14 July, 2015

My TpT Vegas 2015 Trip

oh my gosh
This blog post has been simmering in my mind for a few days
seriously there is so much to talk about…
I went to VEGAS a nervous Nelly…
seriously I was SCARED!!!
REALLY SCARED
I was freaking that people wouldn't like me
I mean my personality is true through this blog
but it is easy to hide behind this screen
but to put myself out there…
not so easy

I was freaking about flying
I hadn't flown in almost 15 years
and that was a scary experience…
seriously imagine a 12 seater plane
and the stewardess straps herself in and passes out the barf bags
we had to fly through a severe thunderstorm
let's just say it was like driving over large turtles
in a wind tunnel
all while swerving back and fourth
***PUKE***
NOT a FUN experience!!!

I was freaking about SWAG and BRAG
I didn't make business cards
I didn't make a t-shirt
I didn't make a notebook
or tumbler
or pens
or a bag
seeing all that schtuff scroll across my social media
was making my nerves FRAY
I decided to make a Vegas only CURRENTLY

ALL of that worry and stress was not necessary

VEGAS WAS AWESOME!!!
3 reasons...

#1 FRIENDS….
I met virtual friends and now when hubby says
DO YOU REALLY KNOW THESE "FRIENDS"
I can say YES
it was amazing seeing these faces
face 2 face
all of these ladies and gent have played a HUGE part in my bloggy life
and it was AMAZING to see them in person!!!

TIP- I did make a mental list of 5 peeps I HAD to see
and guess what I did see all of those!!!
HOLLA!!!
am I gonna tell you the 5 I wanted to see NOPE
I don't want to hurt any feelings… I loved meeting everyone!!!


I am still in shock that people wanted to meet me…
I don't see myself as a super star… even though I had a couple of people call me that
one cutie even cried when we met (no names again) and a few were shaking…
inside I was thinking OH MY goodness
and really on the inside I was just as nervous as they were!!! 
HA HA HA
really it put this whole blogging thing in perspective for me…
and talk about a self esteem booster

people love me for ME
people actually stopped me and wanted my picture… 
people thanked me
complimented me 
that is still CRAZY to me
I left with a renewed sense of ME


#2 my roomies and my dad
I could not have asked for better roomies
NOT JANE   and    Krazy Town

I think I have been blogging longer BUT
these 2 are FULL of expert knowledge!!!
TONS of information
if I had any questions they knew the answer
our late night talks were fun and inspiring
I would't have survived without them…


they were a huge help the ENTIRE trip
I was such a crazy pants
all of my days were blending together
I couldn't even tell people what day it was

*** squirrel ***
I have an excuse for being extra cray
I went to The Sipp the week before Vegas
with hubs and Bubs
and was home for about 28 hours before I left for VEGAS
((is that a good excuse))
we had a blast there too…
here's proof!!!


********** ok that squirrel is across the road****************

If you didn't see…
my Dad surprised me in Vegas…
I may have broken down and cried before I left for Vegas… 
ok I did it a few times...
because I was so nervous
I have issues
(flying and crowds)
and I am a Daddy's girl 
so he flew out and surprised me…
no one knew except my mamma…
well...
my roomies had things to do Wednesday 
so Dad and I went shopping, snacking, and slot playing
and then the other days we enjoyed lunch and dinners together
he also flew home on the same flight
IT was GREAT to have him there and made my heart so FULL!!!
makes me a little teary eyed right now thinking about this man
he has ALWAYS been there for me and is possibly my #1 FAN
Hubs might disagree… 
neither one of them read this so they'll never know
ha ha ha 
but Mamma does BUT she is on vaycay right now…
without me :(


and I swear my dad knows how to smile
it is just hard to catch it…
a few people recognized my dad and asked me about him
some even recognized me because of my dad
we even got approached at the airport
by a cutie patootie because they recognized my dad
so next year
yep he said he was coming with me next year too
 I told him I'll make him a button or a shirt
#farleysdad
he is famous now… ha ha ha

and finally
#3
this quote


Rachel Lynette used this quote in her keynote
and it really hit home…
I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with this quote...
and then when I was trying to make this…
this picture is a shot I took from our Sipp trip
and then when I married the quote to the pic I had my AHA moment…
Paul told us to find our AHA moment



like the ocean pic above…
for me the rising tide is TpT
they support us as needed and as they grow it helps us all
they are the reason we are afloat

the boats represent sellers
notice some boats are sail boats,
there a couple of small fishing boats,
a few larger boats,
and a very nice BIG boat…
kinda like the seller community
we are all boats
navigating the TpT sea…
some of us are mo mo mo motoring along
stuck in our ways but it works for us
some of us are calmly sailing and enjoying the ride in their current ship
 and others are cruising the sea… upgrading equipment and learning  the ever changing new ways of the sea every chance they get

before the conference I was probably one of the smaller sailboats
I was sailing along just kinda enjoying the ride
wasn't doing much… I hadn't upgraded my equipment in a long time
and I was dusty from neglect
My sails were tattered because they had traveled for miles without being tended to
faded too… and you know I don't do faded…

and now after the conference…
I have the tools to fix my little sailboat
I have my sights set on upgrading  my equipment
I am also planning on moving to a bigger boat
a pretty new boat… and I think I am going to pack away the sails
and place the motor in the water
all of this will take time and work… lots of work
but I am prepared for this journey…

you get what you put into it right???

I am fully aware… and I hope you are too that
you can't just jump into a LARGE fancy yacht and sail away
you might have to start in an inner tube and float for a little bit
 or you might have to dip your toes in before you get a little row boat
the captains of those big ole boats didn't just jump in…
they worked to get that ship
they might have hired some crew members
they might have paid extra for some boosting motor
BUT the fact is...
they were once little row boats too
really they were

but one thing is for sure…
you can sail the TpT sea always looking at the Big Yachts cruising by
sometimes you look in envy and other times in awww
BUT what  you really need to do is look within and start from there
improve you
focus on you
find your niche
dock where there are positive networking possibilities


I am blessed to be in the TpT sea with all of these other boats
in NO other sea will you find these types of professional friendships
boats no matter how big or small share their secrets to success 
so all can improve

so whether you are mo mo motoring along 
or sailing the high seas
remember it is all up to you

TpT is our sea but you are the captain of your ship!!!






I linked up with the girls over at The Elementary Entourage for this fun linky…
thanks ladies for hosting this…