This marked my 8th year attending the Blackbaud Conference in Charleston SC. They have been doing this now for 10 years and I swear each time they reinvent the process.
When you see tweets like: "Best NPO Conferences I've been to. Great speakers, networking, idea sharing. Technology/ people rock!" You know you're part of something a little bit magical. It's like almost coming home and much of that is the relationships that are formed from within Blackbaud and the amazing, inspiring people you meet and continue to connect with.
The market place is a reminder of just how innovative the planning team gets in keeping the attendees engaged, relaxed and well fed. I was also watching the flow and process which maximized how the vendors interacted, the options for breaks even the chair massage - oh I would have killed to have sat in one of those chairs!
Of course there was the gestapo afternoon break folks who worked for the convention center. They refused to allow anyone access to the soda pail until 3:15 sharp. Didn't they know who I was? I actually had the bottle of soda in my hand and was told to put it back - should have licked the bottle as my Navy Alumni buds suggested, that would have been fun.
For me this year was a very different experience. I got to stretch the old noodle a bit and presented on a topic I was not all that comfortable with. I actually think I pulled it off even though I couldn't remember NWF's mission statement. Got ribbed for that one! I don't know my scores but as my "life twin" Kate who is sitting next to me said, I was "very animated, engaging and fun to listen and watch." Of course she told me this at the evenings reception hour so maybe I need to factor in the "tipsy" aspect of the review!
I attended a series of events I don't normally follow and I have to say it was liberating in a way to learn more about topics that I don't have to directly support. I find the learning to be invaluable as a technologist because you never know when I have to apply something I encountered to the job. I was also impressed that how in just a short time frame, folks attending many of the social networking sessions, were no longer questioning the terminology - they got it! So not the case last year.
I had the dubious honor of being listed at the conference as a top tweeter - http://wthashtag.com/Bbcon not sure I can include that in my resume but I understand I will have an ASP named after me. What I did get from all the tweets . . . is how by highlighting the session points during the engagement I can now go back and reference those comments, it's better then note taking! AND - connecting with other Tweets who were in the same or different sessions, priceless.
I FINALLY got to meet Holly Ross from NTEN http://twitter.com/ntenhross who used the geographical search feature on Twitter and found me at the session. For about 2 hours I was looking for a gal wearing a pair or Red Shoes and a Navy Blue blouse. We hooked up at her session where I publicly professed my love for her, she was as engaging in person as she has been online and spoke to the very point of what being a technologist means to me and how we use those skills to support those and provide service to do good in todays world. http://www.youtube.com/user/blackbaudinc#p/u/7/NhW4WCAfejI
I'm looking forward to sharing more about this awesome event http://twitter.com/#search?q=bbcon and to nurture the relationships both new and old as a result of my latest Charleston trip. Until next time.
We are of Peace. Always.
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