Someone Else's Shoes

I'm wiped out...four days of non stop learning.

I had a blast though. Four days and five classes - learning new techniques and upgrading old ones. I'm looking forward to trying them out though I'm going to need some new equipment.

Something that happened this year that I haven't experienced at past shows. Since I'm so flippin' pregnant (I'm HUGE!) my ability to walk long distances is severely limited. Unfortunately, the location of the show makes walking a necessity.

Parking sucked. Three of the four days I parked up a hill and about a block away from the show. It was cheaper by $10 a day compared to parking in the hotel lot. Friday I had to carry my heavy suitcase down about six flights of stairs to get to my first class. I was late. I was exhausted. And ticked.

The hotel is NOT set up to allow easy movement for someone who isn't fully functional. Whether pregnant, handicapped, or just someone with a bad leg. The elevators are split so you can't take just one elevator to all the floors. You take one to the lobby and then have to walk to another one down to the first floor.

I really do have a better appreciation for how hard it is for people who aren't fully capable of walking up and down stairs. I am completely exhausted. My legs and back are killing me. And my feet hurt.

Thankfully my issue is temporary...hopefully at next year's show I won't have such difficulty. But there are a lot of people who can't just get rid of their handicap. There are a LOT of beaders / jewelers who are older. And a surprisingly high number who are quite overweight...enough to affect their walking. I hope they take that into consideration next year.

Walking back up to my car tonight after my final class I though I was going to bust a lung. It was ONE block but it was uphill and I was hauling my suitcase behind me (a rolling suitcase of course) ... I seriously could not have talked if I wanted.

But it was a great show and I learned a lot. I'm hoping to get some photos taken of the projects I finished tomorrow and hope to share here and on my other blog. :)