Six Flags

When I was younger, I used to get so excited about going to Six Flags. I usually got to go with our band and chorus at school every year. The first time I went was actually with the high school band one year that my sister was going. I don't remember why I got to go exactly, but it seems like maybe our Mom was a chaperone. I felt so cool at the back of the bus with all the popular kids. (my sister was always more popular in school than I was) And I definitely remember hardly being able to sleep the night before from excitement.

Later, in middle school, I got to go with the chorus and I remember staying up late at a sleepover the night before looking at the map of the park a thousand times and talking about what rides we were going to go on first. The funny thing about it was that I probably never got a good night's sleep the night before a Six Flags trip. We always left at the crack of dawn and got on a school bus for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, spent the entire day in the hot sun, running around, walking all over the place, and then 3 hours back that night when the park closed, which was probably at least 8 or 9 at night. How in the hell did I have that much energy after not sleeping? I wish I could call that energy forth right now, damn.

For me, this whole week is like a Six Flags night in some ways. With my first RWA National conference only a week away, I can't stop thinking about my pitch, my novels, my outfits, and asking myself questions like: Will I meet new people? Will I learn a lot? Am I going to fit in? Is there going to be as much networking as I am hoping for? and so on. But at the same time, just like with Six Flags, I know that in order to get the most of it, I really should get some sleep. From what my other people have told me, the conference ends up being a whirlwind of activity that starts every day at 7 or 8 and doesn't end until about midnight. Even though I stay up late now, I certainly am never up by 7 (or even 8 really), and I'm not in a constant state of activity all day for more than 12 hours at a time. This conference is going to be exhausting! But amazing at the same time, hopefully.

If last night was any indication, however, this is going to be a rough week. I had nightmares and tossed and turned all night long. Maybe a key difference I hadn't considered before between those years when I used to get excited about Six Flags and now, is that now I can just pop in a few drugs like Tylenol PM and force myself into a good night's sleep. Maybe I'll try that tonight.