The Tall Poppy Syndrome Alive and Well in the Land of Bloggers

A group of women got together to organise a Conference. They worked hard for 8 months, using their own money as deposits to assure conference venues etc were secured. These woman put a lot of time and effort into making the conference the best it could be. It was the first so sure there may have been some teething problems, maybe even some personality problems, after all get a group of diverse people together and things have ups and downs and ebbs and flows. All this was behind the scenes for people like me. The first I knew about the Conference was when my daughter told me there was a conference happening and I said, when, how do I get a ticket and booked right there and then.

I gave little thought to who was putting it together, what the content might be and focused on the fact I know had a chance to meet other bloggers 'in real life', mainly those I followed, but I was also looking forward to the opportunity to meet more. It didn't matter to me what 'niche' these bloggers fitted into, and really should there be a thing as a niche for most bloggers? I expect those that are using their blogs to make a living like to belong to a niche as that is their community and I suppose you could say their market.

Me, I just blog and hadn't really put much thought into falling into a niche, I am after all many things in life, as we all are. But some people have specific needs for their blogs and the communities they build - support, advice, friendship, the list goes on. But did it matter to me what 'niche' these bloggers fitted into - not in the least - they are bloggers and that was all that mattered.

Well the conference was held, and about 170-180 people attended. All but a handful were women, women of all ages, all shapes and sizes, but women who seemed excited to be there. Well that is what I thought anyway.

I don't know about you, but normally I lose interest or start to day dream/get sleepy when I attend a conference, no matter how much I want to be there, it is just the way my mind works. Not once at this conference did that happen. Personally I thought the content was good without a particular bias one way or the other. Sure there were mainly women on the panels and as speakers, but there were mainly women at the conference - so that sort of made sense. Of the group of women that put in all the hard work behind the scenes - a few of them were on panels and a couple spoke - but not all of them - they didn't take the spotlight - well not in my eyes anyway.

If I had any reservations about the conference, it was that I didn't get to meet and spend time with all the people I wanted to meet. But I take some responsibility for that - I am very uncomfortable in large crowds and tend to withdraw a little, but that is my issue and no one elses.

I came away from the conference looking forward to 2012 and hoping that the conference might be over 2 days to allow more mingle time, but so looking forward to what was to come. Where the conference could head in the future.

Now I don't twitter - it really doesn't interest me, and I only have time to follow a few blogs every day, I alternate to try and get to everyone on my list. So imagine my surprise when I started to hear rumblings of discontent about the conference - people being 'cliquey' , so called 'A' listers (what???) being snobby, the content being too 'mummy' blog focused (really??) and so it goes on.

Now there are going to be 2 conference next year to try and address the situation - what?? This is Australia - a vast land with not always cheap airfares. Sure I hope to attend both, I am lucky that my kids are grown and I have become more financially secure now, so probably not a big problem to me, but will all bloggers be in the same boat?

So I have 2 issues, why are we as bloggers not standing together to rejoice in the fact we have had the first conference - rather than now tearing the one we had apart at the seams. And secondly and this is the one that really sticks in my craw - Why are we as women (don't forget most attendees were women) not supporting each other and especially the women that put all the effort in. If you want to see change for next year, then put your hand up for the committee don't tear down the people who helped make it happen.

The fact is, the conference was born from the Aussie Mummy Bloggers team, so the people on the original committee were members of that group - after all would you not as the organiser choose people you already knew? Makes sense to me.

So how about we stop making the after conference cyberspace about the negative and instead make it about the positive. Shame to see that the 'tall poppy syndrome' is so alive and well and that most of the people trying to take them down are women ... a real shame and not a good look for the blogging community at all.

ABC - What A Day

So the whirlwind that was the Aussie Bloggers Conference is over. What a day it was. I can honestly say I never once was bored, felt sleepy or distracted - like I often do at Conferences. The venue was great, the food even better and the company fantastic.

I cried, as is my want, at some of the stories shared. I laughed at others. I got to meet some new bloggers - and did I feel inadequate not having business cards to share, who's blogs I will now be tracking down - I am sure many will soon appear in my blog roll.

But best of all, I got to meet some of my favourite bloggers In Real Life, that's right, I got to hang with some wonderful ladies, who are just like I thought they would be. If you haven't already checked them out from my blog roll - then I urge you to do so now, you won't be disappointed - the beautiful Kirrily from Sunny Side Up, Michelle from Farmer's Wifey (love the dress you wore to the dance) and Jen from Jemikaan, Dani from Danimezza (who took some great photos), Kristin from Wanderlust, Lori from Random Ramblings of A Stay At Home Mum and I am sure there is someone I have forgotten.

The day was not long enough to spend time with all of my favs, but at least I got to touch base. Next year hopefully the Conference will go for 2 days - wouldn't that be a blast.

Thanks to Brenda, Veronica, Nicole, Tina and Karen to taking the time in your already busy lives to put this together - no mean feat ladies, no mean feat at all.

To all the panelists who overcame their nerves to get up and talk and share - thanks so much.

And to Carly Findlay from Tune into Radio Carly - you are one of the most inspiring woman I have met and heard speak.

Its Sort Of Like A School Reunion At A School You Never Went To

So, Wednesday I fly to Sydney to attend the Aussie Bloggers Conference which is being held on Saturday. It's sort of like a school reunion at a school you never attended, you have met some of the people online, but a lot you haven't.

Or maybe it is more like when I changed school the year I turned 12, and knew no-one and had the worst year of my life.

There's the whole, 'will they really like me?' and the 'I'm so fat' and the 'I really just want to vomit because I hate crowds and I hate meeting new people and so why am I doing this to myself?'. And the 'God I wish I was part of the cool group over there' and 'hey someone is smiling at me, oh no it is the person behind me'. You know, all the negative self-talk that regularly happens in my head (and maybe other people's too).

Then I have the whole what will I wear thing ... well really I sort of know what I will wear, black pants - I wear black pants pretty much every day of my life, so why should that day be any different. Black comfortable shoes, because I pretty much wear them everyday of my life too. Boring - huh? I think I will wear my black and white striped top because I feel good when I wear that. And I have some pretty gorgeous new silver earrings which also make me feel good, so got to make sure I pack them. Then there is my bling ... rings, lots to choose from.

I will probably sit at the back, because then I can sneak out if it all gets too much - I really am an introvert, one who acts like she is extroverted because she has too at work, but at great cost.

So again, I ask myself, why am I going? Well I thought it would be great to meet some of the wonderful bloggers who I follow (unfortunately quite a few I had hoped would attend are not, so I will have to work out some other way to meet them, bit hard when I live on the other side of the country) - so I can't really answer that question.

If you see me there, I will be the one looking terrified, but hey, I bet there will be a lot of others feeling the same as well.