, my first WPPI experience was isolating and overwhelming and while I've read plenty WPPI advice posts on the web, one thing to remember is to create your own experience. Yes, there are tons of parties, exclusive mixers, and meet&greets, but don't lose yourself. You'll go farther and have more fun hanging out with four other people doin' YOUR thing than trying to get caught up in someone else's mix. It's easy to let the Vegas lights distort why you're there, so be sure to hang onto your goals as tightly as you will your wallet at the Blackjack table.