Panic at Blissdom Canada

Here’s a little synopsis on how my road to Bliss went:

(a) Pile all belongings, clothes, toys and food into the RV
(b) Drive 3,500+ km to Ontario
(c) Hang out with friends and family throughout the province
(d) Attend your brother’s wedding
(e) Oh yeah, go to Blissdom Canada

After throwing down on a few piece of wardrobe (read: didn’t pack anything but yoga pants and hoodies), I thought I was ready. I strode into Blissdom at the beautiful Delta Meadowvale Hotel. I checked in, then I nearly hyperventilated in the lobby.

After long last – I was here. I had made it. And now I was freaking out.

I equate it a little to the first day of grade nine. You have all your brand new clothes on, your pencils are sharpened and you are ready to rock. Until you walk in and realize how huge the school is. Oh, and how everyone seems to know everyone, well except you. Oh, and your locker is not where you thought it might be. Oh, and your schedule is different than what you got.

Well, you get the picture.

I meekly strode down the hallway hoping to figure out where my room is. Internally I was panicking. So I followed someone who looked like they knew what they were doing. Luckily for me it was Tara from Don’t Lick the Deck, and she actually did know where she was going.

By the time I hit my room I was at panic scale 9 out of 10.

I had a moment like that at 9 out of 10 in grade nine too. I was kicking my computer & smacking it in computer programming class trying to make sense out of a little program called WatCom Basic. It was like visual basic but twice as confusing. The computer wanted cold hard logic – ifs and endifs, ifs and thens. My creative little brain just didn’t work like that. From behind me popped up this little head in the rows of computers – “do you need any help?” she asked.

I knew who to call. I knew my grade nine computer genius turned blogging partner in crime, Andrea would have my back. 

You know what? She did. The girl gives good pep talks, what can I say? My panic dissolved and she had me focused back on the purpose on why I was there. The conference theme said it all too – Be Bold. Be Proud. Be You. 

So, I dove in. I found Twitter friends who were like long-lost friends in person: Food Retro and the gals from You Pinspire Me took me under their wings.

I met the chicken lady who has provided me with a lot of savvy advice.

I found other pick-up trucks in the Chevy Bliss button challenge.

The lovely Laura from Cubits brought me a freakin’ present. Are you kidding me? It was incredible.

 We partied HARD too – each night. From a Throwback Party with Kahula, to a Lentils Carnival, and finally a pajama party.

A big bouquet to all the wonderful sponsors that make learning opportunities like this happen. The Chevy Recharge Lounge to plug in our phones to keep tweeting. Tim Hortons kept us hopped up on coffee and gluten-free macaroons. Manulife challenged our spending habits and gave us savvy business card holders. And throughout it all Maven Social tracked all the engagement, conversations and connections!