Making History? How Cool.

I am probably the last person to write a post about their BlogHer experience.  I had a lot of similar feelings to the other newbies who attended the BlogHer ’08 conference in relation to how overwhelming it was, how you really just had to put yourself out there and meet people and how there were cliques and private events that made you feel a little late to ‘the party’ already.  Blah, blah, blah.  That would have been the case for any new convention situation you would have attended for any industry.  It’s not specific to BlogHer.

That all didn’t really affect me personally other than it was very humbling.  I’d been a part of the music industry for so long where I would know a majority of people in the room at any given function or conference.  So literally to go by myself and not really know anyone, really made me work at meeting people which was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time.  The conference itself was well run and panels were thoughtfully chosen.  I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of attending.  (The only thing that I had hoped for was some kind of attendee list so that, besides exchanging cards, I could remember who the heck I met and what blog she wrote or company she or he was from.)

Anyhoo, now that I got that general info about my BlogHer experience out of the way, I wanted to explain how, on a macro level, being there at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco in mid-July, 2008, affected me personally.

It felt IMPORTANT.   It made me step back and think about the revolution that is unfolding right before our very eyes with blogging. I thought about the amazing social and historical documentation that is happening on a daily basis.  I thought about how each and every blogger is literally creating history.  That anyone with a computer can self-publish literally anything that's on their mind.  Blogging levels the playing field that was once reserved only for the 'published' elite.   It felt important to be at this conference with over 1,000 women blogging pioneers and important to be a part of the blogosphere in general.

Think about it.  What if blogging existed in your parent’s era when they were new to parenting.  I'm 41 so let’s say that would make it the mid-to-late 20th century?  Can you imagine if you had the ability to go back and read personal accounts of how your Mom or Dad or just everyday people were REALLY feeling about the government, the gas crisis, the war, civil rights, the women’s rights movement, Roe v. Wade, or more basic things like parenting issues, health care, new technology (TVs , personal computers, walkmans…) and more in their own words?  Fascinating.

 

[Maybe this would've been Mrs. Fussypants' Mom's Guide To Swinging blog photo from 1964...]

What if blogging existed in your grandparent’s or great-grandparent's era in the early-to-mid 20th century?  What if you could get inside the heads of those going through both World Wars, settling in this country, the development of automobiles, talking pictures, the stock market crash, FDR’s new deal and again, what they thought about parenting issues, health care and more…  Compelling.

 

[Could this be the original Suburban Turmoil 'wiping ass and taking names' blog header circa 1908]

Oh I know, it’s not like some people didn’t keep journals, or write letters or talk about their lives with their families but that was usually kept private and most people had to rely on the news media, print publications and good old fashioned storytelling (the original word of mouth marketing) to find out about other people’s ‘human interest’ stories.  Today with blogging, for better or for worse, it’s all out there for the world to see.

[Her Bad Mother's Mother's Mother's blog would have been a riot!]

So circling back, I know "I keed, I keed" with the photos & captions but seriously, it’s incredible to fathom that every single blogger who is publicly posting about anything from the mundane to the magnificent, from the arcane to the obvious, is personally and collectively creating a significant part of this era’s historical record. 

Blogging is IMPORTANT.  We are making history, one post at a time.  How cool.

Comments

[Suzanne B. (Crunchy Green Mom)]

Wow.. I never thought about it that way!

My children read my blog from time to time, and they sometimes see things they never realized about themselves or me.

How cool it would have been to find my biological mother's writings, and get to know her in a way I'll never know her now. Or even my parents now, who they were when they were in the past life they had served in.

Fascinating to think about, hopefully it will open up lines of communications that had never been accessed in the past!

Thanks for the Food for thought!

[Lovebabz]

Perhaps someday my kids will read my blog and have some insight into who I am in addition to being their mother.

I loved being at BlogHer. It was a goal that I accomplished that I set a year ago in the midst of a lot of drama.

Thank you for reminding me of the hidden and underlying meaning behind blogging. It is my timecapsule...my mark on history.

[Georgie]

Yep it is amazing that I am in a sense creating a legacy of sorts for my children...It really is their world I just blog in it!

[Marissa]

Just found your blog and I'm enjoying it! Thanks for your thoughts on BlogHer...I wasn't able to attend but your post really made me proud to be a blogger.

[Kevin Burke]

Great perspective! Featured it on our web site today. Well done.

[Sommer]

Part of me wants to go to Blogher and the other part isn't sure if I'll like all the PR because I'm a green focused blog and I hear there is just a ton of PR and pitches. Then I get nervous about the clicks and not knowing anyone, like you mentioned. I haven't really gotten into Blogher and I've blogged for over a year successfully. Is this good or bad?

[Amanda]

I was there, and am there, blogging every day (ok, most days). It is, like any other thing, laced with the good and the bad and will be whatever you make of it. I do think that it is powerful and, as we are wont to do, we forget our own strength.

Great post.

[Melanie Nelson]

I would LOVE to have seen a blog by my grandmothers.

BlogHer is a conference that I'm very comfortable attending b/c I know many of those women. I don't belong to any one clique, but I enjoy myself and am comfortable.

I appreciated your immediate invitation on Twitter to meet up at BWE. That is one thing about the blogging community--very helpful and friendly to those who are unsure. Thank you.

[mybabyblog]

WOW, very interesting, I never really thought of a blog like this before. Now, you mention it - it's wonderful to think that my children's children would read my blog in years to come and find out how I thought and what I did. I better watch what I write from now on. Ha lol

By the way, love your blog - we don't have these conferences for blogs in the UK - I wish they did though.

Speak soon
J x

[Janet Meiners Thaeler]

Barbara, I can relate to your feelings of being late to the party or not being in the party.

I was a single mom for 5 years and that's when I learned about all of this. Whenever I put my son to bed or had time, I was online.

Now a newlywed and with a new baby on its way, I haven't been as involved. I'm not online nearly as much.

I worked hard for that belonging. But stop talking for a few months or stop blogging as regularly and it's amazing how fast you're not a part of things!

Now working part-time, I find most of my coworkers don't know who I am. Plus a new city and neighborhood.

Anyway, I've heard the same from others and of course have felt it too.

So my idea for BlogHer and other established conferences is to create a newbie group for 1st time attendees. They could ask for mentors to help acclimate them to the culture and goings on.

Janet

[Alyson, the 3 P's Mama]

Barabara -

I really appreciate your input and perspective on the convention. So many people have mentioned the 'drawbacks' you listed to the point that I was somewhat shying away from attending in the future but I think your really put it all in perspective. I mean, if you made those same observations and were humbled by the fact of the enormity of what we are all apart of, then the event itself is just an exciting opportunity to stretch a little and, as you said, make history!

Thank you!

[Janelle]

I started my blog on a whim and have found the array of blogging networking sites overwhelming. I've heard of BlogHer but I am not a member and have never attended a blogging conference. How do bloggers find the time (and money) to attend these while also trying raising their families? San Francisco would be a hike for me. Just wondering how everyone balances it all.

[Maricris]

I think that blogging has given us a viable venue to practice freedom of speech. It is a seamless world of expression that even those who are in a country assumingly are prohibited from speaking their minds have found an outlet to release their thoughts for all the world to read. I have yet to experience BlogHer. I've heard a lot of good things and wonderful experiences from those who went. Admittedly, it may be a dream of me for now. I'm not ashame to say that it is financially impossible to afford going. But the time shall come one way or the other. Thank you for sharing your own experience with us and for the useful that newbies can make use of.

[Amy]

Very cool!

[Lori in Denver]

I am very interested to know how blogging in the early 21st century will be viewed by the mid 21st century.

Will we be considered quaint? Pioneering? Exhibitionistic? Obnoxious? Incredibly influential?

I spoke at BlogHer08 and am hoping to get to BlogHer09. Chicago will be a bit warmer, lol.