ASW11 SAS Photobooth with Kim Rowley

In no particular order, here are 10 of the 100+ things that gave me a good laugh in Vegas.

1) Shawn Collins in the Patriot jersey. On the one hand, it was a sad moment for all of us AFC fans. On the other hand, knowing Shawn, it was pretty darn funny. And I won’t even start in about his “short pants….”

2) Not being able to find the Blogger Lounge for 2 hours. It was totally, completely my fault. I started feeling like I should be saying “Look, kids, Big Ben, Parliament” as I went around in circles seeing the same people over and over. I think maybe I was too busy socializing to find a map.

3) Jason Rubacky and the Jazzy. Jason could #GetSome serious senior citizen action rolling on that thing.

4) Trying to figure out how the curtains opened at the Wynn. Yep, I’m from Indiana.

5) Tiny coffee cups with baby spoons at lunch. The desserts were cute as could be, but watching people eat them was kind of a Gulliver’s Travels moment. (The book, not the movie. I haven’t seen the movie)

6) Trivia night and how competitive but not at all really competitive all my friends are. Did I mention that my team won?

7) The scared look on the faces of the merchants in the audience  by the end of our Inside the Minds of Affiliates panel. We really didn’t mean to sound so grumpy. I promise I’ll be nicer if you email me. (Just don’t try to call me)

8 ) Putting on every single hat, boa, and pair of glasses in the ShareASale Photo Booth with Kim Rowley. And the number of people who asked if they could have a copy of the pictures that we took when I told them that we were making out in there.

9 ) My (non)sighting of Charlie Sheen before the Tuesday keynote and the fact that people back in Indiana actually believed it because it was retweeted so much. (Thank you, Erik Hom)

10) At least 50% of every conversation that I had with OPMs, affiliate managers, networks, and fellow affiliates. Each of you brought me so much joy that I couldn’t help but laugh at least a little. And I have to mention Eric Nagel specifically for putting up with more of my giggling than anyone else.

Thanks as always to Shawn Collins and Missy Ward for giving us an environment in which we can both work and have fun, ensuring that we will be back time and time again!

I’ve been reading a lot of really great blog posts on how to get ready for Affiliate Summit. There are some great tips out there from people like Shawn Collins and Ayako Bingham about things like business cards, networking, and reviewing the agenda. But as a 7-time-returner to Affiliate Summit, I wanted to share a few tips that are NOT talked about so much but still essential (in my mind).

• Shoes. This is important because you may be walking a lot. If you plan on hitting the Meet Market, a couple of parties, and the Exhibit Hall, be sure that you are comfortable in your shoes. I usually plan on starting the trip with my sassy strappies but then moving into the second/third days of the conference with my sensibles. This tip especially applies to women who are packing all of their cute shoes that they never get to wear at home because they are usually barefoot or in slippers while they work.
• Eye drops. This is mainly for the contact wearers but also for those who may like to stay out a little later than usual. Unless you want to look like you have been on a 3 day bender by day 3, bring eye drops. They help with both the dry air of the hotel rooms as well as the nights where you get less than your normal 8 hours (ha!) of sleep.
• Gum or breath mints. This isn’t so much a tip to help YOU as it is to help those around you. Y0u’ll be doing a lot of talking and some of it is very close up. Whether you’re whispering to someone in a session next to you, leaning across a Meet Market table, or yelling in someone’s ear at party, you will be up close and personal. Bring some gum…or breath mints…or both….
• Plan not to work. At least your normal work. I know some of us are used to eating and breathing affiliate marketing. And you will be while you are there. But know that even the best plan to “come back to the room early to get a little work in” can be foiled by a networking opportunity. Just expect that you will not spend much time in your room. Then if you get some free time, it’s like a bonus.
• Pack light. And not because of the airline charges (well…that, too). Be sure to leave room in your suitcase for all of the great things that you get to bring home with you. You’ll get samples of products to try that you might want to promote. If you have a blog or community site, you can bring home some great things to use as giveaways to thank people for being patient while you were away from your site. You may even score some free souvenirs for your kids. (Thanks to my mom, Cindy, for this reminder!)

So there it is. My top Affiliate Summit tips. I’ve got a lot more, but you’ll have to ask me privately for the rest (*cough* good deodorant *cough*).

Update for Vegas Affiliate Summit.  One more big one! WATER. Start drinking water before you fly to Vegas and drink it the whole time that you are there. Between the chances of getting sick (flight, shaking hands, close quarters), the alcohol you are likely to consume (be honest with yourself), and the dry air, you will need to increase the water that you drink. Try to follow that old rule of drinking at least one glass of water for every glass of something else that you drink. People don’t realize until it’s too late that they are dehydrated and you don’t want to end up feeling terrible when you head home.

If you’ve seen pictures of me over the last few years, you know that I struggle with my weight. In fact, I’ve struggled with it since I went away to college. In law school I joined Weight Watchers for the first time. Over the years, I experimented with pills (all legal…but still bad ideas!) and lots of different diets. When it came down to it, I learned to love Weight Watchers. It’s kind of like a challenge to me to arrange the puzzle pieces every day…how do I make the points fit and still eat what I love?

Inspired by Shawn Collins and his Fatblogging, I’m going to start posting a little about my trials and tribulations. I will NOT be disclosing my weight though. It’s just too personal for me.

I’ve belonged to the WW online program for years. Maybe 6? Even when I fall off the wagon, I keep my subscription. I know that it is always waiting for me and I have to be accountable and go back and weigh in again. Since I am on the computer all day anyway, it’s convenient for me to use the online tracking.

I had done a great job of getting in shape before our Sunshine Rewards cruise last October. It was the best that I had felt in years. But then the holidays came and I gained about 7 pounds. I started training to run the mini marathon and stopped counting points. I thought the running alone would keep me in shape. Wrong! I gained another 5 pounds! So I found myself up 12 pounds from the fall. Disappointing for sure. But I’m back on the points and the tracking and know that I’ll turn things around by varying my exercise routine and making better food choices.

Have some Weight Watchers tips and tricks? Leave a comment. Over the coming weeks, I’ll post some of my own. First tip? Record as soon as you eat. In fact, if you know what you are having for lunch, record it before you even eat it so you can see how many points it is going to be. You’ll be less likely to get a second helping or dessert if you already have committed to the points in your tracker.