Update: OMG! I won a FULL ACCESS PASS To Blogworld! Thanks John Chow!

I’ve always wanted to hug people. The thought of transforming someone’s day with a simple touch has captivated me for years since I watched the Free Hugs Campaign on YouTube in 2007. I’ve said to folks it was be fun to have a Hug Campaign in Minneapolis…

Here’s my chance! I will hug 500 people and photograph my progress if you select me for a Blogworld pass John Chow.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4[/youtube]

My life has been transformed by blogging conferences. I attended my first blog conference, Wordcamp Chicago, in June 2009 and it was the first time I felt comfortable at a technology conference. Previous conferences contained a bunch of awkward geeks avoiding eye contact. This blogging thing was about smiles, food and sharing! I loved it and wanted more!

I went back to Chicago again, the same month, for Blogging While Brown and it was even more amazing! I had great conversations, enjoyed the speakers and went out after the conference with fellow attendees. I was getting the hang of things!

One thing that has always been hard for me is photographs. I don’t have any from under the age of 10 (long story) and have always felt uncomfortable about people taking photos. That changed at Blogging While Brown. It was like I had forgotten to be self conscious. I couldn’t believe how spending time with the attendees was making me feel. I even asked someone to take a photograph with me and an attendee just to make sure I wasn’t imagining this! I was able to overcome something that had been haunting me for most of my life just by…attending. I wanted more!

Again, I returned to Chicago in July for BlogHer through the encouragement of women I had met locally and at Blogging While Brown. I wasn’t able to get a full pass as it was too late into the registration period but BlogHer had LobbyCon which allowed me to view the sessions and attend! I was so happy, so grateful and oh so excited!

BlogHer blew me away. The women there were serious and focused on success yet playful and kind. I felt so blessed to be able to attend and be part of the event as the topic was IRL (In Real Life). I did something I told myself I hated…well, at least used to hate; I networked! In fact, each day I woke up, I couldn’t wait to go and meet new bloggers, new women, new business focused bloggers just…like…me.

How does this tie into hugs? I want to thank the blogging community. You took me in, you welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like one of the family. Coming from an IT background, I’ve never felt that way before at a Microsoft, VMware or Linux event. I now crave that interaction, that social, bloggy atmosphere.  I want to walk around at Blogworld and give out 500 hugs to give back even just a little of what I’ve received in terms of acceptance, help, support, collaboration and ideas to the blogging community.

When I first signed up at Wordcamp Chicago, I told myself, “I’m not a blogger. I’m just going to spy on the bloggers”. Serious. I felt outside of the circle.

I’ve come to realize that I have a lot to contribute to the blogging community. When I attend conferences, I’m engaged. I take notes, I listen to others and interact. I also very much enjoy all the parties after the conferences ends!

When I blog, I have 15 different viewpoints:

1. A female blogger
2. A Brown blogger
3. A Jewish blogger
4. A tech blogger
5. A young blogger
6. A WordPress blogger
7. A environmental blogger
8. A health blogger
9. An organic blogger
10. A iPhone owning blogger
11. A Twitter loving blogger
12. A business owner blogger
13. A blog trainer blogger
14. A customer service blogger
15. and a GTD blogger

I’ve done calculations.  If I divide the 500 hugs equally over 3 days, I need to hug 167 people each day.

If I divide that into 3 hours of full on hugging, I need to hug 1 person every minute.

If you pick me to attend the Blogworld Expo, I will buy one of those counters where I click the button to indicate I’ve done a hug.  Through a series of tweets, photos and blog updates, I will keep you updated on my hug progress all in the good name of blogging.