It was a VERY long day, traveling from San Francisco to Indianapolis for the Diabetes Social Media Summit. And it started out pretty hectic, too, what with waking up just after 4am, and with SFO crazy-crowded before 5am. I barely made it through security in time to catch my first flight, so grabbed the quickest gluten-free breakfast choice I could find: the one most people think is “healthy” but shot my sugars into the 300′s for hours – the airport-issue yogurt parfait with fruit.
Anyhoo, it was all worthwhile, just to be in the same room with nearly 30 of the most prolific diabetes bloggers and online advocates. We had a lovely cocktail mixer and welcome dinner. The actual Summit is taking place today (Thurs, July 23).
So far, all I’ve done is chat a lot, drink several glasses of wine, and snap a few low-quality photos of the gang. As I write this (nearly midnight local time in Indy), a bunch of D-folk are partying in the room across the hall. Someone just pounded on that door and shouted: “Diabetes Police!” Gotta love it.
It is one thing, btw, to have a list of attendees in your inbox. But seeing these folks in real life is quite another!
From left, Wil “Lee” Dubois, Kerri Sparling, George Simmons, Bernard Farrell, Chris Bishop (standing), Scott Strumello, Scott Johnson, Allison Blass.
Manny Hernandez and Gina Capone.
Me, Scott Strumello, Riva Greenberg, and Bennet Dunlap (background).
Scott Johnson and Kerri Sparling.
Love you all! Even those not in my crummy photos… Going to bed now.
***
UPDATE 7/23/09:
As expected, I was too busy talking today to write anything, or even Twitter. To catch some of what went on, please have a look at the group’s coverage at Twitter hashtag #dblogsummit.
A few quotables:
“Everybody listens to station WIIFM – what’s in it for me?” — Fran Carpentier
“Bad numbers are good information” — Wil Dubois
“We live life one number at a time” — Ginger Vieira (I think)
“(Regarding blood sugar control) doctors oversimplify the answers, and they don’t understand the cause” — Kelly Kunik
that is tooooo cool!
George Whittier?!
I love the name change!!
So great seeing all the real live people together! So many familiar avatars come to life (sortof).
So cool! Have fun!
@Sara – oops, chalk it up to exhaustion. Will fix soon.
WOW!!! Sooo cool…can’t wait to hear all about it
Wow!!!! It looks really interesting.
Amy, thank you so much for gathering us all up. It was such a great time and I enjoyed it all the way till I got to the airport, and met up with everyone yet again!! It was like a party that kept on going and going and going!
You are the best and I can’t wait to take the next steps.
G
How in the world am I absent in every photo put online. Collusion! Conspiracy!
AMAZING -Thank you so much for making this happen Amy!
Kelly K
This was such an honor to get to be with so many great people at one time. The first of many, I hope.
Thanks Amy, for all you did in helping put it together, and for helping to keep the meeting on track.