"We've got a thing going on...."
If someone said to you, "give me £50 and I'll give you a great day out, let you see and hear many expert, inspirational people in the flesh, feed you gorgeous fodder and then ply you with Prosecco at the end" would you cough up?
Well I did. And it was one of the best £50 I've ever spent. Mumsnet Blogfest happened on Saturday and kicked off with the refreshingly normal (and irritatingly beautiful) Miriam Gonzalez Durantez or - for the politically illiterate - Mrs Nick Clegg. She spoke at length in her endearing Spanish lilt about being a mother - the trials and tribulations and admitted that she often used Mumsnet for some "teeps" for staying sane.
Breakout sessions with the likes of Tanya Byron (full of good sense, obviously brilliantly clever but I wouldn't want to meet her down a dark alley), Cath Elliott, journalists Eleanor Mills, Suzanne Moore and Liz Fraser tackled the issue of trolls. Other sessions covered 'Finding your Voice' with the unexpectedly hilarious Zoe Williams amongst others, SEO techniques, Social Media, Photography and more.
Then came a Keynote Panel featuring the much-anticipated Liz Jones of the Daily Mail. To say she was a damp squib would be a massive understatement. She is deaf on one side but chose not to sit on the correct side of the Chair so she couldn't hear anything. This is the woman who reacted to the news of her husband's infidelity by thinking "oh good, I can get a couple of columns out of this" although, on Saturday, she claimed to regret ever having spilled the beans on friends and family because now she has "no relationships". She followed up her unsmiling appearance (she might have tried once or twice but I think her face was too tight) with a typically snarky article in the Mail on Sunday the following day, littered with inaccuracies and fallacies. There was something familiar about her appearance too - the heavy eye makeup, the orange tan....
If someone said to you, "give me £50 and I'll give you a great day out, let you see and hear many expert, inspirational people in the flesh, feed you gorgeous fodder and then ply you with Prosecco at the end" would you cough up?
Well I did. And it was one of the best £50 I've ever spent. Mumsnet Blogfest happened on Saturday and kicked off with the refreshingly normal (and irritatingly beautiful) Miriam Gonzalez Durantez or - for the politically illiterate - Mrs Nick Clegg. She spoke at length in her endearing Spanish lilt about being a mother - the trials and tribulations and admitted that she often used Mumsnet for some "teeps" for staying sane.
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| courtesy of Mumsnet |
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| Zoes Strimpel and Williams courtesy of Mumsnet |
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| Eleanor Mills, Prof Tanya Byron & Liz Fraser courtesy of Mumsnet |
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| Liz Jones |
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| Tutankhamun |
Ironically, the closing keynote speaker was the delightful Caitlin Moran who was hilarious to listen to and forecast that the future of journalism would see the end of snarkiness, so maybe someone should tell Liz. She responded to one star-struck questioner (who came over all giggly like a 10 year old girl) with "would you like to have sex with me? I accept!" She was the perfect choice to end the day.
Then it was upstairs for a few buckets of Prosecco before staggering off in search of a taxi, weighed down by a very generous goody bag. Well done Mumsnet. Sign me up for next year, but maybe we could avoid that thing with Mrs Jones...?
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| Courtesy of Mumsnet |
I agree with all you say. It was great to meet you and spend some. Time together. Sorry fr crappy. iPad typing! Let's make a date. For next. Year and Yay for no snarking and telling Mrs Jones!
ReplyDeleteThank you Anya - fab to meet you too. We must definitely keep in touch and link up again next year! x
ReplyDeleteSounds fun. Liz Jones is a twat? Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteIt was great fun! I don't use Mumsnet that often but I was attracted by the quality of the speakers. Would definitely go again next yr if the speakers are as good.
DeleteOh and also meant to say that I completely agree about La Jones!
DeleteSounds like fun, and prosecco by the bucket load? sign me up for the next one!
ReplyDeleteYup great fun and they were very generous with the Prosecco as well as the lunch and the cupcakes in between times. If the speakers are as good next year, I will definitely try and go again.
DeleteDoes sound like you had a great time....and Prosecco is always a winner with me.......
ReplyDeleteI did Libby - and I seem to have developed a taste for Prosecco...!
ReplyDeleteI must sign up to be part of them - this has sold me, what a great line up! Love all of them including Caitlin Moran. Must read what Liz jones said about the conference now. I worked with Zoe W at the Evening Standard and she was young and so talented and sooo incredibly quick with writing her pieces, never seen anything like it...she was a star from the start.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame you are so far away Jody....still, you have a year to arrange your flight over for the next one! Well worth the early bird price of £50. I just wonder if they can make it as good next year...
DeleteLet's plan it for next year (Maybe BritMums can accommodate and do their thing at the same time)
DeleteSo glad you had a good time at the conference. I enjoyed BritMums Live this year so felt I didn't need another one but the line-up at Blogfest did make me wonder whether I should have bitten the bullet. And I'd have met you - well worth 50 quid!
ReplyDeleteAah, Thankyou Trish *blushes*. Maybe we should consult each other before booking anything up next year!
DeleteOh God! Guilt, guilt. I had already put my bag to the right of Geraldine who was chairing the panel, and went over to ask a member of the audience opposite me to video the event. Next thing I knew, Liz had sat in my seat, so I asked her if she wouldn't mind moving to the other side. It's all my fault! I didn't know she was deaf at all, and even now, having read a piece by her saying that she's deaf, I didn't know it was in her right ear. Or maybe it isn't. Anyway, sorry Liz if that was the case. But we can't blame her for choosing the wrong seat! You can see the video now, in any case at http://50newblack.blogspot.co.uk
ReplyDeleteOh noooooo! Now I feel bad and I almost feel sorry for her! Still, I very much enjoyed your session so thank you and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.
Deleteif she looks like a witch and she sounds like a witch........!!
ReplyDeleteHa ha YaH - indeed...well said! Eliza is clearly a much nicer person than moi!
ReplyDelete