Why I'm Going to Blissdom

If you're not a blogger, you can probably just close this post right now because none of it will mean much of anything to you. I mean, NONE of it.

BUT, if you know what posts and links and newbies and trolls and vloggers are, hang around and I'll 'splain myself.

See, there's this conference. It's maybe just a little geeky trendy. It's got a weird name, Blissdom, and it's for bloggers. Yes, 500 women (well, and maybe a couple of guys) who spend their days writing about potty training and fashion and the best way to field dress an elk. (Seriously, there is probably someone out there who has blogged about that.) There are about a million and a half blogs out there, each one screaming into the internet to COME READ WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

And so, Blissdom. Training for people who blog. People who speak a language that their friends and kids and husbands don't understand.

This is the third year of the Blissdom Conference, and I've always been intrigued by it, but this is the first year I've actually been brave enough to sign up to go. I still haven't told many people that I'm actually going because I'm afraid that if I do, I'll get that glassy-eyed look that one friend gave me earlier this week. You know, the look that says, "Why would you want to do a crazy-a** thing like that?"

So I've avoided all talk of blogging and conferences with my friends for the most part.

But I'm going. And I leave tomorrow. I'll be gone for five days, and I've asked myself over and over again why I'm doing this. I mean, I'm not a serious blogger. Am I? I don't do this for money. Should I? And there's so much I don't know about blogging, even after almost three years.

Which is exactly why I'm going to Blissdom.

1. There's just so much I don't know about blogging. Oh sure, I probably know more than the average Joe about blogging, but Joe (or Jane) knows pretty much nothing. I only know next-to-nothing. So I figure I should go and learn a little more than nothing about blogging.

2. There will be people I have met before. Remember two years ago when I went to She Speaks? I met some really great women at that conference, and many of them will be at Blissdom. So I'm going to reconnect with some "old" friends (which, in the blogging world, is really "new" friends).

3. There will be people I have never met but I've wanted to meet. Like Robin, who I met because she loves Kiawah Island just about as much as I do. And lots of others I've "met" through blogging--women with common interests who inspire me.

4. There are some things I need to figure out about this blog. Like, should I keep blogging as a hobby? Or should I pursue more? More readers. More stats. Just, more. I don't know. So I'm going to Blissdom in a spirit of prayer, hoping to spend some time with God this weekend and really just trying to figure out what He wants with all this.

5. Well, there might also be a few parties and swag and a certain concert with Michelle Branch and Matt Kearney. All of these will make the trip even more worth it.

So there. A few reasons I've decided to geek out this weekend and head to Blissdom. I'm excited. Kind of. Nervous, really.

I'll let you know how it goes.

So, what are YOU doing this weekend?