Playing hookey...

[Pampered Laura]

Anyone ever played hookey from a workshop at conference? Just wondering :o

[Kathytnt]

Laura - Are you planning a shopping trip?? LOL!

[janetupnorth]

Yup - every single one...since I've never been to Conference!

I'd only consider playing hookey if I'm not signed up for Carolyn's workshop and want to go sneak into that one. ;)

[DebbieJ]

I used to play hookey at all my school counselor conferences back in the day....it was great when the school district paid for us to go. :)

[pamperedlinda]

I went to conference last year for the first time and I attended every one of my workshops. I got so much out of them! I'm so excited about attending conference this year that I wouldn't even consider playing hookey.

[chefann]

I did last year. It wasn't really hookey, though. I had food poisoning or something and was sick as a dog. I really tried to go to all my workshops, but just couldn't make it through them.

[JAE]

I did not play hooky, but I was still able to get in some shopping. I'm planning to shop at Crate & Barrel and Room & Board no matter what it takes. I don't get to Chicago as much as I'd like, and when I do go someone else is always pulling me to places I don't care to go. I won't need to play hooky, hopefully.
JAE
Wave 1

[dannyzmom]

Yup - every single one...since I've never been to Conference!

I'd only consider playing hookey if I'm not signed up for Carolyn's workshop and want to go sneak into that one. ;)

Don't make me come up there and open a can o' whup ass on you!!!
http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

Lookout - Carolyn's hubby is working late, she has spent the last hour working on her workshop notes...she's cross-eyed and giddy...and she found the smiley-sites again...

[chefann]

A cross-line Director I know NEVER attends the workshops she registers for. She leaves them and sneaks into other ones that sound interesting.

[JAE]

Don't make me come up there and open a can o' whup ass on you!!!
http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

Lookout - Carolyn's hubby is working late, she has spent the last hour working on her workshop notes...she's cross-eyed and giddy...and she found the smiley-sites again...
My son's have alarm clocks with that saying played on them, but it beeps out the "a" word. I never knew what it was supposed to say. It just keeps playing other things, so I never really thought about it much. Now I know.

[Pampered Laura]

Laura - Are you planning a shopping trip?? LOL!
Who me? Never! I was just wondering if someone out there would ever dream of doing such a thing! :eek: :o :p

[janetupnorth]

Don't make me come up there and open a can o' whup ass on you!!!
http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

Lookout - Carolyn's hubby is working late, she has spent the last hour working on her workshop notes...she's cross-eyed and giddy...and she found the smiley-sites again...

Sorry Carolyn, they don't let you take aerosols on airplanes and it's quite a long drive!

Besides, you'd never want to beat me up...

http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/innocent/innocent0002.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

[dannyzmom]

Sorry Carolyn, they don't let you take aerosols on airplanes and it's quite a long drive!

Besides, you'd never want to beat me up...

http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/innocent/innocent0002.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

details...details...details...
...besides...now that I know that you know all you know about vertigo (wow, that was a mouthful), and I know that you'll be at wave 2...I am going to be counting on you to catch me when things start spinning...and man oh man...if things start spinning as I am hauling ass across stage - you Cheffers BETTER run up and catch me!!!!!!!!!

[janetupnorth]

details...details...details...
...besides...now that I know that you know all you know about vertigo (wow, that was a mouthful), and I know that you'll be at wave 2...I am going to be counting on you to catch me when things start spinning...and man oh man...if things start spinning as I am hauling ass across stage - you Cheffers BETTER run up and catch me!!!!!!!!!

I think I got vertigo reading that! LOL!
I'll be sure to sit close if you're teaching any of my sessions. :)

Now, if you are up on the piano at the piano bar...well, um...I think I'll take a picture first...:D :p

[dannyzmom]

I think I got vertigo reading that! LOL!
I'll be sure to sit close if you're teaching any of my sessions. :)

Now, if you are up on the piano at the piano bar...well, um...I think I'll take a picture first...:D :p

Well ya'll can rest assured I will NOT be drinking at the piano bar this year. I have been walking around all week feeling "buzzed" - the LAST thing I want at this point is alcohol...http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/sick0020.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)

And as for my workshop - alright, okay, you win...you can come....but you MUST sit in the front row with a bottle of Dramamine in case I start looking woozy.

[Chef Kearns]

I had a new recruit tha signed in April and went to conference in July. She walked out of a few of the general sessions, took a nap through 1 or 2 of her workshops and didn't enjoy the home office tour. Needless to say, she's no longer on my team. She didn't qualify and she doesn't have a good taste in her mouth for PC. Although it is not PC's fault.

[Chef Kearns]

Oh and Leadership in Atlanta, GA I was sick as a dog. My friends said I looked like death warmed over. It hit me the first night (the night before conference started) and tore me up!! I had chills and a fever, running nose...you name it. I was laid up! I hated missing conference, but I had no choice. I went to all of the general sessions (I think), but it was dang hard.

[chefann]

Last year, when I was sick, I was amazed at the number of people just roaming the halls instead of taking their workshops. Um, hello?!? You PAID to be here - go take advantage of the training!

[reba515]

okay Laura, I'll be honest with you !
while I know going to conference is the best training I can (pay for) get to boost my biz, I could probably (easily) be talked out of at least 1 workshop.
For me being a SAHM (to 3 kids + DH and a bunch of pets) this is also a mini vacation. :)

[ChefBeckyD]

Last year, I walked out of one of my workshops.....along with several others(including some upper-level directors!) - the woman teaching the workshop was obnoxious, and very defensive from the beginning about how what she was suggesting/promoting "Wasn't lying"......and when someone in the audience challenged her on it, she started arguing about how she didn't think it was lying......I can't even remember what it was - but it was definitely lying! Decided I really didn't want to learn what she was teaching, so walked out and went to Starbucks for a much needed Latte.

I was disappointed when I discovered that the 2nd presenter was Jana Washatka, and I missed getting to hear her.

[nicki25]

Last year, I walked out of one of my workshops.....along with several others(including some upper-level directors!) - the woman teaching the workshop was obnoxious, and very defensive from the beginning about how what she was suggesting/promoting "Wasn't lying"......and when someone in the audience challenged her on it, she started arguing about how she didn't think it was lying......I can't even remember what it was - but it was definitely lying! Decided I really didn't want to learn what she was teaching, so walked out and went to Starbucks for a much needed Latte.

I was disappointed when I discovered that the 2nd presenter was Jana Washatka, and I missed getting to hear her.


I think I must have been in that workshop. I had never before walked out of a workshop but last year had a really, really, really bad one and myself and quite a few of other people walked out of it.

[ChefBeckyD]

I think I must have been in that workshop. I had never before walked out of a workshop but last year had a really, really, really bad one and myself and quite a few of other people walked out of it.


I bet that was the same one! I was soooo disappointed - because usually I LOVE the workshops - but that one really left a bad taste in my mouth! And it was pretty obvious that alot of people felt the same way.

The strange thing was that as I walked out, a friend from my cluster was walking out of the one next to mine, because the presenter of her workshop was suggesting unethical behaviour too!!! Her's was a workshop on Balancing a full time job, and PC - and the presenter was suggesting that you use your employers copy machine, paper, etc..... to get your PC work done during the day!:eek: Funny I can remember that!

[dannyzmom]

Being the cheapo that I am, I refuse to walk out of a workshop since I PAID to be there...well, I didnt pay for conference - got that free - but I did pay for the airfare and hotel...and I took time away from my kids to be there - so the only thing I wanna do while I am there is to absorb every bit of info that I can .
I am one of those that takes advantage of every waking minute to learn - I pick brains on the shuttles, at the meals, in the hallways, you-name-it.

[chefjeanine]

I've skipped out on one workshop to sneek into another. That's happened when I've heard that the one I'm planning to go to is awful or that the one I didn't sign up for is awesome.

[Chef Kearns]

I've skipped out on one workshop to sneek into another. That's happened when I've heard that the one I'm planning to go to is awful or that the one I didn't sign up for is awesome.

I've done that once or twice. I would go to mine just to see if it was truly as bad as everyone said, then I would leave and go to a different workshop. In all of the conferences I've been to (about 5 or 6 including Leadership) I've only had to do this about 3 times.

[mommyhugz1978]

I went to conference last year for the first time, and I didn't' miss a one of my workshops... I think I might have tried to dose off in one or two not because they were boring but because I was so flipping tired and exhausted from walking my rear end off... OK.... where do you find soda at conference???? I don't' want to bring it with me on the plane..hehe that would be stupid.... but where at the hotels or McCormick Palace can I buy soda pop to drink.. I am not a coffee drinker.... other wise i would get my caffeine that way.

[raebates]

There are places like Walgreens & CVS on nearly every block. Once you've registered at your hotel, why not pop into one to pick up what you want?

[DebbieJ]

If you're at the Hilton, there's a Jewel (Albertson's) store about 2-3 blocks south.

[mommyhugz1978]

I am staying at the Sheraton we stayed at the Palmer House last year.. so I have no idea what is close by........ even if I can get an ice tea from starbucks I would be happy too hehe

[dannyzmom]

I am staying at the Sheraton we stayed at the Palmer House last year.. so I have no idea what is close by........ even if I can get an ice tea from starbucks I would be happy too hehe

There's a little grocer diagonally to the upper left when you walk out the front door of the Sheraton. I am a chocolate milk drinnker - so I brought my powdered Nesquik with me and bought a small container of milk at the grocer...

[mommyhugz1978]

Thanks..... I don't' think my roomies would appreciate caffeine withdrawal headaches... LOL

[chefann]

There are some soda machines at McCormick Center, but in the past, they've been sold out by mid-afternoon of Day 1, Wave 1. And they're pricey (something like $2 for a 20 oz bottle). You'd think that management would notify the vending company that they've got a big conference, and to keep the machines stocked. (JMHO)

[mommyhugz1978]

You would think that they would keep their stock up wouldn't you....