Okay, the TNNA experience being so immensely huge, I'm going to blog about it in bits and pieces. Today's bit: what I did in Columbus, Ohio for three days.
Got to see Jackie...for the second time in under a month???? That's even more than we saw of each other the year I spent lots of time practicing law in NYC.
FINALLY was able to give Rob and Matt from Threadbear the hugs they deserved for all of the help they've been to me in this venture.
Bought YARN.
Bought knitting bags.
Bought even more knitting bags.
Bought more yarn
Finally admitted that I have a bag fetish.
Ate great food (who knew Columbus was a mecca for great dining?)
Was bummed that I couldn't take pictures on the show floor.
Was ditsy enough to forget to take pictures of pretty much anything else. Oops.
Met so many people I'd only known as voices on the phone for over a year.
Saw some unbelievably ugly hand knits being worn by yarn shop owners.
Decided with Kristine from Digital Yarn that next market we'd bring along Ann and Kay from Mason Dixon just to hear their running commentary of this unbelievable event.
Was so overwhelmed when I took my first steps onto the market floor that I turned right around and walked back out wishing Jackie was out of her class already and that Rob and Matt weren't in a meeting.
Met and pretty much fell in love with Cheryl Schaefer as much as I fell in love with her yarns. She is what I had expected from the times we've spoken on the phone but even better.
Received a gazillion and a half compliments on the Lantern Moon Polka Dot Bag that I was carrying - the first of which came from Sharon herself (she and Joel and Bruce ARE Lantern Moon and Sean and Shyron help make the company so great too). Those folks define "good people."
Got to show the owners of Ashland Sky how much I love my circular needle holder, a.k.a. my security blankie.
Actually ate the best fried calamari I've EVER had anywhere at The Happy Greek in the Short North neighborhood.
Sweated a lot while I wandered the streets of Columbus on foot in gazillion degree heat and high humidity looking desperately for a Walgreen's (I actually extended my stay by one day and was all out of nicotine patches - that would not do!)
Decided that while every other city in the country has a Walgreen's on every corner, Columbus had good restaurants instead of drugstores.
With Matt at the wheel, I got a wonderful tour of the seemingly huge Columbus ghetto - scary scary scary, especially at midnight. We were still searching for a Walgreen's for his allergies and my patches.
Finally got my "ghetto patch." The one and only open CVS had only generic patches (wouldn't you know the one and only Walgreen's was across the street!)
Actually had fried calamari from The Happy Greek two nights in a row.
Spent money.
Spent more money.
Broke out in hives.
Then spent more money.
Learned that the Amityville Horror (don't ask) has dubbed the Southeastern yarn shops the Southern Mafia...I'm the don.
Spent more money.
Fondled some of the most amazing yarns I've ever felt - cashmere, silk, bamboo that looks and feels like silk, cotton, incredible wools and merinos, camel, yak, sari silk, soy silk, sarong silk, milk, corn, mohair, merino, alpaca, and so on and so on and so on.
Met and truly enjoyed Debbie Bliss herself.
Didn't smoke, in fact went through the first day so far that I never even wanted a cigarette once!
Gave Jonelle from Southwest Trading Company a huge hug with gratitude for dreaming up and creating Karaoke. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Gave SWTC more money.
Met folks who read this blog.
Met folks whose blogs I read.
Was treated very well and with professionalism and enthusiasm by lots of yarn companies.
Was likewise treated pretty badly by others.
Made the decision to speak with my wallet.
Did not patronize companies who chose not to treat me as the customer thereby foregoing one particular yarn that I had really wanted in the shop. After ten minutes in the booth while the three people working there sat in chairs and talked to each other totally ignoring me, I marked them off my list. If they treat potential customers that way, I can only imagine how poorly they treat customers.
Found an even better yarn than the one from the company above and bought that instead.
Found some awesome new designers and got some great new, fresh and fun patterns for the shop.
LEARNED SO MUCH of what to do to keep my yarn shop successful.
LEARNED SO MUCH of what NOT to do.
Learned the term "bitter knitters." Those are the folks from the yarn shops that are the reason I and countless others didn't knit for years - you know the ones where friendly and nice, warm and welcoming, nurturing and generous are never part of the business plan.
Got a huge kick out of folks reactions to the fact that Jackie and I are friends from law school!
Realized that there is so much more yarn out there than I'd ever even imagined making it possible to keep the shop fully stocked with great stuff and not have to patronize companies that are nightmares when it comes to delivery, accounting and responsiveness.
Finally picked out tons of Lorna's Laces for the shop and really enjoyed meeting and spending time with Beth, Michael, Becca and Amanda. They are good people.
Watched the Michael Jackson verdict at my departure gate in the Columbus airport.
Made a BIG mistake on my return flight.
Wore sandals on the trip home which meant that that I had to be barefoot in an airport to go through security. GROSS! I swear I tiptoed and had debated which was worse - bare feet on those nasty floors or a pat-down. In retrospect, next time I taking the pat down.
Slathered my feet in Purell in the first ladies room I saw on the gate side of security.
Okay, I think that's a good start!
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