Update: The very cool Mary Tsao wrote up a little piece about what is now called The Red Stapler Project at BlogHer.org Take a read! I'm so flattered.
I also came in tonight to find my computer infected with some hellish virus, which is a new one on me, because I have a Mac. If you get email from snackishblog@yahoo.com that is more than a few K in size, please delete it. I bought the Norton and shouldn't have any more incidents.
I was going to write a big BlogHer '06 wrap up, but so many have been done already that they are already beginning to melt into a large amorphous BlogHer! Was! Wonderful! blob inside my tired head.
I figure writing about it even more would be redundant to those who were there and a crashing, self-indulgent bore to those who weren't. (I know, I know, being a crashing self-indulgent bore has never stopped me from posting before.
My real statement on the subject is my 95 extremely fabulous (the subjects, not the photography) Red Stapler Photos and comments at Flickr. This was the project that ended up consuming my every waking moment (except for standing in line in the bar and sometimes even then) and which allowed me to walk up and bravely talk to almost 100 heretofore-unknown-to-me BlogHers.
In reality, I am kind of shy. Friendly, but shy. Due to my journalism background, however, I feel comfortable walking up to almost any random stranger if it is for the sake of the story. So I assigned myself a story. I took the stapler to allow me to worm my way inside BlogHer. It let my inner journalist geek come out.
Talking to such a mass of interesting, smart, talented people made my heart pound with happiness. My only regret is the people I missed, almost 600 of them. There are a few I spent a lot of time with and whom I am shocked that I forgot to photograph. I guess I was having so much fun that it slipped my mind. MaryBeth from Supafine, Amy from Piece of Work, Liz from Mom-101 and Average Jane are all ones that didn't get taken, which makes me sad. Maybe next year.
Thanks to all my subjects for indulging my compulsion. Those who appear may use their photos however they wish. I am thinking of designing a calendar using some of the photos, however. Whaddya think?
It was a good time. Didn't learn much, but I am a bad student. After a few false starts of going to workshops, I began ditching and hanging out with the Bad Girls Club (you know who you are) by the pool instead of going to workshops. Next year I will skip the pretense and just go to the cocktail parties.
My only complaint: not enough guys. That's a joke, y'all. The few guys that were there didn't bother me much (except for Karl of Secondhand Tryptophan, who I assaulted with the Stapler - Taste the World has photographic evidence) and I am truly chagrined to have missed Mac Guru Guy Kawasaki, despite the fact that he has testicles, not ovaries. I forgive him because he is a genius.
Next year in Chicago.
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29 comments:
Thanks for the honor, but can I convince you to take my picture down? I am totally not kidding about being an anonymous blogger-- I am on a (extremely small, closely connected, and rumor-prone) job market.
Suebob, it was enlightening, in the best possible sense, to get a chance to speak to your quasi-lipless self this weekend, even if it was only via la telephone.
next year, sister, I'm getting a photo with the lady of the red stapler. :p
xo
Dr. S - done.
Deb - Talking on the phone was great. In person, even bettah.
MegaMom - Well, you are so easy to talk to...Miss December? Sure!
I love the very first picture with the red hair. My hair is that color sometimes, so maybe it's better that I didn't go. Otherwise we would have had to fight.
The picture of you assaulting Karl turned out fabulous, by the way! (I have a link to my Flickr set on my blog).
What a great time. I'm sooooo glad it was you I spoke to at the bar. You were my first. *sniffle*
Thank you for the mint, too! You're 100% awesome!!! (Though I'm a little disappointed the stapler didn't make contact with Karl's head...THAT would have been a good pic!)
I loved the pictures, Suebob. Very impressed with your nerve to approach some of those women. I don't think I would have had the balls to do what you did. But I'm shy. Next year I hope to have a picture taken with that stapler. I already have my pose planned out.
I think I like your pictures best. And you took a wide sampling of people. Not all of them were superstars. How nice.
I'm not trying ot be a sycophant here, but meeting you and posing with the stapler was the best part of BlogHer. It's funny that you say you are shy because I felt like you were one of the most laid-back people I've met. I am very glad that we met through blogs and in person, and I can't wait to hang out with you in my hometown of Chicago next year. (I know deep dish pizza is not your preference, but it's chicago, man, and we must go. Or we can go to a fun bakery. Whatever works best...
i can't save your pics.. i tried. i failed. lol
Sue--I loved meeting you! You did not seem shy at all--I thought you were hilarious! Shy was ME!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Red Stapler photos. This is one of my favorite wrap-ups of BlogHer. I am so glad I got to meet you, if only for a minute or two!
Chicago? ummm... that may be too expensive for me. we'll see. :)
I loved your ice-breaker, Suebob! You've got me thinking about ideas for next year...
Yay, Chicago!
NEXT YEAR!!!
Can't wait.
SueBob, You and you're stapler will forever be embedded in my memory.
Hugs and Kisses, it was lovely to meet you.
Suebob, I wrote about you and your great project today on BlogHer.
What impressed me the most is that instead of staying home (or going to BlogHer) and whining about how hard it is to meet people, yada yada, you took the initiative to put yourself out there. Kudos to you.
What most people fail to remember is that when other people aren't coming up to them, it's because the other people are just as shy! Just because somebody is a "blog celebrity" doesn't mean that they are outgoing! In fact, most of the big name bloggers are the most forthcoming about their shyness and anxiety.
Whew. What a mouthful. Anyway, I just really admire your spunk.
i agree. the red stapler photo project was a fabulous idea. you rock.
Very cool idea as an icebreaker.
I am sure they won't forget you. Maybe next year in Chicago... I will make everyone hold a chicken.
Or a box of cheerios. Fewer bad things can happen to cheerios than to a chicken when free wine is involved. I saw what happened to the poor stapler!!
I was almost starting to think I'd been turned into an unphotographable vampire while I wasn't paying attention, until I found a couple of really horrid photos of myself on Flickr.
I don't know what happened to the stapler photo - I distinctly remember holding the stapler with the understanding that I was being photographed. I guess we'll have to try again next year.
I was just so enjoying watching everyone else holding (licking, fondling) the stapler, it didn't even cross my mind to be in a picture. What an awesome idea SueBob - and you're one cool lady yourself, no surprise.
As noted, it was my greatest pleasure to meet you. And one of my few regrets that we didn't have enough "just talking" and hanging out time together. Next year, I hope?
SuperDes - I can imagine you with that hair, though orange suits you too.
Chase - I will run over and look at the pic. I can't see photos at work, grrrr.
Mrs. Chicky - either balls or lack of good sense, I'm not quite sure.
Wordgirl - EVERYONE is a superstar when they are holding the stapler.
Suzanne - you are my girl. I knew I would like you and I did. Justin, he's ok too. I hope to come to NYC and swear loudly in the subways with you.
Jennster - I will see if I can figure out the deal...I'm kind of a tech spaz.
POW - You shy? You were charming and together.
Skye - I'm glad you liked your photo and the set in general. I would love to share a pizza with you and Suzanne.
Little Mama - don't worry about money. We can have a bake sale.
Mary - thanks so much for the BlogHer shout out.
HBM - I so wish you were my neighbor.
LeahPeah - I so am glad that you are my neighbor, in a cross VC kind of way.
Chantel - you and your shoes and your brain are all amazing.
Laura - I vote for the chicken.
Jane - I just don't know. I will look through the originals again but I really think you are MIA. Sniff.
Mom101 - you DESERVE a stapler portrait. Maybe when I come to NYC for pizza with Suzanne?
Izzy - screw next year. I am on the next flight to FLA.
Suebob, it was really great meeting you, and your stapler. I hope we have a chance to hang out again sometime. Maybe at some High-functioning Shy Persons conference...
And if I ever do hang out with you again, uh, can I borrow your Mexican embroidered blouse?
Sue, it was so nice meeting you at BlogHer. I wish we'd had more time to talk, because as others have said, you totally exuded friendliness and kindness. I look forward to becoming a regular Red Stapler reader!
I was so happy that you came and talked to us. So many nice people came and sat down at our table we eventually just stopped getting up. :D
You are delightful and funny, and I'm so glad I got to meet you and touch your stapler.
Do I get the award for being int he first picture that you took?
Seriously, I was totally overwhelmed this weekend - check out my blog post if you don't think so! - but I remember you because of the Red Stapler. And that is a VERY GOOD THING.
Suebob - you blew me away. Thanks so much for approaching Chase and I at the bar. Meant a lot to me. And the stapler thing...fantastic.
SueBob - Thank you for including me in the red stapler project You are definitely one of the coolest people I got to meet at BlogHer (including the aforementioned Guy Kawasaki -- I actually got up the nerve to thank him for the kind things he said about some of my friends on his blogs and he was really gracious But I don't think he would have lent me his cellphone).
Loved the red stapler approach. So clever and disarming.
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