The Great Escape – #BlogU14

Don’t remind my husband, but tomorrow at lunch time I am sneaking out of work, catching a bus to Heathrow and flying to Baltimore, Maryland for the weekend.

I’ve taken a big chunk of my fun money savings and bought myself a ticket to the BlogU Conference this weekend. 150-ish awesome bloggers. 20-something super cool faculty members. HuffPo, Nickmoms and a bunch of great sponsors. It’s pretty much my dream and I haven’t even told you the best part. I’m FINALLY going to meet some of the BLUNTmoms and my Be Alone co-authors in real life.

(Look at my super cute business cards! Aren’t I professional!)

But wait…it gets even better. While I’m making the great escape, Nomad Papa will be managing the kids for more than 24 hours all alone for the FIRST TIME EVER. Guys, my kids are three and five and Nomad Papa regularly travels for work. To say that this is long overdue is like saying that the Pope has some religious inclinations. Between you and me, when his mother said that she couldn’t come up and help him for the weekend, I pissed myself laughing.

I’m leaving work tomorrow at noon and I’m due back in on Monday at noon. In case you’re worried that I won’t ever be able to fill all of those hours, rest assured that I have over-scheduled myself from door to door. One book to read, two books to write and twelve movies to watch on my flight. A pedicure during my layover at JFK. Conference activities from 11:30am on Friday until 11am on Sunday. Then lunch with friends, a rush to the airport, red eye flight, a stop a home to refresh my deodorant and then back at my desk at noon-ish.

Yes, I’ve already told everyone that while I’ll physically be there Monday afternoon, my mental state is still very much in question. Fortunately for me, it’s like that every day, so no one is likely to notice 😉

In these final hours at home, bags packed, laundry and shopping done, kids asleep, I just have one thing left to do: figure out what to say to people who you e-know WAY too well but have never met in person. You can’t exactly say hello and shake hands with someone who knows your deepest, darkest secrets. Did I mention I’m *not* a hugger? Aww crap, I think I’m gonna have to hug.

That’s it – that’s the story of my great escape. I promise not to spam up your facebook and twitter feeds with photos from the conference (lie) or make you feel uber-jealous of our beer tasting and cupcake buffet (another lie). If it makes you feel better, I’m carrying each and every one of you along with me in spirit.