I am going to Blog Her 2012.  I have mixed feelings about going.  I last attended BlogHer in 2010 the day after my Dad died.  I shuffled through the conference like a ghost following two of my oldest friends Cecily and Sarah all weekend.  I met a few people I was destined to meet like Jaquie who was my roommate and Julia Roberts of Support for Special Needs, without the two new friends I may not have made it through the weeks following Blog Her after Ryan was diagnosed with epilepsy after having a seizure the morning of my fathers funeral.

This year I approach this conference differently.  I am not sure I am or will ever be a “brand” and I am very comfortable with that. I want to see Dresden speak, not sure if Cecily is speaking, and I know our roommate Lynette is speaking.  The three of us along with Lynette are sharing a room like summer camp, except I am staying with three huge powerhouses of social media and blogging world.  That alone should prove to be an interesting experience. I know two of the three women in sweat pants on the playground so I see them as real not with the power they actually have.

I got an itinerary from Dresden already which was completely impressive. I think I am going with an open mind to see and meet who I will in New York while staying with some close and hopefully a new friend.  I hope I get to reconnect with some old friends, meet new ones, talk about my year long freelance gig, and shut up and learn from the conference veterans.  One of my favorite parts of BlogHer was recognizing folks from their tiny twitter pictures.  I hope to do more people watching like I did in 2010.  Is it a waste of my time to approach this in such a laid back way?  Should I be worrying about making every interaction count?

So If you were going to Blog Her what would you want to see and do?

I guess I really need to buy some clothes, get some business cards, and I REALLLLLLY need a blog redesign except I am a total design klutz.  Oh well.  Take me as I am.

PS.  I also got invited to a fancy cocktail party for the Listen To Your Mother Producers.  I have never been invited to a cocktail party before let alone one in New York City.  It is Thursday and I may not be able afford to be in New York Thursday through Sunday.  I was thinking of going Friday through Sunday.