When being a local is a bad thing…
by Features Editor Shelah Miner
I’ve had a very grumpy weekend. My husband was on call, which never does much for my mood, and I’m feeling the crunch of all the things that need to be done before school starts next week (but not the accompanying motivation to actually hit the mall and Target and Office Max). Most of all, I’ve been peevish because I know that a great party has been going on practically in my backyard, yet I’m on the other side of town, refereeing fights and going to piano recitals and folding laundry.
When we lived in Missouri and Minnesota and Texas, we’d get information about the Salt Lake Sunstone Symposium in the mail, and I’d sigh and say, “If we ever move to Utah, I’m there.” So we moved, and I came. But you probably didn’t see me (not that you were looking). Because instead of listening to speakers, attending dinners, devotionals and sing-a-longs, meeting old friends in the hallway, and singing karaoke late into the night, I got babysitters only for the two panel discussions on which I was participating, then rushed home to do the mom thing. I got enough of a glimpse of how much fun everyone else was having (through their blog posts and tweets and facebook status updates) that I’ve felt very jealous all weekend.
So next year, my husband and I have a plan. We’re going to sign up for the symposium, book a hotel downtown, find someone to keep the kids for the weekend, and tell everyone we’re going someplace sexy, like maybe Vegas or San Diego. No one will have to know that we’re only five miles away– close enough to rush home to change that exceedingly poopy diaper or drive the kids to soccer practice. Instead, we’ll be tourists in our hometown. I can’t wait.
Since I didn’t make it to much, rub it in. Tell me about all the great stuff I missed.
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August 16th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
I feel your pain. I caught some nasty cold by Friday, and skipped out on most of it. To say grumpy weekend would be an understatement. But, there is always next year.
August 16th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
We just moved to Utah, so this was my first year attending Sunstone. I missed about half of it because I had to scramble for babysitting in a new town. (I did make it to both of your sessions.)
I enjoyed listening to the paper presentations and panel discussions. But I really loved the conversations squeezed in between and after. My 10-year SAHM brain is feeling less mushy. I’m excited about reading more books, doing research and developing new friendships. The FHMers and ZDs and MESJ activists were especially open and welcoming. I’m already looking forward to next year. I may even steal your hotel idea.
August 17th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I keep telling everyone that I need a vacation. I mean, me. Alone. Can’t we push the AML conference and the Sunstone Symposium closer together? Like back to back? Ah, sweet dreams…
But you, Shelah, definitely need to follow through w. this. What a shame to miss something so close. I understand that the end of the summer is brutal on moms’ time. Been there. Am there.
But that’s all the more reason to move the symposium to around the time of the AML conference. (Serve me, serve me!)
August 23rd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I missed your panel because the only day we could get a babysitter was on Saturday (and that’s my husband’s only day off). And then we really couldn’t stay for much socializing in the evenings or anything like that either. We had planned to make it into an overnight getaway with a hotel and everything but it didn’t work out for a variety of reasons. Next year I’ll have a 5-month old baby so we’ll have to see if I can make it at all. I have an idea for a panel, so that’s probably all I will be able to do. Someday…
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October 31st, 2012 at 9:02 pm
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