Today, I’m headed to the BlogWorld & New Media Expo. A little over a year ago, I went to my first “new media” conference, the first Futures of Entertainment at MIT. I’m bummed I won’t be able to attend this year’s event, but there was some fantastic live-blogging last year by Rachel Clarke, so hopefully she or someone else will provide equally fabulous coverage. In general, I’m amazed to consider where I am this year versus where I was even one year ago. However, what I consider to be my huge life change started much earlier.
Eighteen months ago, my old boss did me the favor of introducing me to Hugh MacLeod’s work at gapingvoid and The Hugh Train. I have my suspicions that if my boss knew he was planting the seeds for my eventual resignation, he wouldn’t have been so free with his information. gapingvoid was the first “real” blog I read. From there, it was all downhill.
I’d heard of blogs and tried a short-lived experiment at LiveJournal. I didn’t realize that people like Hugh were out there, writing about topics that I has passion for. Then, I found the Futures of Entertainment Conference and that’s where I met Rachel. It became clear very quickly that I hadn’t even scratched the service of what was possible.
By the time SXSW rolled around last March, I was 100% hooked. The day I got back from the conference, I gave notice, and I haven’t looked back. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting people like David Seah, Robert Scoble, Ewan Spence, and Chris Brogan. The great part? I’ve “met” still more people via their blogs and sites (hi Corrie and Penny) and have loved trading ideas back and forth. The underlying idea for this blog actually comes from many of the conversations I’ve had with these amazing people.
My life has changed in ways I would have never thought possible less than two years ago. So to people like Hugh, Rachel, and Dave, thank you for being bold before I ever thought it possible.
Britt — The pleasure is mine!
Have fun at the expo — hopefully we can meet in person some other time!
it’s strange how quickly it can change once you get into this world. Same thing here - got involved and then it all went different. Great to see how it all turned out
@corriespondent I anxiously await the chance to meet
@Rachel It also doesn’t hurt to have people who are willing to answer all your questions, no matter how silly.