CyberMummy 2010

I apologise in advance to any readers who didn't attend the CyberMummy 2010 blogging conference. I'm sorry you weren't there, especially if you wanted to be, to experience a phenomenal day.

There are not enough superlatives to describe my experience. The content sessions were very good, the goody bags plentiful and the organisation excellent, but it was the bloggers that made it such a unique and powerful event.

When I walked into the reception of the Ibis Hotel in Earls Court, several of my favourite bloggers all ran over to greet me. I burst into tears. The rest of the day was a bit like that. Recognition was followed by grins, scream and hugs. 

I'm finding it difficult to describe just how amazing it is to meet people for the first time when you already know them so well. I felt like I had been friends with all of them for years. Conversation came easy, there was no need to make small talk. Everywhere I turned I saw my friends. Even bloggers I didn't know that well were friends by the end of the day.

I'm deliberately not mentioning any names, mainly because I haven't got time to add any links before the boys wake up from their naps, but I do want to thank Sian (Mummy Tips), Jen (Alpha Mummy) and Susanna (A Modern Mother) for bringing us all together.

I could have spent a week with everyone and still felt like we hadn't talked enough or hugged enough.

The most moving part of the day was the final content session, the crowd-sourced keynote speeches. These were blog posts read by the bloggers themselves. I was over the moon to be asked to read. Here I am:

It is one thing to write a post about having wind on your wedding day and the death of your father, but it is another thing entirely to read this to a room full of friends. I struggled to compose myself at the end.

The following morning I woke up crying. I couldn't stop, tears were pouring down my face. I think this was a release of emotion and grief and that can only be A Good Thing.

I was overwhelmed by the response from those in the room. I'd like to thank everyone for their hugs, kind words, tweets, emails and mentions on their blogs.

It was lovely to see so many of us winning prizes in the draw. Please, Weather Gods, let it be sunny enough for me to need my Summer's supply of Wilkinson's Sun Care products!

A few of us were sensible and had some dinner to soak up the wine, I even vlogged it!

The parties carried on late into the night (I know this because I was one of the last bloggers to go to bed)! There were more tears, brought on by laughter this time.

I can't wait for CyberMummy 2011!




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