We Came We Blogged We Talked (face to face)
20 years ago I took my first train ride into Manhattan. On reaching the city, as the train pulled out of the tunnel, I got a glimpse of buildings (tall, sooty brown and grime grey), a bit of sky, and the train tracks.
Yesterday I saw that very same vista.
5 years ago I started blogging about Charlie and Jim's and my life.
5 years was when a couple of my friends started blogging too.
3 years ago I went to a BlogHer conference for the first time in Chicago.
2 years ago I went BlogHer again in San Francisco and met Shannon, Jennyalice, Kristen, Jordan, and Mary, and how many other mom bloggers?
Yesterday I went to BlogHer.
Recalling my chicken frosh self of 1990, I felt a little glee to be making my way solo through the Garden and up Avenue of the Americas to the conference hotel where I immediately met Niksmom.
And then Estée and Kyra whose blogs I've only followed for how long?
And, at a panel on autism and blogging, Carol and Stimey and Angry Black Bitch who (along with Shannon) each mentioned an autism myth and debunked it:
- plenty of lunch (nice little change from yet another Sodexho sandwich)
- a tour de Swag which left me with more reusable grocery bags than I knew I needed, random packages of Pirate's Booty, weird cookies, and soy bars in three flavors, and a Jimmy Dean alarm clock that I intend to put to good use (when I can figure that out)
- lots and lots and lots of good talking about lots and lots of things with a couple of women whose lives I've known a bit of through their blogs over the years, but nothing beats sitting face to face with breeze blowing and the sun shining in Central Park
- a limo ride (actual $$ cost: very little—-happy laughs and silly, happy photos: yup, priceless)
- a very nice dinner with a little too much noise of a raucous kind from the next table and (despite that) more good conversation.
- 1 10-mile bike ride
- 1 burrito
- 1 10-mile bike ride
- 1 3 1/2 mile walk
DANG another reason to pout about missing BlogHer10 — not seeing you!
Ah well. Next year, or later this year, $deity$ willing & the creek don’t rise.
It was SOOOOO GREAT to finally get to meet you IRL and share such a great time. I will remember our limo ride for sure! 🙂
I was sorely tempted to post a limo photo—think I will add one……
Sounds like a lovely day was had by all. 🙂
And Jim got a new toothbrush out of it, too.
Women friends are the best! Immediate shorthand to deep and fun communication AND our family enjoys the respite.
I started writing 5 yrs ago in June. I heard next yr it will be in San Diego, that might be doable for me – if I really want to go.
Been waiting for ASA annual conf to come this way. I think the yr Nick was dx it was here in LA (98)
Estée has a great recap of the panel here:
http://www.esteeklar.com/2010/08/08/isolated-no-more/
Hope to meet everyone sometime— San Diego would be lovely—
i loved meeting you in person, kristina! our time in the park was so lovely. xx to you!
It was lovely to see you. Really, really lovely. I loved being in that Blogging Autism room with all of you. That was some good energy.