morning note: this seems like even less of a good idea than it did, oh, 6 or so hours ago when i wrote it, but i’m in no mood to be prudent. also i’m having major internal conflicts on whether i should go in to work like a good girl, or be half a day late due to urgently crawling around the floor plugging wires into boxes and randomly hope the internet gets faster. but this has nothing to do with what had me all worked up last night.
* * *
i should have taken it as a sign when i got this half-typed and my computer did one of its catastrophic clunk-choke-gasp-BSOD things. i’m not one for conflict, but occasionally something upsets me to the point i go all stubborn-bitch. as it is, i’ll wait for the light of day to post it, morning me is a far more timid creature and may think better of this. two am me says, deal.
i was told this evening, that there are people, plural, a goodly number of them, who are upset that the vegas blogcon was held in vegas, who feel that that choice of venue was disrespectful to the east coasters. and this i do not understand. at all. the question was posed, why not the midwest, a compromise? well, because no matter where you hold an event, it’s going to be better for some, and worse for others. a midwestern event would have excluded some folks from both coasts, and an eastern event would have excluded some folks from the west, there’s no avoiding that. the only solution is to do things like this, the east coast blogger gathering. put it this way — for as inconvenient as vegas was to the eastcoasters, it would have been just as inconvenient for the westcoasters to hold it on the east. blogcon vegas was not a vast left coast conspiracy.
i’m a great believer in bloggers gathering. i think it should be done as often as possible and in as many places as there are groups of people willing to organize. there will be people who can and will travel from all over to get there, but most importantly the folks who can’t go far, will get the opportunity to attend an event near them, hopefully without arousing any animosity amongst those who aren’t near the event and also can’t go far.
acknowledging at this point that it’s pointless to object to the opinions of others; then again, reserving my right to respond to direct criticism with a reasonable defense, all the while observing that it’s my blog and i can be pointless if i so choose, also asseverating that i actually do have a point here, somewhere.
Well, I guess it�s time for confessions from the organizers. And in the same spirit as one of the complainers, this confession will also be anonymous. Not because I have something to hide, but just to torment you.
Yes, it’s true. Those of us living in California not only think we are better than the rest of you, but we KNOW we are better. We have proof, evidence, oh yes we do! Why do you think that it doesn’t snow here? Because we don’t deserve snow–we are too damn good for snow. Why do you think that all the good bloggers live here? Because we received an invitation to live here and you didn’t! So, yes, the next blogcon, and the one after that, and the one after that, will all be in Vegas. Because we “get” Vegas, and you don’t. Because we can afford to go to Vegas and you can’t. Because we want to go someplace that you aren’t, and we can. Because the whole world does indeed rotate around us.
And while you�re pondering this confession, I suggest that you ask the bloggers from Pennsylvania, Australia, Oregon, Alabama, and Massachusetts what made them fall so far into our conspiracy. Maybe it was the huge piles of cash we sent them, but didn�t send you. Maybe it was the promises of sex and fun that we made to them, but didn�t make to you.
Or maybe it was that they saw a chance for a good time, and took it. And you didn�t.
you’re responding to an anonymous post? What purpose does that serve?
eh — why not? i mean, i fully allow anonymity in my comments, as a courtesy to those folks who can’t handle owning their own words. it’s the least i can do for the poor souls.
can you imagine having that anger in you, but not being able to express it in your own voice? that’s gotta hurt.
(((kd))), you’re awesome
And sometimes people speak anonymously because they don’t feel like being beaten with a club by an intolerant mob. Because they’ve had a friendship trashed by having a private phone conversation splayed all over a blog. And because they’re just sick of the hypocrisy.
We talked about a few different locations for the first one until Vegas was decided on. I remember that even NYC was suggested, but the reason Vegas was chosen was because of price and affordability as well as location. And not just location to me (who drove), but as a hub of vacation/entertainment…..which was kind of the purpose.
I remember voting for Chicago.
Anyway, I think there is still a chance to put in votes to the new location, right?
maybe we should start a new vote? when we launch the new site? or not, i mean our discussions right after blogcon we were seriously wanting to do new orleans, for that whole “different planet” thing batty mentioned, but the vote tended to favor vegas. i voted for new orleans. several times. it didn’t help.
vegas is a popular place. it’s crazy and surreal and intense and excessive and of course there are those airfare deals. which could be wiped out in one fell swoop by the purchase of a bottle of water, but krix did warn us, bring water! those were wise words. water and lip balm, don’t leave for vegas without them.
and the aladdin. damn, that place rocked. flat screen broadband terminals, man! those were cool. and that desert mall thingy. omg, and remember those massive margaritas? i could go for one about now. and skits had a lapdance? remember the lapdance?
remember the lapdance?
ah…Good times, kd. Good times.
I believe the point was that the event was billed as for everyone but was not made practical for everyone and accordingly alienated or hurt some people
I had no idea anyone was actually hurt because of the way/place/time/whatever BlogCon was planned, but I’m not going to apologize for it. There is no way-no way that an event can be made practical for everyone. There is always going to be someone who can’t make it–either because of the location, or the date, or money, etc. It even happens when scheduling local blogger gatherings. There’s always someone who can’t make a particular date or location. That’s just how it goes. Hopefully, they can make the next one, or they’ll organize a get-together themselves.
Nor am I seeing any of the “organizers” expressing any desire to float the event around the country
If you will check the site, you’ll see plenty of desire to to float the event. That was the point of the poll that’s been on the front page of the BlogCon site since 2 days after the first event.
I believe the point was that the event was billed as for everyone but was not made practical for everyone and accordingly alienated or hurt some people.
beating the dead horse:
it is not possible to please everyone all of the time. it isn’t possible now nor will it ever be. period.
the only way i can attend any get together (now or then) is if it was held next door to me. am i hurt and alienated? no. because it’s just not practical for a get together to be held next door to me.
and dayum! i missed skits getting a lapdance?! *sulk*
I had no idea anyone was actually hurt because of the way/place/time/whatever BlogCon was planned…
Of course you didn’t know, while people’s feelings were hurt, they didn’t want to cause anyone to have a bad time, you know, being considerate. And for other reasons, things I witnessed as one of the original planners of the event. The only reason you know now is because KD decided to post a private telephone conversation on her blog about something that came up randomly and something I would have never said in public for the exact reason of consideration of others and because it was so over. Apparently if you piss Switzerland off over something really stupid (as opposed to important), you lose your expectation that private conversations remain private.
This has gotten way out of hand. I’m disgusted by the whole thing.
-Faith, the anonymous poster.
Oh, that has to be Jon …
kd, I think making the blogcon site a central web location for all events is a great idea! The main one could continue to be held in Vegas, which appears to be the preferred location of the voters (and as many have already said Vegas makes a great convention location for many reasons), and then others can be held throughout the US and perhaps even beyond, but by having them all listed on one page, it will show support and encouragement for the all of them rather than one. I hope that made sense …
Jon, you are in *such* trouble.
Ok, now you’ve done it – now I have to say that you’re all against us in the South. Do I note that we even consider anything like Dallas or Atlanta? Noooo? Oh sure, New Orleans, but that’s a different planet. And hey, what about the Midwest? Why not Kansas? It’s in the middle of it all – but it’s unloved, that’s what it is, you dont love us.
People, we’re being silly here.
Why are we even bothering with the past on this? Does it even matter?
And I’d like to add that I’m speaking as one of the planners and one of the poeple who had feelings hurt numerous times on this whole deal. I did not let many people know about that. And you know what – the time and the place was a bit inconvienent for me. But guess what – I managed to go anyhow.
I’m still my happy self and not minding about all this because that’s way back in August. Plus I got to meet people and attend a fun wedding – and that was much more fun than I thought I’d have.
Oh and I don’t mean to irritate anyone, or say that anyone else shouldn’t be pissed about things if they want to be. I fully support everyone’s right to be pissed.
Now I’m restraining myself from putting my hands on my hips, shaking a finger at you all, and saying in my most bossy teacher voice:
“Go play nice. If you didn’t make it to the party – and it’s not like you weren’t ALL invited to the party – we’re sorry about that. Go off and have other parties. Come to the next party wherever it is. Now here, have some chocolate, and try not to take things so very personally.”
And I’d like to add, this from someone who did indeed take some of the BlogCon hooha perhaps a bit too personally – and knows of several people who also had many hurt feelings over the whole thing as well. I’m over that now. Took a while though. And that’s as much as you’ll ever hear me say publicly.
I really would hand out chocolate, you know.
“Oh, that has to be Jon …”
This wasn’t me.
The possibility of me being anonymous in kd’s comments ever under any circumstances at any time is zero.
Find out who posted this so I may go over to their house and cause real trouble.
I am not happy. This isn’t funny. If I find out who did it I will make them very unhappy.
Post the IP and let’s see who made the comment.
Uh oh.
Well, obviously I didn’t email Jon first, I just assumed….
“Oh, that has to be Jon …”
This wasn’t me.
The possibility of me being anonymous in kd’s comments ever under any circumstances at any time is zero.
Find out who posted this so I may go over to their house and cause real trouble.
I am not happy. This isn’t funny. If I find out who did it I will make them very unhappy.
Post the IP and let’s see who made the comment.
accuse others of fucking it up.
I don’t recall anyone accusing anyone for “fucking it up” — I believe the point was that the event was billed as for everyone but was not made practical for everyone and accordingly alienated or hurt some people.
As you concede “which suggests to me that it probably wasn’t practical to attempt (and apparently fail) to make one event for everyone.”. That’s precisely the point. Being honest about that.
I’m not seeing anyone from the west coast clamouring to go to the Poconos. Nor am I seeing any of the “organizers” expressing any desire to float the event around the country, as they can’t or don’t want to have to travel as far as that would take. So it really shouldn’t be that much of a stretch to understand why feelings were hurt and people were unable to attend due to the location.
Post the IP and let’s see who made the comment.
Oh yes, let’s please start a lynch mob again, Jon. Great idea. Perhaps it’s just a repeat performance of your little Matt stunt.
that would go against my newly found tolerance for anonymousness.
sometimes people need to be anonymous.
it’s ok, everyone take a deep breath and calm down.
i personally am going to pop a foster’s and watch some Zim VCDs.
oh — and:
As you concede “which suggests to me that it probably wasn’t practical to attempt (and apparently fail) to make one event for everyone.”. That’s precisely the point. Being honest about that.
this is what i was saying in the first place, when i got hung up on. had anyone listened to me, they would have discovered i had a point. what i did not and will not agree to is the implication that there was wanton disregard for the feelings of others, when during the early phases of the planning (when the location was picked), all we did was discuss how to best fit this in with all the potentially conflicting schedules and travel issues. a daunting task if there ever was on. and remeber, at that point, all of the organizers were planning on going to vegas, there was even gleeful kidding around about road trips in convertibles.
trying and failing and learning from the past and concluding that more events = better, isn’t something that’s grounds for hollering at the people who were trying. that’s what really hurt me — we were honestly trying, with the best of intentions. deciding on vegas was no more a slap in the face to eastcoasters as deciding to do it in august was a slap in the face of people busy in august. we were all just muddling through, none of us had ever tried to plan something as unruly as a blogger gathering. and the decision on location was made long before the rest of the conflicts came up. at the time it was decided, it was accepted.
we had decided by january. a year ago, that decision was decided. y’all didn’t get pissed off about it until the other conflicts, which is what happens when you are pissed and looking for other reasons to be pissed, you start digging up the past.
you know the really amazing part? i only attended out of a sense of duty. it utterly surprised me that i had fun. and that act of attending in spite of the conflicts, resulted in a great deal of resolution to them. had i stayed away, that resolution would very likely still be eluding me.