Hi everybody, Starbucker here. I started blogging on my site “Ramblings From a Glass Half Full” about 15 months ago as a lark – because one of my friends at work suggested it.
Little did I know what my little “hobby” would allow me to do – radically change and expand my world, where I could learn many more things and meet many more people. It was a wonderful surprise, and I remain awed at the power of this medium.
Eventually, I needed to go beyond a relationship on a printed blog page. I am by nature a very social person – I like the connection one makes with a real handshake or a hug. It’s a very “human” thing to want to make personal connections.
I wanted to meet some of these bloggers – I had to, to really take what I was doing up a few notches. First, I met Phil Gerbyshak in Milwaukee– believe me folks, what you see on his blog page and in his books is great, but experiencing the “fullness of Phil” firsthand is truly inspiriing – this man’s energy will blow you away.
Next, I visited Des Moines and spent a day with many of the ever-growing family of bloggers that are building a unique and supportive community in Iowa – Tom, Mike S, Drew, Tim, Mike W, Sandy, Doug, Mitch and Brooke.
Here is what I said when I posted about that day:
“To me, this is what the blogging experience is all about – making new connections and friends, sharing life experiences and learning many things about life and living it to the fullest (or should I say half-fullest).”
Lastly, my wife and I ventured to Montreal and had dinner with the “Instigator”, Ben Yoskovitz. We had a blast, and I learned quite a bit from him that night about the process of blogging and all the tools that are available. Plus, I got to experience his great positive nature and sense of humor firsthand.
And now we’re organizing the best blogger meet-up of all – SOBCon07. Nearly all of these wonderful people that I’ve met will be in Chicago, ready to pass along more learing, more experiences, and best of all, more friendship.
So what really is the “Next Level” of blogging to me? Simply this – to go beyond the connections we’ve made virtually, to real, human, and deeper connections that will last a lifetime and bring greater joy to our lives. It’s happened to me already, and it can happen to you too.
Let’s all go to that next level together – sign up for SOBCon07 today!
