There I was, swimming for all I was worth during the whirlwind event that was the Garden Writers Association annual symposium in Indianapolis. I was either running late (sometimes literally) or nearly first as I tried to manage time without a watch during this tightly scheduled weekend. I had thought that four Blogger Flings and several trips to the Independent Garden Centers show made me well prepared for GWA. I was quickly disabused of this notion.
At the symposium, there was just so much more; more people (over 400), more buses, more events, more swag, and way more information. It was a bit overwhelming. I was so flaked out, I forgot that I was going to steal borrow Suzi McCoy's idea to take a cell phone shot of each person I talked with and their name tag, so I would later be able to associate a name with a face. Next time, I will make a note to do that.
The attendees were from across the country and Canada. I found myself holding up my name tag so people could read it a lå "Harriet Jones former Prime Minister" from Doctor Who. It had a special ribbon on it saying "First Timer," and everyone was so welcoming and helpful to me as a newbie. I took copious notes at the educational sessions (serious flashbacks to my days in academia) and tons of pictures at the gardens we visited. Thanks goes to Irvin at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, who was put in charge of the weather, it was nearly perfect. A bit of overcast or fog would have been ideal, but I'm not complaining.
I made the most of the light conditions available. Kudos to the entire Indianapolis planning committee, who did a splendid job and were such gracious hosts.
Contact me about being your sponsor if you wish to join GWA, it has a lot to offer. There are local regional meetings if the idea of a big symposium is too much for you.