TransGriot readers,I'd hoped to be chillin' in the ATL getting ready to attend the Blogging While Brown Conference that kicks off tonight with a reception and a full day of seminars tomorrow. Unfortunately work and life intervened.
One of my contracts unexpectedly ended a few days before the registration deadline. When I got reassigned to a new one, my work time not only changed, I was working Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until midnight. The worst part was that I now had non consecutive days off, and I was planning to make that six hour drive to the ATL from Da Ville starting in the early morning so I'd have time to rest from the trip, hook up with SeaMonica and be in diva mode for the reception that night.
So based on that knowledge, I was debating making a stress-filled six hour drive solo at night and early Saturday morning down I-65 through Kentucky, I-24 through central and southeast Tennessee through mountains with twisting 6% grades and down I-75 through north Georgia so I could be there sleep deprived for the seminars.
I've done longer drives to Dallas and Houston solo, so that didn't faze me. But I knew I had to commit one way or the other by paying the conference fee by the 14th. As much as it pained me to do so, I called SeaMonica and let her know I had to cancel.
Just before I left the house for my first day working the new contract, one of my supervisors called and informed me I was now working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Translation: I now have Fridays (and four consecutive days) off again.
Aaargh!
Oh well. Life happens. I'm a little upset and down about the fact I'm missing an opportunity to meet many of my fellow African-American bloggers, including a few I admire. But with my work schedule in flux at the time and based on the information I had available to me to make the decision, I reluctantly had to cancel. I probably would have hit the road early yesterday morning had onsite registration been an available option for this event.I have no doubt this history making conference is going to be a huge success and they are planning to do it again next year. But this is just one of those things in which life didn't cooperate with my desires to be at an event that I wanted to attend, and I'm a little bummed about it.
For those of you who are there, have a wonderful and successful conference and hope to see y'all next year.
