This week I learned that you get better carnival participation when you offer a giveaway prize. Haha, just kidding. Well, I did learn that, but that’s not what I want to talk about.
As promised, here are the three key things I learned at Blissdom this weekend:
1) People who seem uber cool online are no cooler than anyone else in real life. As Alli said during one of the panel discussions: “We’re all just geeks sitting behind a computer.” Not everyone was what I expected, but I certainly don’t mean that they aren’t being authentic. It’s just that you can only convey so much of yourself online, and that’s why conferences like this are so valuable. Online relationships are like a pencil sketch, and meeting in person is like coloring in the picture. Now tell me you’re as impressed with that little analogy as I am. I’d say that’s a stroke of brilliance right there.
2) The people that I REALLY connect with online, I REALLY connect with in real life. And, not surprisingly, they WERE pretty much just like I expected, which proves that online friendships are the real deal. I hear people say that they aren’t making enough money at blogging to justify the cost of a conference, but I want to encourage everyone who loves blogging to try to get themselves to a conference. I know that the prices are steep (although Blissdom is BY FAR the least expensive of them all) but I look at it this way: people have no trouble spending money on their hobbies. Some people quilt, some scrapbook, some ski. We blog. And meeting up in real life just enriches the relationships we have established online. It is well worth the expense.
Here is a link to the photos I took this weekend. There aren’t many, but you can find everyone linking their photos to the Blissdom flickr group.
3) I need to press the reset button. Regularly. After spending two days connecting in real life with the women I have spent three years getting to know online and learning as much about social media and the craft of writing as we could cram into two days, I spent Sunday with my brother and sister-in-law and we started out by going to church.
After a few well-chosen hymns and some liturgy that got me into the frame of mind to worship, the pastor launched into his sermon. He started by talking about how connected we are these days and yet how disconnected. He even mentioned email and Facebook and blogging and twittering and tumbling. At that point, I glanced over at Sarah and we shared a look of utter disbelief. This sermon could not possibly have been any more directed at us if he had planned it that way. (Our pastor at home is not into technology so hearing these terms from the pulpit was quite a lark!)
He went on to say that despite the constant interaction, we are a lonely generation, and on top of that, we fill our minds full of news and blogs and information from every source except the one that holds the truth. His prescription for our connected yet disconnected society was to “push the reset button.” And we do that by taking time aside for Scripture reading, silent meditation, and prayer. Even the Lord Jesus took time out of his ministry to go to a solitary place and pray. How much more do we need this time for refreshment and renewal. This is not news. But I SO needed to hear that.
Now I want to know what YOU learned this week. Here are the carnival rules.
1. Any time this week, publish your What I Learned This Week post on your blog. (It can be one sentence. It can be several paragraphs. It can be a list. It can be serious. It can be silly. It can be thoughtful and profound. It can be sarcastic. It can be sentimental. It can be ANYTHING that you learned as long as it is of a family friendly nature.)
2. Within that post, please mention the What I Learned This Week carnival and link to this post.
3. Then link up with the Mr. Linky form down below. (Please only link if you have written a What I Learned This Week post. And please link directly to the carnival post, not the main page of your blog. And finally, please do not put a Mr. Linky on your post. THANKS!)
4. Then visit the other participants and see what they learned this week. And comment, comment, comment! Because we ALL love comments.
Ready, Set, GO!
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Hey, don’t miss my giveaway this week. It’s a sweet one — a Peek in red cherry.
That was a great analogy! I might have to use it with Hunter…he would get that one. lol
Those are great lessons, and even a little tough depending on how you look at it. I love what the Pastor said, taking time each day for the simple things of reflection and prayer and just what I need. I will take those words to heart.
Next time I’m going to try for something profound and not related to poo in any way!
Love what you learned. Its so funny how we women make assumptions about others based on the pencil sketch (GREAT analogy BTW!). I am guilty of doing that not only on-line, but sadly sometimes in real life too!
Love your number one! I am about as real as they come what you see is what you get but what you don’t know about me from my blog is that I really don’t enjoy the company of others much…I am a people person but VERY selective about what people!
I also make $0 with my blog, maybe I should try to change that? Wouldn’t know where to start.
Wise words from that pastor! It is sooo much easier to have an internet/Facebook life and the list of “friends” is so nice and reassuring. But the reality is you still need someone in real life who will bring you soup when you are sick and have a margarita with you when you are just fed up. Those kind of friendships require effort and interaction even when it isn’t at your convenience…and that’s hard!
Thanks for adding that in from the pastor! Definitely good points he made. Good parallel to the weekend.
Have a great day!
I would love to attend a conference some day. It sounds like you had a great time. And YES! I loved your analogy. LOL. Maybe I could start a conference and call it Blogstock! LOL. How’s that for a blog gathering name?
Blessings to you.
Kim
You learned lots!! I especially love the sermon part. God is so good, giving us exactly what we need, when we need it. That’s just too cool that you heard that sermon right after a blogger conference.
Pressing the reset button is a great analogy. I’m in the midst of the February blahs and pressing the reset button is exactly what I could use right now! Thanks.
The analogy was solid gold. Thanks for sharing what you learned and for the reminder about what is really important. I’ve enjoyed reading about other people’s experiences at Blissdom and will definitely be trying to make it to a conference at some point.
I’m still trying to figure out what I learned this week, but I’ll think of something because I have to announce my giveaway winner.
This was a great post. I couldn’t have said it better myself. It was nice meeting you and I uploaded our photos to flickr already.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21149017@N06/sets/72157613547574733/
Check them out!
Awesome analogy! Thanks ever so for hosting this one. It’s a winner.
Ain’t God good?! HE knows just what we need to hear, when we need to hear it, and makes sure we do. Reckon I’ll go reset a while right now.
Have a JESUS-filled day! ^i^
I’m so glad you had a great time at Blissdom. I hope I get to meet you at a conference in the future! Do you think these conferences are for “hobby bloggers” though?
Anna, I do! I really do. The socializing is the BEST part. You don’t even have to attend a session if you don’t want. There are always people milling around outside to chat with.
I went to She Speaks last year and didn’t really get anything out of the sessions (not that they weren’t good, but I just already knew those ladies and knew pretty much what they would say), but it was worth the price of going to meet and get to know everyone.
If blogging is important to you and something you plan to stick with, I highly recommend getting to a conference at LEAST once. Pick one where the most of your blogging buddies are going to be to maximize the potential to meet people. Blissdom was really affordable compared to the rest. Don’t know if they will continue to keep it that affordable, but I hope so!
That whole ‘connected but far from it’ thing was very well said. I’ve noticed as much but just never took the time to put words to the thoughts. I’m sure the sermon was insightful. I know it would have struck home with me.
I don’t know if I ever told you how much I appreciated your tweets while you were at Blissdom. Great way to share the wealth of info! Thanks…
So true — especially #3. I’ve been learning that firsthand these days, as well.
GREAT analogy and awesome post!!!
The socializing alone would excite and scare me!! I would love to meet you and all the others, yet I’m a bit of an introvert, so I really liked this line “People who seem uber cool online are no cooler than anyone else in real life.”
~TidyMom
For some reason I feel the need to sing “So much cooler online”. I love this commnet “The people that I REALLY connect with online, I REALLY connect with in real life.” So true!
I like the artistic analogy! It sounds really cool to meet other bloggers in real life.
This is my first time to participate. I look forward to reading everyone’s posts!
I totally agree with you! I think I connected well with those online I chat with a lot because we do keep it pretty transparent. The only difference is that we’re actually present..seriously.
And, that is too funny about the sermon! While the world is so disconnected at times, I think the WWW provides an amazing place to reach out and touch lives! It’s my hope and prayer than I can do a small piece of it in the forum of a blog. I do think stepping back and focusing on Him more is necessary for me. After all, He is what I want!
You are a wise wise woman. I REALLY needed to hear about the reset button.
I’m a brand new blogger and imagine that I would feel intimidated at a conference, regardless of how long I’ve been blogging. There will always be someone who’s done it longer, is more recognized, who seems so much MORE than me. It’s so nice to hear that they’re just people too. Or rather that they’re relatable.
Your first two “lessons” were spot-on! I had the exact same experience at BlogHer ’08. The bloggers that I related to online were the same people that I totally related to in-person. It may be true that online relationships are like a pencil sketch (cool analogy, by the way), but I feel like those sketches are quite accurate and colorful in most cases. I wasn’t “surprised” by anyone that I met at BlogHer. People may have been a tad bit different in real life, but – for the most part – they were exactly as I expected them to be.
Speaking of connections: who did you REALLY connect with?
Ahh! I’m so sorry! I just accidentally left my link for Blissdom recap on your “What I Learned This Week” MR. Linky. I think I’m still sleep deprived
Please feel free to remove it!!
Your two and three are very interesting. It is sad to think that my neighbor could be searching for a friend on the internet when I’m right here…
Ah, I needed the last bit. I’ve been hearing that last bit from my own conscience over the past couple of weeks. I stick to technology like a magnet, and find that when I do, I’m discontent until I find some time outdoors, in nature, or writing in a prayer journal, or reading some old – but always still so relevant – Scriptures.
Can you imagine how busy Jesus would have been? WAY busier than we could ever be! And you’re right – He still “found the time” to get alone to pray.
Great post! Thanks for visiting my blog tonight.
~Lori
Congratulations on the success of this weekly carnival!
Great idea, Jo-Lynne! I love seeing the conference through other people’s eyes. We were all in the same place but had different experiences.
Kimba
You learned some excellent things! And I really love what you learned in church – perfect!
I’m here catching up on all your Blissdom posts! I’m glad to hear what you learned. And that is so interesting and fitting what the pastor said. WOW!
I decided this week to attend BlogHer and even have a sponsor so I am MOST excited. I assume you are going? I hope to meet you “in real life” in July! : )
Oh and I do want to participate in your carnival but I kinda keep forgetting! ACK!
So true about the reset button!
I finally learned something worth sharing this week, so I am playing along. Thank you for hosting this!