Not at BlogHer (here's why)

One of the most-talked-about blogging conferences is here. The Big. The Original. The Formidable. BlogHer.

Not at BlogHer (here's why) 1

I attended BlogHer in San Francisco in '08. It was productive, exciting, discouraging, friendly, lonely, and lovely - all at the same time (If you've been before, perhaps you can relate to that description).

Photo (above): Me with Nicole and Caryn at Guy Kawasaki's house.

I chose not to attend BlogHer '10 this year for the following reasons:

  1. New York is a long way from Arizona (and plane tickets are not cheap).
  2. It hurts my heart to be away from my family. I would simply say that it's hard to leave my baby (that's a common reason), but the truth is that I don't like being away from my 3-year-old either. And the whole truth is I really-truly can't stand being apart from Tim. We've been married for almost 9 years and I'm still madly-deeply-wildly in love with him. Last night, he said to me out-of-the-blue, "I don't just love you. I really LIKE you. I like hanging out with you." I feel the *exact* same way.
  3. BlogHer '10 just so happened to be the exact same dates as the 2010 Global Leadership Summit this year (and the Summit is a can't-miss event).

The 2010 Summit happens live at Willow Creek Community Church and at satellite locations in 350 cities across 50 countries. I went last year for the first time (and was blown away).

The speakers are top-notch, among the best I've heard. This year's line-up includes Jim Collins, Dan Pink, Christine Caine, Tony Dungy, & many others.

Not at BlogHer (here's why) 2We dropped off the girls at Tim's parents (who they adore) today at 8:45am and picked them up at 5:45pm. I missed them like crazy, but it's been worth it. Unquestionably worth it.

Tim and I have been discussing it nonstop ever since we tucked the girls in bed.

Are you at BlogHer or the Global Leadership Summit this week (or have you attended either in the past)? What conferences are you hoping to attend in 2010/11 (if any)?

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26 comments on “Not at BlogHer (here's why)”

  1. I missed you at BlogHer but I'm glad you got to go to a conference that means more to you. Your conference sounded wonderful and so fun to do it with Tim.

  2. When I first heard of BlogHer I desperately wanted to go. I wanted to be "cool" too and have fun. But the more I hear about it the more I think it's not really something I want to do.
    I'm sort of glad I wasn't able to go for some of the same reasons, children, and finances mainly!
    I would really love to attend a BlissDom conference, mainly for the people. I'm not in blogging to make a name for myself, but a community. And since it's said that you really can't have a large community and know them all I try to stay small and Blissdom seems to match that!
    All that being said... summer is always our family visiting time (since we're teachers) so we are always out of town anyway. Our church hosted one of the Global Leadership summits, but we couldn't even attend that. We just got home tonight from 3 weeks away and were at a wedding yesterday as well.
    So... getting caught up on my online life now! :)

    1. You should definitely try to go to the Summit next year! It's so inspiring. The speakers are truly top-notch.

  3. You have great reasons for staying, and I love that you are proud of them. Because for some reason I feel like it's uncool if we aren't all complaining about our "exhausting lives as a mother, and GET ME AWAY from my husband and children" kind of mentality.

    I would love to go to Blogher to meet a lot of the women I've grown so close to through blogging, and to be able to see my Sister, whom I miss dearly, and to learn, I love to learn.

    I didn't know about the summit, but it sounds awesome. Are there podcasts I can download? I would LOVE that. So glad you guys were able to make that work, I bet it was incredible.

    I looked into going to Relevant10, because of the amazing women that will be there - and again- to see my Sister! ha! But it's pretty far, and the price tag for the conference and stay are really high. Blissdom I've heard is amazing, so maybe there? he he.

    I think I will try and go to blogher11 since it is so close in San Diego, I can see my Sister, visit my brothers (who live an hour away), and meet those lovely blogger friends I keep mentioning. (Like you! Although, I need to just drive the two hours and come see you WITH my family!)

    1. I've considered Blissdom too. I like the relative "smallness" of it and I've noticed in past years that many of my favorite bloggers go to that one. Perhaps we'll end up there together? :)

  4. No conferences for me. I've never been away from my 8yo and almost 5yo for longer than a few hours during the day. When I go to my son's boot camp graduation, it will be 3 nights away from them. Only for another one of my children would I do this.

    1. This was the longest I've ever been away from my 16-month-old! I rarely leave the girls for longer than an hour or two. I missed them like crazy, but I also knew they were having a blast with Pa & Ma (my in-laws). Our girls are super close to them...it's a special thing.

      1. I am horrified at how judgemental my comment sounds! It sounds as if I think I am a better mom b/c I have never been away from my girls for longer than a few hours during the day. I do NOT believe that. I'm sorry if anyone (esp you, Stephanie)was offended or hurt by my comment.
        I also said that I would only do overnighters away from my girls if it was only for another one of my children. I shouldn't say that. Who knows what God would need me to do in the future? What if one of my parents needed me for a couple nights? Or what if a dear friend needed me to sit with her? Anyway, I feel bad for my comment and just wanted to say I was sorry.
        I'm still learning.

        1. I happen to know that you are not judgmental at all (and I love how much you LOVE your kids). The only thing that came through to me from your comment was that you are devoted to your family. :)

          P.S. Are you camping at Mt. Lemmon this weekend?

  5. So glad you put this post up. I have never been to BlogHer for all of the same reasons you just listed (cost, time away from family, etc). I was just thinking today that we really couldn't even afford a family vacation so why would I spend my hard earned money at a blogging conference when that money would go nicely towards a lovely beach week with the fam?! The BIGGEST reason is because my precious little boy will be here in about 4 weeks! So excited!!

  6. I went to BlogHer last year and I decided while it's not bad it's just not for me and I don't need to go every year.

    I did however really enjoy Blissdom this year and I'm hoping to attend Blissdom again in 2011. I think I may try to go to BlogHer in 2011 as well since San Diego is MUCH closer to Idaho than New York is. LOL Maybe by then I'll be mentally prepared to deal with the craziness that is blogher. I'm also hoping to attend Evo in Utah next year as well.

  7. Hmmm... I'm not at BlogHer (even though it's a scant 2 hours from me!) b/c 1) I didn't get involved in blogging seriously soon enough to plan for it and it was sold out anyway and 2) it just didn't fit into the budget this year... And I have never heard of the Leadership Summit - sounds great! Maybe next year... :)

    1. Question - can you BRING husbands and babies with you to BlogHer? B/c I totally would drag mine with me if I could! :) haha Can't stand to be away from them either!

      1. Yes. BlogHer is actually quite baby-friendly. When I went in 2008, there were tons of moms there w/ babies on their hips and in carriers. :)

  8. You have great reasons for not attending. I don't think I'll ever attend BlogHer even though I am anxious to attend a blogging conference to "better" myself in the art of blogging. I prefer small-scale events to large-scale anyday, and after reading so much hoopula about last years BlogHer, I am not sure it's an even that's worth my $$ and time. I am anxious to attend a Bloggy Boot Camp through the SITS girls in Boston in 2011. That will be my first conference experience.

    1. I prefer smaller conferences/events too. Blissdom is appealing to me, but I think I'd still want to bring Tim and the girls along with me. Maybe in 2011? We'll see...

      1. Blissdom was/is an option for me, too. I would love to visit Nashville, and with my family too, but January is a rough month for us because my husband is a swim coach at a local high school and that's his busy "season". We'll see....I think Bloggy Boot Camp in Boston may be where I'll go next year. But, I really want to attend one conference soon for some new, fresh ideas, etc.

  9. The summit sounds great! Like you, I'm not into leaving my family. You won't see me at blog conferences unless my family could be there too. I would just miss them too much.

  10. I'm not at either. :( I had thought about going to BlogHer, since I could just drive the 2 hours to NY...but it didn't work out.

    Now, the 2010 Global Leadership Summit...that's something my husband and I would have definitely been interested in! But, I didn't know about it. Oh, well...I'll keep my eyes peeled for next year. :)

  11. I saw Christine Caine speak at my church in Texas... and her message was just unbelievable. Love her. I would have chosen the Global Leadership Summit over BlogHer any day. ;) (But unfortunately, I have gone to neither)

  12. I'm completely uninterested in conferences, but that might be the cutest picture of a child who is not related to me that I have ever seen. The dress! The shoes! I want to eat her cheeks (in a completely non-threatening way)!

  13. How awesome that you and your husband are such a great team and so passionate. So so good for your relationship to do things like this together.

  14. I get to go to the WorldVenture All European Missionary Conference/Retreat in Turkey in 2011! It's so great to see all our colleagues, whom we rarely get to see, unless we go to their mission field for a visit. Sometimes people complain that missionaries get to go to all these great places (like Paris, London, Prague, and Budapest) that they themselves cannot afford to visit. But we can do it because we live, eat, and sight see with our host missionary family. Cheap and fun! Unfortunately, we don't often get the chance to return the favor here in Donetsk, Ukraine. Nobody ever comes here. Except Tim... :)

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