BlogHer07 - Day 2 & Wrap-Up

The second day of BlogHer was exceptionally nice, but not for the reasons I expected. I only attended two panels (one on technical blogging and the other an off-the-record session), the keynote breakfast (fascinating panel discussion of online communities and their extensions), and the very interesting closing keynote discussion with Elizabeth Edwards (Blogher taped it.) And that was all very enjoyable, but I think my favorite part of the day was the three hours of free time I had midday. I wandered around The Navy Pier and the park, sat and talked to a senior deckhand (and wannabe writer) from one of the water taxis, went to Billy Goat Tavern for a cheeseborger (don't really understand the fuss), and just generally people-watched. Random observations:

- flip flops are the new sneakers
- if you sit in one place in Chicago long enough, you'll hear half of the world's languages spoken
- Chicago has a Pepsi fixation
- some people shouldn't be allowed to own boats
- who knew there would be gulls this far north
- the traffic cops at the pier's entrance deserve their own reality show
- earning a captain's license requires a lot (and I mean A LOT) of time and money
- skateboarders are obnoxious everywhere
- I want to live here

I'm glad I came here. While I don't think I made any new and lasting friendships, I met some really nice people and I learned a lot, and that was the point all along.