A funny thing happened on the way to the Bloggers conference..

Well, not really. Unless you consider waking up at 4.40am with a hangover funny. And then having to drive 1.5 hours in the dark and rain, funny. But it sounded like a good title at the time, and I have to admit I’m clutching at straws with this post. I don’t know what to cover. What to say. How to possibly convey all that I got out of it, or tell you the brilliant people that I met – it’s just not going to cut it. And the worst bit? Not ONE photo to use to let you see what went down (and I love to take a photo). Well, I do have one of Lady Wooga, Sawhole and Eden and then one of Brenda on her iphone but they just wouldn’t cut the mustard and are trashy mobile phone shots with bad light so they won’t even get a run. So I’ll just have a crack, bullet point style, because I am a writer after all. A storyteller if you will, and it’s how the best of us write when stuck for ideas, still exhausted and needing to get anything something out to “our audience”. Ahem.

: It was quite strange being a room filled with all these fabulous people that you knew, but not really, and then could be speaking with someone for 5 mins or so before realising who they actually were, or who their blogs were. I spent all day looking down at people’s crotches trying to read the name of their blog down past their ‘real’ name and then having to go back to my spot and look their blog up before going “oh yes! Of course!” and then meaning to catch up with them again, but then forgetting and then realising when you got home that there was all these people that you meant to meet, but then didn’t. It was all really quite exhausting.

: I did, however, get to meet my celebrity crushes and they were even better in real life than their blogs are. Bern Morley is like some kind of mermaid goddess with all that hair and legs that just wouldn’t quit. She was however, hung like a dog, so wasn’t at her sparkly best. The NDM is just as fabulous as you would expect her to be, but smaller, and cuter. And when she had her tiara on later in the evening? I was a little more in awe of her. Mrs Woog (aka Lady Wooga) and Sawhole are hilarious. Mrs Woog is quite a powerful woman and I found myself doing as she asked of me, just because she asked. I loved chatting with her, dancing with her, and drinking with her. I knew I was going to love her, and I can say she did not disappoint. Eden is amazeballs. She is strong and powerful and bloody hilarious and I could talk to that woman for hours on end. How did I not know about Kim? How it is that I had never read her blog? Is she, in fact, my long lost sister? How can it be so that Nikki is more stylish inside and out than she appears on her blog? Her poses for shots were inspiring (I still couldn’t get the leg to the front and twist quite right) and she rocked that dance floor. Kristin? Well I could listen to her talk for hours. Her reading of a poem she did made me all choked up. And I don’t get choked up. The girl can write. The girl can talk. And the girl has one amazing set of tits on her. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg – there were so many others – and they were all fabulous.com.au

: The highlight session for me would have had to be the “My blog, my Story” while all the suckers were upstairs learning about SEO and stuff. Blogging to me has always been about connecting with someone and their lives, their stories and to actually listen to people tell theirs just made it all the more powerful. You know sometimes when you write a post and you feel it that you may or may not shed a tear {or is that just me?} well it was like that, but in the flesh. Amazing. Confronting. Terrifying. Uplifting. It really challenged me to think about what I share, what I put on my blog, and all the stuff in between. It made me woozy and I certainly have lots of think about.

: I am now more addicted to twitter than I ever thought possible. The twitter streams during some of the sessions were hilarious and next year {as suggested by someone who tweeted it but I forget who} we need them streamed up onto the screen aka Q&A style. I followed a gazillion more people and have got a whole lot of new followers and the conversations that I have been dipping in and out of are hilarious and fun. Just fun. I just don’t think I am ever going to quit twitter after this weekend.

When I started blogging almost 5 years ago I did it because I needed to stay in touch with my sisters when I was pregnant. Can you believe Facebook didn’t even exist before then? Crazy. And somehow, all this time later, I’m still coming on here every other day and writing stuff down. Besides the amazing record that this will be for my kids down the track, it’s all the other stuff that it has given me. The courage to pack up and move somewhere totally out of my comfort zone because you all came along for the ride in my laptop. Friends – proper friendships with real people that get me, really get me. And feeling a part of something. At the end of the day – all of us sitting around those tables struggling with the bad wi-fi and freezing air conditioning were all a part of something. A community. A whatever. And that something has saved my arse from going bat shit crazy when I am home with kids. And not working. And feeling very much like I am a nobody besides a mother who gets ordered around, and cleans and feeds for nothing other than tantrums. So thank YOU #ausblogcon2011 for the good times. For the laughs. For the support and kindness you showed to me. And for being a certain something I can’t live without.

Comments

  1. It sounds like you had a great time! You’re so right about the blogging community – it’s such a supportive, kind and loving place to be xxx

  2. Wow. I am so green with envy right now!! I might just pop along to the conference next year to meet you, Beth – and then blog about how fabulous YOU are on the the dance floor!!! xxxxx

  3. It was great to meet you Beth.. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that EVERYONE except Kelley was a new read for me! But I’m so glad i went.

    Now I need to find a job that makes me a full time blog reader because, seriously there is too much good writing and not enough time to see it all!

  4. Sounds like everyone had an amazing time πŸ™‚

    And you’re right, the blogging community is a warm and welcoming one. Sometimes I think I prefer people I ‘know’ through blogging and twitter over those I know in ‘real’ life.

  5. Beth you are AMAZING!

    I discovered your blog about a year ago. Every morning I check in and see what’s happenig in your neck of the woods. It’s mind boggling to feel so connected to a total stranger.

    I have a 2 year old and another on the way, it brings such comfort and reassurance to me to know that I might not be the only one having a super shitty day.

    Thank you for honesty, awesome photos, ripping tales and sense of style.

    CHEERS!

    Amelia

  6. Oh, Beth, firstly I’m really desperate for a full-length photo of you (waist twist or not). BEST DRESSED AWARD is yours. Secondly, you are one hell of a chick and my weekend was made all the better for meeting you xx

  7. Wow, Beth, sounds awesome. I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself so much.

    I agree – it’s all about the connections. After reading your post and talking to my sisters, I am now desperate to meet Mrs Woog (according to the girls, we would be instant besties), Nikki (because she’s just so darn stylish and lovely) and your darling self (but we are working on that, right?) x

  8. You had the hottest sparliest dress and the sparkliest makeup and you looked like a doll on a cake. In a good way.
    It was lovely to meet you Amber.
    xxx

  9. Well said, well said! I am glad I finally plucked up the courage to come over and talk to you even though it was after the My Blog, My Story segment and we were all a little emotionally drained! It was lovely to meet you!

  10. How great was it! Everyone was wonderful and fun and amazing.

  11. Just starting out blogging (beccibird.blogspot.com) but am now aiming for next year’s conference after all the wonderful tweets, blogs and fbs coming out of it. I too have been quick to click follow on all these great women.

  12. Bath, I am only sorry we had such a fleeting hello….this post is so accurate….and I am giggling at the looking at crotch issue…I felt like a perve the whole weekend!

  13. Hi Beth, was great sharing a table with you – and I have to agree with Styling You – you took the award for best dressed on the night – stunning.

  14. Glad you had a great time! I need to hear all the dirty details about the night-time shenanighans.

  15. You just tore that post a new a-hole. I think you just found your blojo. Looking forward to some more posts like this. Go get ’em, Tiger.

  16. My twitter feed will never be the same…

    I’m also going to totally going to copy your amazing haircut…

  17. I really wanted to meet you but just ran out of time! The conference was amazing, so many people in the one room trying to say hello to everyone!!

  18. Was lovely to meet you, brief as it was, drunk as I was… I’m not usually like that… oh, who am I kidding.

  19. Oh Beth, I can’t believe I’m just now reading about how much you loved my tits! Thank you (sniffle…).

    I am so glad I got to meet you. What a beautiful, joyful, fun-loving soul you are. Just bloody awesome.com.au.

  20. I know what you mean about My Blog My Story… I was a freaking wreck after that.

    And beforehand.

    I can’t believe it has already been almost a week. Seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago.

    Can’t wait till next year!

  21. Hmm.. still yet to find someone think the ABC wasnt fun πŸ™‚

    and im glad you had lots of it! hehehe following your blog now. look forward to what you’ve got next!

    – tork
    Adelaide and South Australia blog

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