Fashion Models + LIFE

This will be my last post about the BlogHer conference.

Honestly, I don't think anyone cares about it for days and days and days - so ... I will try to recap as much as I can - quickly - and be done with it for this year.

I went into this conference with several goals.

Some goals I met - Like ... meeting many of the bloggers that I have known for a while and wanted so badly to meet and also reaching out and meeting new ones as well. Like ... stepping way out of my comfort zone to take this trip alone - travel from Texas to California alone on a plane, take shuttles and taxi's stay in a hotel by myself, introduction after introduction to one stranger after another. Like ... networking as much as possible. Like ... attending as many sessions as possible and learning as much as I could about blogging. Like ... ENJOYING MYSELF!

Some goals I didn't meet. Like ... meeting EVERYONE! Like trying to feel comfortable in most any situation. Like ... putting on my best face - all the time. Like ... doing and seeing everything I really wanted to see and do. Like ... not taking enough pictures!

I did okay.

I'd have to say that I am 97% satisfied with the whole trip. And that 3% I was not satisfied with was ...

How lonely I felt when I would return to my room after a long day. My great big beautiful room with the king sized "Heavenly Bed and Bath" - the one with the great view of the city from the 7th floor - the one that I had all to myself with a desk and large TV and my own bathroom and bar and closet. I so wanted to be ecstatic when I would walk through that door each evening to retire. Instead - I immediately noticed how quiet it was - how alone I felt. I wanted to enjoy every moment of solitude on this trip and smother myself selfishly in the lavishness of it all and I was surprised to hear the ... silence ... and not be happy about it. I missed my children and their NOISE! And ... a certain cowboy to share that big bed with!

And ... I'll just be honest ---

You CAN NOT bring 1000 women (a few men) together and expect it to always be delicious coffee, scrumptious chocolate and rose scented bubble baths! NOPE! There were certainly moments - that is for sure.

I won't go into those moments that happened to me - specifically - but ... I will say:

• Some people I thought I was going to love - I DIDN'T!


• Some people I was sure I was not going to like - I LOVED!


• Some people I thought were a certain way - WERE NOT!


• Some people I assumed were another way - WERE PLEASANTLY BETTER.


• Some people I expected to accept and include me - DID NOT!


• Some people I thought I would definitely want to embrace - I CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT!


• Some people are SOCIAL IDIOTS and need to take some CLASSES!


• Some people are sincere and generous and kind and fabulous!


• Some people need to learn how to hide when they are rolling their eyes at you!


• Some people need to go to etiquette classes.


• Some people need to try to be more positive and stop the damn whining and complaining all the time!


• Some people need to stay away from the BLOGHER CONFERENCE if they are not there to meet and talk to other blogging people - UGH!

Okay ... that's enough being mean. I AM SURE that some of these things others could say about me as well.

One of the things I loved about meeting so many of the women I have only known through their blogs is that I now have a face and personality and voice to associate with the words I read on their blogs - VERY COOL!

I also enjoyed seeing how people were so different than I expected - taller or shorter or prettier or uglier or smarter or funnier - very interesting!

It was also fun learning their real names or their children's real names. And learning where they live and more intimate details about their lives than they are willing to share on their blogs.

As far as the conference goes ---

BlogHer did an EXCELLENT job - in my opinion - at organizing (WOW!) this massive conference! The food was excellent - the accommodations were wonderful - the parties were fabulous - the sessions were informative and useful! And ... the sponsors were impressive! I think the conference was everything I hoped it would be and so much more and WELL worth the money and time!

And then ...

There was San Francisco!

I did not get to see much of the city, but our hotel (The Westin St. Francis) is right downtown in Union Square and every time you stepped out on the street, you were right in the midst of everything. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and feeling how ALIVE the city is.

On Sunday morning, I took a taxi (by myself) down to Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf. I saw Alcatraz off across the bay, The Golden Gate Bridge through the fog, the sea lions lounging in the water, the outdoor market, the wonderful shops (did a little shopping) and after I had seen as much as I had time to see, I stopped by the small little restaurant that my sister recommended and had a bowl of clam chowder and a shrimp sandwich - THAT WAS DELICIOUS! I'm so glad I made time on this last day to go down to Pier 39 - it was a treat!

Here are some of the pictures I took:

The founders of BlogHer speaking to the 1000 attendees.

Sesame Street was at the conference and had their own room. You could go there and meet the Muppet's, Grover and Abby Cadabby, and also meet the fabulous puppeteers behind those fantastic characters. It was very cool!

They also allowed time for people to have personal tapes (free) made with the Muppet and I had one made with Abby for Alexis, as Alexis' Birthday is coming up at the end of the month. Abby talked directly to Alexis and sang Happy Birthday! It was very COOL! I also got Abby's autograph for Alexis.

A San Francisco trolley car outside our hotel. Is there anything cooler or more fun than this these trolley cars???

China Town - from my taxi. I learned that China Town in San Francisco has the largest population of Chinese anywhere in the world - outside of China. And, that there is also a China Town in Oakland, CA.

Pier 39 - duh!

The beautiful shops on Pier 39.

The fabulous market on Pier 39.

Of course I had to stop in the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop - WOW!

I made it to Fishermans Wharf!

The view of Alcatraz from Fisherman's Wharf. It is not as close as it looks in this picture - I zoomed in so as to see it better.

The foggy view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Fisherman's Wharf.

Here are some of the ladies from the conference - lounging in the sun. Sorry - not really!

This was one of the most delicious lunches I have ever had! My sister begged me to try and go to this little restaurant down on Fisherman's Wharf and so I did. It was so DELICIOUS. My sister said, "Go there! And ... if you can figure out how to bring that chowder and sandwich back with you on the plane - DO IT!" Honestly - I'd almost fly back to San Francisco just to go back, sit at this little restaurant and eat this lunch again - looking out across the bay! It was the PERFECT ending to a fabulous trip!!

Thanks for tolerating my ramblings about the conference and being so thoughtful and encouraging and kind with your sweet comments. It was quite a great experience and I hope we ALL can go next year. I have not heard where it will be, but I plan on attending and I hope you will too!