So I Went to BlogHer

I know that like 99% of y'all don't blog and aren't interested in blogging and blog, blog, blog. Am I the only person that hates that word? It's like blaaaaaahhhggg.

Anyway, I know most of y'all don't care, but I've been asked "Should *I* go to BlogHer?" enough times to be like "Meh, I'll write about it." So, tune out if it isn't your thing. I promise I won't hold it against you.

MOVING ON.

BlogHer this year for me was PHENOMENAL, which, obviously. I'm one of those super annoying people who will tell you that places and things can't be boring or sucky, only people can. Don't like what's happening in the room you're in? Move! It's easy! Don't like the people who are around you? Walk away! You can do it!

OK, so it's not always easy, but when I found myself fighting the urge to curl up in a ball and rock in the corner during a session that somehow ended up focusing on how important blog stats are and how to check them and OMG HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW YOUR QUANTCAST DATA KABLOOEY, I got up and walked out. I wandered down to another session and found it to be an absolutely fantastic discussion about how to skirt the line between living your life out loud on a blog and being a jerk who says too much.

There's something for everyone, is what I'm saying.

Honestly, I agree with my assessment from the last time I went to BlogHer that the sessions aren't great. I want more from them. I want it all. The Voices of the Year presentation was, of course, the exception in that it was pretty fantastic. Any time spent honoring well-composed words is time well spent.

However, the highlight of this year's BlogHer for me turned out to be something HUGELY unexpected. I was invited to attend a sales meeting with several key BlogHer sponsors. If you think that sounds like something Little Miss I'm Not a Brand would cringe at, I did. Until I got there. It turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to be all RAWR! I'M NOT A BRAND! to the people who really matter and not look like a douche.

It's good when you can walk out of a meeting not looking like a douche.

I'm still pondering some aspects of that meeting. It turned out to be like putting fuel in my tank, which I really needed. I've had my finger on the "shut 'er down" button on this here blog many, many, many times the past few months, but I think some of the discussions I had in that meeting were enough to make me put my hands back on my keyboard where they belong.

If I can sort it all out in my head, I'll write more about that meeting. We shall see.

Other highlights included just being in New York. Just being along with 5000 other people who also happen to blog. While some of them may not conduct themselves the way I want to conduct me, myself, and I, a lot of them are good people. Fun people. People worth being all "Heyyyy!" when you see them in the hall.

And some of them are jerks. I'm looking at you, Miss I Walked Behind A Table When I Wasn't Supposed To And Tripped On The Giant Speaker And WAAAAH! My Brownie Fell! Where Is My $1 Million Hotel Staff Who I Bitched At For Ten Minutes.

I walked away from her. Quickly. While pointing and mocking. (She was not injured, except maybe for her pride and her REALLY GIANT ENTITLED EGO.)

I didn't have a plan for any of the conference and instead chose to just wing it. That worked out perfectly because I spent every minute of every day with some fantastic and amazing and hilarious people. Jayna is forever and always one of my favorite people. Cara is magic to be around (especially when you need an elevator). Jenny can make my day just by saying her site name. Cynthia is a whirlwind of creativity and fun. Jenna is everything that makes me happy. Heather may be a Clevelander, but she's SO sweet. Karen lights up a room just by being in it. Jill makes me want to yell, "YEAH! WHAT SHE SAID!" Laurie manages to be EVERYWHERE and always has a smile on her face. Tarrant can fluster me into silence with her kind words like nobody else can. Jen is startlingly gorgeous and amazing and so sweet. Carmen can make me laugh just by looking at me. I could go on and on and on like this, listing people who I adore and who make the world a better place, but who I normally only see through words on my laptop screen. (If I didn't specifically name you, say your name and follow it with "makes the world a better place. I very seriously feel that way about you. Yes, YOU.)

And that's what BlogHer is all about. The people. Yes, there is swag and there are parties and you know what? I came home with very, very little swag and went to very, very few parties but I still had fun. (The key to the parties, I think, is to go ALL IN at one--I went all in at the Harley Davidson party, which was pretty much the greatest party I've ever been to. I do deserve brownie points for not asking Margaret Cho what the hell she was thinking with the pants she was wearing, though.)

Sure, there is drama at BlogHer. I heard inklings of some of it, but this isn't high school, folks. You can unfollow the drama and walk away from the drama and TAH-DAH! No more drama!

Once you pick your path at BlogHer, it's yours to enjoy. Every last bit of it.

So, should you go to BlogHer? I don't know. Ask yourself if you're committed to learning from thousands of other bloggers and even more committed to having fun while you do it.

(I took like 10 photos while in New York and only three of actual people, proving once again that I can't be trusted to take photos during an event.)

I Am The Queen of Dorktitude

I have a million things I need to write, so I'm going to strive to overachieve for a little bit. On Saturday, though, there was no overachieving. My mission was to exist, so that's what I was doing.

I was standing with a group of Awesome Internet People just outside the expo hall at BlogHer when a tiny little blond woman walked by.

"That's Katie Couric," someone said.

"No it's not," someone replied.

"Oh, yes," another person chimed in. "That IS Katie Couric."

As the tiny little blond woman walked briskly to the Walgreen's booth and began to shake hands, I spoke up. "Let's go stalk The Katie Couric."

I should mention that I'm not a celebrity chaser. I SWEAR I'M NOT. I just ... well ... they're just people, you guys. They poop, too. The extent of my celebrity care is that I tried for about 10 minutes to figure out which supermodel I shared an elevator with on Saturday evening, but I didn't figure it out and I consider those 10 minutes wasted.

(If anybody knows, just say the word. It wasn't Turlington. I for sure recongized her when I spotted her earlier in the day.)

And yet, it seemed like the perfect time to pretend to be a celebrity chaser. So, together the little group of Awesome Internet People walked over to The Katie Couric and started trying to figure out just how far we were willing to take the dorktitude that is stalking a celebrity.

I pulled out my camera. I take photos of every frog and oddly shaped rock I see, so OF COURSE I DID.

Initially we were the only ones who realized that The Katie Couric was standing there in the middle of the Expo Hall with one very annoyed looking security guard to keep us commoners at bay. Which, um, AWKWARD. We needed a crowd to help blend our dorktitude.

Eventually a crowd began to gather, so we gained a little courage. There's a photo floating around on Instagram of me being a TOTAL and complete dork while The Katie Couric photobombs me. I probably could have gotten a good photo of her face or even spoke to her, but I didn't because I got distracted.

You guys. YOU GUYS. The Katie Couric was balanced atop the craziest shoes I've ever seen.

Let's pretend it's not at all strange that I have a photo of The Katie Couric's toes, mmkay? Focus on the shoes instead, please.

Those heels were EASILY four inches tall.

The leather was super shiny like patent leather, but obviously in a nude color. Red lined the bottom of the shoe and you could see it as she gracefully balanced atop those enormous heels.

Personally I think the shoes are hideous, but others I was with thought they were fabulous. Regardless, I just told the internet that I stalked The Katie Couric and the only thing I have to show for it is a photo of her shoes.

Wrap your arms around THAT level of dorktitude.

Big Time Rush in Pictures

You guys. YOU GUYS. What is up with so few of you knowing about Big Time Rush?

Fact: If you are the parent of a 6-10 year old girl, Big Time Rush could very well be your new best friend. They play catchy boy band-esque music, but are squeaky clean and not annoying.

That "not annoying" thing is key. I like when bands make my kid go loopy, but I don't have to sacrifice any brain cells for the cause.

There were a whole lot of dads at the concert, including a guy right in front of us who clung to his beer for dear life and another dad who video-taped a lot of the show.

Which I think proves the "not annoying" bit.

Damn if Windows Down didn't somehow wiggle its way into my subconscious and become that catchy little tune I can use to chase Call Me Maybe out of my head.

There is a formula for music-themed TV shows for kids and Big Time Rush fits the formula perfectly. As a parent of a kid who worships the glowy box in our family room and who listens to music pretty much every minute of every day, I appreciate when that formula is done right. It makes my life easier.

Especially when the formula is met with guys who are a little bit too old to be my kids. I'M JUST SAYIN'.

Ahem.

Anyway, it was a good time, in no small part because Alexis loved every single second of the show.