Conferencing With BlogHer

I belong to a web site for women bloggers called BlogHer (see the badge at the top of the column to the right). Started by a group of women in California as a blogging conference in 2005, BlogHer has become a huge online community, with over 20,000 registered blogs and 40,000 visitors per month. The conference has grown from 300 attendees at the first one in 2005 to over 4000 just seven years later.

The best part of BlogHer for me is the wildly divergent subject matter and the accompanying respect for where people are at. On the website’s opening page today the blog posts range from a woman discussing her experience of mothering a child with cancer to a how-to on slicing an onion, and there are appreciative readers of both. There are recipes and laundry tips, but deadly serious discussions about world issues as well. There are Mommy blogs and infertility blogs and bereavement blogs and shopping blogs. There is literally something for everyone.

I have been honored to have two of my blog posts featured on the national site over the past year. I was so excited! It was tremendous exposure for my writing and flattering to have been chosen out of thousands of posts uploaded onto the site every day.

The conference is a extensive undertaking, geared toward improving the blogging process from every angle possible, content and technical, and how to maintain momentum and exposure. I attended two years ago when it was in New York. They rotate location every year, so I figured I would jump at the chance, as it was unlikely to be here again soon. It was a great couple of days of networking, picking up ideas and renewing enthusiasm. When it was announced that this year’s conference would be in the city again, I was disappointed, because there was no way I could go, financially or physically. Then, financially, a totally unexpected opportunity arose. But physically, I really hesitated. My mobility has taken a serious downturn over the past two years. If I go anywhere, I have to go with so much STUFF! But my friends and family really encouraged me, and offered support and help. So I registered and the weeks ticked by.

Last week everything started falling apart. I am really not feeling well and my anxiety about traveling, even such a short distance to New York, began to go sky high. My daughter in Texas was supposed to come in and we were going to do a girls weekend in the city, but she cancelled at the last minute. That took the heart right out of me, but my friends and my other daughter Mary Kate again persuaded me to do this for me. Then, the day before I was supposed to leave, my power wheelchair batteries failed and there was not enough time to order a new set. While I sat and wept with defeat, Mary Kate went to our local medical supply company and rented me a power wheelchair. Carol, a dear friend who runs errands for me and just generally brightens my life, drove me in to the city

So here I am.

I got here in time to watch the live feed from the White House and got goose bumps at the cheers that went up for the President (I will post the video as soon as it is available). I registered, tooled around the Expo center and then came back to my room for a $54 turkey sandwich from room service. After that I conked out for two hours and now I am probably awake for the rest of the night. Tomorrow the conference sessions start and the key note speaker is Martha Stewart. Danielle, my powerhouse roomie from two years ago, will be here and will stay with me the rest of the time.

I am only here because of the support and encouragement and hard work of about a dozen people. I owe it to them to have the best time possible. And I will. :)

 The view of Sixth Avenue from my room.

I am totally in a New York State of Mind:

Oh boy, talk about dying and going to heaven!