This was my third year to attend the Blissdom Conference in Nashville. I just have to say that I feel truly blessed (digging around in my Southern Baptist upbringing bag of words) to have such an awesome conference practically in MAH BACK YARD.

I’m also so proud of my friend Alli Worthington for putting on such a great event. It is no small task to organize and execute a conference for 500 women with style and grace while wearing killer red boots. I remember attending Blissdom “Lite” in 2008. There were only about 50 of us in attendance. Who knew that two years later it would have grown into such an amazing event! So kudos to the girl social media power trifecta of Alli and Barbara Jones and Paula Bruno from One2One Network.

I am kicking myself in the a** quite literally (hey if Jillian Michaels can say this in her Shred DVD I can say that on my blog) for not arriving until Friday. Even though I live in Nashville I rarely have the opportunity to attend events at Opryland. It’s so breathtakingly gorgeous and relaxing and warm in the Cascades area that I could curl under a tree with a pillow and blanket and sleep there. Of course that would be very weird. Also all the running water made me feel like I had to pee every 10 minutes.

Now…on to Harry!

Harry, and I’m going to refer to him by his first name now because I SHOOK HIS HAND and also HE TOUCHED MY SHOULDER when I stood next to him for a group photo, was so gracious and down-to-earth and drop dead handsome. He also was there to tell us a bit about his New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village project in the 9th ward of NOLA. After his performance, which of course was incredible, we were taken backstage in groups of 6. Somehow I was able (and I swear this did not involve me tackling anyone or taking anyone out with their stiletto or spraying perfume in their eyes) to stand RIGHT NEXT TO HIM for the group shot. I shook his hand, introduced myself, and told him how much I’d enjoyed seeing him live here in Nashville several years ago at TPAC.

And then they had to pry me away from him and I could be heard singing “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” over and over all night and softly weeping while gazing at the photo I’d taken of him on my iPhone.

Just kidding.

I did dance more than I have in years that night, though, after his performance.

See also I think I have the beginnings of arthritis in my right hip because seriously I paid for my dancing when I got up Saturday morning. See also 40 and not able to busta move any more without taking an Aleve the day after.

On Saturday I met with several of my fellow Sprout TV Band of Bloggers for breakfast and it was lovely to meet so many of them in person. I hit all the writing track sessions and got to sit with my Nashville blog mama friends at the closing session Saturday night which featured an inspirational speech by MckMama. I really feel like I have “sisters” in my social media tribe. I know that may sound dorky but it’s true.

All in all it was a fabulous experience and I don’t know how they’re going to top Blissdom 2010!

Or Harry.

Me in an OMG pre Harry Connick Jr. moment with one of my wonderful Blissdom roomies, Amy Allen Clark from Mom Advice, frugal fashionista, cut throat Bunco babe, and collector of awesome shoes. My other roomie was the one, the only, White Trash Mom, Michelle Lamar, who I found out is now writing for The Huffington Post. You go girl! I think Amy has a picture of all three of us and I’ll try to update this post with that picture later.

Sprout TV Band of Bloggers (L-R) Liza from Liza was Here; Amy from Milkbreath and Margaritas; myself; Rowena from The Ella Echo; Shannon from Sprout TV; Dwan from MommaDJane; Christy from Quirky Fusion; Jen from 4tunate; Shannan from Mommy Bits; and Jill from The Diaper Diaries wearing a fabulous red necklace that I coveted. Photo courtesy of Shannan from Mommy Bits.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures, but you can visit my Flickr page for the Blissdom 2010 album. You can also check out the full Blissdom Flickr pool. There were some amazing photographers there!