I'm not one for using cliches but in this case, "stepping out of my comfort zone" has a lot of meaning for me. It was back in August when I decided to change my Twitter name to my real name in order to be more transparent in taking that first step. For a natural introvert like me, it was a big step.

As I mentioned in that last post, I have been fortunate to meet some wonderful and incredible people online. The name change was a first step to be more transparent and start putting myself out there and sharing more freely. I also committed to the goal of further getting outside of my comfort zone by seeking to meet as many of my Twitter and online friends in person as possible. While online tools are great for establishing relationships, I believe it is important to seek in-person meetings too. There are real people behind those online profiles and I am determined to meet and et to know them.

One way to break out of your comfort zone is to attend conferences and meet-ups. I mentioned in my last post that my next goal was to put together a meet-up tour, if you will, to meet and forge relationships with as many of my virtual friends as I can. Well, this journey starts this Wednesday when I go wheels up out of Hartford, Connecticut and touch down in Las Vegas for the BlogWorld and New Media Expo at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. This is huge for me and way outside my comfort zone but judging from the encouraging conversation I have had on Twitter over the past few days, I can't wait to meet, interact and learn from everyone attending this great event. 

I'll be busy over the next couple of days packing, charging my camera batteries and making my schedule. There are so many awesome events, it's going to be hard to decide. I'm looking forward to some inspiring keynote sessions and learning from experts in the field of new media and blogging. I'll also be taking part in the Blog World Photo Walk along the famous Strip. Since this is my first trip to Las Vegas, I'm looking forward to having fun photographing the sites and sharing creative ideas with my fellow photographers. I also plan on enjoying some cool parties and meeting some great people over the three days of the conference. 

I plan on taking lots of pictures and video and will be blogging my experiences in Vegas. This is just my first big step. I've already made plans to attend the Interactive track of SxSW in Austin Texas this March. As I ended my last post; "I'm Marty McPadden from Connecticut. It's great to meet you."

For more details about BlogWorld: BlogWorldExpo.com