AWP in Minneapolis 2015 Day 1, Part 2

I'm sitting at my computer and reminiscing over the day's events and I have to say, "I'm tired!" Oh, my gosh, AWP is beyond neurotic. And for someone who's never been normal a single day in my life, that's telling.

I followed the advice of a fellow attendee and hit the Bookfair first thing this morning. 9:00am. The best suggestion is to start at one end and work your way to the other. In each row, walk down one side and back up the other side. You just can't do both sides at the same time. Well, I can't.

By 10:30am, my cute little fashion boots were killing my feet and my AWP bag was loaded. I'm pretty sure I was leaning a little to the left. Add the purse on top of that, and I was definitely leaning. Left. Right. Somewhere in between. To make things worse, I'd only made it through the seven hundreds.

I rescued myself and walked the block and a half back to the Millennium. The boots were kicked off and traded for those comfortable shoes everyone had recommended pre-AWP. So glad I thought to bring a pair. I don't know how all those other women are walking around in heels. Guess I'm too hold to care about how I look, compared to how I feel. It's an age thing.

Wearing my new attire, I headed back to the Bookfair. I successively made my way down the aisles to the fourteen hundreds before I had to call it quits for the day. I had two afternoon panels I wanted to listen to, and I was thankful for a chair to sit on. And I swear it was the most comfortable thing I'd ever sat on.

During the panels, the one thing that surprised me the most was all the people sitting in the front row that stood up, gathered their belongings, and walked out ten, fifteen, twenty minutes into the talk. I felt really bad for the presenters. If you think a class, panel, reading, etc. isn't for you, sit in the back so you can sneak out quietly.

Tonight the Keynote Speaker is Karen Russel. I bought her book today because I'd read a review that said it would make me cry. Yes, I like emotional stories. Should be great, and I hear she's funny, too.

So all in all, it's been a good day. I got my exercise in, ate some new foods, bought three books, and to top it off, I got to watch people from warmer states watch a Minnesota snow fall. I stood off to the side and watched as they pointed and snapped pictures.

But then, there was one lady out there from Maine. She wasn't smiling or taking pictures or in standing in awe at the picturesque moment.

Until tomorrow...