Billboard Latin Music Conference In Miami

This week I will be attending the Billboard Latin Music Conference. I am very excited about being part of this event.
Saturday all of the volunteers gathered at the Intercontinental Hotel to prepare the goody bags for the participants at the conference. At first, I was a bit nervous because the first task was to pick up boxes and place them on the tables. I knew I couldn't do that in my wheelchair.

But it turned out better once we unpacked the boxes which I did do and then we formed a huge assembly line. I think this was the best part. The bag starts at one end of the assembly line and people stuff it with the promotional gifts in front of them and then pass the bag to the next person.

So there we were, about 30 volunteers from all parts of the South Florida and various age groups, stuffing these beautiful black bags. My job was to place the new magazine called LATIN HEAT and to my right was a guy putting the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE in each one.

My cousin was with me and everything was going as planned. Then, something happened. The assembly line quickened its pace. The next thing we know we are in the middle of the Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz episode. The episode where they are working in a chocolate factory assembly line. I was laughing throughout the entire frenzy.

I think everyone was enjoying the scrambling action. We were a complete bunch of strangers working together to get a job done. Nothing surreal. No one got fired. No one was voted off. We smiled, helped each other and even thanked each other afterwards.

I was happy that no one tried to treat me any differently and they expected me to do my part like everyone else.

It got me thinking that maybe society's perception of people with disabilities is only as real as the disabled person allows it to be for them. If I went in there acting as if I couldn't do anything then they would probably treat me as more of an invalid than I really was. But when I quickly opened a box and started unpacking and sorting the products they realized that I was there to help.

I also think that smiling definitely helps. I smiled at everyone who passed by us as we waited for the people in charge to open up the room. People tend to be more receptive and friendly when you smile and say hello first.

It has been a very good beginning for this little adventure of mine.
I am not looking to gawk at celebrities but I wouldn't turn down a hello from Enrique Iglesias or Chayanne. Hey if Marc Anthony "needs to know" something, I will be happy to help him.

Tootles!
Nathasha

Am I wrong?

Am I wrong? There are times when I have to scratch my head and ask myself, "Could I really be wrong here?". What might seem as plain and simple can take on a life of its own with complex twists and turns. I spoke to one of the reporters for www.audacitymagazine.com about an article that he has been sitting on since November. Although, he usually turns in the articles way past the due date, I think six months is pushing it a bit. Don't you?

Friday he said that he was going to make some changes to a very important story. He said that I would have it within 24 hours. Tonight we spoke. I still don't have the articles. He said that after we had hung up on Friday, he felt he was not in the mood to do the work so he didn't do it.

Flabbergasted? No. Not yet. Here is the doozy. He wants to know what is the big deal. This is coming from a man who considers himself a professional journalist. He said that as long as it gets done then there is no problem.

I reminded him that his word should be something I can depend on. He said the conversation was getting boring and he was going to hang up.

Ok, so am I wrong? Shouldn't I have recieved the edited pieces within the 24 hours? Perhaps he feels that if I have already waited six months, then who cares if I wait another six months?

In my mind, I see something wrong here. In his mind, he sees nothing wrong.

Mindboggling.