There is a saying that goes something like this: “A bad day at the beach is better that a good day at work.”

This may be true but it begs the question: What if you work at the beach?  Sounds like there could be worse things, huh?

I’m currently down in beautiful Ocean City, MD attending the Maryland Association of Realtors annual conference.  I’ve been coming every year since I got into real  estate 10 years ago. I usually look forward to it.  It’s three days of continuing education classes necessary to renew my real estate license, workshops on fine tuning my business practices, time spent in an exhibit hall filled with all kinds of booths both purely commercial and informational and, finally, the networking with other Realtors from around the State.  Every now and then I can squeeze in some “beach time” to just kick back and relax.

The funny thing about coming down to the beach is that people are expecting that I’m having tons of fun and just flitting around from one party to another.  Yes, there are plenty of parties.  I haven’t met a convention for a trade association, yet, that didn’t have the parties.  I don’t party much, though.  I might go out to dinner one night with people I know, talk shop and then head back to the hotel and watch a little TV or check out Facebook or Twitter.

I’m also still in touch with my clients and other Realtors through e-mail and my phone. So, I’m really not “off the grid”.  I’m really, believe it or not, working.

In fact, I have a confession to make.  Of all the conferences I’ve attended over the years (and this is one I attended regularly), I’m not really enjoying myself this year.  I guess the economy has caused a lot of Realtors to stay home.  This lowers the energy this conference usually has.  The economy has also caused a lot of the exhibitors to stay away.  So it’s not as much fun and there are certainly not enough opportunities to check into vendors that might offer ways to make the business easier or more efficient.

Don’t get me wrong.  It’s still great to catch up with Realtors from other parts of the State, some I know and haven’t seen in a year. Others I’m meeting for the first time.  It just seems that there is something missing.  It’s certainly no day at the beach.