CNMC 2015 - Affirmation & Friendship. And apparently tears...

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. Well, I'm BACK, there's that, and I had a fantastic time. It was, gosh. It was wonderful. I met so many kind people, and I received so much inspiration from my time there. But I have no idea how to fully encapsulate the depth of my experience. I think what I'm going to do is this: I'm going to chronicle my time in Atlanta chronologically to the best of my ability. At the end, I'm including a short video that I recorded this morning. I'm going to warn you - I cry during it. A LOT. :0 It's a pretty vulnerable piece. But I'm putting it out there because it's genuine emotion and I don't see sharing that with you as a bad thing at all. So here we go!

I arrived in Atlanta on Saturday all hyped up on coffee and adrenaline. I didn't even need any alcohol on my flight, which is a pretty surprising thing right there, given my feelings about flying. ;-) I met up with my lovely roommate Sarah, and we dropped our stuff at the hotel before making a beeline for the Georgia International Convention Center, and the SQPN booth set up in the Exhibit Hall as part of the Eucharistic Congress taking place there this weekend as well:

We immediately began our socialization efforts, and I spent the weekend forcing people to take ridiculous selfies with me, like this one:

That would be Fr. Cory Sticha (@FrCorySticha), Fr. Darryl Millette (@frdarryl), and Sarah (@mssarahkp).

There are a bunch more of my photos on my Twitter timeline if you want to take a peek, and a special Tagboard for the conference with all of the mentions compiled in one spot using the hashtag #CNMC15. Sweet, right? 

From that point on, I took stock of my personality: reserved, quiet, can be kind of a dud. What I wanted from this weekend was: fun! frivolity! fantastic! So I made the decision to really push myself to be as social as possible. I wanted to meet people, and I wanted to enjoy their company. This means that I would have to TALK to them. That doesn't necessarily come naturally to me, so my social switch had to be set to: "MEGAWATT!" Annndddddd...I think it worked. :)

I met a LOT of people. Wonderful, funny, kind people. Saturday before dinner I hung out in the hotel bar and introduced myself to people. I forced them to take yet more choppy photos with me:

Dee Fox from "Catholic Vitamins!" And Stephanie Zimmer (@angelsteph), and Marika (@oneeyedsmiley)

Over drinks, yay! with Allison Gingras (@reconciledtoyou)

We then went to dinner Saturday night to commemorate the 10th Jubilee anniversary of SQPN. I forced my camera on people again:

...and it was rather an emotional night. That is a theme, right there. ;-) During his short speech at dinner, Greg Willits (one of the founders of SQPN) made me tear up. The problem with my sensitive personality is that I very much absorb the emotional reactions of others and feel them keenly. Then I desperately want to soothe them and make them feel better. So when I see someone else cry, I get all:

*gulp!* "You are crying?! NOW I AM CRYING! We are crying together!! Is this making you feel any better, I can't imagine that it would?! How do we stop now??"

So that happened. Twice. But it was a lovely night and I talked to a TON of great people. I was so tired by the end of the night (early flight + Megawatt Social Tiffany = exhaustion) I could hardly keep my eyes open. And then I didn't even sleep all that well, because I am freakish and never sleep well when I'm away from home. And hello, MASS AT 8 AM! How nice to see you. ;-) So I was tired the next day too.

However, it was so worth it. Mass, conference sessions, more socializing and networking. I taught Stephanie how to knit socks during lunch, because isn't that what everyone aspires to do, knit during conferences? If you don't, then you don't know what you're missing. ;-)

I learned some things about recording audio, and about writing, and about team building. Greg Willits made me cry again, and so did Lisa Hendey, and Fr. Roderick's video keynote speech.

Two of the guilty tear-inducing parties featured in this hilarious photo

I learned a lot. But more importantly, I learned FROM the people that I met. The people who absolutely touched my heart and made me feel welcome and included.

Sunday evening I went to dinner with a bunch of my new friends. And then had drinks in the hotel bar with some others, one of whom is an absolute dear friend, Capt. Jeff:

...and he is also one of my *very* favorite SQPNer's, but SHHHH! Don't tell him. ;-)

By the end of the night, I was absolutely exhausted, but at the same time couldn't have been more content. Good things are coming from this, I just know it. And the friendships that were cultivated just make me smile every time I think back on our time together.

Whenever I come back from an event like this, I feel blue. I was so glad to get home to my family, but I miss the fellowship with my friends, and I don't know when I'll see them in person again. But I hold on to the warm feelings, and the prayers, and all of the support that I'll continue to get from them online, deep in my heart.

And so, this morning, I recorded this video. To say thank you. If you were there with me at the CNMC, I'm speaking directly to you. If you weren't, but read this blog, I'm speaking to you too. We are all a community in the Body of Christ, and you all matter to me. So much. I'm going to warn you that I cry in this video. Quite a bit. :0 So if emotional things like that bother you, skip this one. But I hope you'll watch it. Because we're all in this journey of life together, good times and bad, joy and sorrow. There's no sorrow coming out of this weekend, only joy, but sometimes joy causes tears too.


So. What did you think? Got any new ideas regarding ministry and evangelization, collaboration and creativity? I hope you'll write to me. *hug*

7 Quick Takes {Take 82} On a jet plane to the CNMC! edition...

Well, away I'm about to go, and I'm all atwitter with excitement and nervous energy. How has my trip preparation process been going, you ask?

-1- My video post yesterday really put me in a happily excited place...

I purposely waited until Thursday this week to record my video post so that I could capture my in-the-moment feelings of joy and nervousness about my trip. I really enjoyed recording this week's post, and each week I can see myself growing more and more comfortable with this new use of media. Loving it! The video really made my trip seem real and HERE. Subsequently, I moved into full-on packing and preparation mode. But then...

-2- I promptly forgot to do a bunch of things :0

My memory, always somewhat overloaded because I'm an introvert and have lots of conversations with myself in my own head, is even worse than usual. I was so preoccupied with my packing list that I forgot to bring in honey for my work tea cabinet for the fifth time this week (as an aside, Mike always snorts when he sees "WORK HONEY" on the grocery list), and also to check-in with the airline this morning to retrieve my boarding pass.

#typical

-3- But I did pack a bag! Mostly

Last night while Anne "helped," I stuffed some clothes and other necessities into my cute new orange carry-on bag. It all fit! Kinda. It's not like I need a lot of stuff, but I like to have outfit options depending upon the weather and other factors. It's complicated! Other women will understand this phenomenon. ;-) But I was encouraged that everything was able to be maneuvered into my new bag. I just have to manage to not forget the things that I still need to use until I leave. #challengeoftheday

-4- Of key importance whenever I travel by air...

Kindle. Knitting. Phone loaded with podcasts. That's all I need right there, and I'm a happy girl. I can't use two of these items (Kindle and knitting) when I travel by car because I get motion sickness. Lovely, aren't you glad that you know that? But one of (the few ;-)) perks in my mind of traveling by air is that I do not experience motion sickness. Usually. As long as the plane is big enough it doesn't seem to bother me. And so long as I have those distractions I am content. And we can all breathe a sigh of relief when THAT happens.

-5- But alcohol also helps...

...and it doesn't matter what time of the day it is. I'm just SAYING. I'm a nervous flyer, and even if it should be 9 in the morning, a little Bailey's in the coffee never hurt anybody. I defy you to find fault with this logic. ;-)

-6- I am going to miss my babies. :-\

Anne in particular has been very emotional about me going away.

"Mommy, I don't want you to leave!! Can't I come too?!"

You know, real tear-your-heart-out stuff. I always feel terrible leaving, but I do it so rarely, I know I shouldn't feel guilty. And of course, I always assure about how I'm coming right back. But it doesn't make the heart sickness any easier.

Henry is pretty laid back about such things, but he's 9 now, so that's to be expected. And he's such a reserved kid (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...) that his idea of showing how much he'll miss me is to wave from safely across the room. He'll be fine. But I worry about Anne, since she's so much littler.

*sniffles*

-7- But all that aside, I'm planning on reveling in the joy and fellowship, and just having a GREAT time!

If you're going to be in Atlanta this weekend, I cannot WAIT to meet you! What a wonderful opportunity for friendship and spiritual nourishment we have, and I plan to not waste a second of it. Much revelry to come!

I will write up a full recap early next week, I promise. I'm not getting back until Monday, so I won't talk to the rest of you until Tuesday, but I'll be burning up Twitter with my chatter, I'm sure, so follow me on there if you want all of the minute details. ;-) Otherwise, I'll talk to you Tuesday! May God bless you!

Check out more 7 Quick Takes over at This Ain't the Lyceum. :)

Tea Time with Tiffany Episode 3 - New media & a sense of community!

Hi all, it's that time again!

Today I'm talking about community of the new media variety - so blogs, podcasts, friendships via social media, all that good stuff. My own initiation into this sphere was via SQPN and Catholic podcasts, so I talk about that, as well as my amusement-inducing first experience at a Catholic New Media Conference, and how I'm headed to my second installment this weekend! Join me!


Links mentioned in this week's episode:

Star Quest Production Network (SQPN)
Catholic New Media Conference (CNMC)
My first experience at the CNMC in 2013 (shy nerd alert!)
Sacred Heart Novena
Follow me on Twitter at @CatholicTiffany

If you've been to a CNMC, or are going *squeals!* do write in and let me know! Also, what are your thoughts regarding online community? Is it as meaningful to you as it is to me? Looking forward to hearing from you. :)

Packing insanity & other amusing tales...

What on earth is in the photo attached to this post, you reasonably ask? Well, dear reader, that would be a patented Tiffany To-Do List, complete with indecipherable chicken scratch, question marks, and random notes. I've actually expanded the list to now include things that I need to pack, with emphasis given to my Kindle, hair straightener, and knitting paraphernalia.

#priorities

I've had little butterflies in the pit of my stomach since last weekend, which is both good and bad. It's good in that it indicates that I'm very excited about my trip this weekend to Atlanta for the Catholic New Media Conference. I don't go on trips very often, and trips by myself are practically unheard of, so this is a wonderful opportunity for spiritual refreshment and fellowship. So what's the bad? Well. :) I'm not sleeping very well because I'm all anxious about the things that I want to complete before I leave (hence the list), and I'm slowly turning into The Funnel Cloud of Tornadoing Tiffany Energy in my efforts to make mincement of the things I want to get done.

I had the inevitable moment over the weekend that lead to the creation of The List:

"I need to mail Irena's birthday gift. Oh. And I have that voucher for NY & Co. that is good only this week and I can use to get a cute new outfit for my trip. And I need to go to Target to get a new suitcase, since our current ones are crap. And I need to look into the parking situation at the airport. And..."

*panics*

So I made a list. Because lists always make me feel better and more in control.

#boom

And it's going well. I've been crossing things off like a very eager little bunny, and Mike (who is home with Anne during the day for this short intercession between spring and summer semesters) has been aiding me as well.

Yesterday, I excitedly ordered a new bag, because we desperately needed one. I wanted a rolling bag that any of us could use for a trip (translation: not fuchsia or bright purple, which is what I would pick for myself ;-)) that would meet all of the carry-on specifications for any airline. Yes, I am one of *those* people. :0 I would much rather have my little collection of stuff right with me, where it can't get lost on a short trip. For a longer trip, obviously it's different, but for a weekend, I'd rather be sure that my motley assortment of prized yarn and cheap drug store makeup won't go missing when I need it.

So I did a little research, and as ever, Amazon to the rescue! Cute orange rolling carry-on bag on it's way to me, due at our house on Wednesday evening. Perfect.

I've been assembling things next to the radiator in our bedroom as I think of them that I want to pack. And then each day tackling other things on my list that need to get done. We're getting there!

Getting back to the butterflies, the other thing that they indicate is that I am so *nervous*. :) I'll talk about this a bit more in the video post coming this week, but when I meet people in real life that I previously only knew online/via a podcast, it stresses me out a little bit. ;-) I can't help it, I'm a Nervous Nelly; I want people to like me! And I feel like I can really put my best foot forward in an online environment. In real life? All kinds of crazy stuff could happen. I could trip and fall and make a spectacle of myself. I could get something stuck in my teeth. I could develop a fever rash at a very inopportune time. :0 And thus, perhaps the worst case scenario could happen: PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT I AM WEIRD. It's the fear of every introvert, right there. 

But yes, all that aside, I am SO excited. I leave Saturday morning, and get back next Monday afternoon. I plan tons of fun socializing and learning of new things that will translate into exciting projects right here on this blog. I'll definitely post a full recap next week, and this Thursday I'm planning a video post talking about my previous experience with the CNMC, SQPN and generally feeling a part of an online Catholic community.

How are you doing this week, dear reader?

7 Quick Takes {Take 73} Things that show the approach of spring, edition...

We are really thinking SPRING around here, people!! It's been around 40 degrees each day this week, and we've seen significant reduction in the snow pack. We can finally back out of the driveway without risking our lives!

#booyah!

So what are 7 things ruminating in my little head this pre-spring Friday?

-1- Laetare Sunday!

The 4th Sunday of Lent means that we are officially halfway through, and it is Laetare Sunday (rose vestments!) which I wrote about last year in the Catholic Nook.

Easter feels *closeish* now, yes? Just two weeks and it'll be Holy Week! I am beyond excited.

-2- Fun spring feast days

We all know that St. Patrick's day is coming on March 17th, but the feast of St. Joseph is March 19th along with his traditional St. Joseph's Table. This tradition is big around here in WNY, and Henry's class is having one. We're all pitching in food items, so the kids and I are slated to bake some cookies next week to send in on the feast day. The class will have a spread of fruit and pastries, and are welcomed to bring in saint statues to add to the classroom altar for the day. I knew that I loved his school.

-3- My baby! *sniffle*

Although this is still a few months off, spring makes me think ahead to Anne's birthday in May.

"I want an Elsa cake!"

See, I'm not the only one thinking about Anne's birthday. :0 She's going to be 4, as unfathomable as that is. Remembering back to this time in 2011, I loved being pregnant in the spring. I noticed the other little baby animals being born, and felt a kinship. :) In fact, I seem to remember some birds' nests in unwanted places near our house, as if they sensed a sympathetic breeding female nearby... Naturally, we let them stay, I wouldn't have it any other way. ;-)

-4- A very exciting shoe order

I'm not really what you would call a "shoe person." Shoes are mostly functional to me, although I do like them to be cute. But I don't buy them all that often, just when a current pair needs replacing. With the weather finally thawing, I thought it was the right time to look for open toe summer shoes and sandals for Anne and I, since ours from last year either don't fit (in her case) or were thrown out due to ugly wear marks (mine). One pair of sandals, and one pair of dressier open toes, for each of us, now on their way to us! I'm very excited about this, because I do have a few trips planned this summer, and I will definitely need the shoes for those, such as...

-5- I have CNMC reservations!

It's official! I am registered for the Catholic New Media Conference in Atlanta on June 7th, and I have flight and hotel reservations. I.am.so.EXCITED. :0 I know of a group of people also going from Twitter, but if you're reading this and you're going (and I haven't chatted with you on Twitter) please comment to let me know! I'll be there Saturday around noon until Monday morning, so let's plan lots of socializing time. :)

-6- Dance performance gigs are lining up

The spring and summer is our busy time in my dance troupe, and I'm looking forward to getting back into performing. We're having a hafla on May 2nd (working on a solo now *bites nails*) and we have several festivals in July and August that we're now booked at. Super, duper FUN. I adore those girls. We've been working on revamping the tray/wings number, the new (and distressingly complicated) veil choreography, finishing the Shaabi piece, and keeping the newer drum solo in our repertoire. Lots to remember, right there. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

-7- March book club coming up!

This March, I'm reading Trusting God With St. Therese by Connie Rossini:

I started it this week, and I am *really* impressed. Sometimes nonfiction is too dry for me, but not this book. I love it's structure, very personal, with stories from the lives of both the author and St. Therese. If you're reading along, I'd love to hear your thoughts! We'll be discussing this book on Wednesday March 25th.

All right everyone, have a beautiful weekend! With Mike's play all wrapped up, I'm looking forward to having the entire family home and all to myself all weekend long. :) Talk to you on Monday! And don't forget to head to This Ain't the Lyceum for more 7 Quick Takes!

St. Michael novena, upcoming Lent plans, and can't miss out on the Catholic fun!

Morning all! No new snow today, and I got out of the driveway without getting stuck, so this makes for a perkier Catholic Librarian. :)

I also received notification in my email that Pray More Novenas is starting a novena to St. Michael the Archangel today. His feast day isn't until September 29th, but petitions for healing and protection seem timely in the days leading up to Lent, no? Perfect! I created a blog page to remind us all of the novena, and you can access the Pray More Novenas page that way as well. The novena runs today through Ash Wednesday.

Speaking of Lent, I've been awaiting inspiration, and the fount of beatific visions just isn't coming to me right now, but no matter. I am a librarian, I am resourceful! I made a list *pushes glasses into place*. I have a plan, folks! An official plan. More about that in 7 Quick Takes this coming Friday. 7 Lenten things, oh yay!

In other exciting developments, I have official flight reservations to attend the Catholic New Media Conference on June 7th.

*balloon release!*

 I agonized over the available times, wanting to arrive early enough on Saturday so that I don't miss anything (without having to pay for another night of hotel by arriving Friday night) and then secure a not-too-late flight back home Monday. However, I don't relish the thought of getting up at some ungodly middle-of-the-night hour, so I didn't want it to be TOO early. I reluctantly chose a 7:30 am Saturday flight, which means I'll still have to get up pretty early, but it's not apocalyptic. Mike pointed out a 9:30 am flight:

"Well yes, that would make for a much more pleasant morning, but then I won't get in until 3:50 in the afternoon, and if there's a delay? Too late."

A layover is at play, ugh.

"I'd rather get in as close to noon as possible. There will be activities planned for the evening, and I don't want to miss those. I can't risk missing ANYTHING FUN."

I take my fun very seriously when I am with people whose company I covet and enjoy.

*Mike arches an amused eyebrow*

"Ah. We can't have you missing anything fun, especially when it's Catholic fun."

"That's right."

*approving nod*

Glad he saw the reason behind my stance. ;-)

So I'm all booked for that trip! I get in just after 1 pm, so if you're going, let's start planning the fun now. :0

7 Quick Takes {Take 67} What to look forward to in 2015 edition...

Happy Friday everybody! When I write a post, I like my inspiration to be "fresh," if you will. As in, I contemplate what is on my mind that very morning, and then sometime during the day I write about THAT. It's all very stream of consciousness. :) And so this morning as I struggled to pump gas into my car with snow blowing into my face, I had to use a pump on the opposite side from my fuel tank, and so a little bit of swear language and hose manipulation was involved, and, wait! I don't even care about this anecdote, so why should you?! :0 Anyway, I kept thinking about how excited I am for 2015. There are so many things happening this year that I am so grateful for and anticipating with much eagerness. What are those things? Settle in, dear reader!

-1- My babies!

They're getting big. :) Henry will be 10 in November, a milestone to be sure, and Anne will be 4 in May. I remember 4 being a truly magical age with Henry in which things got a heck of a lot easier. To be honest, they've been easier with Anne already (I've probably just jinxed myself, doh!) and I think it's simply a male/female thing. Girls mature a bit faster than boys. I do so enjoy the squishy baby years, but can I be totally up front? Well, sure, because this is my blog, right? :) I enjoy my kids even more when they are older. I struggled with depression when Henry was a baby and toddler. With Anne I was on the lookout for that, so it was definitely less bad, but it was still there. My kids get older and BAM! No depression. :) So this year feels good, really good. Together with my precious hubby, I'm enjoying my kids (when they're not fighting *groans*) and all feels right with the world.

-2- I feel all included and warm and fuzzy *heart*

Since the Conclave that elected Pope Francis, I've been much more involved in Catholic social media. Mostly Twitter, but other things as well. And, gosh. It is WONDERFUL. I feel a part of a larger community and it is very meaningful to me. These are people I've never met in real life, but yet I feel like I know them. I'm encouraged by them, and I encourage them if they're having a bad day. I find all sort of great ideas and inspiration from them. I knit things for their kids. They are like my extended family in faith, and I think God for them everyday.

-3- My future with this blog here with YOU!

I've been blogging since 2008, but for many years...let's just say not too many people read it. :0 That was fine, that has never been why I keep a blog. Once again, being totally honest here, the reason I blog is for ME. I love to write, it's a creative outlet for me, and that's the reason I continue. If that wasn't the reason, it wouldn't be genuine, you know? However, I would certainly be less inspired if no one read my musings. For years after I started, I was getting hits on my posts, sure, but very few. It's humbling to go back and look at those numbers. :) Now, I get a lot more readers. Granted "a lot" is a very relative description. ;-) This blog isn't exactly in the big time, if you know what I mean. And I doubt that it ever will, which is fine with me. I just enjoy my tiny sliver of the Catholic blogosphere, and the fact that I feel like I know some of you who leave comments fairly regularly, that's just... *tears up!* It's wonderful, and it means so much to me. I can't wait to continue sharing my life with you, and finding new and creative ways to do what I love. And THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for being here.

-4- Catholic New Media Conference/Celebration - Who's with me?!

Back in October of 2013, I wrote about my experiences at the first CNMC that I had ever attended, and I've been a part of the SQPN podcast community for many years, nearly since I started blogging. But I had always backed away from ever leaving feedback for the many shows I listened to or attending the CNMC because, you know, SCARY. Then people I admire will know I exist and may think I'm stupid. :0 But when my sister Shauna'h said that she was going, that gave me the impetus to come out of hiding, and now I'm hooked. It is *fantastic* to meet other enthusiastic Catholics in real life and develop friendships that can then thrive in social media. It's a tremendous boost to my faith and truly, to my happiness. SO. The CNMC 2015 is going to be held June 7th in Atlanta, GA.

WHO ELSE IS GOING?! :0 If you are, I demand (nicely, of course ;-)) that you leave a comment so that we can start plotting fun meet ups. I'm almost certainly going. Registration isn't open yet, but my pre-planning seems to have borne fruit and I can register and make a flight reservation when the time comes. I AM SO EXCITED. I can't wait! Have I mentioned that I'm excited? Are you going?! Let me know!


-5- Getting older. I mean it! Kinda ;-)

There are obviously disadvantages to getting older. We're all familiar with them, no need to rehash. ;-) But there are also advantages. And one of those is confidence in the things that you enjoy, and a deep sense of appreciation for them. I'm turning 40 this year, and instead of bemoaning that as the beginning of the end of my life, I see my life as being in its prime right now. And for the next...long, long time, no need to examine that any further. :0 Hey! 40 is the new 20 after all. At least that's what all of my old friends from high school are saying on Facebook....

But speaking of getting older, I got my new glasses!

This is my librarian look...

 I look happy and content, yes? Good. Because I am. :)

-6- 7 years of growing into something I NEVER could have pictured myself doing back when I was voted "Shyest" in my senior class...

And finally, we circle back to dance. I've always been a shy person, always. And when I started dancing again in my early 30's, I was doing it for fun and exercise, nothing more. When Claire, my beloved teacher, would talk about her performance group, I would think to myself:

"Good heavens, they dance in PUBLIC? Glad that'll never be me."

Yeah, well, all these years later...it's ME! :0

Between sets at an arts festival, July 2014, because who doesn't need a swooning picture? :)

Middle Eastern dance has given me inspiration and confidence, and a wonderful circle of friends, and so, so much more. I love it. We have a hafla on May 2nd, and more festival fun this summer, and at 40 years old? Pshaw! That's infancy for a belly dancer. :0 My best years are still ahead! Have I mentioned how much I love it?

I don't have a 7th take this week. Some weeks are just like that. :0

This was a fun post to write! And there are more 7 Quick Takes over at This Ain't the Lyceum, go ahead and see. :) Talk to you all on Monday!

Catholic New Media Conference 2013 - I'm still glowing

I'm home and I'm still all floaty. I don't even know where to begin really to talk about my trip, except to say that I'm so very, very grateful that I had the opportunity to go, and I recommend it to anybody else who values sharing their faith via new media in the way that I do. AND, it provides a friendly and happy atmosphere in which to meet fellow Catholics. YOU, gentle reader, should go next year. You'll learn a lot, and we can schmooze over wine in the evening, it's a win/win, trust me. Ok, I suppose I should just start from the beginning.

I traveled to Boson early Saturday morning with my sister, Shauna'h. We drove down from Maine, her state of residence, and arrived at the Pastoral Center for the Archdiocese of Boson right before the 8 am opening Mass. We checked in, we fixed our hair, we twittered about, we did all that girl stuff. We felt anxious, since we didn't know anybody else but each other. We filed into the chapel.

Lovely, yes? A very prayerful environment, just a beautiful Mass. And thereupon we had our first Fr. Roderick sighting.

*squeals!*

I adore Fr. Roderick. I have listened to his podcast and many others from his Star Quest Production Network for years. I am just a huge fan of his down-to-earth, jovial style. And now I would finally get to meet him in person, after listening to his show and feeling a part of his life and ministry for years. It was enough to make a Catholic girl very, very happy. Shauna'h (a fellow Fr. Roderick fan) and I plotted how we would corner him and make him pose for a photograph with us, but we'll get back to that in a moment. :)

First, we had the keynote speaker for the conference, who was Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

He was *excellent* and a recording of his presentation is up on the SQPN site right now. He was articulate and engaging (and an Irish accent always helps, let me tell you) and his insider view of Pope Francis's social media presence was just riveting. An AWESOME way to start off the conference.

Next, I attended a blogging session while Shauna'h went to a talk on Pope Francis. And can I tell you, I *loved* live Tweeting. It was such a novelty to me to be able to pull out my tablet and Tweet to my little heart's content all while that not being considered rude.

I was in heaven. And the blogging session was great. We talked about some tips for increasing your readership and how *relationship* between blog writer and blog reader is so key. I happily took notes and live Tweeted important tidbits the entire time. After that, Shauna'h and I together attended a retreat-like presentation on the role of Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, in our lives and ministries.

Pretty soon it was time for lunch. By this point, I had a happy buzz going from everything that I was learning, but Shauna'h and I hadn't really met anyone yet because we were being #introverts. This is a genetic condition, apparently. But I didn't really know how to break the ice on this one. I was feeling like I wanted to be more social, and my live Tweeting garnered me some new happy Twitter followers, but I needed to actually talk to people face-to-face. That's a lot harder. :0

We ate our sandwiches and wandered out into the hallway. We stumbled happily upon some book giveaways and other opportunities to purchase:

And here's where things get *really* fun. As we formed a little gaggle out in the hallway, Fr. Roderick crossed our path on his way to sign copies of his book, Geekpriest. I have already read his (excellent, and funny) book as a reviewer, but I wanted an official personalized copy, so Shauna'h and I were hovering near the book signing table. We overheard Father saying that he was hoping to find someone to take a photo of him with a friend holding light sabers, since that is the pose he is striking on the cover of his book. We pounced.

Next thing you knew, Shauna'h was using Fr. Roderick's iPhone to snap photos of him, and then it was pretty easy to segue into this:

And this:

I mean, DID YOU EVER?!

As Shauna'h and I stood nearby waiting for Father to sign our books, I remarked that we are pretty much Fr. Roderick groupies. And we weren't alone. A little line formed to snake around the table, awaiting Fr. Roderick autographs. Meanwhile, Father was unassumedly crafting personalized missives to write into each book, and when someone gently tapped his shoulder to let him know that the line had lengthened, he nearly jumped out of his chair in shock. Could the man get more precious? I mean, I didn't really think it was possible for him to be even more charming in person than he is on his podcast. I was, however, quite wrong.

My rock star moment

I was just elated. I came down from Cloud Nine long enough to attend a session on using new media to converse with inactive Catholics, and a moderated panel discussion. All too soon, we were attending the final prayer service and Eucharistic Adoration, and then heading to our hotel. I felt jam packed with useful new information, and inspired to put it into practice. But I still wanted to socialize.

We had met Fr. Roderick, a real coup, but I really wanted to come out of my shell and meet some other new people as well. Shauna'h and I decided to dine down in the hotel bar to see if we ran into anybody from the conference.

*blissful sigh*

We did. We met a bunch of people from the Catholic Weekend podcast, Maria Johnson, Billy Newton and Sarah Vabulas. All super nice. They all remembered me from Twitter.

:0

The Catholic Librarian was very, very happy about this, I assure you. Afterwards, Shauna'h and I went over to the official Tweetup, which was at a Dave & Buster's.

Oy.

The location was described to me as a "Chuck E. Cheese for grown ups" which I have to say is not only an unflattering description, it is an accurate one. Very difficult to converse there, since it is so loud, and not a lot of space to gather given the set up. At first, Shauna'h and I sat at the bar and had a drink, hoping for things to clear out a bit so that we could do a social approach of the SQPN Tweetup crowd. No easy feat, let me tell you. There just wasn't a lot of room to move. Eventually, we finished our drinks and moved over to say goodbye to everyone. They were all quite gracious, and we got to speak to Fr. Roderick for another minute or so. Then we bumped into Jeff Nielsen, the host of Catholic Weekend, and ended up chatting with him for about 15 minutes. A very kind and funny person, he rather made our night. We went back to the hotel feeling very happy that we had extended our introverted selves and introduced ourselves to some wonderful people.

The next morning, Shauna'h and I attended Mass before heading back to Maine. It all went by so fast, I'm terribly sad that it's already over. I am, however, SO glad that I went, and I plan to attend again so that I can learn more and keep up with some of the connections that I made. They were live streaming Catholic Weekend while we were there, and were looking for conference attendees to join in. Jeff assures me that next year he wants me to come over and be on. :0 There is nothing I hate more than hearing my own voice, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

So now I'm trying (somewhat unsuccessfully, I forgot at least 3 things this morning) to get back into my regular routine after such a special weekend. I feel very blessed and inspired. I will keep you all posted when plans for CNMC 2014 are announced, and I'm serious, I WANT YOU ALL TO GO.

I'll buy you a drink! Seriously, how can you not go now?!