My Journey Begins
I started on my way to the 3rd Annual Show Me the Blog Conference on Thursday, October 18, 2012 with no idea of where I was going to stay once I got to St. Louis. Okay, I do things like that; I wouldn’t advise anyone else to do it. While checking my Facebook page on the bus, I received a message from Danyelle Little ~aka~ The Cubicle Chick, the conference organizer, asking if I still needed accommodations. Uh, yeah! That resolved my rooming issue. I would be staying at the Moonrise Hotel right across the street from the event, which was held at the Regional Arts Commission in the Delmar Loop area.
The bus trip was a low-cost, smooth ride. Did you know that the MegaBus has FREE Wi-Fi?? That made my day. It was very comfortable as everyone pretty much had a seat to themselves. There was only one issue: the temperature. Other than the cool air, I enjoyed my ride. We arrived in St. Louis 30 minutes earlier than scheduled even though we left Chicago 30 minutes later.
The ride home was pretty cool, too. There were only five people on the bus and I was the only the person on the lower level on the way home. We arrived in Chicago 45 minutes earlier than scheduled.
I did contact MegaBus about the temperature and they responded within 24 hours. Very nice. Based on my experience, I would recommend the MegaBus as a low-cost, reliable form of transportation for the traveler that is cash-strapped; don’t feel like driving; or just want a low-cost ride to nearby cities and states.
This is a boutique hotel in the Delmar Loop area. Okay, it’s the only hotel in the area, and it’s very nice. The lights on the steps were alluring, and my room was very spacious. It had the little seating area in the corner, which was quite comfy.
I had the pleasure of rooming with Kitty Bradshaw and Cleo Sunshine. Very cool ladies.
What I enjoyed most about this hotel, in addition to the customer service, was the pet service they provided. They had snacks and water in the lobby. How cool was that.
The Regional Arts Commission was a nice place that was very spacious and inviting. Thursday evening all of the presenters gathered for Game Night Pre-Conference Reception sponsored by Time to Play. That was fun! It was held in the main gallery. They gave away over $2,000 worth of prizes.
The conference sessions were held in the conference room and a smaller breakout room, which was packed for some sessions. I’m not sure if the artwork in the main gallery was for sell, but the pieces that graced the wall in the breakout room were. It’s always a blessing to experience the creativity of artists.
Show Me the Blog 3.0
This was the first time I attended the event and I will definitely be back. Probably on the MegaBus.
I know I’ve said this before but bloggers and social media people are some of the friendliest people ever. And that was especially true at this conference. I enjoyed it.
Kaldi’s Coffee sponsored breakfast both mornings and we were graced with Frostbite gourmet ice cream throughout the event. Your Master Card and XD Web Solutions were presenting sponsors.
The most enlightening part of the conference for me was learning about the life of dairy farmers. I never think about the people who are growing the food we eat; however, I’m always wondering if it is FDA approved. What are their lives like? Do they love what they do? Are they making a living? What type of support do they get for their ventures? Do people even say “thank you’?
The Sessions
The conference was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days, but it ended early due to efficiency. That gave us time to bond afterward without being put out from the RAC.
The sessions were pretty cool. All of the presenters brought their own flavor and passions. Topics ranged from blogging, social media, building your e-mail list, video, audio, photography and going mobile.
My presentation, Freelance Ain’t Free: The Do’s and Don’ts for Freelancing for Publications and Sites, went pretty well. I was told that I started off pretty shaky but got better as I progressed, which means I have to practice my openings so I can start strong and end even stronger.
Let me tell you about the power of cooperation and preparation. Nile Flores from Blondish.net, scheduled to present on Saturday afternoon, got sick. Chris stepped in and saved the day by sharing his love for podcasting. It turned out to be a great session from what I heard.
The Connections
I connected with old pals – Nile from Blondish, Terrance Gaines from BrothaTech and Lamar Tyler from Black And Married with Kids. I met some new pals – Janice Person, Lisa from Never Bored Creations, LaKeisha from XD Solutions. And I met a Twitter pal in person – Val – The KaiCon Group. I actually connected with Nicholas Gilham on Twitter prior to the event.
Lisa and I had dinner at Noodles & Company which was a huge blessing.
My Journey Ends
My session ended with dinner at the Pi Pizzeria Delmar, one of President Obama-approved restaurants, with Sade Tagbo, Val from The KaiCon Group and Javania M. Webb. And the Megabus got me home early and safely.
I’m looking forward to Show Me the Blog 4.0 next year.
Images: llworldtour, hotels.com, Regional Arts Commission, Marcie Hill, Sade Tagbo
I love your recap of the conference ~ and it was so very great to meet you! I truly hope you can attend next year but I surely hope to reconnect with you before then. 🙂
Thank you, Melisa. I definitely look forward to next year and staying in touch. Have you been drinking your coffee?
Very cool recap. I enjoyed finally getting to meet you. You’really talk was very good and enjoyed your insights at dinner. We’ll chat soon.
Hey Val, thanks for stopping through. It’s great to meet a Tweetheart in person.
Thanks for the recap Marcie. You’ve given me courage and inspiration and insight to The MegaBus!
Clara.
Clara, it was pretty cool. I heard that they had rides for as low as $1 and I’ve never really heard of any complaints. I’m sold!