SER-AMTA Here we come!

In the morning I'll be boarding a train...yes, a train...to head to Spartanburg, SC for the Southeastern Regional Music Therapy conference.  I'm so excited!  This is kind of a new beginning for me and a time full of new experiences.

This will be my first time traveling by train.  I can't wait to experience this!  And it sure beats driving in the rain. Through Atlanta. In a car.  I've been looking online to find out all I can about riding the train.  And it looks really cool!  So I'll let you know if it is as fun as it appears.

This is not my first regional conference.  However, the last time I attended one, our region consisted of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana.  I'm kind of a shy person by nature...something I've been working on.  I love meeting new people, but I'm always shy and a little bit of an introvert.  But that is changing. I'm learning to just be me and have fun.  And I'm so excited to finally get to meet other music therapists that I've been talking with over Twitter and Facebook.  Say what you will about social media (I even have some issues with all of it), but it is through these two sites that I have "met" some really awesome people...people who do the same thing I do and get what it's all about.  And a few who even share my love of fashion and celebrities.

I'm looking forward to meeting all those people and attending some great sessions.  In the past when I've attended conferences, I tend to just go to sessions and then hang out in my room.  A couple years ago I went to the national conference in San Diego...I think that's where I started this journey out of my "shyness" (is that even a word?).  I signed up to volunteer the registration booth in hopes it would force me to meet people.  And it worked!  I met some really amazing people that I still talk to today.  I think I finally learned to embrace all that a conference is about.

And I plan on doing even more this week at regionals.  I'm excited about our Tweet Up and about our drink dates.  I'm excited to learn even more about my field and about starting my practice.  I'm excited to finally meet the wonderful people I've "cyber" met.  I'm excited to go with one of my good friends, with my mentor/good friend and with some Carey students.  And I'm excited to ride that train!

I'm hoping to embrace all this week has in store.  Even through sleepless nights...who needs sleep?  I've got too many people to meet and not enough time to meet them all!  Not to mention the long train rides and the 4:14 am departure Saturday!  But I can sleep when I get back home.  I'm going to take it all in, learn as much as I can and hopefully make some new friends.

I hope to post an update from the conference when I get back...and after I get some sleep.

Oh, and no, I haven't heard about the grant yet.  I hate waiting.  Patience is not my strongest virtue.  But I'm trusting God will provide, and I'm not worrying.  Much.

Well, off to work and then on to Spartanburg!