Here are a few hints for those headed for their first big convention. Having only been to this one, there may be differences in conventions that may affect the usefulness of these hints, but in the limited extent of my knowledge, here goes:
1. If you get meal tickets, and you get a lanyard with a name badge in a plastic holder thingie, slip your meal tickets into you plastic holder so that you don't have to run up to the room to grab them. Twice. Nuff said.
2. If you plan to buy raffle tickets, it would be great to have a rubber stamp with your name on it, or a roll of address labels, or something of that sort. If you don't have those things, take the time to write your name carefully. First name, or last name, or initials. Clearly. And if you aren't going to be at one of the drawings, make sure that someone else has your tickets. Several times people were drawn for really great prizes but no one had their tickets. One of the things missed out on was a one-on-one with Harry Hirao!! Another was really great suiseki! And keep your tickets safe. Two people missed out (one of them was John Thompson) because they didn't have their tickets available for some reason. You MUST have the other side of your ticket to receive the prize.
3. Take a permanent marker pen and have your apron or tool bag signed. It is a great way to have a moment to speak with a luminary, and they all were delighted to be asked! The tool bag was a little too coarse in material to get really good signatures and if I had it to do again (and the brain power to think of it at the time) I would have bought the apron to have signed instead of the tool bag. It would have been worth it, but next time....!
4. Pen and paper in your tool bag is useful for more than one thing. Like, taking down someone's email address. Or giving yours. Or writing a note to give to your friend who is doing a workshop. Making notes when you are given help with a tree styling. Or tearing off a piece of paper to wipe the cut paste off of your finger with!
Business cards would be even better. I needed cards with this forum's address on them, so many people asked. Next time...
5. Two nice outfits. Two. If there are two dinners, have two outfits. Because these bonsai people clean up pretty nicely, and they know how to eat in style. Sitting there in your t-shirt and jeans isn't really appropriate. At least a nicer shirt, something dressy.
6. Some sort of breath mint or gum or something, because if you eat lunch just before your workshop and there are onions in your sandwich, you're gonna be sorry. I must have eaten ten Tootsie rolls from a nice vendor, trying to be less onionified. And coffee breath is also a big problem. So, breath mints. Because your room is a long way away when you've got ten minutes and need to be in your workshop on time!
7. If you are going to buy a lot of trees, or maybe just one or two valuable ones, maybe plastic bags or a humidifier would be useful. Keeping the trees in the room was a bit of a pain. We kept them in the bathroom and the shower kept them a little more damp, but our Hokkaido elms turned rapidly yellow over three days. We asked JT and Ted Matson and they ventured a guess that the trees were ready to take on their fall dormancy, but it was quickened by the trip down and the unusual conditions in the hotel for the trees. So they didn't think that there was cause for concern. However, a clear plastic bag might have made things easier. And it would certainly have prevented so many little tiny yellow Hokkaido leaves all over everything. Dry cleaner's bags would have done the trick.
8. Chocolate. A big bag of chocolate. Set it in your room because you will use it between meals; for energy; for a late night snack; for breakfast on the go; or just because. Chocolate is essential. No, really.
9. Flash photography is frowned on, it distracts and causes people to blink in distress. So figure out how to make your camera do its duty in low light.
That's all for now, maybe others can add to the list? Michelle?
Joanie