Luck, Conference, and New Orleans

Nothing like being away from home when your credit card gets hacked. Yep, that's what happened to us while we were in New Orleans for the FF&P Fantasy on the Bayou Conference.

On Friday morning, my husband's phone constantly pinged an alert. I was up and editing, he was in bed asleep. After about the tenth ping, I woke him asking him what it was all about (the bank alerts him when the card is being charged and since we were together and it was 8am, I was pretty sure it wasn't us).

Thank goodness all of the transactions were still pending. Still, now we have to get a new credit card. You never realize how many places you have that thing stored at (i.e. automatic billing for the cell phone) until you have to replace it. What a pain.

I know it could have been worse and thankful it wasn't. The guy at the bank said he was in New Orleans the previous week and got pick-pocketed. He told my husband, "Try flying back home without a driver's license." So, in that regards, I guess we're lucky that's all that happened!

Other than that unfortunate event, the conference went very well. It was small – or would that be intimate? – and made for nicer workshops (where you could interact more easily). Even the pitches were relaxed (compared to RWA where I felt like a basic trainee soldier being barked at by the Drill Sergeant). I got to meet lots of people I only knew by name (since I'm in the FF&P chapter of RWA).

And the highlight of the conference was the Vampire/Ghost tour we took Friday night. Even got some extra-curricular activity watching during that tour. As our guide was trying to relay some horrendous information about the house we stood at, a truck parked out front started blaring music and hopped up and down. I first thought the music was causing it to jump. That wasn't the case. Yep, I saw an ass in the window. When they were all finished, one guy and two girls came out of the truck and screamed "I love New Orleans!" before walking away. And here I thought they loved each other. They sure gave us a lot to talk (and laugh) about the next day. Great conversation starter!

If there's another conference next year, I will seriously consider returning. I had fun. So did my husband. He said he wouldn't mind accompanying me again. I think he just liked the fact it was warm and he could go walking outside (instead of on a treadmill).

Next convention – Romantic Times (April, Chicago). Leaving the husband home this time. Definitely not his thing.