Reading my last post on the BlogHer pre-parties, I had to snicker because I morphed some things from Friday into Thursday because it was late, I was tired, I'd been drinking, and I didn't know what day it was because of a combination of all of those things. Chances are, you weren't at BlogHer, so you can't even tell... except you can infer some things about the weekend, as I promised a post on Day One on Friday, and it's now Sunday Wednesday. Nothing will make me procrastinate like good girlfriends, free drinks and "friending" them all on Facebook now that I'm home.
On the real BlogHer day one, I began attending "break-out sessions." Above all things, I attended BlogHer to learn some new things about social media. I wasn't really seeking information on how to build my own brand as much as I was seeking information on what else was out there -- an important distinction to me because I wasn't there to meet celebrities (everyone I met was a star!) or to become one myself. After lasting about two seconds in the speed-dating thing following the newbie breakfast, I learned another...
BlogHer lesson: Most bloggers think they're already famous, that you should've heard of them already and that they're destined to further superstardom in the blogosphere. Since I wasn't there to either worship or to preen, speed-dating was not (and will never be) my thing.
The most amazing break-out session I attended on Friday (or ever) was led by Katie Orenstein of The Op-Ed Project. Did you know that 9 out of 10 Op-Eds submitted to The Washington Post are written by men? I didn't either, and the rest of the session was even more fascinating. Katie talked with us about the bones of a good op-ed piece, and I left feeling like I could write one. I am confident in my writing skills, but I have never been confident in my ability to write something worthy of The New York Times. Now, I'll try... First, though, I'll be launching another blog in the fall as my practice space; I'm extremely excited about trying a new form of writing.
I did attend other break-out sessions, too, but I didn't take away much... I think that next year, I'll get more out of these sessions; but this year, as a newbie, a lot of them were too niche for me.
Then the community keynote happened. It happened. Eden Kennedy of Fussy moderated twenty bloggers reading posts nominated by the BlogHer community. It was an emotional roller coaster. From my very favorite post -- the riotously funny Wendi Aaron's ode to Diet Coke, proving that she is my husband's soulmate, making me a little sad -- to the tragic stories of abuse and loss, I spent nearly two hours laughing and crying. That's the ONE BlogHer event that was absent of alcoholic beverages yet sorely in need of them. For the last two posts read, I confess that had to step out of the room. I was just too emotionally zapped.
After a brief meditation break in the massage chair (love that concierge level lounge!), I headed to my first BlogHer cocktail hour, a mind-blowing mix of SoBe cocktails, Mrs. PotatoHead dancing, and karaoke. I also learned another...
BlogHer lesson: BlogHer cocktail parties will involve Food That Is Bad For You. Fried artichokes, fried chicken, fried shrimp, fried fried stuff, like those little fried batter droppings from Long John Silvers. For gluten-free me, it is a weight-loss proposition. For drinking-SoBe-cocktails me, it is a Bad Idea.
After realizing that I wasn't going to be upright much longer if I didn't ingest food, I headed to that proving-itself-priceless concierge level lounge, where normal happy hour fare -- veggie trays, cheeses, etc. -- saved my evening. Then I headed to the next party: Mommy Needs a Cocktail, a fabulous event with minimal swag (which meant more fun and conversation) and, more importantly, flowing chocolate fountains. I hung out with Christopher, the social media dude from GM -- yes, that GM, General Motors -- kind sponsors of BlogHer despite the economy -- and learned that my beloved Saturn company has been bought by the Penske tire people. (You probably already knew that, but I don't read the WSJ unless my husband's in it.) That's a wild idea... kind of backward... a tire company buying a car company. I think I like it. I also think I still want a Saturn Sky, something that was mysteriously absent from my swag bag...?! I decided to skip the Type-A Momfluence party, having heard there was a line out the door for swag an hour before the party... meaning that by the time I got there, few people would be left, as they would've grabbed their bags and ran away already. Did I mention that I prefer parties where there is no fighting-for-swag?
So, after a long and precious evening, my cumulative Friday BlogHer lessons were: 1) I really like making new friends (like Carmen, Wendi, Carol, Jessica, Melissa, Heidi and so many others!) ... but not if they're only talking to me to pimp their blogs. 2) If I'm going to a bar, I need to take a Luna Bar so that I don't drink on an empty stomach. 3) Most importantly, I can learn a lot of important stuff at these conferences... That session with Katie Orenstein has the potential to be life-changing, and I think that's pretty darned cool.
Tomorrow, or days from now: BlogHer: Day Two and final.
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