Sherri August 12, 2011

BlogHer Recap: Five Fabulous Fails

BlogHer11 in San Diego is over, people.

Which is why my family looks at me so sadly when I try and present a drink ticket for wine at dinner.

I haven’t even removed my badge yet. The grocery store clerk now refers to me as “@OldTweener”.

I find myself strategically placing my jammies and toothbrush near the bathroom door on the floor, so that when I sneak come into the room and it’s insanely too late dark I can find them and I won’t disturb my awesome roomies.

Hubs is not amused.

And after the glorious highs and excitement of it all; the wonderful basking-in-the-glow of post-BlogHer giddiness most people wrote an awesome recap post.

I’m cheating by linking to a few of them here. Don’t judge; I’m still tired.

If you want to see me as a beautiful, willowy stick figure drawn by my incredibly talented roomie Lori, go here. I look so hot as a stick figure, I may steal that picture for my new About Me page. Lori is already my friend in real life and we chatted so much on the plane home we neglected to notice a blogger sitting in the third seat in our row. My apologies to the very beautiful (and tolerant) Wife of a Dairyman, whose blog I am now following.

If you want to hear how I forced my wonderful and sweet friend Nichole not only to travel with me to San Diego but also to share her drink tickets, get me into the hottest parties, and swap swag, please go here. Nichole is one of my very favorite people already, so to spend days and days with her? Awesome. She even tolerated my insane amount of chatter and reminded me to sanitize my feet after we all danced barefoot. She’s awesome like that.

If you love videos (I know, I’m supposed to call it a vlog) go visit my other awesome roomie Galit, who not only put up with my noisy stealthy sneaking in, but I suspect she was the one who left the light on for me. She found a special place in my heart last week and I intend to keep her there.

And my third roomie (yes, there was bed-sharing) Kayleen wrote the best post I wish I’d read before we hopped on that plane bound for San Diego. She’s smart, that one. And wicked-funny, which I already knew. I felt so smart for snagging her as a roomie the exact moment that she purchased her ticket. Which is not at all creepy.

So my recap post? Not so fluffy and empowering; not very insightful or artistic. But here it is:

Five Fabulous BlogHer Fails

  1. I spent way too much time obsessing about the clothes I needed to look Bloggerish. And when we arrived that first day I did not want to spend time hanging things up on hangers and all that nonsense. So not only did I NOT wear everything I had obsessed over, but it all wound up in an incredible tangle by the second day. Time wasted I will never get back, although I did score a pretty cute Old Navy dress.
  2. I didn’t take any pictures. None. I took a small camera, and I even have a camera on my dumb phone. I just got so distracted by the people and the introductions and the wine incredible food that I forgot. Luckily I did insert myself into lots of other people’s pictures, but now I am on a world-wide-web scavenger hunt to find myself. I call it “Where’s Old Tweener?”
  3. All the awesome swag I collected was not properly packed. Randomly throwing crap swag into your suitcase at 6:30am the morning you leave is not the best approach. Just ask Gigi and Lori, who had the distinct pleasure of watching my super-special detailed search by the San Diego TSA man. He confiscated my bottle of POM juice, a cool wine opener, and a 5-oz package of tuna. Somewhere a TSA dude is having a picnic at my expense.
  4. I didn’t get to meet Rita Arens. This may sound totally stupid and a bit creepy (sorry, Rita) but she was kind-of like a goddess to me back when I had four posts syndicated over at BlogHer. It was like she summoned me up to the stars for a bit. And she blogs, just like one of us. Good stuff, too. I might have even offered her one of my coveted drink tickets (or one I stole from Nichole).
  5. I over-scheduled with the parties. Once the invites started coming in I was struggling to stay afloat, and just kept saying “Yes, yes!” like Meg Ryan in that diner scene. Some of the private parties were almost like long lines to collect swag bags, with a taxicab at the end to take us to our next destination. And all that swag? I gave the cool stuff to my daughter (OPI nail polish, etc…). I am still waiting for the proper moment to give the dog her Canine Plaque Blaster (I’m serious: it’s in the swag bag).

Now? Back to the reality of my life. Cooking, cleaning, taking care of the blog stuff.

Which means I can’t keep dancing on the coffee table after the kids go to bed and declaring it Sparklecorn.

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Filed Under: writing Tagged With: bloggy conference mistakes, BlogHer, BlogHer11, swag bags 45 Comments

Comments

  1. spacer Galit Breen says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:00 pm

    You? Are pure amazing.

    And my space in your heart? Permanent.

    Love you! XO

    Reply
  2. spacer Lori says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    As far as I’m concerned, I got THE roommates. Yes. THE roommates. No one scored on the roommate front as well as I did.

    And getting to watch you sitting in the “enhanced search” area of the San Diego airport was pretty priceless. I just WISH they’d let us take photographs.

    Reply
  3. spacer JoAnn says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    you are hilarious AND brilliant. I’m going to try to present a drink ticket at dinner tomorrow and hope for the best.

    Reply
  4. spacer anymommy says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    If you declare it Sparklecorn, then it is Sparklecorn. Loved the recap and loved meeting you, however briefly.

    Reply
  5. spacer Lizz says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    I have a several pics of you in my Flickr set: www.flickr.com/photos/alwaysclickingaway/sets/72157627296067163/

    You aren’t alone in wanting to meet Rita, except that I did! She was the main reason I went to the Own Your Beauty session, and I was SO happy to talk to her for just a moment!

    And 3, I love you. When can we have coffee or something?

    Reply
  6. spacer Rachel {at} Mommy Needs a Vacation says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:17 pm

    Can I come over for the repeat Sparklecorn on your coffee table? I will bring wine!

    Love you tons Big Sis Sherri!
    xoxoxo

    Reply
  7. spacer Mandi says:
    August 12, 2011 at 9:21 pm

    Sounds like you had a great time!

    Reply
  8. spacer Joann Woolley says:
    August 12, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    You sound like someone I should have met! Maybe BlogHer12, Baby!

    Reply
  9. spacer Varda (SquashedMom) says:
    August 12, 2011 at 10:10 pm

    Loved meeting you, then meeting you, then meeting you… it did seem to we ran into each other around every bend – must hang in the same (awesome) circles. Next time, though, I want to get to sit down and have a long conversation with you, because that would be much more wonderful than a hundred hellos.

    Reply
  10. spacer Hopes@Staying Afloat! says:
    August 12, 2011 at 10:11 pm

    Sounds AMAZING!!! Hopefully I will be at the next one to partake in all the craziness that is BlogHer.

    Reply
  11. spacer Cheryl D. says:
    August 12, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    I never took my camera out either! I was too busy “living in the moment.” I’m really regretting that now!

    I had a calmer BlogHer experience though. I didn’t get invited to any private parties. The one outside event I was going to go to (seeing The Help), I ended up not doing so I could meet up with new friends for dinner.

    And of course, it was great to meet you!

    Reply
  12. spacer Nancy~The Wife of a Dairyman says:
    August 13, 2011 at 12:22 am

    Thanks so much for the kind words and a pleasure to meet you also, if only when landing back in Oakland! I did NOT have any drink tickets left to bring home, therefore I hope my pillow drool on the plane ride home did not reach your {or Lori’s} shoulders:)
    I thoroughly enjoyed your re-cap!

    Reply
  13. spacer liz says:
    August 13, 2011 at 4:57 am

    “Like Meg Ryan in that diner scene” – Snort!

    I would have loved to see you cut a run. Just saying.

    Reply
  14. spacer Leigh Ann says:
    August 13, 2011 at 5:28 am

    I love this post — from a BlogHer non attendee. Laughing so hard at the thought of the grocery store clerk call you @OldTweener and “Where’s Old Tweener?” You have a knack for laughing at yourself, but still making yourself sound completely lovable.

    Reply
  15. spacer Marisa says:
    August 13, 2011 at 9:01 am

    Awesome stories. I so wish I could have gone. I’ll shoot for next year, but two years out, is more like my reality. My head would be spinning with all the activity and fun.

    Reply
  16. spacer Lynn MacDonald (All Fooked Up) says:
    August 13, 2011 at 9:06 am

    I also overpacked. Next year 5 pairs of gym shorts and 5 tshirts.

    DONE

    You looked great and I loved meeting you even though we didn’t really chat much…without booze.

    Also, you forgot me in your recap!!! Hahaha

    Reply
    • spacer By Word of Mouth Musings says:
      August 13, 2011 at 10:18 am

      and still, she needs a minder ….

      Reply
      • spacer By Word of Mouth Musings says:
        August 13, 2011 at 10:18 am

        but i couldn’t love her more!

        Reply
  17. spacer TheNextMartha says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:06 am

    It was SO great meeting you . Truly. I took next to no photos too. Sigh. Too many parties and too little time with the people I could have easily spent hours talking to. Like you.

    Reply
  18. spacer Elena says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:13 am

    I love this recap. Love it! Makes me want to meet you even more now. But, just warning, I won’t be giving away any drink tickets. spacer

    Reply
  19. spacer Tonya says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:13 am

    Swag is so over rated!

    And so is BlogHer attire.

    Loved meeting you and can’t wait to spend more time together soon! xoxo

    Reply
  20. spacer Kristin @ Peace, Love and Muesli says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:16 am

    There was OPI polish?!? More parties for me next time, table dancing too.
    I didn’t obsess about my clothes and froze my patootie off. I’ll obsess more next time.

    Reply
  21. spacer By Word of Mouth Musings says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:19 am

    i may email you about a conference coming up, tell you its by invitation only … then pick you up at the airport and keep you at my house spacer

    Reply
    • spacer Natalie says:
      August 13, 2011 at 10:40 am

      That sounds like an EXCELLENT conference.. Add me to that email list too.

      Reply
  22. spacer geekbabe says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:24 am

    I keep looking around for the waiters holding trays of hot apps & offering me a fresh glass of wine! I miss eating with people who must photograph every course before they eat it. I really,really loved being among 3,600 hundred women who truly do “get” whatever the hell it is that I’m doing.

    I’m sad that BlogHer11 is over … I miss you people something fierce!

    Great post, thank you for sharing your awesome with us!

    Reply
  23. spacer Alexandra says:
    August 13, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Seeing people, we know only from their avatars, was like Disneyland for grown ups, wasn’ it?

    So surreal.

    Glad you had a wonderful time!!

    Reply
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