Stimulating Scenery and Scintillating Company.

YOU CAN'T ask for much more, can you? Good company and great scenery lift the spirits and get you quickly out of the doldrums. The Oregon Press Women met Friday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 5, in Cannon Beach. (And, yes, as you can see, there was dessert.)
Jan Jackson spoke on "Shoot the Story" and gave us great tips on how to get "stories" in our photos - and much more, too. Check out some of her own wonderful photos and stories. (I was even brave enough to still use a camera within eyeshot of Jan after her talk.)
Kim Cook's topic was "Reject Me Please!" Very good information on marketing, "branding" yourself and taking rejection in stride and using it to make you stronger.
Freelancing was addressed by Jo McIntyre, an Oregon writer who is also president this year of Oregon Press Women. She writes for the Sheridan Sun Newspaper and other publications. Sorry, Jo, I couldn't find a link to your name. She left for Amsterdam today, however, and other exotic European locations, so don't feel too sorry for her.
Sally Petersen spoke on the business of running a business. Very practical, good advice. The kind you really need if you're going to turn your words into a way to make a living from home by yourself. The real American dream. Check out her book.
And Susan Butruille! Oh my gosh, what passion and persistence. She has written a readers theater production on womens suffrage that is just terrific.
JoAnn, a colleague, and I shared a room at the conference and enjoyed a Saturday night out to dinner with the OPW group at JP's in Cannon Beach. We enjoyed luscious food and fabulous conversation. I had the seafood pasta and JoAnn had the steak. Delicious! Real roses on the table, flaky-crusted bread, chilled small pots of butter, glittering candles in glass lanterns - very romantic. And the wall mural put you in Italy - a fine place to be. I sat next to Serena who used to cover fashion for The London Telegraph. Such stories she had, you wouldn't believe. JoAnn and I both agree when we are older we want to be fabulous, juicy women like Serena and have magnificent tales to relate. (JoAnn's chocolate cake had a marionberry cheesecake filling. Can you imagine?) Sorry the photos are blurry. Low, low light.
So, today, on Sunday, JoAnn and I walked to Haystack Rock after breakfast. It was a little windy (just a little) and a little rainy (just a little) ... we made it to the rock and took photos as we went.
The seagulls were all over the beach. It must have been their own Sunday-go-to-meeting time.
I took so many photos I can't possible post them all. I did do some art along the sand however, so I'll show you that.
JoAnn is just the "sweetest-heart" and most encouraging person. There is nothing she doesn't think you can do. Just put your mind to it. I am lucky to have her to encourage me along my path to doing ... what? Something, I'm sure. That's what.
Here is my favorite picture of her, taken today as she did her "photog" thing. I am sure I looked very similar, only not like Red Riding Hood, but like a nun - in my black raincoat with the white trim around the hood.
I had better go. I need to get some sleep and talk some more with the Mister, who was generous about me getting out of the house and running away for a while - femminismo