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Monday, April 18, 2016

The Best Weekend Ever!!

In my life I haven't attended a convention....ever. Not of painters, bankers, realtors, clowns or salesmen of any kind. I have never been to a convention. I have heard of them, I have walked past them...I have seen conventions represented on television and heard of unheard things done at conventions, but I have never been to one.

Until just this last weekend when I attended my first convention. But this wasn't just any convention, oh no my friend this was a convention of women who write and everything connected to that. A room filled with CEO's entrepreneurs and analytic experts, all networking and building their bands. There was tweeting and trending, Instagram and snapchat, not to mention periscope. Women with podcasts and book tours. And women who are asked to speak all over the country. It was called - BAM - Bloggers At Midlife.

And just like Ginger Rodgers, BAM goers do everything Fred Astaire does. Only backwards and in high heels. Because they are all doing it at midlife...and although they have a personal brand the group brand was fierce. This group of midlife women gathered together to inspire and remind each other that our best days are not behind us...but ahead of us. We looked menopause, wrinkles and extra weight right in the face and laughed. We dared them to stop us, because women of midlife have stories to tell, people to teach and nurture...we have lives to live! Most of us have raised our children, had a career or two and now it is time to find a way to feed the muse. The voice constantly whispering in our ears, you have a talent, use it, you have great ideas, teach them, you have great worth, show it must be heard.  It does the world harm not sharing our voices, ideas and talents. So what if you are 50, 60, 70 or a 100? - it doesn't matter. What matters is doing what this part of our life was set aside for. We do have challenges. Women of midlife are routinely characterized as Maxine, that ghastly women with the cigarette dangling from her lips, boobs flat as pancakes and hair from the underside of a wombat.





There isn't a instrument invented that can accurately measure my objection to this kind of stereotyping. I know no one like this, and I will not stop until this kind of message is killed.

If any woman from this conference had gotten a "subtle" message from the universe that they were too old to start a business, write a book, or speak around the country, they had a whole tribe of woman ready to ran over that message with a large truck of some kind.

Hey Universe! Did you hear that? I can figure out the computer, I don't smell old and I can start a business.

If my best days are ahead as I suspect they are, it is going to be amazing. Every woman I met understood there is plenty of work to go around and if one woman does well it only means we can all do well.

It was a convention void of competition, politics and small children (except in pictures!!) . For 2 days I didn't see anyone diet...or even worry about dieting. We had a disco party and danced the night away.  When "I will survive" was played we all listened with a different history because we have all survived and now its time to tell that story.







26 comments:

  1. That's awesome and inspiring!!

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  2. Lovely! And it was amazing, wasn't it? So amazing! So, for us all, and those who couldn't be there: onward! and of course, upward!

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    1. There were parts I was completely present on for sure, like any time they said....gadget. But I will catch up and learn...love to you my beautiful friend!!

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  3. Donna, I enjoyed meeting you in person after years of being friends online. Write your stories and keep smiling. We'll meet again.

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    1. Winston you adorable babe!! So few people met my expectations...but you did!! I knew you would be funny, and curious, and armed with a meter that could detect BS 10 miles away...

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  4. Can't wait to hear some more details from the conference!

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    1. You will love mine, because I have a tendency to exaggerate and fabricate.....a talent I picked up during my younger years.

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  5. Powerful, powerful post. We used to call it a "paradigm shift," what Oprah called an "aha moment," when suddenly your eyes are opened. I hereby diminish the power of the word old, and instead adopt a line my shrink used to use: If you're in the game, play to win. And until I hang up my keyboard, I'm in the game. Wonderful to have met you in person, Donna!

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    1. unfortunately my paradigm shifted the same time by waist did...seriously I meant it when I gushed all over you. I am gathering info for you. Next Thursday I have a date with 3 of my besties....I will get you all the fodder for future posts you will need

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  6. I love that you mentioned we were a fierce brand as a group and that midlife can encompass any age after 40.

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    1. I love the word fierce.....it conjurs up power....don't you think?

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  7. At the airport heading home today. You just brought back the excitement and inspiration of BAM. Great post. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you for reading!! we are a delightful group aren't we?

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    1. It was fun...and it was inspirational, and it was enlightening, and especially empowering

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  9. I will be there next year! I was so jealous!

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    1. I know you will be....it was lightening in a bottle for me. I was able to meet so many that I truly looked up to

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  10. Love this. So wish I'd gone. I'm definitely going to make it happen next week!

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    1. Where are you going next week? wherever it is take notes and teach us all!

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  11. Sounds like it was an amazing weekend! Bummed I couldn't be there. Would love to finally meet you in person!

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    1. It was a great weekend....a first for me. And it was everything I thought it would be. I am totally looking forward to meeting you in person. The deal is, when I meet someone from our little corner of the world that I have only known in cyber space there is hardly a skip....I saw Sharon and Carol...and knew exactly who they were and we just launched into a conversation as though we had seen each other the day before. so interesting.

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  12. Donna, you are so lovely. So glad we shared a table and got to connect, even if it was for a short time. Looking forward to seeing you next year!

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  13. I regret not getting to meet you at BAM but my feelings mirror yours you've shared here!
    ~Sheila
    Making the Most of Every Day

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