What happens at NABJ conferences: A story told in GIFs

The way you react when someone responds to your tweet that you're going to NABJ with a reply that NABJ is a racist organization and that nobody would allow the National Association of *White* Journalists to exist.

You walk in the place and are sad because you don't immediately see anyone you know

...but then you turn around the corner and you see somebody you've known since you were a toddler...hanging out with one of your friends from college...who's got an arm around a former co-worker...who's waving at a friend you met at the last NABJ conference.

How you know Atlanta and Los Angeles are in the house.

When you run into a former friend or ex.

When you're in the middle of a conversation and you see somebody come by in an entirely inappropriate (too tight/short/low cut/garish) ensemble.

Then you see one of the NABJ babies for whom you've been a mentor -- and she is gainfully employed, doing well and looks like a million bucks.

When you plan to go to a session and are glad it's as useful as you had hoped, either to what you do now or what you want to do.

When you decide to leave a session because the description led you think it would be something that it is clearly not.

When one of the big-name speakers or presenters is incredibly boring and unprepared and expects the crowd to be impressed by his/her mere presence and reputation.

When you stumble onto a session by happenstance or by tagging along with a friend and it's really good and informative.

When you're introduced to someone you admire -- and that person already knows who you are.

When you run your Big Crazy Idea by your mentors or other people you admire and respect -- and they co-sign it and encourage you to do it.

When somebody very attractive looks you up and down and smiles appreciatively and you're glad to know that in that moment, you've still got it.

When you go to that party and you intend only to stay a few minutes, but your friends egg you on, so you decide to get a drink

...and then the music starts getting good to you

...until finally you just let go.

But now the conference is coming to a close. See you next year in Boston, NABJ.

Next week, it's back to the workplace.

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