The Biggest Thing I Learned at Blogher

Hi friends!!  I'm back home after a great trip to Chicago!!!

It was a whirlwind, and it was wonderful, and I'm excited to tell you more about my experience in the next few days; but, tonight I wanted to pop in and share the biggest thing I learned at Blogher...

Yes, I learned a lot about the blogging industry and felt both challenged and inspired by some of the "experts" in the field; but, more than anything else, I realized while I was there that I care a lot more about connecting with YOU than I do about connecting with big brands or big bloggers....

I know absolutely nothing about search engine optimization (and I really have no interest in learning it), I don't have an email newsletter for my blog (nor do I plan on starting one), and I'm pretty much doing Twitter and Facebook totally wrong. 

BUT, despite all that (and maybe partly because of it), we've got a good thing going here.

I don't just write for myself.  As I've said before (and many of your mentioned again in the comments of last week's post), if I wanted to just write for myself, I would keep a journal.  I also don't just write for free stuff, fame, or money.

I think all of those things are awesome "bonuses" to blogging.  Writing makes me happy and helps me process things in my life.  It's fun to get free stuff or have a stranger say "I read your blog" in the elevator.  And, as little as it may be, it is nice to be recognized and (occasionally) compensated for the time and energy I put in to blogging.

But, FAR beyond any of those things, I blog because of YOU.

You guys - my fellow mommas, teachers, girlfriends, and formerly Type A hot messes - you guys, are my people.

So, thanks.  Thanks for making this fun.  Thanks for genuinely caring about me and the people I love and write about.  Thanks for leaving comments, and sending emails, and just showing up. Thanks for making me feel like my voice is worth being heard, and that I'm not the only one wearing a bathing suit bottom as underwear because I haven't done laundry in a week (oh, maybe that really is just me). 

Thanks for being my people.

P.S. My roommate for Blogher, Heather (from Desperately Seeking Sanity), has been reading my blog for a while.  On Saturday morning, after she had to drag me  out of bed like a teenager for an appointment I was clearly going to be late for, she said (with love and in good humor): "I used to think you really did have it together from reading your blog; now that I've spent time with you, I realize you aren't exaggerating when you say that you DO NOT." I felt kind-of proud. ;)