Leaving the BlogHer Bubble

I’m hangin’ at the San Francisco Airport right now, waiting for my red-eye flight to start boarding. I remember how I felt last year at this time, at the end of BlogHer. It was like post-Christmas letdown. All that buildup to a big moment, then deliriously awesome times, then BAM. Back to regular life. Just like that. Post-BlogHer letdown.

Fortunately, I do have something to look forward to and keep my spirits riding high. Not only will I get to see my sweet girl and hubs when I get home, but also I will have the whole week off from work to spend with them. (Jay is still working, but Cassie and I will play our days away.) I’m so grateful to have a job that offers such generous vacation now. More time with my kid = happy, loyal employee.

Anywho. I think the best way to wrap up my top moments of BlogHer ’08 is with a list. I love lists.

• Recording a video segment with the real Abby Cadabby on a Sesame Street set, especially for my Cassie. (I wish I could post the video on here, but I’m not smart enough to figure it out without hubs’ help. Check back later.) This was simply a once-in-a-lifetime experience that filled me with joy and will be an amazing gift to my daughter. Plus, talking with a Muppet made me laugh like a giddy 3-year-old.
• Having lunch with Rocco DiSpirito and getting to meet him. What can I say? He was hunky and famous, and I got to be all chatty and charming (I hope?) with him. Yet another once-in-a-lifetime moment. What are the odds?
• Rooming with my Nati/NKy friend Shannan, AKA MommyBits. We didn’t know each other very well before BlogHer, but I figured we’d get along famously. Indeed, we did (along with Amy in Ohio, Meghan in Santa Barbara, Kendra the Headless Mom, and many other BlogHers). Shannan was considerate, helpful, laidback, and downright hi-larious. The perfect roomie and drinking companion. Also, I’m not just saying this because she went and got me Starbucks two mornings in a row. But it helped.
• Getting pampered for free. As an attendee of this conference, I was showered with ample swag (some of which I had to ditch — not enough room in my suitcase!). I also got a free chair massage and a Bare Escentuals makeover, making me feel and look fabulous. (The free food and wine were pretty sweet, too. But they may contribute to a lousy weigh-in this week over at Mr. and Mrs. Get Fit.)
• Partying with Interweb supastah Guy Kawasaki. Dude and his house are niiiiice.
• Meeting and/or reconnecting with bloggers I read regularly and adore. Carmen, Jennette, Sarah, Devra/Aviva, Jenny, Liz, Kim, Robyn, Georgia, and many others I am forgetting at this moment because I am so freakin’ tired! (Sad I missed a few in all the hubbub. BusyMom and Absolutely Bananas, for instance.)
• Networking with shiny new (to me) bloggers and a few industry folks I had never met or read before the conference. I absolutely loved our conversations between sessions, during cocktail parties, in hallways, or riding on the elevator. Everywhere I went, I met a new friend and discovered a new blog to check out!
• Spending my last day in San Francisco sightseeing with Christina from A Mommy Story. While I had originally planned to attend the UnConference today, I decided last night that I was blogged out and would rather see a little of this rockin’ city before I flew home. Fortunately, Christina happened to be in the same boat and we paired up to ride the cable cars, lunch on fresh seafood, tour the bay by boat, and pal around. We even discovered we went to the same university at the same time–but never knew each other. Weird, huh?

So there you have it. No deep thoughts. No LOL drunk stories. Just my honest, slightly sentimental lovefest after another killer BlogHer conference. If this post was too much for you, all I can say is, sorry for partyin’.