Dealing with Death

Not my favorite subject, not at all. But I feel compelled to write something. So yesterday when I was strolling through the mall I get a Facebook messag

e from my sister. It was an obituary from my hometown, I didn't recognize the first name but the last name I did. It was the last name of my 5th grade teacher. 5th grade is a fog, but I do remember some things. My 5th grade teacher was funny, he loved the SF Giants, made me play sports and what I recall made us write in our journals. I don't really remember what I wrote, I am thinking I wrote about the guy who sat next to me in class. My class was a combination class, half our class were 6th graders. I always thought, it was great hanging out with the older crew. I ended up with friends that were older but like all most childhood friends, you part ways; the same way you part ways with those who teach you. My 5th grade teacher died of cancer and he was my mother's age, which is still very young. It is crazy to think all that life you remember is no longer here but in a memory. I got a lump in my throat walking through Fashion Valley last night. This I know, Mr. Donohue touched lives from early on, those are the moments that matter the most, a glimmer of inspiration. True hope. You will be missed.

Posted via email from Jennifer's epiphanies

Oh I get it, it's sisterhood - My experience at BlogHer 11.

My first time at BlogHer in my hometown. Nothing can top going to a conference where you live. Love that I didn't have to travel. I hate airports and long car rides. So here is my lowdown of this estrogen-enriched filled weekend.

My impressions:

Before Blogher = Swag, Panels and Parties

After Blogher = Relationships, Parties, Swag

My experience by importance:

Relationships - I created relationships from BlogWorld (another conference but not the same as Blogher) and saw some of my friends.These relationships extended. I hung out with my local crowd and caught up with my out-of-town friends. I also met some new friends and learned more about my old friends. It is all about the genuine relationships to me. I am grateful to of found more people I share common interests with. I have to admit, I learned more off-site than I did on-site. My conversations with having meals with my friends at the Melting Pot and Urban Solace were priceless. Everyone I met I felt it was a genuine connection and it was a friendly (at least for me). I guess I wouldn't leave it at just sisterhood, but also brotherhood as well. I have a select few guy friends who I consider in this group.

Parties -  Parties is an extension of relationships. I kept running into the same new people. It was nice because the new friend label quickly wore off. I have to admit, 

 

there were some great parties I went to. Surprisingly, the McDonalds CheeseburgHer party impressed me. I think it was the comfy beds and the fact I could eat in bed without feeling guilty. 

Panels - I guess I didn't pick the inspiring panels. I can't say much about this since I only went to the official Blogher for one day. I did learn something from the Video Panel but the other panel I chose wasn't what I envisioned and ended up walking out early. The keynote lunch with the Pepsi CEO, Indra Nooyi was worth the ticket, there needed to be more of that. That was a great format with a one on one interview style with a Q&A from the Twitter community. I missed the closing note speech but in-lieu of our dinner conversation at the Melting Pot,  I honestly can say it was probably worth missing.  I did attend the non-BlogHer sponsored  "Women Create Media" workshop on the "first official day" was worth it. The talk by Brene Brown about authenticity and meeting Aliza Sherman was a great way to start this experience. I made a speed collage and I was satisfied by the way it turned out. It now is pinned to my bulletin bar and is a constant reminder that I like flowers, Paris and spas. Next time I go to Blogher, I must think out of the box this conference is about inspiration and sisterhood, not learning the latest and greatest ( I need to choose my panels wisely next time). I also have to remember that inspiring can give you that boost you need to get your life that extra spark. And everyone can use those sparks in life.

 

Swag - As I hit the expo floor, my first glimpse into product insanity is a big oversized Pringles Character (Logo IRL) staring at me. I think this sparked a bit of excitement. I am a sucker for people dressed up in costumes and cartoon mustaches. Immediately, I gravitated to "him" and scored a picture. My nickname for the Blogher Expo floor-Swagcity. It was a crazy experience, never in my life I got so much attention and stuff. I have to admit I like stuff. My inner brain is a minimalist, my outer brain is a hoarder. That struggle was apparent in my head. Blogher is an eye opening conference. Brands need bloggers. Influence is key to their survival. A symbiotic relationship? Only time will tell. That in itself is a whole research paper. I digress. The aftermath of my swag-o-rama?  A pile of shopping bags and medicine to last me for years. Cups, flip-flops,mints, pens, paper, chicken stock, fruit cups, post-its, kitchen sponges, bathroom cleaners, toothpaste, crayons, coupons, netti-pots and more. This to me seems like a strange mix, but in the world of BlogHer, this is the norm. My decision to make the Tempurpedic Ergo Adjustable bed just became more clear - Awesome bed (not sponsored).

In conclusion, I say BlogHer isn't something I would travel cross country to attend but knowing there are women (and men) who aspire to inspire. I can see why BlogHer is a big deal in the blogging community. 

 

Posted via email from Jennifer's epiphanies