I’ve been summarizing my time at the NSA Conference that took place over the July Fourth weekend in DC.
Here are links to the three workshops that I attended on the first day at the Annual NSA Conference:
https://helloistutter.com/2014/07/14/first-timers-workshop/
https://helloistutter.com/2014/07/15/stuttering-your-way-to-financial-ruin-and-social-ridicule/
https://helloistutter.com/2014/07/17/this-is-stuttering/
And these are the things I said I’d do at the conference. Let’s see how I did on them:
1. Go up to some hotel staff member and ask them where the bathroom/conference room/gym/elevators are, even if I already know. They’ll probably be hearing a lot of stuttering, so hey, might as well get my own practice in.
Well, I did ask someone where the ATM is. He led me right to it. Of course it was just a few steps away. I hadn’t noticed it there. I didn’t stutter when I asked him.
2. Go up to small groups of people and barge on in. Why not, right?
This is pretty much what the First Timer’s Workshop was all about. I also ended up approaching groups that had one person who I knew in them. Then introduced myself to the others.
3. Call down to the front desk, tell them my name, room number and then ask what time checkout is. And maybe if I’m feeling up for it, what the hours are for the gym.
This didn’t happen. The old covert me hung on to something.
4. Introduce myself to as many strangers as possible.
I probably could have introduced myself to more people, but really, as my first conference, I was really pleased with how many people I did meet.
5. I got invited to a panel discussion on online stuttering communities. So, no prepared talking points. No rehearsing what I want to say.
Well, I did sit up there somewhat nervously while the others were talking, trying to figure out what I wanted to say. And in my mind, it was all going to go very, very smoothly. I was rehearsing! In my head! Yeah, not so much. I stuttered. A lot. But hey, that’s alright. I got the message across about the site and what it’s all about. So a win there.
6. Ask any questions or make any comments during seminars that I might have. Right then and there. Not after the seminar or after a few days when I see the host again. Don’t rely on e-mail.
Yes, I did do this. On the first day I didn’t have any comments or questions because my head was still reeling from the speakers who were stuttering (or not) and how friendly/easy everything was. But it was in the back of my mind for the rest of the conference, and I’ll talk about that later.
7. Above all else — listen. To the new people who I meet, and to the speakers at the conference. I’ve lived in a silo regarding my stuttering since I was 7, so it’s time to get some perspective on it.
Yes, definitely. It was great talking to people, laughing with them, hearing them share similar experiences (especially with the phone). It’s been a while since I’ve laughed that hard, and it felt great. Definitely the right place for me.
Hello. I stutter. 
Sounds like you kicked butt. The conference sounds great. Maybe we can all meet in Chicago next year!?
Yes, absolutely. I know for me I was living within myself and my stutter for so long — and yet here were so many workshops with so many different and new views on it.
Just awesome. No other words needed.
Glad you had a very fun time at the conference, I was unable to attend bit I’m planning on attending the Chicago one for next July.
– James
Awesome! Yeah, having a thousand people there was really inspirational. I couldn’t believe how many there stuttered, and how many didn’t seem to mind at all. That really motivated me to get out there more with my speaking.
That’s awesome mate! I took a public speaking class at my college and that helped me become more motivated to speak more, and say what was on my mind instead of being mute. However, I feel it’s especially beneficial when you know and can see first hand that you’re not the only person with a stutter, plus when they don’t seem to mind makes the experience even more great.