NRB

My mom joined Facebook today because I was out of town and not making any blog posts.  I found a nice way of doing Facebook updates (or microblogging) by using a service that can accept post updates via sending a text message by phone or AIM, so I use that when the mood strikes me.  I don’t often sit on Facebook and make an update.  This feature was useful this past week while I was in Nashville because I could send a message from my phone in the moments when I was bored … sitting in the airport, manning the booth, driving in cars.

This service also sends the same posts to my twitter account, but really the only reason I use that service is so I can pull in the twitter feed into my blog.  I think only 1 person I know follows my twitter.

At any rate, yes I was at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, TN this past week (Friday until Wednesday)  We had a 10′ x 40′ booth on the show floor again this year.  However, we were able to announce that the English ministry of Back to God Ministries International is now called ReFrame Media – and we had our booth reflect that.

All our programs were highlighted in LCD tv screens hanging on a truss and surrounded by frames.  It was a pretty slick look.  We made a lot of contacts and had a lot of visitors this year.  Part of that was better booth placement – we were more in the center of the room this time.  The NRB estimates that attendance was down this year about 30% and yet we were able to collect more contact information than we did last year (we were also giving away a Macbook, so we had the best prize on the floor, too)

We also hosted a night of music again, this time in the hotel so visitors could come and go and not have to worry about a bus schedule.  It worked out ok, but we didn’t do too much advertising of it – that was one area where we did have to scale back on.  Still, it was a great show put on by Ginny Owens, FFH, and Randal Goodgame.

We were incredibly busy.  I had many meetings with vendors this year that I didn’t have last year.  Most nights we were working until 9 or so, although the concert night kept us up until 1.  We had the booth to set up and tear down and the concert to set up and tear down.  You wouldn’t think a convention would be so physically demanding.

I did make it to a couple of education sessions, but way less than last year.  Still, it was good to be busy.  It meant time went by fast.

I can’t say the same for Sara and Alex, though.  Friday night Alex got really sick and was throwing up most of the night.  They spent several hours in the bathroom trying to get Alex to throw up in the toilet.  Around 4am he finally felt better and was able to get back to sleep.  Saturday he took a 4 hour nap.  Then Sunday night, Sara got the sickness.  She was able to find the strength to get Alex to school Monday, but then came home to sleep.

It’s hard enough being gone, but then hearing everyone is sick and not being able to help out makes it tougher to be away.  Although part of me is glad I wasn’t there for the clean up.  I’m not sure I could have done that.  Sara is amazing.

But now I’m home and everyone is feeling better.  Hopefully the illness is out of the house.  I picked up Alex from school and he gave me a huge hug before I could get his coat on.  He’s learned new words since I’ve been gone and I’m pretty sure he’s grown 6 inches.  He’s learning new words at a rapid pace now and it’s probably not 6 inches.  Maybe only 5.