This past weekend, I traveled to Chicago with 5000 other bloggers to attend BlogHer ’13, one of the largest blogging conferences for women around. I was a BlogHer virgin and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. In the end I came way with way more than a name badge and hotel bill.
Here are 10 things I took home with me in my BlogHer ’13 doggie bag:
40 pounds of swag.
The Expo Hall had more free goodies than a Costco tasting hour. I scored big on children’s medicine, skin care products, and other, uh, “sundries” I can’t really mention here without blushing. Keep your eye on this site, I may just be giving some of them away!
Questions, questions and more questions.
A couple of the sessions I attended spoke to me so powerfully and got me thinking about my blogging goals that my head feels like it’s about to explode. I hope to gain some space and time in the next week to sit down and ponder them to find some answers.
Motivation.
Spending three days with fellow bloggers discussing the how and why of writing has got my wheels turning. Both in it’s normal mode of operation, and, as a bonus, in new ways. Which I feel is a good sign of a successful conference.
Less than perfect skin.
All those nights burning the midnight oil and not getting enough water has wreaked havoc on my skin. During the last dinner of the weekend, I felt two very large zits erupt on my face. Not the best of keepsakes.
Knowledge from pretty inspiring people.
Queen Latifah! Guy Kowasaki! Sheryl Sandberg! The lineup was impressive. Say what you want about Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook, but her keynote speech was thought-provoking and motivating. And it made me re-evaluate how I speak to my daughter about her bossy behavior. Those are executive leadership qualities, y’all! I’m leaning in.
A wish list for better sweaters.
While I was warned that the conference center air conditioning can be brutal, I had no idea how cold I would find myself throughout the day. Do they really need to simulate the polar ice caps in an effort to make every attendee comfortable?
Great memories of meeting some amazing women.
Hanging with writers is amazing. They wield their words with craft and artistry in a way that makes me want to enroll in a writing course, STAT. The women I met this past weekend exuded confidence, brilliance, and a fantastic sense of humor.
A case for fiber and Metamucil.
Let’s just say that I didn’t visit the bathroom much during my weekend and leave it at that.
The old me, even if for just a weekend.
Maybe it was being around a hilarious group of people. Maybe it was stripping myself from the role of “Mom” for a couple of days. Maybe it was my body’s coping mechanism against the frigid conference room air. But I haven’t laughed that hard in ages. Once the floodgate opened, I couldn’t stop myself from cackling every chance I got. It was a glorious feeling.
My penchant for dropping the f-bomb.
This habit laid dormant for a really long time. Then I spent three days at BlogHer with some bad-ass bloggers, and now I can’t stop injecting profanity at every turn.
All in all, it was money well spent. If you ever get the chance to attend a BlogHer conference, seriously consider going! Be sure to look for me, I’ll be the one giggling like a school girl lugging four bags of swag around the conference center.
