Hey... From Vegas

Hey Frans,
I'm writing to you from my room at the Excalibur in Las Vegas, one of my faaaavorite cities in America.
Why the hell are you in Vegas, Mrs. P? You may be wondering.

Well, I got invited to be on a panel at the 2010 Blog World Expo. (Pretty tits, right??)
The Blog World Expo is basically a conference on New and Social Media (blogging, social networks, etc etc). So anyway, the panel I was on was yesterday. It was basically a military spouses panel focusing on how blogging and other forms of new and social media are beneficial to military spouses especially during deployments and points of separation. You can check it out here (be sure to check the other panels from the milblogging track as well, they are all very interesting!)

I am happy to report that I survived the panel discussion, even though I often have severe micro-phobia (that's what I call it, I'm scared of microphones. It all stems from an incident in High School when I was to speak as captain of the JV Soccer team at the pep rally my sophomore year). I was told I did great and I personally feel that I did pretty well. I think that my babe would have been proud and that's what makes me happiest. And dad said he was super proud. Oh yeah, I brought my daddy with me here (while grandma gets to eat up some much needed Ariana time - she's sooo upset with "babysitting"... Not.).

Along with conquering a fear and speaking in front of people, I'm also having a blast. I have met some really awesome people (including panel moderator and co-panelist Cassandra) and made new friends. I have also made new contacts and connections which is always a positive thing. The people here have just been so awesome, especially all of the people on the Military Track of the conference, and I am honored and so grateful to have gotten a chance to meet them all. I have a had a lot of fun so far and have enjoyed smiling just because it feels good. I also conquered my whole fear of going into something and doing something without really knowing anyone. That's another big fear of mine, I hate when I don't know anyone - but I'm doing it, and surviving and thriving. Woo hoo!

Now I'm just relaxing at the hotel room before the conference party this evening. Giving my tootsies a break so that maybe, just maybe, I can wear heels tonight (yikes). Speaking of shoes, man do people in Vegas have such fabulous shoes. Good Lord I love shoes. I often wish I 1. was shorter so I didn't look like a giant in awesome shoes and 2. could wear heels more often without wanting to cut my feet off at the ankle. Practice makes perfect?

I'm also working on my bucket list. Things that I just want to do while I still have this life. It's coming along swimmingly and there are so many things that I want to do and so many things I've actually started working towards completing, so that makes me pretty happy.

Also, I'm surviving the 15th. I woke up with a little bit of "Fifteenth funk" as I have now dubbed it, but I'm getting through. Shaking it off. Head up and march on, right?
O babe, I miss you, love you, and hope you're proud. And even in my moments where you might not be proud or I'm not proud of myself, I'm happy knowing you're looking down and love me still, no matter what.

I think I'm gonna rest up a little bit, time change is still messing with me and by the time I'm used to it I'm going to be home!