My Writing Reward (and Learning Something New)

I just finished my article for this month for SEJ (Search Engine Journal), and I wanted to take some time to write here on my own website as a reward (yes, writing here is my reward). I figured this post could be more of a fun one because I learned something today.

I learned that I write better when I have to get it done and I am in public with no internet.

Here is what happened.

Like I said, I had an article due for SEJ and I wanted to get it done.

Now, I could have easily emailed the editor and asked for an extension because I am at SMX, but I feel really guilty doing that. I consider my writing a privilege, so I figured I would just hammer out the article on the plane.

Well, honestly, on the plane I just read my book. I don’t know if I have shared it on my blog or not, but for the past few years, I have been suffering from anxiety. One of the things that helps me a ton is just reading. So, needless to say, when I was flying, I just read my book for both flights. And it felt right, so I didn’t get my laptop out to start anything new. I don’t want to disturb a calm mind.

Finding the Flow in Boston

So anyways, I landed here in Boston early, around 9:00 or 10:00 AM, and essentially had the full day ahead of me.

I grabbed a seat and decided to write since my room wasn't ready.

Frankly, what was also good about this is that it went along with another goal of mine, which is to go to a coffee shop once a week to write. I wanted to do that because when I was traveling back from GML, I had purchased this new laptop for the trip. I was sitting in the San Francisco airport just writing and it felt so good. In general, I was feeling energized by that trip, so I figured I would take the opportunity.

Well, I didn’t see or know the Wi-Fi password in the hotel lobby, so frankly, I ended up just writing. Because I was in public, I decided to do the type of writing where I just type, ignore typos, and get it out. I figured that when I got internet, I would then plug it into AI to get structure, fix some bad sentences, wordsmith, etc. So I just wrote. Good old fashioned, pre-AI writing.

Again, there is something about typing that forces me to slow down. With voice-to-text, I can just go on and on, but with typing, it is all just a tad slower. So, I sat there for two hours and wrote my article in the lobby of the Weston in Boston. Then my reward was deciding to explore Boston. Which brings me to something else on my mind.

Conference Vibes and Exploring the City

This conference, at least tonight, doesn't feel hugely energizing.

I know a ton of my industry friends who I am close to are choosing not to come to the United States, and not having them here is a bummer.

I always loved at Hero Conf just sitting in the lobby and picking up a large group to go explore with. Now, part of it might just be that more people live near Boston and aren't flying across the country so they are coming in quickly, I don't know. I do know that a few people are coming in tomorrow instead of today. I kept thinking about the people I don’t talk to often but knew would be here. I never saw them, and it felt like I was bouncing between the lobby and everywhere else all day.

Tomorrow, registration isn’t until 1:00 PM, and then my mastermind is after that. I did get to text with Navah, the Microsoft Ads Liaison, and we caught up on the phone. She invited me to the Microsoft dinner tomorrow, which is lovely, so I will do that. But all in all, there isn't a huge buzz. (so far!). I hope there is one tomorrow, we will see.

Anyway, my plan tomorrow is to be brave and do the yoga at the hotel. I feel odd doing stuff like that, but I pushed myself out of my comfort zone after my article, explored Boston, and went on a double-decker tour bus on my own. I got the most amazing food truck seafood rolls, and I will add pictures below.

Would I come to SMX again….heck yes. I am just in a holding pattern right now waiting for my industry friends, but I am here, I am glad to be here, and I can’t wait to share updates on my blog during this confrence.