DP Con 12 - The Madmother Review

Well, it is over, done and dusted for another year. The Digital Parents Conference 2012. Now, I could sit here and give you a detailed breakdown of every session, the speakers, the tutorials, the damn fine examples of talent that were shared with all us attendees... But I'm not going to. Many others will provide you with those essential breakdowns.

MM & DFF

I am going to tell you what I learnt for me. There was much about finding your niche, carving your market, reasons behind successes. And whilst it ignited a fire in my belly whilst there, it is only since returning home that (sorry Valerie - there it is, my unnecessary yet so much a part of me fail word) I have had time to process, analyse, decide my path. What my blog, and blogging is to me.

My stunning, funny, amazing roomie... oh, and dear friend, Leanne from DFF.

I have come away with this. It is mateship. It is about connecting on an emotional level to others. It is about laughter and tears, shared experiences and new ones too. It is about friends.

MM & Suz from Segovia, who I have decided is dipping in the fountain of eternal youth.

Whilst I truly enjoyed and inhaled every learning experience at DPCON 12, it dawned on me later - the main reason I was there was to meet, touch, talk and be face to face with those I have made an online connection. Too many to name, and I'm sure I'd be forever editing the list as I remembered others, old friends, people from the before whom I've followed from early days (May, 2009 I joined up), women I have connected with in recent times. People I have felt close to without actually meeting face to face. People I now feel a stronger connection with after our irl conference encounters.

Diminishing Lucy & Suz

I discovered new friends too. Blogs I had not visited, or some I had once, but been unable to find again. Bloggers who started as strangers, by the end of the two days were friends. Some I shocked, some I laughed with, some I held as we cried in unison at shared pain.

The MOST fabulous of photographers... FE & me!
Old friends who shared a lightbulb "OMG IT'S YOU!" moment on the first night.

Every one of you made it an incredible experience, and I am so blessed to have been able to attend.

Lisa from Simple Loving Thoughts & Bernie from The Bernie Brand

Psst - watch out for me on your blog roll lovelies.




P.S. A massive thank you to Brenda and the whole DPCON team. This has to be one of the best conferences I have attended (and believe me, there have been a few). It was well organised, professional, smoothly run and yet still welcoming, and engaging. A hard balance to attain, but one you seemed to have mastered effortlessly (I know it was not without massive effort, but you made it look simple - the sign of an incredibly cohesive and organised team). So thank you.