Pre-Conference Plugs

It's almost time for Conference and I am super excited! In case you're doing some last-minute planning, here are some services that I have used with good results that may come in handy for those attending conference. Some of these things are FREE, so a browse should be worthwhile to all.

Transportation: If you're looking for a ride to/from the airport, I would highly recommend John's Transportation. My husband and I had the pleasure of meeting John on our recent trip to Disneyworld. He was a great professional, very accommodating. Our plane was delayed for 4 hours (which he called and alerted us to) and he was still very prompt at the airport to greet us very very very late at night though I'm sure we ravaged his schedule. Prices were reasonable and I had a great experience with his family business.

Address Labels: I was very jealous of the people who brought address labels to the expo last time I went to conference. Everyone wants to fill out their names to enter drawings and win freebies, but it can be a lot of writing with so many exhibitors! Address labels on a roll, custom made with email address as well, save so much time. I used Superior Labels because they came up quick on a google search. I got plenty of opportunities to check the order, and shipping was quick. 300 labels for $10.

Email: As an addendum to the above expo information, if you don't want your email account to be overloaded with job offers and newsletters, consider getting a second (third, fourth...) email account. GMail accounts are free and the best service that I've found. Great filtering of messages, search capability of messages, and you never have to delete anything again. The Labs features for gooogle products are a great bonus to customize your capabilities. I'd consider switching if you have anything else, but even if you don't want to do that it will make a great secondary.

Business Cards: I liked the selection of designs offered for cards designed by FedEx. Link goes to those with a keyword of "therapy" which has several nifty backgrounds including one with a reacher. Ironically, you cannot order these at a FedEx store, only online. I would recommend being comfortable with concepts used in microsoft word & publisher such as manipulating text boxes since that's what you'll need to get any kind of custom look. Shipping was pretty quick, but 500 for $30 is a little more expensive than I have seen at some local stores, so you may be able to scout a better deal in your neighborhood. I'm a little bummed because I forgot to add my twitter link on my cards, but otherwise they look pretty spiffy.

Shoes: First, a free tip that saved my feet in Las Vegas. I always thought that there was one right way to lace shoes, but recently I've been having a problem with too-tight forefoot sections causing pain and numbness in my feet. When I came across the suggestions from Dick's Sporting Goods for lacing depending on the type of foot, it changed my sneaker-wearing self forever. I am a believer, and have no more problems from the shoes. So when you say, "hey your sneakers look funny," I will say, "thank you, they feel great!"

Secondly, the curved sole shoes have really become a fad in recent years... not quite to the point of heelies, but still causing a stir. I got interested in them when I saw MBT shoes on the Rachel Ray show a few years ago, but couldn't bear to spend >$200 on a pair of shoes. (Their website never works on my computer, so I won't link it, however I will do this) I was willing however, to spend about $30 for this Curves Sandal from Avon, and also to buy some knockoff sneakers from some place on Ebay. (Regarding the sneakers, it was a bit of a mistake for me not to notice that they were being shipped from halfway around the world, which did take a considerable amount of extra time.) I don't know that they work my calves more or give me more of a workout than any other sneaker. They suck for climbing stairs, and you'd have to be a fool to exercise in them (running, machines, etc). I know that I have to consciously work on a heel-toe gait pattern to avoid stepping with the largest part of the curve. Best part of these shoes for me (and a legitimate factor in calorie-burning) is that I can move while standing still, getting in some fidgeting and vestibular input. If you've never worn these kind of shoes before, don't get them before conference because your feet will regret it. Work up to it at a different time.

Please note, these are unpaid and unrequested endorsements of products and services that I have personally used.