Monday, March 1, 2010

You couldn't know unless you met me for reals

I'm Going to the CBC!I recently signed up to go to a blogging conference being held in Utah at the end of May.  Initially I didn't even consider going, but then I realized I was scared to go.  I've never met someone in real life whom I first knew online.  The thought of doing it freaked me out.  I'm tired of letting my timidity control my decisions, so I bought a ticket last month.  You could say I double dog dared myself and lost (won?) the bet.



I'm still scared out of my skin (I would rather be scared out of 10 pounds, especially before I meet a whole bunch of people for the first time), but, as my husband so aptly pointed out, there has to be other socially shy people out there in blog land who are attending.  So I am carrying forward with my plans.

But there are some problems, reasons I chickened out of meeting anyone when I was in Utah last March for my grandmother's funeral.  I am just not sure how I'm going to react to people I sort of know intimately and sort of don't know at all.  Will I be shy?  Overly familiar?  Ignored?  What if I am nothing like what people are expecting?


So when Steph at The Daily Blarg awarded me with the Beautiful blogger award, I knew what I needed to do.  I would tell you the to7 things you wouldn't know about me if you only know me by my typing.  Then maybe there won't be any shocking revelations if you ever meet my flash and blood self (or if I lose the flesh and blood and am just haunting you):



(1) I have two possible reactions when meeting people.  I either get the deer-in-the-headlights look, which unfortunately (I've heard) makes me look stuck up or I become the queen of TMI.  In short, I have no pleasant introductory small talk skills.  I've kinda sorta learned how to compensate by faking it, but I'm convinced it still doesn't seem natural (and if I'm really nervous I forget to fake it a revert to one of my normal reactions).

(2) My laugh?  It is a full blown wicked witch cackle.  And the sound of it carries.  I can't help it, it's genetic. Growing up,  I could tell when my aunts were over because I could here the laughter at least 10 blocks away.

(3) I have been accused of sounding like a text book when I talk, especially if it's something I'm passionate about.  It is the unfortunate result of reading more than I talked growing up.  My mom is always making fun of me for using words with too many syllables in them.

(4) I look 3 months pregnant, but I'm NOT, so don't think I'm just not telling people yet.  My uterus gave up after the 6th kid in a decade.

(5) I am pretty hard to offend, but might be considered a bit blunt.  I think the two are related; I can't judge the appropriateness of a question/statement just by asking if it would hurt my feelings.   The golden rule doesn't apply when you don't mind something most people would.

(6) I have no fashion sense or (7) ability to do hair.  So don't expect glamorous.
 
So if you see me looking all snobby, please know I'm really scared stiff.  And if I am overly familiar, please forgive me.  And if I'm sitting alone like a total loser, maybe you could stop and say hi?  Thanks.

___________________
The rules of the award are that I list 7 things about myself, link to the blog that awarded me and list 15 blogs I've recently found.  I thought it would be boring to do it all at once, so I'm going to list the blogs one at a time at the end of my posts.  Thought I would start with the giver of the award.


I met Steph as @sahans on twitter and she is hilarious!!  Her blog, the Daily Blarg, covers such topics as the top made for TV products and the adventures of Blogdog.  Occasionally she debates heavy hitting topics like the existence of unicorns.  She always makes me smile.

Thanks for the reward Steph, even if you're going out of town so I don't get to meet you in May.

43 comments:

  1. After reading that, I want to meet you even more!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Charlotte I will be your host! I could hang out with you while you meet all the cool people who read your blog and then you wouldn't feel like you didn't know anybody. What do you say? Alright, I'm off to convince my husband once and for all that I need to go to this.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wish I was going. Will have to come meet you closer to your and my home.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so glad you're coming. I feel confident (except when I am feeling awkward) that we will be bosom friends!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am envious, you will have a lot of fun! AND you get to go to UT and eat delicious food. Smuggle back something for me, eh?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ok, what I should have said was if I convince my husband that I need to go can I hang out with you and all your cool friends?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great job on doing the thing that you're afraid of! You're a great example to your kids! And I'm jealous that you get to go meet the great women who blog. I'm sure you will feel as connected to them in person as you do on line.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am going to have to look into that conference! If I see you across the room looking shocked I will help you out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just come and sit by me. I registered yesterday, then had a panic attack realizing I was going to have to talk to a whole bunch of people I don't really know, and I'm gonna have to, you know, make small talk and stuff, and what if they don't like me and I just stand there and hold up the wall and stuff... What if I don't have the cute clothes? What if my hair is ugly? Etc, etc. So, like I said. We should hang out together.

    ReplyDelete
  10. YAY! I am so awkward when I first meet someone too!

    Just don't ditch me, mmkay? I will let you hold my little guy! I promise! (If you want that is...unless you hate babies, then nevermind.)

    Reading these things makes me want to meet you even more. May is only 2 months away!

    P.S. I am also blunt. It threw my husband off when we were first married. Now he is blunt back. I like to convert people to all my great habits.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm glad you're going! You'll have a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  12. gabrielle valentine3/1/10, 9:00 PM

    This sounds so fun! Congrats! I'm sure it will be so much fun! (I'd be a little nervous myself but I'm sure you'll do fine!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wait...how did you get to be a fly on my wall? Your seven things describe me to a T!

    Seriously.

    That's rather freaky...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my goodness! You are WAY too hard on yourself!! I think you are so friendly and fun to talk to, not to mention you always look great (love your new hair cut) and you DO NOT look 3 months pregnant!! I never thought any of those things when I met you! ... but anyway- that sounds like fun!

    ReplyDelete
  15. and by the way... People have always said since I was in HS that I was "snobby" and it was just that I was so shy and nervous to talk to people- but they figured I wasn't talking because I was a snot... go figure!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Numbers 1-5? You were writing about me!

    Numbers 6-7? I suspect that those are also true about me, but I have an absolute inability to see myself clearly in a mirror. And WAAAAAAAAY too much self-esteem.

    Looking forward to meeting you. We'll know each other by the mirror image stunned expressions.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I sure miss you Charlotte. I'ld go a long ways to spend a few minutes of intelligent conversation with you. enjoy yourself. just imagine its book club :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. You'll have so much fun and you will have fun meeting everyone! And they will LOVE you. :) I wish I could come, then we could meet up. But alas, I think I'm going to save my pennies and shoot for BYU Women's Conf this year instead. Have fun though! I'm sure you will be the hit of the event! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. TMI....you??.....really....never would have guessed that one ;) Hope you have fun. Wish the conference was here in WA!

    ReplyDelete
  20. You are going to have such a great time meeting everyone! Some of my online friendships have translated into fantastic real life friendships. I'll admit I'm the opposite, never afraid of these sorts of situations, but completely undersatnd how they can be a bit daunting! Have a wonderful time.

    And for he record, I have one of those laughs too. When I laugh (or talk) everyone knows it. The word subtle is not one I would use to describe myself.

    ReplyDelete
  21. And why didn't we hang out more in h.s.? Oh, ya, we were both a bit too awkward and "stuck up" (but really nervous and scared!) Have fun at your conference. It is a weird thing to meet people you've known online. I met some digi-designers last summer and I loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think you and I would get along great, if we ever met. We'd both get the deer-in-headlights look, and it would be utter silence. LOL!

    Congrats on taking such a big step in your transformation. I bet you will have a blast at the conference.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I never complain about your words I just can't understand what you are saying. I always thought you have flesh and blood but it would seem that you have flash and blood. Is that something you got in CT? Have fun in UT and drop by and see your Grandpa. You are great go with that attitude.

    ReplyDelete
  24. So I guess I won't be alone, or we will all be alone in the same room. Either way.

    Thanks, mom, I fixed the spelling error.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hey Charlotte!
    I really wanna go. I'm still trying to bribe my husband into letting me.
    As much as I want to meet every cool blogger, such as yourself, I'm not sure I want you all to meet me.
    I tend to talk WAY too much in person and so I usually end up with my foot in my mouth.
    And I've also been told I come off as snobby as a first impression. I'm not entirely sure why, no one's ever been bold enough to tell me. What if I really am a snob and don't know it!?

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've been laughing about how freaked out are people are to meet each other in real life at this conference. Then I remember that I felt the same way just a year ago before I attended a conference with a bunch of people I'd only known through blogs. It was such a good experience I've kind of forgotten I was ever worried even though I had the exact same worries I hear everyone else mentioning. It was totally worth it. I may still go to CBC but it all depends on when my baby is born because if she comes early enough, I may go to a writing conference instead. If I show up at CBC, though, I'll be SURE to say hello and not notice your small talk style.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I need to come down and see you while you're here. Sounds like a blast!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm glad you are taking the leap of faith and going. I think you'll look back on it with wonderment... "Why did this freak me out sooo much?"

    I think it sounds like tons of fun. I should look into this conference...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sounds awesome! I'm excited for you to get out alone and to step out of your comfort zone. Hope you have a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  30. "rather be scared out of 10 pounds" - LOL, me too! If you figure out how, please, come over here and scare me, too!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Ooo, I'm going too! I'll be looking for you, and don't worry we're all in the same boat!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love this. The honesty, the humor, the seven things. I adore the bit about the uterus. After six kids, your uterus is allowed to do whatever it wants, huh? I think it will be amazing for you to meet fellow bloggers. Kind of wish I was making a cameo :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. This is what I get for being sooooooooo behind on my reader. Someone says the most fabulous things about me and I don't even notice. I am glad I am going through and hitting up all my faves tonight!

    And honestly if I could skip my trip and stay to see you and all my other favorite bloggy friends I would. I am actually having a little turmoil over this all. The only thing that is helping me get through this time is the knowledge of the totally kick butt bbq I am throwing in your honor in July.

    And thanks again for all your kind words. It means a lot when someone who can actually spell and writes real blog posts says nice things.

    Now I am all teary eyed.

    And I look 8.5 months pregany 12.5 years postpartum.

    ReplyDelete
  34. This is so fun getting to know friends that I get to meet in May! Love the list!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I feel the same way about walking into a room of people I "know", but I don't know! Maybe everyone should sit behind their laptops and then it would all feel much more natural!

    I almost want to go to this conference now, dag-nabbit! Cause now I missed the early bird sign-ups.

    I do want to meet you though. I'll just crash in the lobby and see if anyone notices. I'll be the one not talking to anyone but secretly wanting to. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Charlotte, good for you for overcoming your hesitation. As a previous commenter noted, you're setting a great example for your kids.

    I am going to BlogHer this summer and am already getting nervous about meeting so many of the women I've gotten to know online. But your example is an inspiration to me!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh my gosh i think we were seperated at birth. I had the same feelings about the blog conference. I have not yet signed up. Love your blog. I will be coming back. I have six kids too and my uterus has not forgiven me either.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Yay! Good for you Charlotte! I hope you have an awesome time meeting new friends. I could teach you how to chit-chat. I looove to chit chat and I love deep conversations, I'm just terrible with the in-betweeners:) The key is to ask questions--most peeps lo-hu-uve to talk about themselves,so ask away:)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Love this post!

    My missionary trainer is going to this so you'll have to look her up. Her name is Hope.

    http://threeboogers.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  40. Never mind...I lied. She is going to one this weekend in NYC but I hope you have a fabulous time at yours!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I wish I was going! I would love to meet you and just get a chuckle out of your TMI small talk. I think a lot of us are like that. I tend to be overly sarcastic when I'm nervous the first time I meet someone and then I somehow always end up offending someone because they don't get my small talk. I'm going to BlogHer this summer and just don't know what to expect. I don't know if I'm more nervous about disappointing people when they meet me or being disappointed when I meet others... (Yes, I'm blunt too...). In any case - great list and I can't wait to hear how it goes in Utah!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I wish I was going! I would love to meet you and just get a chuckle out of your TMI small talk. I think a lot of us are like that. I tend to be overly sarcastic when I'm nervous the first time I meet someone and then I somehow always end up offending someone because they don't get my small talk. I'm going to BlogHer this summer and just don't know what to expect. I don't know if I'm more nervous about disappointing people when they meet me or being disappointed when I meet others... (Yes, I'm blunt too...). In any case - great list and I can't wait to hear how it goes in Utah!

    ReplyDelete