So many things have happened since I last wrote--not like I met an amazing guy and am getting married or anything, but in Sept I went to this amazing conference in Florida that was pretty life changing; in October I made it out of the country for the first time and went to Taiwan! Crazy!! Was gone for twelve days, which I thought would be hard, but it was amazing! Was glad to come back when we did, but it was such a cool experience, we did and saw some pretty cool stuff! Then about a week and a half later, I flew to Texas to visit the peeps down here (still here). So needless to say, I haven't worked or been home a ton in the last month, but it's been so great to get a good break and do some cool stuff and visit family.
The conference was incredible. It was called the Coalition to End Sexual Explotation (CESE), held by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a conference on sexual exploitation and greatly on pornography. It was just what I needed at that time in so many ways. It was so amazing and refreshing to be around other people, SO MANY other people, who are also so passionate about these issues. Ah, there aren't words for how great it was! I told my new friends, I felt like I had found my people. :) It was also incredible to be amidst and meet and hear speak so many inspiring people and leaders who are actively fighting the fight. And so motivating. There is a lot of crap out there going on, but I also learned that there is also more good happening, and more active and successful fighting going on against it than I ever realized, and that was super encouraging.
Here's a text I sent to Jamie on the second? day I was there, in response to her asking how Texas was treating me or something: Hey! Sorry, been a busy day! But thanks! Yeah, things are going great, the people and organizations involved in this movement are incredible, I am so grateful to be here. And Florida is great! As long as you stay inside..haha. It's freaking hot here!! Soo humid.. But great otherwise! The hotel is across the street from Sea World, so that's fun..
One thing that was so nice about going was that I just needed a break. Mostly from work and the environment and people I work with, but also just from people in my life, I guess. At work I had become frustrated with a couple nurses I work with and don't like being around them. One in particular is easy to banter with, but he can take it too far, in my opinion, and become too sarcastic and even rude. Lately I've been more sarcastic with him than I like being, and I don't like being like that. He brings it out in me, but it's still my actions and my behavior. But it was SO nice being in Florida and around so many great people, all very kind and sincere. So refreshing, and it was also just what I needed to remind me the kind of person I want to be like. I want to be more sincere in my conversation. Less sarcastic. The conference was full of good, Christian people, who were so uplifting just to be around. I loved every minute of it. And I made some new really great friends! The five or so girls I ended up working with were all really neat, only one LDS. But really good, nice girls. Erin and I became good little friends in those few days, and she's only like 23 or something. Maybe younger (I'm 28). But a very mature person, I loved our little friendship that developed. The guys we worked with were really impressive too, the AV guys, especially the main guy, whose name escapes me, but I was so impressed with his maturity.
Anyway, an incredible experience, and it made me want to live out in DC, just to be around these people more and be able to be involved with NCOSE more closely. But wherever the conference is next year, I'm planning on being there.
And PS, Dawn Hawkins, the executive director over NCOSE, and who Sally miraculously got me in touch with (I went due to a series of divine interventions, basically), is an AMAZING woman. Wow.
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