NABJ 2012 Convention: New Orleans

1. Keith Alexander of the Washington Post is a great dinner companion.

2. The NABJ Babies on all the Student Projects are already amazing journalists; I can't wait to see what they do in the future!

3. John Keefe of WNYC showed me I can do really cool things with Google Fusion!

4. My daughter is not the only little girl who's in love with Bomani Jones.

5. The Meograph "4th Dimension" online tool is going to be my new favorite digital toy.

6. The NABJ staff works their butts off without a lot of thanks. So I'll say it - thanks!!

7. I've done way too many free resume reviews. I met so many folks who mentioned my review of theirs.

8. While I spent a small fortune on my NABJ Babies, I consider it a solid and worthwhile investment.

9.  Matt Thompson of NPR, LaToya Peterson of Racialicious, Mark Luckie of Twitter, Phoebe Connelly of Yahoo, John Keefe of WNYC and Justin Elllis of Nieman Lab reminded me about how inspiring the craft of new media is and how I need to continue to step up my own game.  Don't know who they are? Google them! :)

I am a world traveler who has been on the road since taking my first flight -- New York to London -- when I was six.

As an aviation journalist, I have taken more than my fair share of trips and have become an expert in packing, especially now that airlines (except for Southwest and JetBlue) charge for checked bags.  As you prepare to pack for your upcoming trip to New Orleans for the NABJ Convention, please allow me to offer you some of my best packing tips.

Choose a primary color, like black, navy or brown, and accessorize accordingly. Bring basics like pants, skirt and blazer, and use accessories and different shirts/blouses to mix and match;

Roll with it! Roll your clothes to make sure things fit accordingly. If you don't want to roll, then buy Space Bags to compress your outfits;

Pack older underwear. You can wear them and throw them away;

I know this is hard, but limit yourself to 3 pairs of shoes, including the ones you travel with;

Weigh your luggage BEFORE you leave. Airlines limit that first bag to 50 lbs; after that, hefty fees kick in. They also kick in after the first checked bag.  To see just how much, click here;

Pack important/valuable items in your carry-on. Include a portable toothbrush, underwear and a small deodorant just in case you luggage is lost;

Keep a list of what you packed in case your luggage is lost and you have to file a claim with the airline; and

Not busy on this Memorial Day? Then you need to start working on the list below to get youself ready for the convention. There ARE only 24 more days until the start of the convention!

10. BUY your airline ticket by Thursday. Ticket discounts are best when you book at least 21 days in advance. Prices only get higher from here.

9. BOOK your hotel room. What are you waiting for? The room block is almost sold out, so you'll either have to pay a higher price in the Hilton Riverside or pay more for nearby hotels.

8. Check your wardrobe. Now is the time to start mulling what you'll wear. Look for rips, stains or alterations. Or start shopping for key pieces you may need. Also, do those shoe repairs you've been putting off.

7. Look at the exhibitor list and start planning which booths are must-attends.

6. While you're looking at that list, start making appointments with 3-4 companies you definitely want to see in New Orleans.

5. Check out the Times-Picayune Spring Dining Guide so you can scope out all the city's great restaurants.

4. Order new business cards. I recommend the 250 FREE business cards (plus $2.95 shipping) with your choice of 45 designs at Vistaprint. Or check out Moo cards based on your Facebook timeline.

3. Review and update your resume. Make sure you've updated all your jobs and skills. Keep a copy in the cloud and on a thumb drive so it's easily accessible.

2. Consider creating a portfolio website to house your work and your resume. Don't know how to get started? The NABJDigital Blog shows you how.

I've been an NABJ member since 2006 and a member of the Online News Association since 2009.  I attended ONA's convention in Boston last year and it transformed my life.  Which is why I'm SO excited that ONA is bringing its ONACamp to our convention this year.

By Jonathan Edwards, co-chair, NABJ LGBT Task Force

The LGBT Task Force is one of the younger task forces in NABJ and throughout our short history we have put together panels at the convention that have been well-attended but controversial.

Our panel  this year, Put Your Best Pitch Forward: A Guide for Allies and LGBT Journalists, is important for two reasons: first, it provides critical tools for covering a topic that is increasingly at the top of editors’ lists  and it is important that NABJ members are equipped to cover these topics fairly and accurately. Second, telling the stories of LGBT people and increasing visibility for LGBT people both within NABJ and in our communities only further strengthens the mission of NABJ.

This year’s panel includes just a few of the stellar Black journalists, lesbian, gay, and straight, who have taken on the editorial battles in their newsrooms to tell the stories of the LGBT people. None of these people just started covering LGBT issues as a trend, but for years, they have been committed to covering these stories with the nuance that they deserved because they were rich, important stories to tell.