What I Learned From The Gifts I Received At SobCon08

May 9, 2008 · by Joanna Paterson · in

Collage of Gifts From SobCon08

Unpacking from the weekend I noticed a wonderful mash-up of gifts I’d received while I was away. Here’s some of them:

  • Advice on eating pizza from Robert Hruzek (in front of everyone, plus a picture posted on Flickr, thanks so much Bob!)
  • Time, a warm welcome and an introduction to a different side of America from Brad Shorr
  • The correct pronunciation of Arkansas (and thank you Michelle for not laughing – too much – at mine)
  • Tablet, from Amy Palko, for me to give to some people at the event. I gave it to folks on Twitter which meant their responses (and Amy’s name) was part of the livestream from the event, helping her (I hope) to feel part of it, even though she couldn’t be there
  • An introduction to Oovoo from Rick Mahn. Now when I say introduction I don’t just mean “here’s a link”, I mean he took the time to run it and show me how it works, giving me the confidence to take the next step
  • One of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen from Karen Putz, aka Deaf Mom (the motto on her business card is “life is too short to pout all the time”, and boy does she live up to that)
  • Lessons in how to play pool from Joe Haukes, and lessons in how to be patient and encouraging to a team member however hopeless they are (and I was seriously hopeless)
  • A lesson in confidence from Stephen Hopson. Stephen has never met me or connected with me through blogs, emails or comments before but he was in Chicago early, as I was, and he wanted to be sociable. He is hearing impaired which means he didn’t just need to phone me out of the blue, but he had to do it through a relay service, where the conversation is mediated through a 3rd party. I’m glad he did because we had a great conversation, over lunch, and the whole weekend.
  • A small piece of rock from Jon Swanson’s back yard, and a conversation about rootlessness. Meaning more to me than I can hope to convey here.
  • The hand of friendship from Karen Hanrahan, aka Mother Earth.
  • A copy of Phil Gerbyshak’s Make It Great book, which I’m looking forward to reading and then applying the lessons in writing, in business and in life
  • A lesson in the culture of the US from J Erik Potter who helped me understand a lot of things better
  • A story from Terry Starbucker, reminding me of something I’d been pretending I didn’t want
  • Tips and suggestions from readers here and people I know on Twitter about places to go and things to do when I was in Chicago. This made me feel a lot more confident about being there. Thank you.

And what did I learn from this mashup of gifts?

People like to give.

The gifts they chose to give teach us something about them, and about ourselves: what we notice, appreciate and value.

And last but not least, as Karen Hanrahan said: People are cool. Way, way cool.

What have you learned from the gifts you’ve received recently?

Thanks to everyone who was at SobCon08 for smiles, hugs, friendship, companionship over a meal, business tips, travel advice, blogging suggestions and more.

Cliff Atkinson , Shashi Bellamkonda , JJ Betts, Chris Brown, Chris Brogan, Anita Bruzzese, Dave Bullock, Mark Carter, Brian Clark, Tom Clifford, Clay Collins, Valerie Combs , Chris Cree, Lisa Cree, Thomas Croghan, Donna Cutting, David Dalka , Kevin Dixie, Tim Draayer, Andrew Dubber, Easton Ellsworth, Kevin Ferrasci O’Malley, Chantelle Flannery, Sarah Filipiak, Mary-Lynn Foster, Annie Galvin Teich, Brian Gardner, Chris Garrett, Jon Gatrell, Phil Gerbyshak, Jared Goralnick, Karen Hanrahan, Joseph Hauckes, Vicky Hennegan,
Scot Herric, John Hong, Stephen Hopson, Robert Hruzek, Timothy Johnson, Sara , Pete Jones, Todd Jordan,
Bob Kakoliris, Christine Kane, Adam Kayce, Kristen King, Scott Kolbe, Jen Knoedl, Thomas Knoll, Stephen Koernig, Bryan Kress, George Krueger, Amy L, Tammy Lenski, James G. Lindberg, Eli Litscher, Rick Mahn,
Sim Margolis , Michael Martine, Becky McCray, Maria Meadows, Cory Miller, Ann Michael, Dawud Miracle,
Debra Moorhead, Matthew Murphy, Paul O’Flaherty, Tim Padar Jesse Petersen, Melissa Pierce , Wendy Piersall,
Sandra Ponce de Leon , J. Erik Potter , Karen Putz ,  Susan R Quandt, Levy Rivers, Barbara Rozgonyi , Jeff Sable
Sheila Scarborough, Mary Schmidt , Derek Semmler, Maria Sharon,  David Sherbow, Steve Sherlock, Brad Shorr, Louise Silberman , Sonia Simone-Rossney, Julien Smith, Stephen Smith, Michael Snell, Derrick Sorles,
Terry Starbucker, Liz Strauss, Jon Swanson, Ruth M Sylte, Michelle Vandepas , Lorelle VanFossen, Colleen Wainwright, Denise Wakeman, James D. Walton, Randy Windsor

Thanks too to all those bloggers who were there in spirit if not in person: people I talked about, people other participants told me about including Amy Palko, Emma Bird, Karen Swim, Robyn McMaster, Yvonne Russell Cat Wentworth, Karen Wallace and (time and again) Rosa Say

Thanks also to those of you who were encouraging and cheering me on through my blog and through conversations on Twitter. Your contributions helped me to have a great time.

This post is a contribution to this month’s What I Learned From (WILF) challenge, run by Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings. This month’s theme is What I Learned From Mashing It Up. I’m not sure this meets his criteria, though I have covered a lot of the listed topics (food, technology, friends, recreation, heroes, time, space).

It’s also a mash up of my last SobCon post and WILF entry, which I think deserves credit, if not a bonus point….

Picture mash up includes following pics (starting top left and snaking round): Make it Great; stone from Jon’s back yard; Stephen Hopson & Karen Putz; Liz Strauss and me; Joe teaching me how to play pool; how not to eat pizza; Brad in Geneva; tablet; reflections from Cloud Gate