naked blogging

If I had to sum it up I'd say we are all the same. We all have our bouts of insecurity, we all overreact, we all squeal with joy and hug strong and hard. We feel overwhelmed, we feel shy, we feel powerful and we feel courageous. BlogHer this year was all of that but in the end what has meant the most for me for two years running was seeing old friends and meeting others whose words I've read all year long. It's an extended slumber party, we stay up too late and lose our voices and popcorn gets spilled and somebody inevitably gets locked in the bathroom. Some of us even drink too much, those mojitos are stronger somehow in groups.

But the best and perhaps most sacred time this year was when Jess, Tanis and I left the conference and went to a naked bath house. We waltzed into the old Victorian and for some reason hadn't really thought through that in a few short minutes we'd actually be sitting naked in front of each other in a big tub in the middle of the day. In fact, the moment that will last with me for the rest of my life was when the woman made it clear: all your clothes come off HERE ladies and Tanis' face registered a look of fucking horror. I think I fell over laughing then but I can't quite remember. But as we sat across from each other naked inside and out in the bright light and too hot water it summed it up perfectly: At the end of the day we are all simply naked. We are women and we were naked this weekend, both in and out of our clothes. It's not always pretty and sometimes it's more beautiful than you can imagine but either way it's real. And so while the weekend was one of mixed emotions sitting here now I am so very happy I went. Meeting women I've only read and emailed with and reconnecting with women who've come to mean so much more than I'd have thought possible two years ago is part of the garden I'll plant around me this year, your words and laughter and wisdom and truth will continue to keep me company as it grows.