Today I attended my first-ever blogging conference! Woo!
The Central Florida Blogger Conference was organized by the amazing Bess, who reached out to prominent Orlando-area bloggers to speak about a variety of topics ranging from video blogging and monetizing your blog to making your blog more user friendly.
The conference took place in the gymnasium of a local school and had a great turn out! Orlando has one heck of a hoppin’ blog scene!
Two different tracks were available for attendees to choose between, depending on what topics appealed most to them.
Marc Middleton, of the nationally-syndicated show Growing Bolder, gave the keynote address and started the conference off on a great note. He was animated, passionate and motivational.
A couple of things that he said that really struck a cord with me include:
- Once you decide to do something, eliminate the decision not to
- If you’re not worth criticizing, you’re not worth paying attention to
- Don’t try to be something you’re not
I think so many bloggers feel pressure to be a certain type of blogger or blog in a certain way. Once I realized I didn’t have to blog in depth about my meals and I could blog more about my life, random thoughts and my adventures with Ryan and Sadie I felt much more authentic and real. My blog became me, rather than the person I thought I had to be.
Presentations were also given by two of my blogging buddies, Meghann and J, and I loved watching them address topics that they are so passionate about.
I wasn’t sure whether or not lunch would be provided and I figured we’d have to buy it if it was, so I packed myself a peanut butter and jelly bagel and carrot sticks to eat.
It was good, but I was grateful that the other bloggers were more than willing to share some samples from their plates! (The cheesy grits from the Big Wheel Provisions food truck were my favorite.)
Before lunch, I demolished all of the yummy goodies in the swag bags, including space ice cream from the space center! Who knew freeze dried ice cream was so delicious!?
Half of a large chocolate muffin was also consumed… as well as a few other nibbles of baked goods.
After lunch, we were divided into groups by blog niche and shared ideas, struggles, concerns and thoughts relating to our personal blogs. I seriously could talk about blogging for hours on end, so the breakout session was one of my favorite parts of the conference.
I blogged for a long time before I felt comfortable reaching out to the blogging community in Orlando and I am so glad I finally got over my fear of connecting with other bloggers. They’re always so darn friendly and welcoming.
I wish there was a blogging network in Ocala (maybe there is!?), but I really hope to come back to Orlando for some of the awesome blogging events that take place in the area.
Back to the conference! We’re just about to wrap things up with a fun Q&A session.
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what a fun event I wish we had conferences in KY!
Wooo I’m glad you’re having fun! Bloggers are SO darn nice. It’s such an odd hobby, but then you realize how much it just makes SENSE. Enjoy the rest of your dayyyy mahdear!
This is so cool! I’m happy for you! I’ve got to check out the Houston area to see if they have something like this! 🙂 Thanks for sharing the info!
yeah! I had no idea how many ither Orlando (and Ocala) bloggers there are! great to meet you! 🙂
So glad I got to meet ya today!
Don’t tell me you’ve never had space ice cream?! Although I admit I’ve never seen a space ice cream sandwich- they’ve come a long way! 🙂
Sounds so cool! It must be awesome to meet up with other bloggers in real life. Hope the rest of the conference is great!
I love the way that this picture looks! What setting on your camera did you use?
(its the last picture on this blog post that you posted)
https://www.pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/bloggers_thumb.jpg
That’s so cool that they put that conference together! I’m loving blogging so far, and I’d love to meet other bloggers and learn more about the process!! 🙂
Looks like a great time and a well organized event!
What a great time! 🙂 I’ve only stumbled upon a handful of blogs from my area, so I’m quite jealous that Orlando’s blog scene is big enough for its own conference.
Fun times 🙂 cant wait to hear more!
JEALOUS! This looks so funn!
THat looks like a lot of fun! A great way to network with others in the area as well!!
Ooooh astronaut ice cream! I used to eat that stuff all the time when I was a kid. They sold it at the Disney Store!!
I just got some freeze dried fruit.. whichis pretty tasty, too!
Ooo, FUN!….. Be you when you blog, that’s why people like you! You really have the hang of that one!
Looks like so much fun! I’m jealous you have access to events like this Orlando. I don’t think I know of any around me!
How fun. I love your blog so keep doing what your doing!
I have wanted to start my own blog for a while and upon finding yours, I finally got the motivation to do so, so thank you 🙂
I would love to try space ice cream – how hilarious!
Looks like so much fun! I wish there was a bigger network of bloggers in my area! You’re lucky to have such a great support network!
So cool there’s such a strong blogging community in Orlando! Hope the rest of the conference is great!
Haha, I used to looove space ice cream. We used to have a great science museum in Atlanta, and they sold space ice cream in the gift stores. I remember always wanting my parents to get me that after we’d gone through the museum.
I love this one that you mention: Once you decide to do something, eliminate the decision not to
It’s such a great way to approach a new idea or challenge. Sounds like it’s a great conference, enjoy!
I love bloggie/ nutrition foodie finds 🙂
This is the most adorable thing ever! Haha all the blogging geniuses in ONE locale! Hopefully it was a fun time…it seems like it would feel like Christmas for you to be getting all sorts of blogger advice, etc.!
Enjoy the weekend…and I’ll have 1,0000 more smoothies for you since I am a recent addict…;-)
Sounds like a very insightful conference, would love to hear more abt it!
That sounds like such a good time! You look so pretty! I can’t wait until I am able to take part in something with other bloggers :).
okay that is SO cool. Have fun at the rest of it!
And a great weekend to ya 😉
you’re on pinterest! http://pinterest.com/pin/67537521/
Awesome day! I hav eyet to be to a blog conference and I want to go so badly!
I remember having the freeze dried ice cream on a field trip in elementary school – it was SOOO tasty!!
And what a fun bloggers conference! Must be great to be able to get ideas and share with others!!
what a great experience!
i used to loveee space ice cream!!!
That conference looks so fun! I wish I knew more D.C. bloggers (where I live).. I do love Florida though- I wouldn’t mind living there eventually.
Blogging conferences ruleeee!
It was great meeting you today! See you at HLS!
What a cool meeting! And that ice cream looks really interesting…hope it was yummy 😉
Oh, we must’ve had space ice creams from different galaxies. Blegh!! Earth ice cream is WAY better!
Omg those cheese gritts look to die for!!!
Looks like everyone had a really great time! I wish there was a blogging network where I lived 🙂
This looks like so much fun <3 I wish we had blgging conferences in England…I can't afford the flights to the USA to attend all the big ones over there. But I would love to one day! And I'm so glad you had such a great experience. Thank you so much for sharing some of your favourite points, I really love that one about when you decide to do something…do it! <3 xyx
Awesome! How wonderful you could attend such an event, you have new co workers ^^
That’s great to meet people and share about blogging that must have been a good time!
I’d love to go to a blogging conference, looks like you can learn a lot at them! And it’d be great to meet fellow bloggers in real life 🙂
Oh wow I didn’t even know blogging conferences existed! I doubt they exist in the UK so I shall have to plan my next holiday around one in the US!
I wonder if (read: hope) the HLS will have freeze dried ice cream. But I’ll settle for any ice cream.
Never been to a conference for bloggers, but imagine it’d be worth a solid amount of geeking out.
I’m from Orlando too and I just started my blog.
I know exactly what you mean about not feeling comfortable getting into the local blogging community yet– I wouldn’t even know where to begin!
Regardless, I look forward to your blog every day, so keep up the great work 🙂
It sounds like the keynote address was very inspirational and offered some great advice (that extends beyond the blogging realm). Trying to be something that you’re not is always a disaster.
After I started my blog, I was really frustrated to find that I wasn’t quite interested enough in recipes and meals to be a real “foodie”, or quite crazy enough about racing to feel like a real running blogger, or quite stylish enough to penetrate the fashionistas’ circle.
The truth is I love food, running, and fashion in equal measure – and I finally realized that I shouldn’t try and tailor my blog to fit into a specific “genre”!
So great to see you again Julie, had a blast hanging out w/ you & the girls. Looking forward to the next Central FL Lady Bloggers event. Also looking forward to the space ice cream sandwich after reading your great review haha
Hey Julie!
Not to be off topic, but before you move out of Orlando, you should really try “dandelion communitea cafe” if you haven’t done so already. On mondays, they have 5 dollar specials on a delicious vegan chili item.. I am not vegan, but absolutely love this restaurant and missed it so much once I moved away.
Looks like fun! I’d love to meet bloggers in person someday. Right now I’m still nervous to tell my friends about my blog- not everyone understands it!
It was great meeting you and I love how your photos turned out 😉 I saw you with your little carrots. I definitely should have gone the healthy route. I loved the food, but caved and ate their french fries.