This is the entry I’ve been working on for DAYS. It’s so hard to find that line between sounding like I’m name-dropping or bragging, and simply trying to convey to you the experience of meeting women I’ve admired and loved (and possibly lusted after) for so long. I can’t mention every BlogHer I met (even though I would love to) because this entry would go on forever. So, I will speak of the women who have touched me in one way or another. (No. Not in that way…it wasn’t that kind of gathering…) Follow every link. Most of these women were on my links page before BlogHer, but some of them are now on the list as a result of BlogHer. These women are my inspiration. My idols. My friends. My sisters. My bitches and ‘hos. Wait, ignore that last one - it only applies to the first three on the list.

amalah
It is impossible to believe this was the first time we ever met. I feel like we’ve gone through so much together, that she has gotten me through so much, that there is no way this was the first time I ever hugged her. But it was, and it made me cry. She hovered in the back of my workshop the first day and when we broke off into groups she snuck closer and I tried to get a moment to greet her but people kept stopping one or both of us. It was like some comedy of errors. When we finally were face to face with no one between us? I (we?) screamed and hugged and like many said before on her entry here: That is what BlogHer was all about. Hugging a sister.

Brit
I knew she’d be awesome, and she didn’t disappoint. She brought me diet coke and crackers the night I arrived and didn’t mind that I wasn’t wearing a bra. And she is freakin’ hysterical. Her notes throughout the conference were enough to make me snort diet coke Pepsi out my nose on several occasions. She also saw a shirt that said, “What happens at BlogHer stays at BlogHer” and answered with, “What happens at BlogHer was blogged about ten minutes ago.”

Marilyn
When I first saw Marilyn, I convinced myself she looked “too busy” to bother and avoided making contact. I’m telling you all - I’m a FREAK. I was scared to talk to anyone! Luckily for me - she was a bit braver and came over to my table where I immediately dropped my stupid guard and gave her a hug. I’m an idiot. She is so awesome and she brought her brand new baby. After my workshop she and Brit announced that they had bonded and they were going to go pump together. My work there was done: Bringing together women with breast pumps everywhere.

Jes
I just recently got to know Jes, but was still very happy to meet her face to face. She was one of the women I wished I had more time to chat with, but it seemed like she was always in the middle of a conversation whenever I saw her. She is also damn pretty. DAMN Pretty.

Grace
She was truly as kind and loving and awesome and fantabulous as you would imagine. She also organized a childcare setup that impressed me beyond my wildest dreams. She did a great job at the final keynote and she is truly a beautiful woman. When I hugged her for the first time? I cried too. She’s beautiful in every way. All hail Grace. The exact woman I want to be when I grow up.

Megan
When asked by BlogHer if I knew anyone else who could help teach workshops, Megan was one of the names I dropped. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about her workshop and according to her, she has gotten GOBS of business from it. I’m super proud I got to help and even happier she and I got to meet. Next up? Janet, of course. Right Megan?

Yvonne
HOTT. Seriously - she is, without a doubt, one of the sexiest women I’ve ever met. I would kill for her boobs and her skin and her hair and her…I’m sounding stalkerish, aren’t I? Just trust me: She is as a total bombshell and don’t let her tell you any different. She wonders why we all tell her how hot she is online. Because she’s totally that hot in person too. She’s also freakin’ hysterical. She had a slam book and it cracked my shit UP with Beth and Amy arguing over N’Sync in it. She has asked me to come live with her and I have said “Hell, Yes.” Amen.

Beth
You know how there are people who make you laugh with their snarky remarks or smartass comments? Well - there are a LOT of those women at BlogHer which is why I laughed almost the entire time. But even better? Were the women like Beth who can, in one eye-roll, or goofy smile, convey EXACTLY what I am thinking and crack my shit up. I ran into her first at a small party where I was surrounded by women I loved so I spent the time hiding in the corner, rocking back and forth and singing songs by Milli Vanilli (ooh. ooh. ooh. I love you.). And of course, she was awesome and hilarious. She even talked to me at the party which was hard to do since I was doing my best to be absorbed into the hotel chair.

I also wanted to hug her a lot. But I refrained. She might not be so lucky next time.

Melissa
I barely even got a chance to talk to Melissa because she was entering one room as I was leaving it. We passed a few other times but that is it. I can honestly promise her it is a good thing because I was proving to be a complete bumbling idiot. I think I may have shaken her hand a little too long and looked a little to intense when I was saying, “It’s soooo good to meet you.” I’m sure she issued a restraining order on me immediately. If not? She should have. She is truly a beauty and even though I probably wouldn’t have been brave enough to speak to her, I wish I could have hung out with her more.

Karen
She is so beautiful and funny and how does someone discuss stinky cheeses in a way that kept me hanging on her every word? That shows how brilliant she is. Either that or how much I was suffering from hero-worship which could have been the case too. She was also very kind to my children the next day when I introduced them to her at breakfast. When she left our table LilZ said, “She’s very nice. And pretty.” Yes, she is.

Gayla
I met Gayla for the first time Saturday night. She is probably the only person in the world who could teach me how to not kill the plants I bring into my home. She was so funny and kind. I was very intimidated by my surroundings and found myself trying to disappear into the background as she spoke to me. She discussed her glorious hotel that she was staying at in a way that made me kinda want to stick myself in her bag and follow her home. She also had the brilliant idea to SHORTEN the lanyard our badges were on. WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT?

Angela
I was “introduced” to Angela as I was leaving a gathering. It feels really silly to be introduced to someone whose archives you’ve read so completely that you kinda feel like you know them already. And of course, the next day she offered assistance to me as I was on the brink of a full blown anxiety attack. She is truly awesome and a kind spirit and I will offer my assistance to the next Mom I see on the verge of a breakdown, and I will do it in Angela’s name.

Alice
I saw Alice Saturday night as well. (Do you see now why I was so uncomfortable there - being surrounded by so many amazing women?) I was not able to speak to her then. Kinda like with the other women around BlogHer, I was trying to sink into the walls to avoid talking to them for fear I would say something like, “OHMYGODILOVEYOU” and possibly drool a little. That would have been awesome. However, I was not able to escape her as my kids and I ended up on an elevator with her and Isabel from AlphaMom. Isabel was asking me how my interview went when Alice introduced herself. Of course I choked out the answer, “Um. I know you. I like you. I’m Kim. Hi.” or some such brilliant introduction.

Cagey
I have become quite close to Cagey the last few months as our children are almost the same age. They got to meet each other and created some sort of blog-baby vortex in the forcefield. I also got to meet her Mom who was super-cool and awesome. She’d better come again next year since it will be on the East Coast and hopefully I’ll be able to drink too!

Sweetney
I was hunting her down for awhile because I was totally looking forward to hugging her. Which I did when I finally found her and I’m sure she was only mildly terrified. She was even cooler in person than online. She also had some totally rockin’ toenail polish on. I also totally enjoyed her being on the MommyBlogger panel because I think she does a great job of showing how you can be a Mom but still blog about multitudes of other topics. Of course, did I bother to tell her that when I saw her? No. Because I’m an idiot and I get tongue-tied around strong women.

Heather
Just like with most (if not all) of the women I mentioned before, I was incredibly intimidated by Heather’s presence and found it very hard to bring myself to talk to her. I think the reason I do that (act like a fool) is because I’m so terrified I won’t be able to properly convey my admiration/love without sounding like a stalker. And no one wants to sound like a stalker. Luckily (for ME, not for HER) she was carrying this bag which I almost bought for BlogHer and I took that as a sign and went to introduce myself. When I chickened out and turned around, Brit shoved me back and I sucked it up and told her who I was. I don’t think I really conveyed how her writing has been such an influence on so much of my life. Especially considering I think I only said, “Hi. I’m Kim. You’re pretty.” But - at least I didn’t drool on her.

There were others I met who blog anonymously so I will refrain from calling them out in the open. But especially to the two women whose hotel room I found myself in on Saturday night? I love you both more than you’ll ever know and thank you for being so cordial to me - even when I was obviously such a social invalid.