This is the LAST BLOGHER POST! (everyone who was unable to attend cheers) (even those who were able to attend are cheering because DUDE, enough already) I’m just going to clear up some odds and ends.  And then we can be on our way.  (Well, this is a damn, dirty lie because my YNTR post tomorrow will heavily feature post-BlogHer posts, but at least they won’t be MY post-BlogHer posts!)

Okay, I want to talk a little about my session.  This is the first time I’ve done a panel-type session and you know what?  Kinda fun.  Seriously!  I actually kind of enjoyed being a part of it.  It didn’t feel so much like speaking as it did leading a group discussion.  I kind of got into that.  The only bad part was losing half our audience before it was all said and done.  We started out with a pretty packed room which was VERY COOL.  I was excited!  And before the time was up, we’d lost a good half of those people.  I guess we weren’t exciting after all.  Which, you know, is okay.  Elisa herself had encouraged people to not be afraid to leave and find sessions that DO speak to them.  But on the other hand, this is a session led by INTROVERTS.  And I replayed all those people standing up and walking out in my head a good 50 times that weekend.  Was it something I said?  Do I offend?

All I want to say about drama is this: You cannot go to an event like BlogHer with sky-high expectations.  If you read nothing but “a-list” bloggers and you have dreams of going there and becoming their BFFs, well, you’re probably going to walk away disappointed.  Yes, even if they have responded to your comments or whathaveyou.  Because they’re going to be busy (as we all are at BlogHer) and they’re also shy like a lot of us are and I don’t know about you, but giant free-for-alls like this wear me the heck out.  And I’m NOT under a spotlight.  Doesn’t excuse out and out rude behavior but I didn’t hear of TOO many stories like that this year, thankfully.  It’s best to go in with the expectation that you want to meet up with people who you read who also read you and connect with you and with the hopes of meeting new people.  Because BlogHer is FABULOUS for meeting new people.

Also: Some people will look for drama even where there isn’t really any.  That’s just the nature of the beast sometimes.  People like to rubber-neck.  So sometimes we are the community’s own worst enemy.  We need to knock that off, seriously.  It’s not doing anyone any favors.

All in all, I had a great time.  Next year I want to do some things different (don’t I say this every year??):

• I want to go SANS KIDS.  No children.  Nadda.  NONE.
• I want to room together with a bunch of buddies so we can stay up late braiding hair.  Or drinking at parties.  Or, heck, both.  Think of the money savings too!
• I want to stay an extra day or two (or three).  I want to be there the day before for any pre-parties and I want to be there the day AFTER, to decompress and sight-see.  I’m talking four nights in the hotel.  I don’t want to feel rushed.  I want to soak it all in, damnit.
• I want to make GINORMOUS efforts to meet people that I decide beforehand I want to meet.  Mrs. Flinger and Jennifer?  THAT MEANS YOU.  Among others.
• I want to take so many pictures that it literally makes my flickr account WEEP.
• I want to go to several parties.  I want to have alcohol at some of these parties (if not all).  I most especially want to go to a CheeseburgHer party as I have now missed it TWO YEARS IN A ROW.  And those cheeseburgers look yummy.

I think that covers it.  Now, let us never speak of it again.  Until next year, of course.

***

In other news: OMG, my husband has started a blog.  A daddy blog, of sorts.  I think.  Though he has yet to mention our actual CHILDREN, but whatever.  (Who am I to talk?  How often do I talk about the kids, really?)  Anyhow, I think he got a look at all the fun we had at BlogHer this year (and all the guys who were there getting all the attention) and decided he wanted a piece of that pie.  Whatever his reasoning, stop by and say, “Whatup, yo?”