Musings on Day 1

I know I'm biased, but it feels like Day 1 went really well. The sessions I peeked in on were well-attended, and participants were involved and asking good questions. There's just a good energy around -- maybe it's that buzz Neil was talking about.

I sat in for a little while on Kathy Schenck's Skeptical Editing, which was lively, as always. Her examples and the discussion about them really get you thinking about what's appropriate to run and what types of questions editors should be asking.

And Paula Devlin and James O'Byrne's Dealing With Disaster presentation was stunning. It was so inspiring to hear about the work their staff did while going through incredibly trying times. We all know copy editors are a tough bunch, but the Times-Picayune deskers truly are champs! Their video and slideshow are very moving, as well as personal: It includes photos of both Paula's and James' destroyed homes. The first person who spoke during the Q&A period suggested having tissues in the audience when they present the session Saturday. (I'll work on that!) Thank you, Paula and James, for sharing your story with us!

One more note on the reception last night... I was so bummed that I didn't get one of the mini creme brulees. They were gone by the time I limped over to the dessert table.

Now, on to Day 2!