<p><a href="http://phxwordcamp.com/wp-content/themes/wordcampPHX/images/horse.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3714" title="horse" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/horse-249x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="300" /></a>My parents never sent me to camp.  Can you believe it?!  Shouldn't that be against the law or something?</p>

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<p>Feeling deprived, I enrolled myself in WordCamp Phoenix 2011.</p>

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<p>WordCamp is a geeky festival celebrating all things WordPress.</p>

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<p>If you don't know what the heck WordPress is, that's o.k.  Just read along, giggle, and click the links to a few interesting peeps listed below.</p>

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<p>If you are a blogger or a blogger wannabe and don't know what WordPress is, then read, giggle, click, and then GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ASAP!!!</p>

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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>MY TOP TEN FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT MY FIRST (WORD)CAMP</strong></span></span></p>

<p>(in stream of consciousness order)</p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">1.  Uber-smart, technologically savvy peeps.  I was waaaayyyyy out of my element.  I'm hoping something rubbed off on me.</span></p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">2.  Speaking of brainiacs,<strong> </strong>the<strong> <a href="http://www.saymedia.com " target="_blank">SayMedia.com</a></strong><strong> </strong>guy was especially brilliant.<strong> </strong>His shtick was "Monetizing the Non-Sucky Way".  Hallelujah.  This is EXACTLY what I was looking for.  I love it when that happens.</span></p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">3.  There was a Genius Bar.  WordCamp organizers obviously drink the magic Kool-Aid and<strong> </strong><strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/01/21/day-113-i-joined-a-cult-please-dont-tell-my-mother/" target="_blank">b</a></strong><strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/01/21/day-113-i-joined-a-cult-please-dont-tell-my-mother/" target="_blank">ow down at the Altar of Mac</a></strong>.</span></p>

<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;"> </span><br />
 <span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">4.  One of these Geniuses shares my birthday AND has a diary blog.  Go figure!  Check out <strong><a href="http://www.606diaries.com" target="_blank">www.606diaries.com</a></strong>.  He blogs about what he's doing every day at 6:06 p.m.  How cool is that?</span></p>

<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;"> </span><br />
 <span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">5.  Birthday Twin Genius imparted his wisdom on missing elements from my blog:  tags, categories, SEO, etc.  (Clueless?  Keep reading, giggling, clicking.  Don't worry about it.  Trust me.)</span></p>

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 <span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">6.  The best looking and best dressed guy in the room (with the exception of that spunky Microsoft guy who was there for PR purposes) parked his tush right next to mine.  I love it when that happens.</span></p>

<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;"> </span><br />
 <span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">7.  Speaking of spunk, <strong><a href="http://ithemes.com/about/" target="_blank">Corey Miller of iThemes</a></strong>, you win my vote for best presenter.  You were down to earth, funny, and passionate about your stuff.  This drama geek shouts, "Bravo!"</span></p>

<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;"> </span><br />
 <span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">8.  For the life of me, I can't remember who shared this quote:  "If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together." -- African proverb</span></p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">9.  Healthy, yummy food.  Any event that brings in<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.luxcoffee.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Lux</strong></a> as their coffee (with soy and rice milk options) is beyond awesome. </span></p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">10.  Zero waste event (you heard me) thanks to<strong><a href="http://globalgreenintegrators.com/" target="_blank"> Global Green Integrators</a></strong>.  Speechless.</span></p>

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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 13.1944px;">11.  Mariachis?</span></p>

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[caption id="attachment_3715" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Worst bb photo EVER.  Now that I&#39;m drinking the Kool-Aid, I&#39;m sure I&#39;ll have an iPhone in no time."]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG00243-20110129-0933.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3715" title="IMG00243-20110129-0933" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG00243-20110129-0933-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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