We have a long morning this morning, even after we are over the trauma of our first publicity event!  Now comes an even more terrifying task – learning how to do what we’re all here to do! 

I feel fairly comfortable on a computer, as long as all I really have to do is answer email, blog, and maybe upload a photo or two.  Going into this, that may be all that’s required of us, and we’ll all live through the experience.  If they start throwing those scary letters around – you know the ones – HTML, Excel, Work – I might have to rethink the whole plan! 

Before we get started, those enormous gift bags that we put together in Cathy’s room last night are presented to our fearless leaders.  I thought we might need a forklift to actually get them in the room, but hey, these are moms (and Doug) we’re working with here, and as all of you who are moms know, there are depths to our strength that can not be measured.

The computer training is not really that scary once we’re into things.  It certainly seems like something we should be able to figure out on our own.  We go over how to find the questions, how to answer them, and how if we’ve answered them incorrectly, it will go down in history as the single wrong answer that brought down the whole Moms Panel concept.  Okay, maybe they didn’t say that exactly, but I know I certainly don’t want to get anything wrong! 

During our computer training, a wayward musician stumbles into the room, seeking out a family party elsewhere.  It turns out, this is Guitar Disney, a staple at the theme parks for his ability to whip up a song on the spot.  My apologies for not taking a photo of Guitar Dan, but I was listening so intently to his song and laughing so hard that I forgot to pull my camera out!  The song was about all of us and some secrets a little bird must have dug up on us all!  This was the highlight of the computer training session!

We have a short break, during which we are given boxes and mailing labels so we can mail home our dirty clothes and fill our suitcases with gifts and souvenirs for our kids, and then we come right back into the training room.  Tom gives us a talk on the media.  I’m glad we’ve done this bit of training, although living where I live, just minutes from one of the highest crime cities in the nation and just outside of Philadelphia, I’m thinking the local media here might have more pressing issues.  I certainly won’t mind doing interviews and talking to people – heck, I’m wondering how I get my own float in the Mummer’s Parade on New Year’s day or in the St. Patrick’s Day parade! – and I’m glad that I’m prepared even if I don’t hear from anyone.

After Tom’s presentation, Heather from the 2008 Moms Panel talked about handling negative comments and harsh criticisms.  Let me put this out for all of you – it is my fat picture.  These are pictures of me taken 1 week before my gastric bypass surgery. 

If you think there’s a chance I haven’t already handled some of the worst comments and criticism human beings can hurl at one another, show me what ya got.  I’ve got a come back for everything, and I know how to keep my mouth shut and let the ignorant hang themselves.

Okay, now that my bruised ego is somewhat soothed, back to the training report!

 

 

We learned at this meeting that the gifts in our rooms the night before were part of the new celebration packages available for people to book for their special milestone events.  My advice to people – bring an extra suitcase!