Ok. So, I figured I’d better get on this before it’s irrelevant. And to be honest, I started twice last night, gave it up for the night and finally am finishing this morning. I’m not sure I’ll do the whole weekend justice, but I’ll give it my best go.
I haven’t talked much here about why I did the accent vlog post or the 13 things, but this past weekend, along with almost 50 other women bloggers, I was in Austin for The Blathering. It’s not a conference, but more of a weekend long meet and greet. And it was awesome!
Taylor was worried I’d show up and there would be a bunch of 50 year old perverts. Other people’s husbands thought it was going to be a bunch of crazy cat ladies. But it was completely legit. And the bitch/drama potential is high with 50 women, but it wasn’t like that at all.
A lot of the attendees have been talking about finding their people. And I completely agree. I didn’t know anyone else who was attending, other than perhaps a few blog post comments over the past few years and my recent joining of Twitter (which was almost exclusively done so a few people would know who I was before I showed up) and was thankful to find my people in a small group I met at the hotel before the shindig started. I’m so happy to have met and spent most of the weekend hanging with Kelly, Tara, Kate, Stephanie, Sarah, Julie, Becky, Becca and Linnea. (I hope I haven’t missed anyone…if I did, please know it wasn’t intentional!)
The weekend was semi-planned, with the perfect amounts of organized events and free time. The Organizers did a fabulous job! I mingled with everyone on Friday at the opening BBQ dinner. I was a little excited to meet Emily and Jonna, whose blogs I’ve read for a couple years, but am certainly not a regular commenter on either. They were both super nice and very friendly. I also met Regan, and am pretty sure I came off as a bit strange, but I really wanted to meet her since she’s good friends with Kristin, who basically talked me into going but then was unable to attend. (I had such a great time, I can’t possibly hold it against her.) During free time during the day on Saturday our small group went to brunch at Magnolia Cafe together and then hung out on South Congress. Dinner on Saturday night at Z’Tejas was a hit and I was super lucky to sit by Becky so we could each try half of the two dessert choices. I said a few goodbyes at breakfast on Sunday morning, but for the most part slipped out the door to avoid too much awkwardness.
I feel a little sappy saying this, but I was pretty sad leaving Austin and my new in real life friends. At least we can keep up on Twitter and through our blogs, but it’s just not the same as hanging out in Room 204 of the Hyatt Place until after midnight. There probably won’t be any #theblatheringhooker sightings. I can still app people, but not to arrange brunch plans. And making fun of horrible clothes at the thrift shop just isn’t as fun with my husband.
Everyone I met was so genuinely wonderful, and I wish there would have been more time to talk with everyone more. But I can’t wrap this up without a special shout out for Becca and Becky with whom I shared the most laugh out loud moments and inside jokes to carry us until the next time we meet.
And for your viewing pleasure, a few pics I ripped off from Becca and Becky’s blogs since I didn’t take very many pictures myself. And I certainly haven’t uploaded any of them yet.
Becca and her taxi. 🙂 (Thanks again for being chauffeur for me and Becky!)
Julie, Becca, Me and Becky at dinner Saturday night.
Until next year ladies….
Andrea Unplugged 
I miss my new friends!!
Me too! 😦
Yay! I’m so glad you had such a good time and met such great people! Blogging is amazing! I love any time when we can meet our internet friends and make them real life friends!
I’ll be there next year so you better be!!
I’m going to hold you to this promise!
It was so great to meet you! I’m glad that you were able to prove the hubs wrong and have such a great time 😉
Me too! Hopefully we can meet in Houston sometime sooner than later.
Our husbands were so wrong! Thank goodness!
We were definitely geniuses with our splitting dessert plan.
Also glad to have proven the husband wrong. Dessert splitting-Best.Decision.Ever!
Man oh man, I miss you guys. I kept hoping someone else got bumped all night so that I could fit just a LEEEEETLE more Blathering in. 🙂 Let’s be BFF forever, mkay?
I’m glad you finally made it home. Hopefully that doesn’t deter you from the next Blathering. Or from coming back to Texas sometime!
Man, you’re so awesome. I miss you! Your gratuitous use of the F-Bomb, your thick Texas accent, how you make me laugh with every other thing that comes out of your mouth. Looking forward to seeing you again! SOON!
Yeah, thanks for being cool with the gratuituous F-bombs. Sometimes they just come out. It was super great meeting you. I think if we both drive 5 hours again, we can meet somewhere in the middle.
My husband was pretty convinced when I first told him about it that there would be people who “aren’t really who they say the are” or some such.
Also, I don’t know if you heard (since we didn’t actually talk much at the Blathering) but I DID finally get logged in to the app. I was right, I had misspelled my password, and through much persistence I finally figured out how I ACTUALLY spelled it.
i’ve heard NOTHING but positive reviews of the blathering, which is so awesome. 🙂 🙂
That means you should go next year!