Bloggers are people, too

We all know the type – a blogger who sits perched behind her desk all day blogging, tweeting, Facebook’ing like crazy. Telling all and leaving nothing out. Chances are, if you met her, she would be a laugh a minute, the life of the party, and your new BFF.

Or, maybe not.

Bloggers, securely fastened behind their computer screens, are very courageous people. But get them in public, and you may find that they’re not as outgoing as they seem.

Or maybe they are. But until you meet, how will you know?

The scene is familiar – at every blogger event, someone feels let down by the characters in the room. It’s happened to me. And I’m sure it’s happened to you.

But the truth is, with all the finger-pointing and “this group is so cliquey” and “who does she think she is” going on, are we really doing our part to control our experience? Or are we making our good time someone else’s problem?

Attending a blogger event is just like attending any other social or networking event – you get out of it what you put in. I’ve been to conferences where I’ve been the wallflower and come out of it having had a meh experience. But anytime I come out of my shell, put myself out there and actually behave in a way that is more magnetic, I have a ball.

A blogger attended a local event last week and felt snubbed by the other attendees. What’s more, she was told her seats were taken and had to find someplace to sit for herself and her child. As a person who curates events, this is unacceptable.

However, is it possible that feeling blown-off by other bloggers was largely a result of her already stressful experience? After all, everyone there was wrangling at least a kid or two. It was an evening event (whiny, tired kids). And the venue was very stimulating for the kids. Could it be that folks were having their own challenges that day?

Blogger or not, we’re all in charge of ourselves. Social etiquette remains largely consistent under most circumstances. We control our fun. No matter where we are, it is no one else’s responsibility to ensure we meet people or enjoy ourselves. I’ll remind myself of this next time I set out in this big, bad world.

Jill Notkin blogs at The Daily Grind of a Work at Home Mom when she’s not tweeting @AlexCaseyBaby.

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