A Single Southern Guy In America

« Tu necessitas Bonfire! | Main | Le Carnival! » September 23, 2003 Blog-dezvous Here's an idea I've been rolling over in my head for sometime now. After meeting and/or talking to a mere 7 bloggers, it came to mind that it would be a great idea to have an annual event where bloggers and blog readers gather for a few days to meet, greet, and socialize together. While we've had regional, metropolitan, and scattered meets of a few bloggers, I am unaware of a large scale gathering of bloggers. Why not have a meet-up of bloggers and blog readers where we can meet face-to-face, trade stories, and discuss the grand future of the blogosphere. We can even organize some panel discussions about blogging. Here's the idea--We organize a national blogger meet. It grows into a national bloggers association. We begin having meetings each year and grow in our own right, eventually becoming an integral portion of the mainstream media by doing what we do best--blogging. I am serious about forming our own organization to look after our interests, eventually even being able to protect our members and medium through legal action if need be. However, to pull together such an organization requires more than just me and my idea. It will necessitate the support and participation of other bloggers and blog readers. Consider this a call for volunteers. If you like this idea and would like to help lead it to fruition, email me at aharris at singlesouthernguy.com or leave me a note in the comments. Whether you are a blogger or a blog reader, you are welcome to be a part of it. I have great hopes for this idea and I hope you do as well. Just think, you could one day say, I was there back when it all started. Posted by Adam H at September 23, 2003 05:07 PM ~ Link Cosmos | Trackbacks (8) Eager for Tomorrow linked with Great Idea Eager for Tomorrow linked with Great Idea Overtaken by Events linked with Another Idea Res Ipsa Loquitur linked with Another Good Idea Michael Williams -- Master of None linked with Some Spiffy Links Michael Williams -- Master of None linked with Some Spiffy Links Michael Williams -- Master of None linked with Some Spiffy Links Michael Williams -- Master of None linked with Some Spiffy Links Comments Sounds exciting! I'm in. Posted by: TJ at September 23, 2003 07:41 PM I've kinda sorta had ideas about this before (back when someone was talking about raising money to actually run Glenn for president). I like it. I betcha that if someone rents the meeting hall, bloggers will come. Email me about it, once you know what kind of help you'd like, or have an idea about where to start. Posted by: Michael Williams at September 24, 2003 12:06 AM Well, maybe check out International Blog Meet Up Day, or BlogCon, or even SXSW. All good places to meet webloggers without having to plan anything. Posted by: Sarah at September 24, 2003 07:56 AM In person is so much different than on here.... I Would be in... I will do a post on it... Glad you are still alive... was wondering when you were going to update this thing.... Hope you aren't too mad about having to wear a UT shirt soon............ Posted by: ho at September 24, 2003 08:22 AM Well, we've got a brand new Convention Center here in Knoxville TN, home of the Instadaddy himself, plus SouthKnoxBubba and other popular bloggers are nearby. And myself, incidently ;) Posted by: Barry at September 24, 2003 09:31 AM I liked your Bahama idea that you posted over at Matt's for an annual meet. You could always do regionals throughout the year, and then have one big blast somewhere fun for the annual. And with airline ticket prices, it would probably be cheaper to go to somewhere like the Bahamas than in the States. Posted by: Rita at September 24, 2003 10:01 AM I'm with Sarah, I think they already have blog meetups on a local and national basis. In B'ham I think the blog meetups have attracted maybe 3 or 4 people. Not a lot of response. You'd get a better turnout if you arranged a meetup for just your blog circle of friends and acquaintances. I personally don't care to meet mr. random blogger from california if I have never read his blog or don't read it on a regular basis. Posted by: sugarmama at September 24, 2003 01:14 PM True about the local meet-ups Sugar as I mentioned in the post. However, some cities have had better results than others. St. Louis has apparently had pretty good initial results (per the Yeti), but in some circumstances, certain random people have run others off. I looked all over for BlogCon and can find nothing on a 2003 meeting. The SXSW appears to be more website and techie oriented. The Int'l. Blog Meet Up Day is a good idea but is more akin to a coordinated day of local meet ups. I thought there was some kind of national meeting but I have had the hardest time finding anything like it. Can anyone point me to it. Still, I've yet to find any sort of national organization to champion bloggers and the medium. Becoming organized is a significant step for any medium, trade, etc., to becoming a part of the mainstream. Posted by: Adam at September 24, 2003 01:27 PM Welp, you'd be the man for it.... Posted by: ho at September 24, 2003 01:37 PM Apparently GTABloggers gets a solid turnout for Toronto area bloggers, but I would tend to agree - unless I read someone's blog on a regular basis, I'm not that interested in meeting them. Especially if the only thing I have in common with them is that we both blog - and we all know the wide range there are in types of bloggers. :) Posted by: Ryan Waddell at September 24, 2003 04:02 PM You know, Denver is pretty central speaking for the USA, so let's just meet here. And no, I'm not just saying that because it would be really convenient for me. Honest. Posted by: andy at September 24, 2003 06:03 PM You know, Denver is pretty central speaking for the USA, so let's just meet here. And no, I'm not just saying that because it would be really convenient for me. Honest. Posted by: andy at September 24, 2003 06:04 PM Actually, there was a 2002 BlogCon, but I've not heard much about a repeat for this year. One of the principal participants/planners of last year's gathering was Jon of http://www.jonsullivan.com; you could maybe contact him and see what's up? Posted by: Jett at September 24, 2003 06:38 PM Oh, and hey...I'd be happy to help in any capacity. I doubt I'd be able to make it due to school and work conflicts, but I'm pretty sharp at whipping these things up. Posted by: Jett at September 24, 2003 06:39 PM what about us poor international southern hemisphere bloggers? :-) Actually I think it wont be long til there is an international convention or something for blogging....its exploding at the moment. Posted by: Darren Rowse at September 25, 2003 01:54 AM An excellent idea. And as it grows, the technology keeps growing also. I envision the perfection of terabit technology is close at hand, and with television quality, real time streaming video, it will be possible to link people internationally in a videoconference-like atmosphere. Then even those that couldn't attend would be able to watch & ineract like Willard Scott at a Macy's Day parade. Posted by: Oarah at September 25, 2003 07:40 AM Blogcon is the closest thing you'd get to a national weblogging convention. It's in Vegas every year. Posted by: Sarah at September 26, 2003 08:09 AM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Remember personal info? YesNo Comments:

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