Foodista (you know, the folks who published that cookbook that I’m in) is having a contest. Apparently, they’re giving away three tickets to the International Food Bloggers Conference, to be held next month in New Orleans.

See, the thing is, I’m dying to go. It was at this very conference two years ago that they concocted the idea for above mentioned cookbook. It’s also the absolute mecca for all things on the cutting edge of food, writing and media…all the things I’m into. I was going to write a drippy post about poor old me, I never get to go to stuff like this, pleeeease pick me.

But I decided to be a bit more real.

Here’s exactly why I need to go to IFBC.

1. I’m a culinary student. Sure, I could say the conference would benefit my upcoming culinary career, which it undoubtedly would. But the real deal is, my session notes would be awesome suck-up fodder for discussion with my chef instructors. I mean, while the other hosers are picking their noses and forgetting their sanitation buckets, I’ll be chatting up video-based culinary instruction, sustainable eating and food science. Win.
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2. I’m vain. Well, not really, but in certain circumstances, and definitely when it comes to my food. I feel like I have something to offer the world, and sessions about marketing my personal brand and recipe writing and development will help me spread the Fancy Pants Foodie bloggospel to the world. Oh, and Diane Jacob, the one linked above at recipe development, also wrote Will Write For Food, the textbook for the food writing class I took at culinary school. That’s bound to be good for something, if only a, “hey, they used your book in my class,” and she’ll be all, “that’s cool, be my friend.” Or not.
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3.  I’m a conference junkie. Back in my days as a public relations guru practitioner, I went to all kinds of conferences — tourism, advertising, design, writing. I love the way it makes my mind go crazy. I eventually started taking two notebooks: one for notes of what was said, and another for the brainstorms that inevitably followed. I plan for the same to happen on an epic foodie level at IFBC. Plus, at conferences, I meet a lot of folks that are smarter than me in different areas (I said I was kidding about the vain thing, right?). Foodie world domination partners unite! (Ooh, can we bring superhero costumes?)
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4. I’m a mom and I need to get out of here. I really love my two adorable kids and super-hotness husband, but let’s face it, a sister needs a break. I really do have big plans for my blog and my cooking/teaching business when I’m done with culinary school, and I need some inspiration and time away to let it gel. Who can write a business plan while fetching the nth sippy cup of apple juice and trying to (finally) convince them that Lunchables are evil?

Christie Ison is a mid-life u-turn culinary student at Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School in Little Rock, Arkansas and writer of the wildly (well, mildly) popular food blog, Fancy Pants Foodie. In former lives, she has practiced public relations, magical stay-at-home mom arts, and engendering world peace one fancy meal at a time.

She’s totally kidding about her fellow students being “hosers.” Mostly.

UPDATE (8-4-11): I WON! Their response was a bit later than expected, so I thought I didn’t win. But I did. So now to figure out how to get hotel and airfare scraped up. 😉