The midpoint of February is just about when I’ve had enough of winter and I’m start looking pale and tragic (name that movie reference for a gold star!). I practically have to bribe The Boy to go outside and play, ya know, on the rare day when it isn’t snowing or positively frigid. It’s always at this point of the year when I question why I live in New England.
Even with all the gloomy weather, I’ve been busy prepping for a school visit for the Great CT Caper this week and a big conference appearance in April. The conference is the New England SCBWI Regional Conference and I’ll be teaching two workshops there, an hour-long one called “Something Borrowed, Something New: Mining Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales to Write Fantasy” and a two-hour intensive called “Mapping a Scene by Scene Guide to Revision”.
And if those scintillating titles don’t make you want to go, just check out the rest of the faculty list, including Crystal Kite winner Jo Knowles, Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat, Newberry Medal winner Kwame Alexander, and a slew of other amazing authors, illustrators, editors, and agents. As I’m writing out this list, I’m starting to have second thoughts about being on faculty. What could I possibly have to offer in comparison to these amazing talents?
*Deep breath as I attempt to avert a crisis of confidence*
Okay, fake it till I make it…. “My sessions are going to be amazing,” I say in a cheerleader type voice. I last attended this conference in 2013 (check out the highlights here), though I took last year off because I was super pregnant. Registration is open and filling up quickly (do that here!).
What have you all been up to this winter?
I’m sitting in my kitchen right now because it’s raining ice and schools are closed. I’m checking out real estate listing in Georgia for funsies because I can’t stand winter.
Your conference workshop on scene revision sounds right up my alley. Wish I could go.
Same here, Kimberly. Ice this morning and now snowing, and no school for the third Monday in a row. Monday is the day my mom comes over to watch the kiddos in the morning and I get some work done, but that’s also been a no-go for three weeks now. *Sigh* Spring’s coming soon, right?
I wish you could go, too! It’s so hard to get away when you have little ones. I’m freaking out a little about being away for an overnight. The Prince won’t even be one yet and will still be nursing. The logistics of making sure there is enough milk for him while I’m gone (and worrying about him taking the bottle) and me having to pump while conferencing is kind of making me crazy…but I’m determined to make it work. It’s only one night (that’s what I keep telling myself).
My daughter refuses the bottle. I’ve determined that I won’t be attending any conferences or overnights for at least another year, whenever Paloma will be weaned. Who knows when that will be.
The Boy refused the bottle starting at 5 months and never took it again. I actually dragged him and my husband along on a conference with me once, but I’ve only managed to get to two since having kids. We’ve been more diligent about giving The Prince a bottle every day, just to give me a little leeway. I’m still nervous as heck about being away overnight and having to pump so much while I’m gone. The sacrifices we make as moms. I keep telling myself they’re only young once and enjoy it as much as I can.
I wish I could attend your seminars–they sound like they’re going to be awesome!!
One of these days we’ll get to meet in person, Meradeth. 🙂 All those gorgeous pictures you post make me want to visit Montana.
A. You belong. Repeat this often. You belong on that faculty.
B. From my sunny California perch I hear rumors of yet another major storm where you are, and I don’t envy you. What I do envy is the amazing glorious feeling y’all over there will experience on that first day of spring, which will come soon. We have perennial spring, so we don’t get the joy of change.
Mirka, you always know what to say to give me the warm fuzzies. Each one of your comments is like a virtual hug.
The change of seasons is something to be missed. I’m not a big fan of winter, but it does make me appreciate the warmer months. And I’d really miss fall in New England if I didn’t live here. All this crappy weather gives us New Englanders something to grump about, which we love to do!
I really wish I could attend the conference this year, but it’s the same week as my due date, so that seems like a bad idea. 🙂 I presented last year, and I have to tell you that I suspect EVERYONE feels like they’re faking it, so you’ll fit right in!
I didn’t attend last year for the same reason, though my due date wasn’t quite that close!
Good to hear I’ll fit right in with all the fakers. 🙂
Katie, I’m clapping my hands at this wonderful news! Your workshops sound wonderful and if I were a better traveler, I’d love to listen and take notes.
Thanks, Vijaya! It’s always nice to have someone cheering for me. Wish you could be there, too. 🙂