Maybe the point of conferences is not so much to learn things, but to have fun. That seems to be mostly what I came away from the SCBWI National Conference with. Besides discovering the secret to looking perky when exhausted (cannot divulge) and being reminded in Jay Asher’s session that The Monster at the End of This Book is a great book (EVERY single time I think, No, Grover, No! Don’t do it! Don’t turn the page. And I’ve read the book MANY, MANY times at this point), I mostly just had a super fun time. And got to see great people I don’t get to see very often. It looks like Judy took way more photos than I did and you can find them here.
I did get a good one of the WI-ites before the Red Ball.
Since last weekend I’ve learned another valuable lesson (on life):
The combination of being afraid of heights and having wee calves does NOT work well for hiking up mountains. It’s okay on the way up because mostly you see the trail in front of you and the mountain, plus your legs are still going strong. But on the way down when your super wimpy calves start to give out on you and you’re looking OUT at the view because you’re turned away from the mountain on your way down, it can only lead to disaster. It is shocking that I, of the Wimpy Calved Height Fearing contingent, survived our last hike.
Here’s a view from our climb on Saturday.
I think it’s easier when you climb things in the dark. Climbing up behind the Hollywood sign my first night in LA wasn’t too bad. Probably more dangerous though.