I’m still flying high and not because I was riding the elevated trains in Chicago last week. I’m talking about meeting “Face 2 Face” in the city for the 2010 NFPW Conference.

What a time we had! I met so many people, including year-long Facebook friend, Alison Stein. Finally, we talked Face 2 Face.

I met Wilma Moore-Black, president of Kansas Professional Communicators. She may have lost the bid on the signed baseball, but she’s a ball of energy who is going to go places in NFPW. And I’ll be cheering her on!

Betty Packard of California kept the silent auction up and running so we could all keep bidding. The monies raised go to NFPW’s Education Fund.

Julie Slaymaker, who is president of Woman’s Press Club of Indiana, will never let me live down my temporary paralysis. But being the gracious lady that she is, I know she has forgiven me.

I traded business cards, blog links, photos and lots of ideas.

I heard first hand how the Chicago Tribune was reinventing itself. Managing Editor Jane Hirt said, “Innovation is built into our DNA.”

Even if innovation isn’t built into your DNA, the workshps provided plenty of innovative ideas and approaches from building one’s resume to writing a book in six weeks to cultivating a free and responsible student news media.

What was your favorite part of the NFPW conference?