Time Out for Women Letters

Dear Deseret Book,

Thanks for creating/hosting/sponsoring a Time Out for Women event near my city.  It was EXACTLY what my life needed this weekend.  Next year's event is already on my calendar, and I'm already trying to figure out a way around the conflict I already know I have.

It was THAT GOOD.

The lady who left her ticket in her hotel room

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Dear registration lady,

Thanks for not making me go back to my hotel room to retrieve my ticket, because I was already quite late, and I really hate being late.  And what I hate even more is making more work for myself, which I did by forgetting my ticket.  So you did a great service, not only to me, but to the people saving my seat.

The airhead

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Dear Kim and Lisa,

I'm so glad you came!  Thanks for putting up with ALL the crazy plan changes.  It was such a relief that  everything turned out happy.  And it was fun to get to know you a little better.  Labor and delivery stories are just bonding, aren't they?  Let's do lunch.

The party planner

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Dear Courtyard Marriott Denver Downtown,

Thanks for the swanky accommodations, and for being three blocks from the Convention Center.  You were pretty surprised when I requested a roll-away bed for our little room, since we already had a king bed and a sofa bed.  But the four women of room 409 were glad for the extra sleeping space at bedtime.  I only slept four hours in the king bed Starr and I shared, but it was the best night of sleep I've had all week.  Starr would disagree since she was allergic to the pillows and the comforter.

Thanks for having a sweet exercise facility so I could run (by myself!) at five a.m.  But no thanks for the ice machine that was broken on our floor.  I do appreciate that you let us leave our cars in the (expensive!) valet lot until our conference was over, even though we checked out at 7:30 a.m.

Maybe I should have filled out that comment card.

One of the guests in room 409

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Dear Jamba Juice,

I had no idea that you sold steel cut oats for breakfast! Wow....they were tasty.  I'll be back.  Or maybe I'll cook up the steel cut oats in my own pantry.  Now there's an idea.

Satisfied

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Dear Jenny Oaks Baker,

I'll admit that when you announced you were playing another Disney song on your violin, I rolled my eyes.  But WOW.  Your rendition of that Alladin song ROCKED.

The lady who stands corrected

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Dear Chris Williams,

You are just plain inspiring.  I loved listening to your story of mercy and forgiveness.  And no offense to [the lovely and talented] Mercy River, but your "Come Thou Fount" performance was amazing.

The girl in the audience who was crying, but probably wasn't the only one

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Dear Anthony Sweat,

Your talk was great and all, but the take-home message for me was that the German word "kummerspeck" means "emotional overeating" and is literally translated into "grief bacon."  I am very good at grief bacon.  Mmmm....bacon.

The President of Overeaters Anonymous

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Dear Jennie and April,

I love that you brought treats for everyone, like we were at the movies.  Next time I'll bring the Swedish Fish. That's all.

Tired of rabbit food

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Dear Rialto,

I love that you had a special room for our party of 13 at lunch today.  The mozzarella on my sandwich was weird and I really shouldn't have ordered the fries, but the chance to sit and eat with my friends was priceless.  But sorry about the 13 separate checks.

The party planner

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Dear Julie Hanks,

I'm still try to figure out how to "follow my bliss" like you suggested.  First problem: I have no idea what my bliss actually is, so how can I follow it?  Second problem: I'm not good with directions, even though my phone has GPS.  However I will accept your challenge to publicly give a list of ten of my strengths.  But first I have to find my bliss, which maybe is lost in the bottom of my purse.

Confused

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Dear Facebook,

It was a little naughty of me to check you during a musical number today, but if I hadn't, I wouldn't have seen a comment on Friday's post about running away from my life, and then wouldn't have connected with my mom's Mesa neighbor, who was sitting in the same room as I was, checking Facebook and making comments.  I love technology.  And also my mom's neighbor.  And also bacon.

The girl with way too many silly status updates (but only one in the last 48 hours!)

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Dear Laurel Christensen,

You're my favorite, and not just because of all the running metaphors.  Okay, maybe it was because of all the running metaphors.  But I also appreciated you leading me to the great epiphanies I had at the end of your talk, which resulted in much crying, which I generally try to avoid in public, but I couldn't help myself this time.  Oh well.  At least I was among friends, and had copious tissues at my disposal.

Still sniffling

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Dear Starr,

Thanks for your most excellent company on the long drive home.  I wouldn't have stayed awake without it, and I'm a better woman for the conversation we had.  You're the best.

An unlikely friend

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Dear Garry,

You're amazing.  Instead of just "holding down the fort" while I was gone, you cleaned out the crawl space and bought six kinds of chrysanthemums to plant around our yard.  It sounds like the kids had a great time with the pizza/movie party in the basement last night, and at Home Depot, and at Sonic.  I think I need to go away every weekend.

Your grateful wife

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