BlogHer - When in Doubt, Whip the Red Stapler Out - Comments

Sniff, sniff

Denise — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:57:56 -0500

Where the heck was I? I never saw a red stapler or Suebob with a red stapler or anyone else with a red stapler til the flickr pictures started to appear. Must have been with the smokers or something.

So, she didn't meet everyone but I think she's terrific - red stapler was better than me handing out lube.

~Denise
Daily Dose of Denise and Fast Times @ Homeschool High

Suebob rocked the house!

Izzy76 — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:45:19 -0500

I have nothing but words of praise for the woman I believe to be the underground superstar of BlogHer '06. Seriously, Suebob met EVERYONE and EVERYONE loves her, including moi! Long live the Red Stapler!

~Izzy
http://izzymom.com

misery, seeks company

kyranp — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 09:48:13 -0500

The blogher '06 lovefest continues unabated on all of y'all's blogs this week. I keep thinking maybe someone will write, "I finally met so-and-so, and she was a real HAG," and then I would feel perhaps a smidge less sad about missing out.

No such luck. I feel like the last blogher standing after the music stops playing...

;-)

Three Cheers for SueBob!

SocalMom — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:27:20 -0500

She not only asked me to pose with her red stapler (a thrill, since I've been a fan of hers for some time now), she let me use her cellphone when I was in desperate need of one.

And I can definitely relate to the overwhelming feeling of being among so many people last weekend. The energy was wonderful, but I found myself hibernating more than once because I needed to be alone with my thoughts.

Love me some Suebob

karlerikson — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 02:20:51 -0500

Thank God for Suebob. If not for her breaking the ice with her red stapler, I could easily have just gone up to my room for the remainder of Thursday. She totally saved me from social suicide.

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SecondHand Tryptophan

This is awesome

Twinmama — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 02:01:58 -0500

...because now I don't feel like I was the only one freaking and feeling a little antisocial. I arrived thinking about how good it would be for me to socialize with other adult women, but when I actually got there, I found I barely had the energy to respond to simple questions. There were some bloggers I desperately wanted to talk to, but I guess it's been too long since I've hung out with anybody but three year-olds.

I agree wholeheartedly -

mothergoosemouse — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 22:15:59 -0500

I agree wholeheartedly - fantastic way to overcome shyness and provide a natural intro to conversation. I just wish I'd had my red stapler picture taken sooner - then I would have had more of a chance to chat with Sue. She's such a neat person.

mothergoosemouse

Antique Mommy I would have

Antique Mommy — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 21:06:44 -0500

Antique Mommy
I would have gone just to meet Suebob! She's terrific.

Suebob is great

Kalyn Denny — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:46:54 -0500

I think Suebob is great! I wanted to talk to her more than I got to. And I did get my picture taken with the red stapler. Very fun.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

When in Doubt, Whip the Red Stapler Out

Mary Tsao — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:08:25 -0500

I just came home from BlogHer. And this post could have been about the many amazing and talented mommy and parenting bloggers I met there who have done great recaps of their BlogHer experiences.

But after much thought, I decided that I wanted my first post-BlogHer conference entry to address an issue that I have come across in the Blogosphere while reading posts from some who didn't attend this year's conference.

Anxiety.

Only a handful of mommybloggers out of the thousands that exist were at BlogHer, and while the posts and pictures make it seem that it was all about the love, many of us admitted to each other at some point during the event things like, "I am so on overload right now," or "I'm sorry I can't concentrate on even the simplest conversation because I'm so overwhelmed from the sheer number of people here." The pictures show a story of happiness, comraderie, drinking, in-group dynamics, and yes, women fondling other women, but most of us were painfully uncomfortable working the crowd like we thought we should be or desperately wanted to be. As Roo of roo the day writes:

"My introvertish nature has been put to the test for days now, and what I'd really like is to curl up my antennae and tuck myself back in my shell for some much-needed sensory deprivation."

Knowing how hard it is to be an introvert posing as an extrovert is why I am in love with Suebob of The Red Stapler and her Red Stapler Project. She's a reporter by trade so she decided that having a story to persue during the event would help her overcome her shyness. She brought her red stapler with her to BlogHer and introduced herself to people by asking that they pose with it for a picture.

I obliged.

Jory DesJardins of Pause and BlogHer obliged.

JenB of jenandtonic obliged.

And many more obliged and had a great time doing so. I haven't asked Suebob, but I'm pretty sure nobody threw her stapler in her face and laughed haughtily.

I applaud Suebob for finding a way to fight off her natural shyness and mix-n-mingle with other bloggers at BlogHer. She was able to have fun even when I'm sure she would have preferred to sit in a corner by herself with what Stefania of CityMama refers to as our "12.7" x 10.2" x 1.3" security blankets."

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BlogHer Contributing Editor Mary Tsao also blogs at Mom Writes.

Image credit: Suebob Davis