What Happens at TAEA Convention…

Oh, so in need of a break from my break from work. :)

I went to Dallas for my annual TAEA conference this past weekend, wherein art teachers from across the state of Texas descended on the city like a plague of locusts. (Harsh? Maybe. I’ve seen these folks in the vendors’ hall, though. Harsh, but pretty accurate.)

I’ve already griped about how small the classes were (and thusly, how difficult it was to get into and how you had to be kind of rude and elbow your way into them), so I won’t flog that dead horse. Nor will I flog the one about how we got sidetracked (read: we missed our exit and the people following us went an exit too early) on our original arrival to the hotel and the ensuing hurt feelings and cattiness that evolved. Suffice it to say that the first night was kind of rough. The first morning was kind of rough. Somehow, though, by lunch time on the first day, it all evened out for better or worse and the rest of the weekend was marvelous.

I really love Dallas. Robert and I went there for our honeymoon many moons ago and so it’s always been kind of special to me. As it turns out, the same bar we went to on our honeymoon is still there, albeit now serving as a sports bar. The girls and I camped out on the patio for a good portion of the night and had a few rounds of some local brews (Landshark!), enjoying the company and revelry.

The next few days are a blur of awesome workshops, killer sushi (Sushi World is worth the drive, in and of itself!) and more beer. We saw the Dallas Museum of Art (free—thanks TAEA!), went up in Reunion Tower (where I had to get territorial over a seat at the bar) and rode the DART back and forth more times than I care to count.

All told, it was a great weekend. I missed my family, but it was nice to connect with my “art family” and remember that I am other than “Mom” and “Wife,” even if only for a few days.

Best of all, upon returning home, everyone seemed genuinely glad to see me. It’s nice to feel appreciated, even if it’s just for something as simple as walking through the door.