I am growing up....sort of...

Incident # 1

I had a conference last friday. It was a regional conference where I was taking a poster representing a study my colleauge and I had done together. It was a study on running. I am not an expert on running but I offered her technical support in designing the study and ran the statistics. So basically, I new alot about the design of the study but just a little about the overall background and importance. My colleague couldn't attend the conference, but agreed that I should go ahead and take the poster.

I was prepared for a poster session. In these sessions, the posters are displayed in a large room and the people attending the conference sort of mingle and check out the posters. I have to stand by the poster and answer questions anyone might have. I have done several poster sessions in the past, at both national and international conferences. I have only done one oral presetation though. Oral presentations are intimidating......everyone quiet and all eyes on you. Any little stumble and everyone knows it. And then there is the question and answer session that follows. Usually people are pretty reasonable in their questioning, but there are also the people who are out to get you.

Anyhow, the conference was only one day. There would be oral presentations in the morning. a lunch break, the keynote speaker and then the poster session imediately following that. Everything was cool....UNTIL we went to break for the poster session and the program coordinator announced that they would like each person presenting a poster to do an ORAL presentation before the poster session began!

WTF!!!!!!! I was prepared for poster session, but not and oral presentation. AND I was presenting on something that I was kinda shaky on to begin with. I needed time to prepare what I was going to say to present on this topic, and they had given us only five minutes!!!!!!!!

First I wanted to vomit. Then I wanted to sprint for the door. But these are people I will be working with for the duration of my career, which hasn't even really started yet! I have gotten pretty used to talking in front of crowds, but usually I am more prepared.

After weighing all of my options, I decided I needed to pull it together and try to sound like I knew what I was talking about. Sweating profusely, I studied the abstract and tried to figure out what to say. Good thing I mastered the art of cramming during undergrad!

I was third in line. Only about 100 people attended this conference and they gathered around each poster and listened intently to each presentation. They even made us use the microphone! They handed me the microphone when it was my turn, and off I went. I must have either confused everyone so much or explained it so well that I only got one question. And I think I answered quite brilliantly. phew....

Incident #2

I threw a bridal shower for my college roommate Saturday. I kept it classy with punch and wine and some awesome finger foods. We opened presents, told stories, and did some mad libs (always hilarious....if you haven't done these in a while, they make for some great entertainment when you are drunk). Everyone ate alot, cried a little, and laughed till we peed ourselves. When it was all said and done, my college roommate stated:

"You really pulled it off. It was such a nice shower! And all I thought you could do was make jello shots...."

People, I am growing up.

I will be sure to negate any sign of me growing up this weekend at the bachelorette! Now it is time to go play in the snow. We have 6 inches! Haven't see that much snow since I was a kid!