Type-A Parent Conference 2013 Recap: I found my tribe

The week leading up to Type A was hectic. Really, the MONTH leading up to the conference was hectic. I had zero time to prepare other than finding a roommate (who rules, I might add). Before my last conference, I blogged about it, I tweeted about it, I lit up my Facebook with nervous anticipation about it. This time, life got in the way. But when I got there, I was embraced by a whole new community that I just wasn’t expecting. And I’m so incredibly glad I went.

First, there’s the space connection. When I opened up my swag bag, I found a copy of “The Astronaut Wives Club.” I know so much history about NASA that I could have written this book myself. Then there was a “Star Wars” themed Disney party. Seriously. And who knew that Phil Hollows knows so much about space? He could probably out-space my space knowledge in a heartbeat, and that’s a hard thing to do. And the person who (sort of) replaced me at my last spacey job used to work for Gary Buchanan. It really is a small world after all… {groan} And then there were Moon Pies.

Aside from the space connection, I was wowed by the strong sessions I attended. I have pages upon pages of notes and have already started implementing changes in my blog. The free-writing session was a tear-jerker, but worth every single tissue.

But beyond that, I really do feel that the connections I made at Type A meant much more than anything else. I found common ground with so many people that I instantly felt a part of the community. And the crew I fell into completely by chance was more than anything I could have hoped for. Their stories touched me to the core, but what affected me most was how much we all had in common aside from blogging. I guess finding kindred spirits comes with the territory, but I feel so incredibly lucky to have found them. The inside jokes we now share are alone worth their weight in gold. I found my tribe.

That’s the thing about the blogging community – while there are ‘celebrities,’ wannabes, niche bloggers and everything in between, I can almost guarantee you that if you open yourself up to the opportunity, you will find your tribe. At Type A, I honestly feel like I made friends for life. We laughed, we cried and we spent more than adequate time in the bar together…

Did I mention the laughter? During game night, I laughed so hard I may or may not have peed myself a little. I think Poise would make an excellent sponsor for next year.

If you weren’t able to go this year, I highly recommend making the effort for 2014. I can guarantee you won’t be sorry. If you are looking for robust sessions with strong content, to meet great brands, or find some kindred spirits in the blogging community, this is the conference for you.

Thank you, Kelby. You put on a damn fine event.