Friday, July 27, 2007

Brief update from Chicago

It was an unexpected treat when i stepped off the plane that a strange woman was waiting for me at the end of the causeway. "Are you Meno?" she asked in a lovely southern accent.

Ms. Chica, it was indeed! Her plane had been delayed and so she had hung around the airport for a little while and waited for me.

At the baggage claim, another woman, this one with an english accent and a baby strapped to her back came up to me again and said, "Are you Meno?" Antonia! I think it was the height that gave me away.


So Blogher started with a bang. Maggie had already checked in when we arrived, but she was nowhere to be found. Ms. Chica and i went out to dinner with QT and Jen at a pretty good Italian place. I still have garlic breath today.


We almost went to a weclome cocktail party hosted in the bar at the W last night. Ms. Chica and Maggie and i wandered up there at around nine. When the door to the elevator opened into the party, noise and darkness and black light assulted us. We bravely turned around and left. (Just so you know, my idea of hell is a disco.)


So, the conference; It seems to me that it is designed for people who want to become famous or make money with their blogging. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is not my ambition. There's some seriously great swag though.

  • a thumb drive
  • chocolate
  • cereal
  • a potholder
  • a cool bag to hold it all
  • a box of lotions, including something called "pillow mist."
  • a pedometer
  • a nail care kit
  • a towel
  • etc....

Here's Maggie with some of the swag:



We went to some of the morning track presentations, and the first afternoon track, and then we ditched and are back at the hotel doing what geeks do best.


More later. Busy busy busy.

32 comments:

peevish said...

Yea! An update!

sigh...I wish I were there instead of here trying to keep my house clean and tidy despite 2 rugrats living in it, so someone will come & buy it.

Have a great time!

thailandchani said...

Thanks for the update. :) I was really curious to know what you would think of the conferences.

Not my ambition, either.


Peace,

~Chani

Anonymous said...

The best part has definitely got to be hanging out with the other bloggers. But keep us tuned in to all the juicy details.

the last picture: dat u?

amusing said...

Sounds like you could have had a blast just hanging out at the airport!

amusing said...

And did Antonia happen to mention if babies fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment?

flutter said...

Oh that is so cool...wish i was there to have garlic breath with you

Susanne said...

Thank you for the update. And how great that you met friends right away.

I think there was some noise about the "becoming famous and rich"-panels last year too. I got the impression that there are a lot bloghers who don't have that ambition as well.

And interestingly I feel so exhausted and ready for a little break that I'm not even longing to be at the conference right now. Odd. I'd like to meet you all though.

Liv said...

Damn it all. Glad to know you're having such fun. And BTW, I'd recognize Chica's cargo shorts anywhere! :)

Anonymous said...

How great that you so easily found some of the women you wanted to meet! Got your 5 points for a blogger from Wisconsin...what do you get for a blogger from another country? And Esme's worth bonus points! I'm so excited, I feel like I was there.

Thanks for checking in! <3

luckyzmom said...

I'm wondering why we are drawn to the blogs we are drawn to and also how it would be to be face to face with them. I am reminded of someone I met on a plane once several years ago. We struck up a conversation and it felt like we had known each other forever. We were planning to move soon to the city she lived in and she gave me her phone number to call when we did. There was a few years delay in the move and by the time we moved here the phone number was no longer in service.

I have no idea why I wrote about this disappointment in response to your good time. Just jealous still I guess.

Antonia Cornwell said...

I've bunked off all of it. I've been talking to Ian about my total lack of interest in making anything of my blog: Chicago's just been an excuse to meet people and see a new city.

Instead of Bloghering, we went to the aquarium, and up and down the Navy Pier 100000 times, and walked and walked and walked around the city, and paddled in Lake Michigan, and it's been wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Chicago is a great, great town. And that sure is some fab swag. Worth the price of admission? I dunno. Are you going to hear Amy Sedaris?

Joan said...

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...free stuff. Now I know I want to go next year. Where do I sign up?!?!? Thanks for the update.

Mrs. Chili said...

I wish I were there! I'm going to try to make the commitment to go next year. I should start working on Mr. Chili right now - blogging makes him edgy, and actually meeting bloggers in REAL LIFE! GASP! They could be psycho-stalker serial murderers!

Have you met any of those yet?

Dick said...

It looks like you are having fun. I don't know what one would actually learn at something like that but it would be great fun meeting some of the bloggers you have met online.

Andrea Frazer said...

Ohhh, that is so great! I'm jealous, in a good way. I'm happy and jealous all at once. Next year I'll join hopefully.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

So glad you're having a great time.

Does anyone really expect to become famous from blogging?

I had no idea.

Anonymous said...

Have a great time! It sounds as though it's all good fun. :)

Bobealia... said...

You know I'm jealous, right?
I want to meet you too.
I hope the actually conference gets more fun for you.
Oh, and what are the secrets to making money?
I could start like a new money making blog.

Airam said...

Wow you got gifts?!? Glad you had fun!

Lynn said...

Sounds like you've been having a great time. How nice to be 'greeted' at the airport, by not one, but two, blogger friends. Keep the information coming...I want to hear more.

Anonymous said...

meeting bloggers, getting freebies, and having fun? Sounds like a great time.

Tink said...

Don't talk to me. I'm jealous. ;)

Unknown said...

Oooohhhh....which Italian restaurant? There used to be a pretty good one in the lobby of the Playboy Building. You're in my old stomping grounds.

And I don't blame you; who wants to stand around getting black light in your eyes and bad music in your ears when you could be talking to friends.

I didn't get swag from my weekend getaway...just schmag.

karmic said...

Glad you folks are having fun at blogher.

Girlplustwo said...

am entirely glad we had that one night together.

megabrooke said...

sounds like a good time! i'd love to meet so many bloggers all at once.

Anonymous said...

Oooo a friendly English person! I'm so glad.
Cheers

egan said...

Are there really bloggers that take themselves too seriously? Damn, that's too bad. I love the photo of someone blogging.

It must be hard for anyone to stay focussed considering they'd be all concerned about happenings on their blog. Or maybe that's just me.

QT said...

Yes, it required bravado to go to that party on Thursday night~

I can't believe I missed Maggie - so glad we connected that first night, tho ~ things got a bit nuts after that!

Next time I'm in the PNW, I am giving you a call ~ We didn't even get to talk about hikes!

Mother of Invention said...

Sounds neat that you got to meet some of your regulars. I imagine it was easy talking to them as you already feel you know them so well but what a thrill to see them in person! I'm with you...I'm not interested in how to be a rich and famous blogger..I am all about the people.

What is a thumb drive? (Sorry, but I'm never hip to all this stuff sometimes!)
Does it cost a lot to go and stay wherever you did? (apart from the flight) I don't imagine I'll ever go to one...I don't know many Canadian bloggers.

gary rith said...

Its Maggie!