A sunny day in Chicago, after lots of rain yesterday (I think I managed to catch one of the few brief dry spells for my short hike from the South Shore train station to the Hilton -- pure luck). I'm at AWP -- yes, my first AWP. Last night I already ran into maybe a dozen people I know, some of whom I'd never met in "real life" before -- which eased the "fish out of water" feeling considerably! I do have to say I am not the sort of girl who habitually stays in fancy hotels, so I'm suffering from a bit of sticker shock... I did splurge on 24 hours of internet, but after today I may just purchase an hour a day to stay minimally caught up. If you think you might want to get hold of me, ping me for my cellphone number.
I'm getting a slow start this morning, drinking bad in-room coffee and looking out at the windows of the Essex Hotel next door and the little patch of sky I can see. I'm trying not to be excessively ambitious; there are a bunch of panels and readings I defintely want to get to, but I know that I will miss more than I make. And that's okay. I want to spend some time wandering aimlessly and overstimulated through the bookfair (who started that Facebook group? that cracked me up when I saw it!), and just people-watching in general. I think I'm actually going to go to a fiction panel (I know... I'm just a poetry mutineer) because I found one that covers some ground that will likely be helpful to me in my current series of persona-ish poems.
Today I'm wearing my "tramps like us, baby we were born to run" T-shirt (last night I wore the midlife-crisis motorcycle jacket everywhere, but I think it will be too warm and heavy for all day) and jeans. If you're at AWP and you see me, please say hello, because I'm probably too shy to say hi to you! :) I may be a chatterbox here online, but in real life I am sometimes hesitant -- but harmless, really. *grin*
4 comments:
I've never gone to AWP -- but I have attended many major national conferences. I tend to hide out in my hotel room and take it easy, even though there is always so much to do and so much to see.
I've never gone to AWP -- but I have attended many major national conferences. I tend to hide out in my hotel room and take it easy, even though there is always so much to do and so much to see.
I'm glad you're blogging about your first AWP. I've never been either, but maybe next year! good luck, and have fun outside, too :) Chicago's so great, even with rain.
Thanks for the report. Enjoy yourself and let it all sink in. I hope the book fair is better than the one here in Atlanta. It was in the basement of the Hilton and it was 900 degrees.
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