JBlogger Convention - Virtually Terrific

I am still plastered high on the ceiling (please peel me off) from the first JBlogger’s convention yesterday in Yerushalayim. Yes, I had to get up at the unearthly hour of 7:00 a.m. my time in order to be dressed and ready at my ‘puter by 5:30 p.m. Israel time in my blonde sheitel and sunglasses disguise (hey, if Jameel can wear a yellow smiley face)—but it was worth it!

Except for a (somewhat annoying) photo op by a politician (Bibi made a cameo appearance, and talked. And talked. And- until they had to stop him-), I thought this convention, after a few introductions and identity-and-purpose explanations, actually started to touch on something. One of the ideas with potential, was that Jewish bloggers may have more of an impact than they think, and another was a presentation, initially a bit boring but which gained momentum, indicating the need for better hasbara about Israel.

I was present (virtually) in the chat room, and after fidgeting with my browser (Firefox couldn’t play it; had to revert back to IE) I finally began to see the webcast, live, from Nefesh b’Nefesh Headquarters in Givat Sha’ul, Jerusalem. I enjoyed ‘meeting’ many bloggers whom I ‘know’ from their various blogs, and was introduced (and introduced myself) to many others, whose websites I scribbled down on a pad I had at my side for that purpose (fear not-I will visit your sites soon!)

Some interesting questions were asked, such as (paraphrasing & embellishing a bit) ‘how are people able to blog and continue to conduct their lives’ or ‘it takes me an hour and a half to edit and re-write my blog, is that normal?’ Hey, c’mon—only an hour and a half?

It takes me hours to do a post: research, editing and re-writing; I am in awe and shock that anyone can manage multiple blogs, when I can barely manage my own, teeny-tiny single one.

The personal highlight of the convention was when, to my utter surprise, Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach waved to the cameras and shouted out ‘hello Lady-Light, I know you’re watching!’ I almost fell off my chair. It really almost made me feel as if I was in Yerushalayim…and not virtually!

You should be able to see the webcast on the Nefesh b’Nefesh site, if you were registered for the convention. I don’t know if it’s open to the public.

Now, as they say, the party’s over (...ha-chagigah nigmeret, khibui orot…) time to go back to my daily grind-er-shiur. Virtually, of course.