So I have to do a quick blog to figure out if any of my followers/readers are also going to be at this event on Saturday the 28th. I’ll probably book a Bolt Bus and find a couch to crash on with a friend for the weekend…as is my M.O. with professional conferences at the moment. I think there’s a lot of value to be had from attending these events, even if I do still travel in a backpack and on a dime because I’m twenty-two and trying to be a starving artist (Protip: starving artist pays as well as they told you it would.)

Now that I’m back in Seattle and getting settled, I’ll be heading back to tutoring in the next week or two, depending on how quickly I can rebuild my client list in a new city. However, writing is my first and foremost priority, so I have no qualms about taking a weekend off to go gallivant in Portland, network, learn something, and generally re-inspire myself. I’ve found that the best benefit I get out of professional events is usually, simply, the way I feel about my work and career afterwards. Everything seems so much more doable when you talk to people who have done it, and people who want to give you the information you need to succeed.

I probably wouldn’t bother with (seeing as though I am trying to stash money away for another trip to California once schools let out and then head to Europe in the fall) but web hosting is an unavoidable expense at this point, and the fact that WordPress is offering a year of free hosting to conference attendees makes it just a little too attractive to turn down. I need a better website anyways, one that integrates my blog into my actual website. GoDaddy definitely got me going, but I’m pretty sure WordPress.org is where it is at! I could stand to learn how to be a better blogger anyway.

So, is anyone else heading to this event or the one in Phoenix? Or is anybody going to other exciting events we should be aware of? It’s so neat to watch where everyone is going and what we’re all doing. It’s just inspiring to see so many people working at making their voices heard in this crazy world.