I’m pretty new to this whole blogging thing. In ”blog years,” I’m like a two-year old or something. A puppy, really (if you care, I like beagles.)  And when it comes to meeting real-life bloggers, I’m still pretty green. I’ve only met like 5 bloggers before this past weekend, so you could imagine I was a little worked up to be around 800 of y’all at BlogHer.  I feel like blogging encapsulates me in this little alternate universe where I can be somewhat anonymous and get away with things I’d never say in person.Â
Woof woof.
But at BlogHer, people introduce themselves by their real name AND their blog name, so there’s no hiding. At BlogHer, you meet people by either staking them out from pictures you’ve seen of them online, by recognizing their babies, by staring at the name tag on their chests, or by sending e-mails to them in vain to try to find them in the gigundo conference space.Â
Overall, my first BlogHer conference was a strange, wonderful and disappointing experience all at the same time.Â
For instance (a highlight!), I ate a LOT of greasy food while bitching about work with two great new friends. Who happen to be as HI-larious in person as on their blogs.
Yes, I was nauseous after eating this.
No, my son was not nauseous after eating the leftovers.
I got a ton of free swag because someone out there laughably thinks I’m influential. But in all seriousness, I can’t believe Jill and Beth hooked us up with so much STUFF. I don’t really need any more STUFF, but it’s cool to say I got STUFF. I gave my nanny some of the loot and I’m giving some of the other STUFF away HERE if you want swag to fill up your house like it’s filling up mine.
And now, a word from our sponsors.
I met some really neat women, more than I could have ever hoped to meet.  Some I got to speak to for awhile, most I just waved at, winked at, smiled at coyly or nodded head in agreement at. I also got a lot of funny and creative blog cards (blards), most of which I’m having a hard time matching the blog to the face. I feel silly that I can’t remember what someone looked like who I met for five seconds, but I’m blaming this problem on the ridiculously loud bar I went to Thursday night, or the I-feel-like-I’m-at-a-bad-corporate-conference speed dating session from the first day. (I’ll happily brainstorm other ways to network, BlogHer ladies!)Â
I went to learn, connect and experience, just like a newbie should. But unfortunately, I was a little underwhelmed by the learning part. I think I had an expectation that it would be more like a “conference” and less like a blog.  But every session I attended, with the exception of the building traffic one, was like I was visiting the set of some blog reality show. People stated their opinions out loud. And then everyone commented. Out loud. And then some people were just LOUD.  But unlike the internet, you couldn’t click to another page. Also, you didn’t really WANT to opt-out of the conversation because you had spent $200 to listen to it. But, I didn’t want to spend my weekend debating labels, discussing the pros and cons of monetization or by getting legal advice (I’m married to a lawyer for that.) I wanted to walk away with some hard and fast facts for how I can be a better blogger in my space. Or ways I could make a few bucks to pay for my grande-nonfat-extra-hot-chai-latte without “turning my blog into a billboard.” (Love that line, L.)
Bow wow.
I’m just saying. I do have a teensy-weensy bit of experience in event planning.
Anyway, overall, it was worth it, and I’m glad I went. I really would have regretted not experiencing the biggest gathering of women at a conference anywhere in the country (!!!).  But you’re gonna have to throw me more than a dog bone to get me back next year.
Maybe I’m more like a kitten. (Down, kitty!) Meow.
Tags: blogher07
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Newbie – interesting. I was feeling a little left out, now I don’t feel quite so back. Thanks for sharing such an honest opinion.
Cheers
Hi SMM, I was hoping to meet you in person this weekend. Yours has been my favorite blog to follow. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I did, however, share some of your same options about the conference. Glad I went, but feeling a bit “over it”
er… Opinions, not “options”. I hate comment typos
This was a great post on BlogHer… so thankful for your honesty! But quite jealous at all the bloggers you got to meet!!
Steph
I rock, I got “chests”!!
ditto. ditto on it all.
Thanks for the honest review you newbie you.
Do they survey attendees? You should chime in with your advice for next year’s event!
Hello!
It really was a treat to meet you in person!
Hopefully, we can all get together when you are in Silicon Valley next month!
Jill
It was fun to meet so many people. I had newbie anxiety, too, but I think it turned out OK!
And I’m glad I got to meet you, my Work It, Mom! compadre!
Bummed I didn’t get to meet you either, after Robyn said such fab things. But, I see above, you’ll be in Silicon Valley?
Send details, we’ll relive the fun. Great post
Hey, Just getting a chance to talk to you live for the first time was worth it! I have been reading your posts for so long.. Please visit your Silicon Valley buddies when you come to the Bay Area!
It was great meeting you! I feel so strange not yelling at everyone when I talk now. I lost my voice from all of the shouting to be heard events.
I wish I had met you there! I agree with what you said. I wish I had learned more about making a better blog…
I agree about the panels; they were definitely not the most helpful part of the conference for me (I much more enjoyed meeting people like you!) One thought I had, though, is that it would be so hard to arrange panels for such a diverse group of women. I mean, with writing conferences I’ve been to, you could sum up the shared goals in a few words or phrases: getting published. More money. Better understanding of contract terminology. Improvement in the craft. But at this one, there is such wild diversity that it’s like we had to spend too much time talking about how diverse we all are to acknowledge that not everybody’s on the same path, before we can get down to the nuts-and-bolts in the panels.
But then that diversity was also what made the parties and socializing so interesting, so…I don’t know how I feel. Maybe I should have stuck to the techy workshops, since it doesn’t seem like there would be as much of an open-mic night feel to those.
Loved reading your honest and well-written synopsis of the event.
I didn’t attend this year and, in light of this posting, probably won’t attend next year unless I can be assured that I will…”walk away with some hard and fast facts for how I can be a better blogger.”
Thanks for your post. I went to another blogger conference yesterday for a client of mine – a real estate blogging conference. It was such a different energy there – more nuts and bolts and very competitive. You knew everyone there was wanting to make $$$. IT was not good or bad, just differnt. I did however, respect the focus especially after BlogHEr.