The blog conference get-together

Yesterday evening, I attended a special Capital Region blog community get-together.  Sponsored by the Times-Union, it featured dozens of bloggers and online commentators throughout the Capital Region and beyond.

While the event was predominantly focused on the meaning of blogging as part of the “new conversation,” I looked at it more as a chance to meet – face to face – those whose blogs I’ve enjoyed reading for many years.  You know, the blogger at the lower left of the TU blog page, or the person at the upper right of the TU blog page.  This commentator and that commentator.  It was almost like a BA meeting – Bloggers Anonymous.  “Hi, I’m Chuck, and I’m a blogger. (Hi, Chuck.)  It’s been two hours since my last blog post.”

Actually, I quite enjoyed the event.  Even before the event started, I had a chance to share stories with the Travel Gal, Kim Swidler.  We talked about some of the great places to visit and travel to (she just came back from Paris, I’m jealous).  A few minutes later, I’m chatting up with Mr. Albany Eye himsef, Rob Madeo, and then sharing musical tastes and choices with J. Eric Smith.  Greg and Mary from All Over Albany, my favorite regional blog, were at the event, and it was great to see them again (I attended the AOA birthday party last week, and presented them with a copy of one of my long-exposure photographs).

Seats were hard to come by, as the bloggers and visitors entered the Lally building at Saint Rose, the location of the blog conference.  Some people were even at a table, their laptops at the ready, most likely blogging about the blog conference.  Wow.

I found a seat in the front row, and as I turned around to see what the crowd looked like, there was Teri Conroy one row behind me.  Of course I had to tell  her about how much I loved reading her Farmlife blog, and that I would love to visit her Wunsapana Farm with my camera to photograph some of the animals and scenery for future art projects.  Granted, I’m not yet at the level of capturing images of baby chicks a la Ben Austrian, but maybe some day…

Steve Barnes, the Times Union food critic, moderated the event, and the panel discussions focused on the various roles bloggers play in electronic communication – blogs for news and informational purposes, blogs for lifestyle and personal observation, blogs that turn into discussions on social issues, blogs that turn into reflections on life and the universe.

The panel later opened the discussion up to questions from the audience; I was able to ask about the ethical conflict bloggers face when companies offer bloggers free products in exchange for promoting those products in a blog (i.e., someone offering free auto parts or repair if you say nice things about their company in your blog).   Granted, it hasn’t happened to me – Nikon hasn’t offered me a Noct-Nikkor F/1.2 58mm lens in exchange for favorable comments about the company… but the panel did discuss the issues of remaining net-neutral and avoiding having informational blogs turning into free advertising and corporate shills.

After the event, I was able to interact with several other bloggers and tell them how much I loved reading their materials.  I spoke with Amanda Talar and commented on how well her boyfriend Evan Lysacek is going to do on Dancing with the Stars (he’ll probably come in second as my girlfriend Erin “Pageviews” Andrews walks away with the mirrorball trophy 🙂 ).  I talked with WTEN reporter Lydia Kulbida, who also blogs for the TU, about how much I enjoy her blog and that I was glad to see her back on local broadcast television.

All in all, it was a fun event, and I hope we all get together in the future for another blogging conference and/or symposium.

Or better yet… how about a blogging get-together at a bowling center?   I think it would be a lot of fun – besides, I hear that Steve Barnes once carried a 225 average at the old Albany Bowling Center…