I spent last weekend hangin' with my imaginary friends!

BlogHer ’08.  What can I say?  It was kind of like one of those dreams where you go back to high school and you’re either buck naked or running down the hall in slow motion trying to get to your final exam on time, when it suddenly dawns on you that you haven’t gone to class all semester! 

I’m usually having the finals dream, because that was my high school experience, but, this time, I did do my homework, I really did. So naked - it’s hard not to feel exposed when greeting people that you’ve only ever met online. But, at the same time, it’s absolutely electrifying to connect with real people, offline, away from our computer screens, and truly get to know each other for the actual, live people that we are, for... real. And this, I think is the heart and soul of the BlogHer Conference.

I’ve been mulling for days over how to best wrap up my experience, but I’m still reeling from the enormity of it all. I’m more of a memoirs person. I’ll be able to tell you all about it in twenty years. 

The break out sessions were great. They were interesting and informative, and answered the questions I’d had coming in as a new blogger. The biggest and most delightful surprise of the whole weekend, was the amazingly diverse group of people that I spent time with. From all the wonderful Mommys (and the handful of Daddys), to the techies, the educators, marketing specialists, foodies, sex writers, and All That and More Writer’s, what made the conference truly special was the social networking. To be in a room with 1000 plus people, who all use the same creative medium with which to share their passions, was truly remarkable.

I’ve been blogging for less than six months, but I’ve been reading blogs for the last several years. It was a real pleasure to finally meet some of the women who’ve been so inspirational to me and to feel so welcomed by all of them.

Crystal, who I’ve long admired from afar, my blessings to your father. May you all stay strong during this challenging time. But also, Congratulations on your exciting news! You really have earned it. Polly, our BART ride home on Friday night confirmed to me that, yes, we are just a few BART stops away from an organized play date.  Liz, whenever I’m homesick for the Big Apple, I know I can visit your site and be right back there with you. Kristen, you have an amazing propensity for glancing at a name tag, and making a person feel like you’ve known them forever. Thank you both for taking the time to stop and talk shop. Lindsay, you are as talented and entertaining in person as you are online. Next year I’m not missing that burger party!

And to these lovely ladies who abducted me, tied me up, and threw me in a cab, I don’t know when I’ve last laughed so hard. I’ll have midnight brunch with all y'all any ole time. Thank you RSG and Lelo for saving me when my coach turned into a pumpkin, it would have been a long cold night sleeping all alone on a park bench down on Market street.