home alone 2
Yesterday, I listed a bunch of reasons I haz a sad that I’m not attending the RWA National conference in New York as we speak.
Today, I’m going to list some of the reasons I’m happy I’m not there—even as I continue to haz the sad for all the aforementioned reasons. :crying (Hey, I’m a woman—I can juggle way more emotions than just “happy” & “sad” simultaneously. Later, I’m thinking of adding “lonely,” “angry,” & “ecstatic.” )
I AM HAPPY I did not have to pack. I hate packing. No, I mean HATE. I would rather have a root canal. Or pelvic exam. Or eat raw tomatoes. Okay, maybe not eat tomatoes…I really do hate those things.
I AM HAPPY I do not have to travel. (See above for the Hate Scale.) I’m okay once I get to my destination, but again, root canals are more enjoyable to me than dealing with airports, airlines, people in the airports & on the planes, shuttles, hotel check-ins… I just really enjoy staying home & never, ever having to leave.
I AM HAPPY I saved myself some money on the whole plane/train/automobile/hotel bill thing. I mean, it’s worth it for the conference experience, but keeping it in my bank account is good, too.
I AM HAPPY I do not have to deal with the crowded hustle & bustle of New York in June, nearly July. I mean, New York is great, but Country Mouse/City Mouse. I’m a Country Mouse at heart.
I AM HAPPY I don’t have to deal with dressing up (pantyhose–gack!) & doing make-up. Do you know how traumatizing it is to dig out last year’s conference clothes & realize you must have had a very…chubby winter because nothing fits? Or to stand in front of a hotel bathroom’s mirror & realize you don’t remember how to put your make-up on. I once used mascara before foundation & eyeshadow because I forgot how the flip to do it! (When you spend your days in pajamas & without a stitch of make-up, suddenly being asked to guzzy yourself up for public interaction 
is like one of those dreams where you find yourself standing in front of a crowd of people totally naked.)
I AM HAPPY I don’t have to worry about bedbugs. Whether or not the conference hotel has them, it’s a non-issue for me. *g*
I AM HAPPY I don’t have to leave my kittehs, especially Phantom Kitty (a.k.a. Precious). She’s my oldest & needs a lot of very special care my pet sitter can’t provide. Mainly because Precious won’t come out from under the bed for anyone else, so if anything was wrong, they’d never know until it was too late. So, nope, can’t leave her.
I AM HAPPY that I get to stay home & deal with my current deadline. The book is due soon after the conference, so if I were there, I’d spend all my time in a mental panic over getting it finished on time. Unless I tried to get it finished & turned in before I even left, which would have put me in a nearly catatonic state. So I’d be there, fretting about how tired I’d be after 
the conference, & how I’d ever manage to clear my head enough to get back to it. This is better; I shall stay home & concentrate (hopefully) without major interruption, & my editor will have the book on his desk right when it’s due.
Last but not least, I AM HAPPY that there will be no unpacking for me. As bad a packer as I am, I’m an even worse unpacker. Literally, my suitcase from the NJRW conference last October is still sitting on my front porch. I’ve been in it a few times when I needed something, but otherwise… :spikey
So while everyone else will be dressed to the nines & rubbing elbows with the publishing elite…
I will be home alone, workin’ & relaxin’, workin’ & relaxin’…
P.S. I’m also posting at the Brava Authors blog today with a “If I were at RWA, I would be signing copies of THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS” Giveaway. So if you want a chance to win an autographed copy of THE BITE 
BEFORE CHRISTMAS, get your vampy little bottoms over there!
Comments
12 Comments • Comments Feed
carole says:
I wantesd to go to see all my favorite authors but need to find more kids in my daycare or a jobe for some cash so couldn’t make the trip to New York-last year was in Orlando so i went for the day to see a few of my authores.I’d be disappointed not to see you there so glad that I’m at home,too. Have fun anyways, home alone-I need time alone but thatas not gonna happan either but my daughter who’s 17 is never home so I’m alone too. reading alot!
Have a good week!
On June 28, 2011 at 11:13 am
Heidi says:
Aw, that’s sweet, Carole, thank you! I’m sorry neither of us can make it. I know I’m missing meeting a lot of great readers & running into all kinds of author friends, but we’re going to make the most of it while we’re stuck at home, right? And there’s always next year…or the year after that. :cool
On June 28, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Terri Hudson says:
I don’t blame you, heidi! You did right thing . :allgood , enjoy your day!
On June 28, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Heidi says:
LOL Thanks, Terri. I’m also thinking of tossing a bit of blame in my editor’s direction. After all, he’s the one who gave me an early July deadline. If he’d wanted me at RWA, he’d have bumped that back a couple of months. *snicker* :whistledev
On June 28, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Colleen Thompson says:
I’m doing the same this year. Staying home to write and relax…and have some dental work done. Ugh on that part.
On June 28, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Heidi says:
Colleen! I didn’t know you were playing hooky, too! Thought you’d be in NY, having all kinds of fun without me. Well, whoo-hoo! I’m actually happy to hear that…all except the dental work. Blech. Will it at least give you the excuse to eat a lot of ice cream afterwards? :drinkme
On June 28, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Pamela Cayne says:
Yup–not having to deal with the airport is enough for me. (I’m trying to convince the hubs to drive to the Anaheim conference next year–that means no packing restrictions!!! Hello, shoes!)
And I also think you’ve missed a crucial item to be happy about–to be exempt from the opportunity to completely and utterly make a fool of yourself in front of other authors, or *gasp* agents and editors. Been there, done that! :ROFL
On June 28, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Heidi says:
Ohmigosh, Pam, the two years it was held in D.C. & we could drive, I LOOOOOOVED it. Wish they held it there every single year. (And yeah, you West Coast folks would just have to suck it up. :tongue ) It really does make the entire experience so much less stressful.
I’ve never known you to make a fool of yourself in front of anyone, tho. Have you?! :knock If so, I’m gonna need details. We’ll share war stories next time we get together, ‘kay? :bart
On June 28, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Pamela Cayne says:
You got it! Me, you, the bar, and a spit bucket for when you hear some of the crazy things I’ve done whilst a noob!
On June 28, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Heidi says:
:claphat I can’t wait! I’ll try to recall a few of my own forehead slappers so I can keep up. :argh
On June 28, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Laura J. (still in my top secret place a.k.a my happy place) says:
Okay, admit it….you can’t figure out how to untie Dwayne’s knots (and/or lost the keys to his restraints) and you don’t want to risk leaving him behind where who knows what can happen. :whistledev
On June 28, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Heidi says:
It is true that I can’t leave that man home alone, either. There’s no telling what kind of trouble he might get into if I’m not here to watch over him every single minute. :whip
On June 28, 2011 at 10:56 pm