My Thoughts On The 140 Conference

Yesterday, along with many local social media and Twitter personalities, I spent my day at the #140Conf, brought to Detroit by SMCD and Jeff Pulver.

It was AWESOME.

On so many levels.

I don’t know how to put my thoughts into a true post so I’m going to do it in list form. OK? Good.

– It is awe inspiring to see how passionate people are about our city. But I couldn’t help but be a downer when I thought that it’s going to take more than social media to bring about a rennaissance of our beloved Detroit. The downturn didn’t happen overnight. It’s a culmination of many corrupt years and people not only in Detroit but nationwide. It’s going to take years of many decent and honorable people to undo what’s been done. But YES, why not start with the ideas of the amazing group of my peers who can see what needs to be done and are all wanting to work together towards that purpose. To rebuild our great city, from the ashes up.

It’s breathtaking to be amongst them. Truly.

– I loved that I was inspired, I was given knowledge in areas I knew nothing about, I was engaged and fulfilled. I have new ideas and a fresh outlook on different projects I am planning. I came home and gave my husband ideas about how to engage his students, who are products of the technological age, on a level that might be more interesting to them than that of a typical classroom/homework arena. What he chooses to do with the ideas…it is up to him and how he feels it would behoove him and his students.

I am blown away by the multitude of talent in so many different types of areas that we have here. Educators, real estate professionals, entrepreneurs, the health industry, and so on. Just being in that theater with so much brain power, I think my IQ rose a few points. No, seriously. It did.

– It amazes me, the close-knit community that is our Social Media in Detroit. I was talking to my Mother this morning. She asked me who I went with to the conference. I told her no one. I went by myself. But really? I didn’t. I may have driven there alone but I knew that once I walked through the doors of the Fillmore Theater, which by the way, I used to go dancing there in the 80’s and 90’s when it was Clubland…
I had tons of friends there, waiting for me.
I’ve never had that before, that incredible sense of belonging. Of feeling so secure and sure of myself amongst so many people who I barely know, if I know them at all. And, of course, the ones I consider to be good friends.
I can’t even express how lucky I feel to be part of such an incredibly stunning group of brilliant people.

– Jeff Pulver. I didn’t get to meet him in person yesterday. I wish I did. I wanted a giant hug from him. He’s lovely. Really. There is such a warmth that emanates from him. He is just a walking hug. And what a magnificent thing he’s done with this #140 Conference. I can’t wait until he brings it back to Detroit next year.

I loved the 140 Conference. To be there and to listen to so many people with so many ideas over the course of an afternoon with some wonderful friends…

I can’t think of anything I would rather have done yesterday. Ok, maybe I would have rather been in the Tropics, lounging poolside, wearing a bikini due to the svelte toneness of my body (hey, my fantasy, let me be) with a couple of olive skinned Adonis-like guys waiting on me.

Since none of that would happen, the next best thing was being at the Fillmore for the 140 Conference and then going out for drinks with a group of friends.

Wonderful day.

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