Sunday afternoon was the only opportunity I had to really go see the city, and even then I felt guilty because I needed to pack & shower & clean up & other bullshit and wanted to talk to Aaron more (but not the kids, those punks had a fight in the background yesterday morning of who missed me the least, the brats). But I put it all off to get out of the building (I'm not use to being so cooped up without sunlight) and walk around town a bit.
I know I saw very little of SF and I'd love, love, love to go back and see some more.
As for the conference, I thought it was really cool - not quite what I expected but awesome nonetheless. I had met tons of really nice, really intelligent people (none of whom asked me to wipe their butts, that part totally rocked). I was able to have conversations about topics that interested me and even had discussions with people who had different opinions than me and we were able to Act Like Adults and not fight, but debate and respect one another's opinions.
Which is why I'm so completely shocked and saddened by some of the behavior I saw there. I actually saw one blogger put her hand in someone's face to make them quiet when she was trying to introduce herself. I even got iced from someone I tried to introduce myself to. And then, at the keynote closing I was shocked that one person actually stood up and cussed out one of the keynote speakers.
Maybe I'm idealistic, but shit. When did we decide to shit upon one another at a conference where the sole purpose is women supporting women? The whole thing made me upset and sad, but what's making me even more upset and sad is focusing on the negative instead of the positive of what I experienced.
And really, it was a wonderful experience (albeit very little sleep) with lots and lots of truly wonderful, smart people (oh yes, not just women).
In closing: I wanna go back. In San Francisco I never had to yell at anyone to Stop! Touching! Your! Brother!
13 comments:
San Francisco is one of my all time favorite cities...seriously, if you do want to go back I would love to meet you out there. I actually have a good friend that lives in Alameda...That being said, someone cussed someone else out? Good gravy! I wonder why they thought that would be appropriate? I have been reading mixed reviews about people's experiences at the conference...I would love to go one day though.
I'm glad to read you had an overall good experience. I haven't read many reviews yet but I'm getting the gist that the Blogher conferences are starting to blow up in their faces. I agree with you - women are supposed to be supporting one another, yet there is such classy (not) behavior like that lady you mentioned cussing a speaker out. Nice. It also sounded like it was some women's excuse to act like they were at a big sorority/fraternity party, i.e., getting drunk and ignorant. I'm just a teeny tiny rock in a huge fish tank when it comes to blogging. Reading about that kind of shit makes me really glad about that. ok, off my soapbox. Sorry. Beautiful picture you took there of the Golden Gate.
What a beautiful photo! I'm glad you enjoyed yourself despite some other people's behavior. I get annoyed with people who use the concepts of honesty and frankness as an excuse to act like bratty children.
Aren't you glad to come home to 100-degree temperatures?
Did the boys survive daddy-care? :)
bah. sometimes people are bloody ignorant apes. This includes women, which is disappointing... Don't let them get to you!
Love you Flickr pictures - thanks for sharing!
It is amazing how childish adults can be, isn't it? Even if they weren't asking you to wipe their butts, there's still a lot of room for improvement there.
I'm glad you had fun anyway, and I'm glad to hear you're back. We should play once you get caught up on your sleep.
I believe in total equality between the sexes: there will always be just as many asshole women as there will be asshole men. People sometimes suck.
But the same goes for good people so I'm glad that you got to meet so many more cool people than jerks at the conference.
I don't think I could handle going to one of those conferences at all. I would be the one in the corner pulling out her hair and babbling like a monkey.
I love San Francisco.
LC-I'd love to know more about these scenarios. It was great to finally meet you face-to-face. Thanks for keeping me company :-)
love your photos! And i am glad you had a good time, DESPITE the appalling behaviors. i am quite shocked!
I'm glad that you had a great time. It's too sad that people feel the need to act like assholes - I just don't get it!
glad you enjoyed your time! even with total jackasses.
What in the world could they have disagreed so much about that it would warrant such behavior? Seriously, I'd like to know what the topics were. I just can't even fathom what they'd be!
love your gender role reversals......LOL!
The blogher sounded very cool.
Hi Laura,
It was nice meeting you at BlogHer. I did think that one woman who stood up during the keynote was a little odd! (And then to take off before the keynote was over? Even odder!) Glad you had a good time overall. I'm still playing catch-up myself!
Krista
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