“If you don’t sell them, who cares if you make one.”

Yesterday’s adventures consisted of the Harry Potter-version of a bookstore, Powell’s Books, a trip to Voo Doo Doughnuts where they also sell underwear…, and public transportation.

My experiences on this trip have been a culture shock, a different world from the upper class community I live. I saw a homeless man eating pizza out of a trash can, a man skateboarding while dragging his suitcase and a man in a suit riding a bike. MTV’s “the Real World” is officially mediocre.

Anyway, we awoke this morning ready to take on journalism sessions like a kid at a candy store. And let me tell you, I’ve never personally been to a comic convention, but I’d like to imagine that journalism conventions are way nerd-ier. We are Yerds. We have cute little buttons that say “I heart Pica’s” and “I crop” with the Photoshop cropping symbol. We even speak AP Style. The best part about these trips is meeting people exactly like you. Finally, I’ve met people who also spend numerous hours in their j-room, people who eat lunch in there, people who breathe, eat and sleep the press. It’s B-E-A-utiful.

Today I’ve met really interesting people from Washington, California, Indiana and so many other places. We’ve bounced ideas off each other, talked about how to deal with difficult situations on editorial staffs, and discussed how to have fun, but keep a working atmosphere that puts out superb publications. I have literally been taking notes like a court reporter — minus the typewriter.

I’m completely in love with conventions and cannot wait to talk with my new editorial staff for next year. I’m practically writing the staff manual between paragraphs of this blog.

After a long day of sessions and our dress up dinner, I’m pooped. More later.

Things I learned:

1. “If you don’t sell them, who cares if you make them.” – Casey Nichols — One of the most insightful things said to me today. One of my main goals over the next few months is going to be to figure out how can I advertise our book. How I can — we, as a staff, can — make the yearbook more appealing? What can WE do, to change our sales numbers?
2. The expectation of meeting deadlines, of doing your part on staff, is non-negotiable. Period.
3. It’s an editor’s job to nurture the staff. It’s an editor’s job to create the serious/fun work environment.
4. When people work together, anything is possible. “Attitude is everything. Everyone’s important. Anything is possible.” – also from Casey Nichols (Proof is right here in this video.)
5. Yearbook changes lives.

I’ll keep you posted.