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I think I forgot to mention it, but next month I've been invited to be one of two panelists for the "Political Blogging Grows Up" session at the BlogHer Conference in Santa Clara, CA. It should be fun. If it's not, I'll be sure to make it fun by engaging the audience in a sing-along or something totally immature to counter the session title "Political Blogging Grows Up."

If you're planning on being at the conference, come say hi. The conference is geared to female bloggers, but it's open to men as well. Apparently, some 15% of the conference registrants are men. I won't question motives...yet.

I always find blogger gatherings both amusing and awkward. When internet people converge, you can bet there will always be some weirdo that shows up with thongs and socks on, abnormally long fingernails and body odor. This personal usually fits the "stalker profile" and quickly identifies themself by making an off-color morbid joke that leaves people wondering whether they should laugh or just call the cops. There are some seriously strange people on the internet.

But for every wacko, there are about 10 fabulous people that you'd never meet otherwise. Among the "normal," I find there to be two types of people on the internet.

1. People who are on the internet because it allows them to avoid social situations and real, live, human contact.
   
2. People who are on the internet because it leads to more social situations and real, live human contact.

I am of the latter variety and find that I don't always "click" well with the first. You know when you're talking to someone and they run out of things to say so all of sudden the conversation hits a dead silence and you wish some crickets would enter the room because at least then there'd be some rhythm? I usually expect one or two of those type of conversations when I attend blogger meet-ups. Not that everyone isn't extremely nice and cordial, but in those awkward moments I realize: some people are best left conversing on the internet.

Still, I've met some great friends and colleagues through this whole blogging thing and I hope to meet more.

I think it was blogger Jason Kottke who once asked people about their personality types and immediately found that the internet was full of introverts. And for the most part, I agree. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. (Some of the best conversations can be had with introverts so please note: I'm not drawing any sort of connection here between introversion and lack of social aptitude. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was discriminating. Plus, I have a lot of introvert friends, OKAY!)

There are a whole host of folks (myself included) who are loud, rambunctious, outgoing, and find that we can filter some of that energy through the internet. I think we tend to scare the introverts in person. Many people have taken the Bloginality test which as far as I'm concerned is just the Myers-Briggs test in bloggerspeak. As I'm sure you can imagine I'm not fond of man-made personality tests. But if I must represent, I'll say ENTJ till I die baby!

Blogging conferences eh? Just what have I gotten myself into?