IRL (in real life) I am no one special.  I'm just a mom, who blogs about stuff (like, more than just being a mom) and, sometimes, if I'm real lucky, I even get to do good stuff (like, go to conferences and perhaps even raise a little bit of money) with other folks (like me) who otherwise I would probably never get the chance to meet,  IRL.

Even though our families have probably passed each other (once, or twice) on the street - especially,  during the last 20 summers or so.

Getting up very, very early in the morning and being allowed the opportunity to decompress before the start of the whirlwind of panels, workshops and geek fests that is BlogHer!

Seeking out quiet moments of reflection and re-evaluation, like having made the commitment to blog with integrity long before even becoming a dot com.

Sitting in a room with something like 1,500 people and being able to say that you ALL have at least 1 thing in common!

Oh yes, and there will probably be frivolity and many other light and airy moments that would require one to tap into their inner-child.  All in good clean fun, of course.

Along with a myriad of other fancy-type festivities in places where a person (like me) would have no reason, or business to be near, let alone allowed into -- especially, if she is seriously afraid of very large crowds, or heights.

But, putting all fears and insecurities aside, these are just a few of the people, along with about a thousand others, I would fly over oceans, or travel thousands of miles, to see, and have, as a matter of fact.

As I, personally, will witness many random acts of kindness (like, eating at a table filled with strangers, while patiently listening to another mom tell her story, in between sobs of tears, then they're telling her that it's okay and that she is not alone) and sharing some good clean fun with some long-time blogging friends at said festivities.

Also, many people (like you) will take full advantage of photo ops (like these) knowing full well that you probably won't see your new best friends, for a very long time.

Like I told the dude on the airport shuttle, while sharing a ride to the Sheraton, who admittedly "just don't get this whole mom blogger thing" (that's okay, a lot of people IRL don't get me, either) being able to share quiet little moments (like these) is pretty much what being a blogger really means to me.

Mom, sponsored, or not.

The End.