In a Conference State of Mind

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There is nowhere in the world that my introvert and extrovert tendencies collide more than a writers' conference. I want to take it all in, extend myself, meet new people....

But then I need to be alone.

It's been a full morning of workshops at the Catholic Writers' Guild conference and when I ducked out of a workshop a few minutes early to drop some things off at my car before lunch, I discovered a gorgeous space right beyond the escalators. Since my laptop was in my bag, I had no choice.

I had to sit down and write.

Part of the appeal of conferences for me is new spaces. I don't know what it is about writing in an unfamiliar place, but I love writing in hotels. Some people see the spaces in lobbies as great places to sit and talk with friends. I see a place to pull out my laptop and gather my thoughts.

I like old familiar spaces, too. When I registered for this conference, there were no rooms available at this hotel and so I treated myself to a night at the Eden Resort, where Pennwriters holds their conferences every other year. The lobby there was a busy place, so I wrote in my room and spent a few minutes in the Courtyard, my favorite spot there.

As I hunker down here with my laptop, I'm reminded of Monday's post and July's goal (now extending into August) of taking it all in. To my right, windows look out onto downtown Lancaster. In front of me is an exposed brick wall downstairs, a hall full of exhibitors and all around me, unexplored territory. Just as my introvert tendencies are colliding with my extrovert tendencies, my desire to take advantage of this space and get this post written (zoom in) is at odds with the wisdom of exploring all of the cool things around me (zoom out).

The problem with recognizing an opportunity that aligns with one's goals is that it also comes with the impetus to do something about it.

Zoom out. Take advantage of the opportunity before it slips away.