Since the Blog Paws conference is coming up in a little more than a month (how in the name of Dog did THAT happen?!) I’ve started seriously making some preparations.
I’ve decided how I’m going: Driving
Since I’m driving I’ve decided which of the S’more Kids is coming….. (drumroll please)
It’s Marsha! She has never been on a long trip, and has never been much of anywhere without Hershey or Graham.
Because she’s never been many places, I’ve been exposing her to new situations to see how she does. When H & G were at the vet’s last weekend we went on some solo missions.
–She met some new dogs who were waiting to be checked in at the vet’s and did fine, seeming more curious than defensive.
–She was very interested in all the nooks, crannies, and interesting smells at the local Home Depot
–She was a little TOO interested in the display of ceiling fan dusters!
–She didn’t bark at the guy shoving food through the window when we went to the drive through at Panera.
–And she seemed perfectly happy to have the front seat of the car to herself for a change!
In non-Marsha preparations I had some business cards for the blog printed up…
…and ordered a card case from Amazon to keep them in.
I was advised to have refills for the case at the ready, which I don’t think will be a problem!
I may have this supply for quite a while as self-promotion is not in my nature, but then again, part of the point of blogging has been expanding my experiences and comfort zones so who knows, I could run out!
–I’m also reading up at “The Chronicles of Cardigan” on how to attend Blog Paws as an introvert, and I’m thinking I should read Susan Cain’s “Quiet” again.
The next steps are to take Marsha for an overnight trip to see if she can handle staying in someplace strange. I don’t want to get to the conference and find my self in a situation like the one described in the wonderful “Dogs don’t understand basic concepts like moving” from ‘Hyperbole and a Half’ by Allie Brosh.
So that’s what I’m doing to get ready at the moment. Looking forward to meet some of you in a little over a month!
smoredogs 
I’m so glad you’re coming to the conference, and yay, Marsha is too! ☺ (Side note: If I had to choose just one corgi to go to BlogPaws, it might be the hardest decision I’d make in the last 5-7 years.) I’m sure she will be fine (but any excuse to re-read dog stories by Allie Brosh is a good one; her stories make me cry laugh).
I truly hope you find my introvert tips helpful. Now that I know you are one, though, I will be on heightened alert at the conference. I can’t believe it’s coming up in a few weeks, either!
P.S. Just ordered “Quiet, and will be reading before June 22. One of the keynotes at BlogPaws–Pam Slim–has written about introverts (specifically introverts as leaders). I’m really looking forward to her talk.
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Looking forward to it! Aside from spending some quality time with Marsha, Hershey’s INTENSE interest in small animals, and Graham’s high strung nature put the two of them out of the running. Maybe with some training I can bring Hershey the next time… Now that I know about it I’m looking forward to the keynote by Pam Slim as well! I can fake extroversion for a while but I definitely need time on my own to recharge. See you in a few (insanely short) weeks!
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Great post! That’s so exciting you’re going to the BlogPaws Conference. And Marsha, too! Loved reading about her trip to Home Depot and your business cards look beautiful.
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Thanks! I’ve come to think of the picture on the cards as the blog’s logo so it made sense. My major concern about BlogPaws is if my elderly Audi (it’s old enough to drive itself) will make it there and back!
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You and Marsha are so lucky to be going to BlogPaws! I went last year for the first time and it was such a great experience. None of my dogs are crowd-worthy, but it’s my dream to some day have a dog that I can take. I won’t be making it this year, but I hope you enjoy!!
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Thanks Jan! I’ll keep test driving Marsha and keeping an eye on her reactions to new situations, but I think she’ll be fine! She seems more than happy to meet new people in new situations.
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I am not a networker either, but you will have a great time. I went to BlogPaws for the first time last year and it was an amazing experience. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. Look for the ambassadors and newbie tables.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to come up with the funding this year but I am eagerly awaiting the announcement of the 2017 location.
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Thanks for the advice! I’m so glad you had a good time!
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