Dinner and a hair cut

Yesterday I drove to Salt Lake to participate in the 2006 International PRSA Conference. I’m one of the assembly delegates for the Las Vegas Valley Chapter where I’m a board member and past-president. The assembly met last night at Grand America in Salt Lake City – a beautiful, peaceful hotel (I don’t miss the slot machines one bit). We reconvened this morning and spent another 10 hours conducting association business. What a long day!

After today’s marathon assembly meeting where we only voted on eight bylaw amendments and one resolution, as well as conducted the association’s other annual business, I spent the evening with my brother and his family at the Collings’ home. Tomorrow is my sister-in-law’s mother’s birthday. We celebrated with dinner, cupcakes and cheesecake.

To my surprise while we were there Melissa’s sister-in-law, Tracy, pulled out her hair clippers and started trimming Carter and Luke's hair (my nephews). Of course I had to seize the opportunity and have my hair trimmed as well (it was getting bushy after my high and tight hair cut from last month). Now the hair beast is a bit more tamed.

So thanks, Jackie, for dinner, and thanks, Tracy, for the hair cut.

PRSA’s conference will bring about 2,000 public relations professionals and students (members of PRSSA) to Salt Lake City over the next three days. It’s been a couple of years since I attended the leadership conference in New York City so this will be a good refresher for me.

Of course, since the 2004 leadership conference I was on the organizing committee for the 2005 western district conference which we hosted in Las Vegas. And I learned last week that I’m officially on the 2007 western district board as well as assembly delegate for the Las Vegas Valley Chapter. Gotta love all the volunteer opportunities in PRSA.

Speaking of which, I think I may launch an initiative…to host the international PRSA conference in Las Vegas. To me, it’s the perfect venue, and it’s never been held there. They’re already booked three years out, so we’d be looking at 2010. Doesn’t that sound strangely space age? Call me crazy, but I just may make it a personal quest.

At any rate, I’m looking forward to three days of learning and networking with other public relations practitioners. PRSA has launched a conference blog where people can keep up with activities.