Matt doesn’t get it. I had barely stepped off the plane from BlogHer09 in Chicago and he said, “so, we’re done with this, right?” In my inbox sat my receipt for my registration to BlogHer10 in NYC, already purchased.
It will take some convincing, but I will finagle my way to San Diego next year.
I can’t explain it, except like this: There are so few opportunities in this life to truly celebrate the joy and creativity and talent you find in others. At Blogher, tiny new bud green tendrils curl shyly out from my mind and gently wrap around the thoughts and the energy of the women around me. Reading someone’s blog is a shortcut to their heart. To stand there in front of them and smile over all we don’t have to say is, well, priceless.
I spent this weekend celebrating with and for the accomplishments of 2290 women (and ten men).
We celebrated fabulous writing and design. I cried with pride and happiness and pleasure to see Marinka make 2000 people laugh and Amy sing to a crowd of thousands and Jill present her design work.
We celebrated art and I wandered alone for over an hour gazing at pictures created by friends to honor the words of other friends.
At lunches and dinners, we celebrated friendship.
At Serendipity, Kari, Kim, Cat, Issa and I celebrated frozen peanut butter hot chocolate.
(Notice how my hair is holding up, here.)
Scarymommy, Jill, Carolyn Online, Twenty-four at heart, Momo Fali, Amy of the bitchinwivesclub, annsrants, vodkamom, ohmommy, me, wendiaarons, , Heather of the EO, and PostPicketFence (hiding out of frame). (photo stolen from Scarymommy)
(PS OMG! Look at my hair handle the swamp! We tamed that bitch.)
At breakfast, I sat across from Ann (and finally got my lox) and celebrated her vision and my luck to get to sit there for an hour, talking.
(Imagine another picture here of another dinner that filled my heart til it burst with this cast of lovelies: Anna See, Kate of the Big Piece of Cake, Issa, Kari Heart, LilWelshRarebit, Jill, Jonna, and, of course, Nate.)
At panels, we laughed until we cried with (at? ;-) Marinka and Kelsey and Wendi and Jessica Bern.
I stole a hug from Ryan and managed to beg him to take Nate’s picture.
In quiet corners, in suites meant for a moment of serenity in a sea of chaos, in rooms and hallways we celebrated agents signed and awards won.
Late into the night, whispering so as not to wake the baby, we celebrated starting over and learning from mistakes.
Nate rocked his tutu at the Sparklecorn party, briefly, before he demanded sleep and I retired to the hall. (Photo stolen from Issa’s Crazy World.)
Over coffee, we celebrated support from a widespread network and a mother’s fragile health.
In down moments, I took a deep breath and celebrated myself, my right to be there, taking it all in, spending time with women who inspire me and humble me and challenge me to be better.
I had my hard moments. Moments of sheer terror to look around a room of hundreds and recognize no one, moments of overwhelming emotion, moments where I felt like an ass for not remembering someone’s name, for being distracted, for losing sight of the moment. I bolted from the Community Keynote because the child care suite was closing and then cried in the hall alone with Nate because I wanted to be there, taking it all in, celebrating friends and strangers for their talent and I wanted to be here, holding my baby who patiently spent the whole day with kind strangers.
Late, late, late the last night, or early, early, early the last morning, depending on your point of view, my roommates and I had a funny conversation about what it meant for many people to think I was nice.
I hope that it means that they understand how much I strive to be gentle with others’ hearts and hopes and feelings, though I don’t always get it right.
I hope that it means that my celebration of all of you was evident on my face and in my smile.
I can be quiet and reserved. I felt torn between my baby and the chaos. I have opinions. I can snark. But, this weekend, I threw my fistfuls of glitter into the air over and over. I hope it landed in your hair and you smile when you pull out a little sparkly bit of purple and think of me, celebrating you.
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These links are a mess, but I’m exhausted and the sentiment is true.
*Credit to Pink.
I JUST sent you my only picture from the weekend. It's of you and Nate at that pictureless dinner. If only someone had grabbed a card from the sex panelist…she may have gotten the only one of the table. If we do end up getting a copy I have a feeling that (for me) it will sparkle with several fistfulls of your glitter.
Your words, your recap, your unbelievable sincerity melt me.
You had me at hello. xx
You are a doll. I hope you get to go alone next year and go all out for us moms who just don't have it in us to do such things, but would treasure every moment of it. I adore you.
San Diego next year? *sigh* I guess it was too much to hope for NYC again? Oh well. Glad you made it home safely!
Nate is so handsome.
I found you some time ago through the Perlman Update and this is the first time I've commented…I adore your blog, as a mom and someone who has thought about adoption, and really found myself thinking about you and Jill and thousands of others here last week (I work down the street from Serendipity!). Your blogs were an inspiration for me as I recently started my own. So glad you had a wonderful time- you deserve it.
Sounds like you made it through with style! Congrats. And have fun at the next one!
So much fun! Love the photo the random man on the street took! I loved getting to know you both at lunch and sitting on the floor outside of Sparklecorn. You are just pure awesome-ness! You are in some photos and linked to on 24 today!
http://tinyurl.com/23cs2te
my heart smiled when I saw your face. You are a genuine and amazing soul- and i was so thrilled to have the chance to hug you again.
xx
Getting to hang out with you and The Super Nate was one of the highlights of my weekend.
No Sleep 'Til San Diego!
I caught some of your glitter. I'm STILL sparkling.
It was so great to see you again & to almost get lost in a cab with you.
You expressed it all perfectly.
You make it sound wonderful and do-able.
I am glad you all had a great time. I heard all about it from Issa. Maybe one day I will make it to BlogHer. Maybe.
Girl, once again you blow me away with your words.
I hope you are able to meet up with Issa and Liz and I in Oct. :)
Looks like the hair held up pretty good!
I love Nate in the tutu – he'll hate you for that later :)
Wish I could have gone. . .
You are amazing. I adore you more than words can say.
You and Kari? You two made this past weekend the most phenomenal weekend I've had in a long time. I needed it. I know Kari needed it too and I think you did too.
It's hard to do everything, see everyone. It's easy to get distracted. The thing is? We all get distracted there. So it's okay. We made our time count. That is what matters. And I will send Matt a list of 35 reasons that you NEED to be there next year if need be. There's always duct tape too. ;)
And friend? iNater is amazing. He made this weekend perfect too.
Pretty sure your glitter landed everywhere, and lots on me. Meeting you and Nate and chatting in the serenity suite was a highlight for me. You are absolutely lovely.
Stacey, you are one I would have loved to have met. Had I been there. ;)
This is a lovely recap. I think I caught some glitter all the way over here in Wisconsin.
xo e.
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! You describe Blogher the way it is meant to be. Still wishing I would have been there, but I will be in San Diego, and I can't wait to see you!!
XOXO
Isn't it funny, how I've never met any of you,but somehow when you were saying everyone who was there, I felt like it was a bundle of my friends?
Glad you had such a wonderful time. It sounds great! Here's some glitter into the air from me.
Isn't it funny, how I've never met any of you,but somehow when you were saying everyone who was there, I felt like it was a bundle of my friends?
Glad you had such a wonderful time. It sounds great! Here's some glitter into the air from me.
Great recap. Loved BlogHer again this year, even if we didn't meet. :)
Your hair held up FANTASTICALLY! Looks so good!
Now I MUST get myself to San Diego. I just MUST!
Oh and I think there's even some glitter in my hair, over here in Louisiana… ;)
oh, sweet sweet girl. gorgeous post.
stay at my house next year. i have TONS of room.
I love this, but blame you for putting that lump in my throat yet again.
"Fistful of glitter in the air"
Absolutely.
And you are so gentle with everyone's hearts and give yours so bravely and freely.
You are wonderful wonderful wonderful.
It makes me so happy to read this, but yet so unfair to think of you hanging out with so many women I've met and love and why was I not there!? Next year. Otherwise, I'm driving to the border of Idaho.
Oh, crap. I am just too jealous to read further. Next year in San Diego, hmmm??? I'm so there.
I love this. And why didn't we meet?
You write beautiful words.
I just loved meeting you. It was one of the highlights for me– having someone I'd heard so much about be ever better in person. I loved this year!
That was a great post. It was uplifting just reading about such a wonderful adventure. I do hope you go again next year and your hair did hold up great! I'm glad I found your blog, it's great.
I loved reading this, Stacey! I haven't figured out how to sum up the weekend yet, so I will rest and enjoy your lovely words!
Sooo good to see you! I wish we had had more of a chance to talk, but I feel as if we can and do that through our blogs,you know? Sending a cute pic of Nate to you.
Ain't nothing gonna stop me from 2011. NOTHING.
Glad you had fun, but soooo wish I had been there….
(((SOB)))
"In down moments, I took a deep breath and celebrated myself, my right to be there…" Can I make a bumper sticker outta that? Maybe a t-shirt? I might.
Also, per our photogenic discussion, this is the BEST picture of me ever taken.
LOVED seeing you again even though it's never long enough. And the Nater? Sigh.
SOOO happy for you! A bit jealous too. :)
Your hair looked fabulous and I cannot believe how big Nate is!
The very best part about meeting other bloggers is, as you said, all that you don't have to say. You all look glittery all over, just being together. It's a very odd and wonderful thing, this blogging business. Lovely lovely recap.
This community of ours is a strange one – where we feel like we know one another just from reading and commenting on each others' words.
And now I *do* know you (and others) and my overwhelming feeling is – why don't you all live on my street??
It's just not fair.
Another amazing weekend filled with the living, breathing bodies of the women whose minds I adore all year on-line. It never ceases to amaze me how clearly you all transmit your personalities on your sites so that the love I feel here can so easily transfer to the IRL people. Never.
Now, if I could just get you to relocate to WI and get back there myself, we could start some kind of online/offline blogging commune of awesomeness and life would be complete, right? :)))
So glad I got to meet you, and Nate!
It was great to see you at BlogHer and I hope we can steal more time next year in San Diego together at a lunch or something!
How is it that we missed each other? Now I'm bummed….
Awww – that was you with the adorable little boy outside of Sparklecorn?! Loved the tutu. SO cute.
People who don't blog just don't get it, do they? See you in San Diego :)
Someday I'm going to join you and Kate and Jill and everyone. Someday.
In the meantime, my art will have to stand in for me. Thank you so much for mentioning it.
xox
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My photography is available for purchase – visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!
I'm just sorry I didn't get to spend more time with you.
You know how amazing I think you are, especially when you and your mom took all that product off my hands (bless you both. Your sainthood awaits)
I hope I don't have to wait a whole year to see you again.
lots of love
I feel so blessed that I was able to meet you, if only briefly. And I am grateful for Nate's red hair… otherwise I might never have found you. (And yes – I felt the glitter – and thank you so much for the party pass. Most fun I had the entire conference.)