Needless to say I left my camera in my hotel room all weekend long.
With the sleep deprivation and estrogen overload, this weekend is kind of a blur. Of course I think I was the only person there who did not have her own personal business cards or digital camera strapped around her neck. (Yes, I am a DORK and I am still mad about leaving my camera in my hotel room.) I want to thank all of the people I met. You totally opened up my world. I also want to mention a few of these many wonderful people, people who gave me wonderfully designed business cards, shared a room with me, hugged me and made leaving my kids for a few days worth every single second. This has been a difficult time and going to Blogher, away from my safety net, enabled me to FINALLY CRY, something I have needed to do for three weeks.
I
I learned a lot this weekend. Mostly, I learned how small I am in all of this. There are some amazing women out there. I also learned a brutally hard lesson once again and face-to-face that once you put something out there, you can never ever ever take it back. Please count to ten before posting something you may regret and please, please be careful with what you say. You may think people will understand your intent, but you never ever know how it will be received.
[UPDATE 2.19.13: Oh how fun it would be to Mystery-Science-Theater-3000 some of these old posts, even a Director’s Cut would do.]
Oh, I’m so glad you got to meet Amy! I heart Ames so much.
right on with those last three sentences!
BETH!! It was so, so fun to meet YOU. That dinner was one of the highlights of the weekend. I’m so glad you understood that I couldn’t eat that conference food anymore, what with my race training and everything. 🙂
And duh, why DON’T I link you? I am foolish, oh so foolish! Going to fix that, right now . . .
Thanks so much for actually remembering my real name. There was so much meeting and so many new people, I had a hard time keeping everyone straight that first day.
As I said before, I was so glad you made it. I finally got to meet you in person. I’m just sorry I didn’t get to talk to you more. Maybe next time.
Sam
xoxo
You are great.
Glad you had a good time. And Writer Mama?…rocks. I love Julie. 🙂
You, dear, were one of the reasons I wanted to go 🙂
I never thought I would want to go to BlogHer until I knew you were going. When I saw pictures of you and Y, I definitely had a moment’s regret for not going. Waaaaaa! Glad you had a great time, Beth. You deserved the break, that’s for sure!
It sounds like so much fun, and I would’ve loved to meet you, Beth.
Good lord, I think you’re awesome. I really, truly do.
Beth, you are totally awesome (I second Heather B.), and I never use that word.
I can’t believe I met the three-dimensional Beth. It was such a delight, and i was so touched you went out and bought me a birthday present.
(I am really tired right now; maybe I shouldn’t push “post” but I’m going to.)
LADY! How lucky am I that you came into my life? Very.
I second almost ALL of Julie’s comments with the exception of being touched that you bought me a birthday present. I have yet to receive one from you, however, when I do, I can promise you that I will be touched.
Come back, visit often, and bring those cute little people that kept calling you “mom”
sigh. I wish I hadnt read this until AFTER I wrote my own because now I’m just going to want to steal your words and claim them as my own. You said it all so well. Everytime I sit down to write about the people I met it comes out like this:
ohmigodthey’resocooland-
funnyandohmigod
or something nearly as intelligent.
Great to meet you!
I wrote about you in my recap as well. Meeting you face to face was one of the biggest highlights of the conference for me. Thanks for not thinking I was a complete dork, Beth! (Well if you did, you hid it well) 🙂
Karen
Oh yes, we’re back at the compound safe and sound. Now if I could only find my gingham apron and my husband.
I’m so glad I got to connect with you, it made me feel 100 times less like an alien.
xoxo
I am so jealous of you guys. It looks like everyone had so much fun!
Beth, you have stunning hair, too. Very pretty.
Hi Beth, I am so bummed that I didn’t get to introduce myself to you and give you a hug! I smiled at you once, thinking that I’d have a chance to chat with you later, but that time just never came. The days whizzed by, I swear! I love coming here and reading your site and seeing your beautiful family…
Beth, somewhere in the craziness of life I stopped reading your blog, and it makes me sad because I’ve always loved the way you write without abandon about your love for your boys and your husband. The way you are honest with you pain and the way you stand up and call Bullshit, People do care what other people think of them. Because it is true. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself to you, for me…but by then I had run out stupid, embarrassing things to say to bloggers I idolize. Thank you for blogging
Um, Robin if you are reading.
First of all, You must know that all my boys have been begging me to do since Sunday is to take them back to your house. Why the heck did you have to be so damn hospitable, why?
Second, Isn’t a new best friend way cooler than a birthday present?
Julie, I am so glad you posted your comment and I only wish we could have hung out more. You are fantastico. We already miss you. Oh and still look for the pictures. It has been a crazy few days.
Lassa, I am bummed that I didn’t meet you, but I remember when you smiled at me. You are gorgeous. You also have a wonderful website, by the way.
Everyone, I have cramps and insomnia so I better stop before my comments get really really weird.
But I must end by saying: Very Mom, I am so glad you made it back. I only wish I had taken the time to grind some whole wheat and make you some bread.
Everyone else, thank you for supporting me. I need it and I mean it.
I’m so jealous. I wish I had enough money to go.
you are amazing.
Wow. Sounds amazing. Glad you had such a good time, and someday I hope to attend!
Have we met? I’m Karen. :o)
Nice meeting you at BlogHer — even if, because of my slightly overtaxed brain, we met more than once! You have a beautiful site — I’ll be back often!
K>