A Monday Myth: A Bigger Conference is Better

This past weekend I attended the New Jersey Romance Writer's Conference. A small conference when compared to RWA Nationals, but it's a conference well worth the money every time I attend.

As a smaller conference the atmosphere is more intimate, yet still draws some pretty big names in the industry as keynote speakers and workshop leaders.

There was a workshop for every level of a writing career.

And best of all, it was casual!

As usual, I met up with old friends and made many new ones (which reminds me, I have to stalk some new people on Twitter and approve some new friend requests on Facebook as well!)

Inspiration was everywhere I turned - from people celebrating traditional book deals to toasting amazing indie sales. If anyone came away from this conference without a fire lit in their soul and the optimism that there is no longer only one path to publishing success...they were obviously NOT at the same conference I was!

So, for this week my top shattered myths are:

(1) The bigger the conference the better - MYTH
Sometimes a smaller, more intimate conference is just less overwhelming, leaving more room for absorbing the good vibes.

(2) The bigger conferences have better keynote speakers - MYTH
I've been to several smaller, regional conference and have never been disappointed. This year Sabrina Jeffries and Heather Graham gave the two keynote speeches and they were both awesome and inspiring.

(3) All conferences break the bank - MYTH
The NJ conference is always reasonably priced and have several meals included. In fact, my roommate (one of my wonderfully talented critique partners, Jennifer Shirk) and I determined at the end of the conference that even stopping at the bar each night, going out to dinner at a local sushi restaurant and having breakfast in the hotel restaurant we still came in under $75 for food and drinks the entire 3 days.

(4) New wardrobe needed - MYTH
A small, local conference is a more business casual affair than RWA National!

(5) You just don't get the same motivation at a small conference - MYTH
Actually it's more than a myth - it's bullshit.
For me (and your mileage may vary) a smaller conference is less harried, less overwhelming and little more friendly. There's less time standing in line for events and you're more likely to get a seat in a workshop. Being a little more relaxed leaves more time to schmooze and mingle and really take in all the good vibes pulsing through the event. And let's face facts here, romance writers are generous and giving people - ask them what's working for them and THEY WILL SHARE!

It was a great weekend and I'm so glad I decided to attend!

Have you been to a smaller regional conference lately?

A Monday Myth: Kids will help with the puppy!

Let me introduce you to Toby!

The newest addition to our family is a 10 week old YorkiePoo - because how could I resist that face?

Hubby and I have been hearing from the three kids that we really needed a puppy to round out the jungle we call home. While Toby will most definitely be a spoiled little puppy in no time, he joins a few other equally spoiled housemates! (Two cats, a cockatiel, a cockatoo, a bearded dragon and a hamster...oh my, we should probably buy some stock in Petco.)

Over the last year as the kids begged for a new furry member of the family we heard:

"I will take him for walks."

"I will feed him."

"I will take care of him."

MYTH
MYTH
MYTH

Three kids.

One doesn't like the way the puppy smells after he's been outside doing his business. Well...he's 10 weeks old, weighs all of about 2 lbs and pretty much fits in my hands - he cannot go out alone, needs to be picked up and carried outside (since he's too small to get out the door on his own, and we're in training mode. Which means someone (ME) needs to take him out every two hours.

One likes to play with him, but hasn't even asked if he can help with anything else.

One thinks he knows everything about puppy training - even though we've never had a puppy before. Oh wait, I forgot, he's 18. He knows everything about everything. LOL Unfortunately, he's 18 - so he's got college and a social life and that leaves ME to do the bulk of the training, the walking, the feeding...

To be fair, I knew this going in. I knew the puppy would be good for the family, great for the kids and I knew exactly who would taking care of him. I'm not that delusional.

One week in, everyone is totally in love with Toby.

Anyone have some puppy training tips for me?

Mythical Monday - The Wrinkle Report

Welcome to the newest feature of the Scribbling Through Time blog...Mythical Monday! If you have an idea for a myth you'd like me to ramble on about - feel free to contact me and let me know!

Today's myth: Preventing Wrinkles

I'm getting to that age when the wrinkles I'm most worried about are NOT the ones that can be taken care of by dragging out the iron. At least when it comes to my clothes I have options like:
(1) drag out the iron and heat the wrinkles in my shirt into submission, last I checked ironing my face wasn't recommended by the manufacturer. (2) put that shirt back in the closet and wear something else, which is my usual answer to things I don't want to do...hide them.
Or my newest favorite option (3) don't buy anything that isn't wrinkle-free!

It just seems that when I look in the mirror these days, I see more lines than I used to, and I guess it's not fair to blame them entirely on my three kids...but it's also not fair that my options are a lot less limited than my wrinkled clothes! I can't simply choose not to buy skin that doesn't wrinkle. Wouldn't that be fabulous!

In the wrinkle fighting game, I've learned a few things and learned a few things that just aren't true (aka a myth!):

(1) Sleeping on your back helps prevent wrinkles

TRUE

As we age, our skin thins. Sleeping with your face mushed against a pillow for 6-8 hours a night can contribute to an increase in facial lines. If you wake up with "sheet marks" on your face, it might be time to spend a little more time on your back and let gravity help you out while your getting your beauty sleep!

(2) Ignoring the need for glasses can cause wrinkles.

TRUE

If you spending much of day squinting to read, you've got no one to blame but yourself when those under-eye wrinkles become even more pronounced. Go ahead, look in the mirror and then squint...not pretty is it? Remember your mother telling you to "stop making those faces or your face will freeze like that?" Well, she was on to something! Again, as we age our skin thins making it less resilient...meaning it doesn't bounce back from squinting like it did when we were younger. So hop on down to the drugstore and invest in those reading glasses!

(3) Drinking 8 glasses of water prevent wrinkles.

TRUE AND FALSE

Drinking water is important for your whole body, it keeps all your organs going and hydration is important for everything to run right. Staying hydrated should be an important part of our beauty regime, healthy skin is hydrated skin, it helps keep skin plump and fresh looking. But at best, keeping your body and skin well hydrated by drinking all that water isn't going to prevent wrinkles, but it can help minimize the appearance of them. (Drinking water is a win/win)

(4) Doing facial exercises will prevent future wrinkles.

FALSE

All those facial movements contribute to wrinkles as we age, but we can't stop moving our faces - can we? So we just have to live with the fact that as we age...most of us are going to get some wrinkles. Some of us more than others, some of it's just the luck of the draw. Get over it!

Ultimately, wrinkles are a natural part of aging and we all age differently. So, I say smile more and frown less, so at least the lines of your face will be the result of a happy life!

Go make some happy lines this week!