The Minnesota Bloggers Conference (Alternate Title: I came. I spoke. I survived.)

All week I tried to prepare for speaking to my Minnesota blogging cronies. I tried and tried and felt more and more scattered and then more and more anxious due to the unpreparedness.

I got in the elevator on Saturday morning with Minnesota JoY (who saved me in the parking lot by generously giving me the parking fee I neglected to remember to bring) and Matt Logelin and Chris Ann from LoveFeast Table. That was a really good start.

I asked Matt if he was
ready for his keynote.
He said no.
I felt better.

(Did you notice how I just said that last thing Logelin-style?)

(Am clever.)

Check out the lovely place we were able to call home all day Saturday. (A big thank you to CoCo for allowing a bunch of Internet Geeks to take over their space.)

Yeah, you betcha. I want to work there. The commute would be Uff Da Long, but the huge windows with their light, the brick, the hardwood…I was a bit swoony.

Moving on.

It felt so good to be surrounded by so many people I’ve come to know through blogging (and The Twitter), and every one was so…well…Minnesota Nice. (No, not the fake-ish passive-aggressive nice, but true and genuine KINDNESS. It was everywhere.)

(she actually IS all things bright and beautiful, my friend Elle.)

Steph, this one’s for you…

This is Molly. I know that you can see that she’s gorgeous,
but I get to tell you that her loveliness
is all over her insides, too.

And yes, I did some speaking. I like to call it rambling. I had notes, the ones I tried and tried to put together with no success, but I think I only looked at them twice. And I think it went okay. I stood up, I said some things and I hope (a lot) that those things helped someone in the room. It was more than an honor to talk to this particular crew of people, I’ll just keep it to that. Except to say a huge-mongous thank you to those of you who attended my session. You rock the party.

(In the 2nd photo I’m saying vroom vroom while pretending to push a car around.
I’m the mother of 2 boys. I just can’t stop doing that.)

Lastly. I don’t know how to tell you about Matt’s keynote. Here are just a few words to describe it: inspiring, authentic, humble, hilarious, moving, creative, hilarious, sad, good, hopeful and hilarious. Thank you, Matt. You are the real deal, fine sir. I’m glad to know you.

Matt, being introduced by Missy, one of the hard-working
creators of the event.

This coming weekend the Gala and 5k to raise money for the Liz Logelin Foundation are a-happenin‘ in The Minneapolis. If you’re local-ish…come and support this endeavor to help shower a little grace on families who have lost a partner and parent. (click Gala and 5k above for details)

Matt’s keynote ended the conference on the perfect well-spoken note. He talked about community, the very thing that, for many of us, defines blogging.

I know I said “lastly” but this conference did not change the fact that I’m wordy and scattered, so one last thing…

I need to show you my new Gussy bag (pronounced baaayg). It was so good to see Maggie and then throw all of my super important items from my old bag to the new. It’s beautiful, this lady’s work. Hand sewn and quality beautiful things, that’s what she provides. But you knew that…


I loved Saturday.

The End.