Thinking outside the conference box: #HomeHer10

With many of my blogging buddies taking New York City by storm right now, I contemplated swearing off all forms of social media until Monday morning. Because, as you know, I was OK with missing BlogHer (really). I didn’t think I could take seeing the tweets, and even my cute little mug (on card stock no less!) around BlogHer 10 with my gals.

But then a “joke gone right” caught my eye yesterday and before I knew it, I had joined the 300 plus #HomeHer10 bloggers. By midnight I had turned my Blip.fm account into the unofficial party station of the HomeHer10 attendees and believe you me… we rocked Twitter until 2 am.

What I have loved so much about HomeHer10 is that it was a simple tweet, a joke as @BackpackingDad put it. Created in jest over being stuck at home instead of in New York; bloggers from both ends of the ocean are tweeting their own personalized conference sessions. Shawn explains #HomeHer10 better than I can and it makes it all the more fanfreakintastic.

#HomeHer10 badge created by Toni of Juststopscreaming.com

Make no mistake, while the HomeHer10 attendees are tweeting snark infested session topics and complaining about their suite accommodations (I’m still waiting for @RantRaveRoll to return the mints that were stolen from my room), mostly we’re just having fun. We’re still tweeting with our BlogHer buddies (my card stock head has been kissed by @Bookieboo & @Resourcefulmom, @Cutestkidever and gawd only knows who else) but we’re also talking about the bonuses of #HomeHer10. For instance:

1. I don’t have to run back to my hotel room and wait it out till my phone recharges because I killed it tweeting and texting conference friends.

2. No one has to see the duct tape on my laptop

3. Speaking of the laptop… I don’t have to hunt down or kill anyone for a plug outlet when the battery dies within 30 minutes of being unplugged.

4. My sponsors? Advil, Lipton Iced Tea and the Ruggles Ice Cream Sandwiches in my fridge. Nuff said.

5. I can still enjoy the benefits of not having to use the bathroom alone; because you know that someone in this house is going to follow me anyway.

6. Pajamas and bunny slippers are the new “little black dress”.

7. Business card printing charges need not apply. I haz a Twitter profile.

8. No one looks at me funny if my cell rings in the middle of a session.

9. If I don’t like the session, I just hold one of my own.

10. I don’t need make up, high heels or a party schedule to meet anyone!

And like any other social media / social networking opportunity, #HomeHer10 has gone completely viral with real swag bag giveaways, link love posts, and brands hosting their own #HomeHer10 giveaways just for us!

I know that BackpackingDad is undervaluing himself by calling it a joke gone right – I know this because I see how social media works every day. This is the perfect example of social media gone right! Don’t believe me? Visit the Link up post hosted by Totally_ Toni, where other attendees are sharing their #HomeHer10 experiences. This is 100 percent awesome and win. I now covet Shawn and his awesomeness. What I think everyone gets who is participating in #HomeHer10 and appreciates is that this. is. how. good. ideas. start.

So if you’ve been dying for a conference tailored to YOU (or have nothing to do this weekend), join us and who knows? You might be giving the keynote!

Oh and if you missed Friday night’s Blip-a-thon hosted by me and you’d like to relive the tunes you missed; here’s the unofficial #HomeHer10 play list:

Garth Brooks – Friends in Low Places

Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get it Started

Justin Timberlake – SexyBack

Nickelback – Rockstar

Billy Idol – Dancing with Myself

Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

Lady GaGa – Just Dance

Lady GaGa – Poker Face

Daughtry – Home

Pink – So What

About Nichole Smith

Nichole Smith has written 312 posts on The Guilty Parent.

Founder of The Guilty Parent and Chaos in the Country (http://www.chaosinthecountry.com), Nichole is a writer, blogger, social media strategist, wife to one, mother to four and embracer of mommy guilt.

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