Holy shit, according to this to do list, October 2018 is going to be non-stop. It’s a bit stressful for someone who likes to have one ‘at home’ day a week. To be fair, in September, I did fairly well.
Here’s what I’ve got ahead of me (in no particular order).
- Seoul, Korea (September 30th – October 5th). My first official press trip! This was postponed from late August, and actually it’s all worked out for the best. I’m approaching this trip as a learning lesson. I’m certain there are things I haven’t asked, known to ask, or considered. Overall, I’m optimistic and think I’ll be making at least one new friend out of the experience.
- Bay Area, USA (October 14th – October 19th). The Local Google Guides Connect Summit is finally upon me! Having been accepted in April, I’ve been eagerly awaiting getting together with guides from around the world. In true Courtney style, I’ve booked a PR stay before, and plan to see a dear friend from high school, as well as my aunt (and that’s all before I even get started on the conference. I’m trying not to build things up too much in my mind (and get as excited as possible for the 16-hour flight in economy), but I’m still so over the moon to attend!
- Atlanta, GA (October 19th – October 23rd). What was supposed to be a high school reunion, is now a mini-reunion and really, just a few days to myself. I’ve got my fingers crossed that my sister can pop down and see me. I’ve also got to go and get my driver’s license renewed (how exciting).
- 10 year Zuma party. Courtney from 2008 is very impressed with herself. Also, there’s a Hendrik’s party the night after…
- On the radio. Have you caught an episode of me on Dubai Eye yet? Chatting with Helen is such a blast! I look forward to this every other Tuesday.
- Editing the Louvre manuscript (I cry when I realize how little this will probably take place). I’ve made it to page 60, but wanted more continuity in editing. Hoping to use some of my longer flights for this purpose.
- Finishing up all my posts about Soneva Fushi (I still have 3 pending).
Writing can be hard, y’all. - Speaking on a panel at the GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference. I’ll be on a panel about social media and influencer laws in the UAE.
- Keep pitching. I definitely want to step up my game. I’m using the Google conference as an excuse not to do more pitching, because well…
- Content queen. I’ve agreed to work with a property to provide content, and am really looking forward to this work. I think it’s a step in the right direction
of me getting paidfor my career. Watch this space. - Pro-bono puppies. I’m looking forward to working with a hotel in Abu Dhabi to help promote their CSR for K9 Friends. This is also part of a larger conversation I want to have about using social media platforms to help others, especially in the UAE, but I hope to revisit that topic soon.
- A new episode? What’s Cooking UAE is back for its fourth season. Hopefully, in all of this I’ll be able to squeeze in filming an episode. Let’s stay optimistic and pray to the scheduling gods.
Oh yeah, and now there’s a kitten in the mix of all of this.
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And this is how we read books now. #amreading #adoptdontshop #sleepykitty
What does your October look like?
