Thursday is an excellent day to leave Las Vegas. The airport is quiet and quick to navigate, and I’m looking forward to catching some z’s on the plane. 

Right before boarding, I got a text from a friend that she had just won a cool $2,000 in the Mirage Casino slot machines. What a lucky turn! In contemplating her big win, I can’t help but remember the old adage—you can’t win, if you don’t play.

WPPI‘s Totally Rad 80s Party last night was yet another WPPI party that I intended to put in an appearance at and ended up closing out. The band, DJ, and dancing were hot, and everyone was in great spirits.

We arrived just in time for the costume contest. The crowd decided the winners with their applause from among a stunning display of 80s archetypes, celebrities, and characters. Marty McFly, Joan Jett, Run DMC, a Rubik’s Cube, two 80s Teenyboppers, and Hulk Hogan made it to the top six with Hulk Hogan being the clear winner by a long shot. What a flex!

As my plane takes off, and I take in one last view of the Strip, I know down below the seminars continue, the show floor bustles with activity, hundreds of photos are being taken and bounced up to the cloud, and the halls are filled with a special kind of camaraderie found where people of common vision come together to grow and learn and help each other succeed.

Thus, concludes my first trip to WPPI in Las Vegas and my final entry into my “Diary of a WPPI Newbie.” I want to thank everyone who took the time to speak with me, share photographs, and help me write these articles, including my editor who has been building them out, correcting my words for clarity, and supporting my process all day every day of this journey.

I also want to thank the WPPI production team, including our staff and security, who pulled off one hell of an awesome conference and still found time to laugh, party, and connect.

And I’m so grateful to all of the instructors, vendors, and attendees who came from near and far—from different countries and continents—whose dedication to their craft make this international community and industry great.

And of course, a huge thank you is due to the Mirage Resort, who provided a comfortable, safe, fun, and hospitable palace of a resort for us to learn, revel, hustle, play, and relax. Las Vegas is known for it’s hospitality, and the Mirage is a shining example of that. Every staff member I interacted with was kind and helpful, and I hope I get to come again for the next WPPI, or sooner!

Lastly, thanks to everyone who read along on my adventure. I hope I get to see you at WPPI one day!