Blathering recap of sorts

I've never written much about the Blathering here. I can tell you exactly why, too: it's because I don't want the resulting post to read like a big inside joke or an opportunity to name-drop. It's because I am deeply afraid of offending someone by leaving them out of a recap, whether by accident or simply because the conversation we had was too personal to recount here. It's because I don't even want to come across as playing favorites within my circle of closest friends – I have a real aversion to dramatics and I can control exactly how much controversy is stirred up on this website by not saying anything at all.

That said, it is pretty amazing when a group of 50 women, most of whom have never met each other, can get together in a distant location, room together, eat together and hang out together for something like 48 hours and somehow NO ONE CRIES. This is a big deal when you're talking about this much estrogen crammed into one small living room. This is why the Blathering is so freaking MAGICAL.

The Blathering was born when a handful of bloggers who had grown close through comments, emails and other correspondence (okay, mostly care packages and venting about breastfeeding) decided we didn't want to attend Blogher and pay exorbitant fees for sessions we didn't want to attend and parties we didn't want to feel awkward at just so we could meet and talk to each other. So we picked a location and we bought plane tickets and made hotel reservations and then we just... showed up, like Elizabeth said, with nervous tummies and sweaty palms and no idea whether this was a great idea or our husbands' greatest fears. (Mine was convinced that everyone I'd “met online” was just a creepy old man posing as a young child's mother while lying in wait for the opportunity to MURDER ME. I said that's an awful lot of breastfeeding stress emails that guy had to suffer through; if that's the case, I've probably already killed HIM with BOREDOM.)

No one could have predicted the chemistry, the ease of conversation, the lasting friendships. And THAT'S why we felt like spreading the word and making it happen a second time in Chicago and then a third, last weekend in Austin.

The Blathering is a truly simple concept – let's get together and hang out. The organizers work to put together a few simple activities (most center around eating, naturally) and help those who want to attend locate roommates and become familiar with each other through links and questionnaires and Twitter and Facebook, and then we sit back and watch it happen and it's so rewarding and so much FUN. It is STRESSFUL to plan an event like this, especially since everyone coming has access to Twitter and the ability to inform hundreds of their followers that everything absolutely sucks. But no one did that, and I just want to take the opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who attended, for coming with an open mind and an open heart and a brave face. Thanks for participating and wearing your handmade name tag even if it didn't match your carefully crafted outfit and smiling until your face hurt. Thank you for enjoying yourself and making new friends and leaving all the dramatics at home. Please, we'd love it if you came again next year with the exact same attitude and enthusiasm.

And to my dear, sweet friends, the ones who have put up with me now for more than two whole years (SHUT UP THEY LOVE IT), thank you for being exactly what I need, whenever I need it. I no longer need to classify them as friends I met online – they're just plain old FRIENDS, now. Friends I have supported and loved and who have done it in return for me, friends I have hugged and shared meals and hotel beds with, friends I am desperate to see more than one weekend a year. Friends who remember my kids' birthdays and who send me homemade lingerie (don't ask) and friends who just GET ME – and I, them. I am so so lucky, and so very blessed, and so terrible at communicating how much I love them, but I do, so very much. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Ok, now here, have some pictures.

Comments

[Megan]

How wonderful! I'm excited it's coming to Chicago next year - I'd love to attend. I always miss out on Blogher, and the last few years, I felt like the "uncool" kid because it seemed like everyone else went, but I didn't.

I'd love to meet more bloggers in person, and I think Blathering is a great start. (And I promise I'm not a creepy old man.)

(And I thought I'd say something else instead of leaving on the "creepy old man" note, so - I love your hair!)

[Megan]

Oh, I just misread your part about Chicago! So embarrassed! But I hope to make it anywhere, anyway!

[Jesabes]

The Blathering is AWESOME! It was great to see you again.

[A'Dell]

Well, this sums it up a helluva to better than I managed to. (Blathering Burnout takes a few days to get over, I think.) But, yes. I hope everyone comes back, plus a few more. It's awesome and next year will be even better and the fact that it's so simple and it WORKS is so impressive to me. Thank you, everyone.

[Jennie]

I'm determined to make it to DC in 2012. Quick, write that down, so you can HOLD ME TO IT.

[Erica]

I have the same trouble with the recap. It's hard to do. I kind of left mine short. Yours is nice and I like the pictures. Also you are hilarious and awesome. Thank you for being an organizer.

[Elsha]

It was hard to recap that much awesomeness. At one point when I was talking to my husband he asked what else we did and I was like-- well that's it unless you want me to start replaying conversations. (Which, really, is the best part of it all.)

Also I'm going to keep hassling all the organizers until y'all officially declare next year's location- DENVER DENVER DENVER!

[Salome Ellen]

First reaction -- Awwwww! Maggie Skyped in!

Second reaction -- Maybe some year I'll persuade my daughters that SOME people don't think I'm too old to come... Sigh.

[Carrisa]

I'm so glad I was able to attend this year. It was great to be able to see you and talk to you. I really admire you as a blogger, a mom, and a person. You're beautiful inside and out and more people should have an Emily in their lives. It was an amazing weekend and I can't believe how drama free it was. Thanks for inventing it!

[Elizabeth]

I love you too, Ms. Emily.

[Elizabeth]

Also, Aw, Maggie!

[Amy]

It makes me sad as heck that I wasn't in Austin this year, because that first year of magic remains one of my fondest memories. Hopefully, there'll be another "Seattle" this year :) xo

[HereWeGoAJen]

I thought the whole thing was great and it was so fabulous to finally see you in person.

[Maggie]

I LOVE that I "went" to the Blathering. And I love YOU.

[Manda]

My favorite part of these trips is ALWAYS that I get to spoon with you!! :)
Thanks for being my lady friend. Love you dearly!

(also the photo of Maggie on the computer IS THE BEST! As was the booty dance you did for her. BAH HA HA!)

[Jen]

As always, you say it so much better than I can :) You are good with the words, lady!

Also, I totally just stole that picture of you and me. Would it be weird and stalkerish to put it as my desktop wallpaper?... wait!... come back! I'm not creepy, I swear!

[Christina]

You were just as awesome as I expected you to be. Hilarious and real and kind... I'm so glad I was there. We'll always have the papertowels.

[broommorm]

[url=http://www.planet23.com]free casino[/url] [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]free casino[/url] [url=http://www.avi.vg]vibrators[/url]