Learn While You Volunteer

Well, I got nothing done today, yet I was very busy. This weekend is the Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference. I had volunteered to stuff packets or whatever needed doing. But I got called on to drive agents and editors to and from the airport.

So today I drove five. Four on the first trip and one on the last. The first four consisted of two agents and two editors. The second trip was a book consultant. Every plane was late, by about thirty minutes. Tomorrow I drive an editor back to the airport, then on Sunday it’s two agents and an editor.

Three things I learned:

• Six hours of driving and waiting and waiting must be broken up by at least one bathroom break.
• A bowl of oatmeal, although filling, will not hold you off until 5 p.m.
• Even after years of attending conferences, running conferences and chauffeuring for conferences, I still believe agents and editors are nice people.

The first two I just learned. The third was reinforced today.