<span style="color: #888888;"><em>The view from <a href="http://workingcloset.wordpress.com/">our</a> room at the Ritz -- I thought it looked vaguely Parisian, do you see it too?</em></span>

I just got back from a magical weekend in New Orleans where I attended the Mom 2.0 Summit. Everyone told me that Mom 2.0 would be my type of conference, and it turns out that everyone was right. I loved it. I loved that it was small, I loved that it was focused, I loved the openness and honesty of the attendees.

Turns out that the reasons I loved Mom 2.0 are the very reasons I should be proud of my blog.

It's small. It's focused (or "niche" as the marketers like to say.) I'm honest on my blog -- I don't pretend to be something I'm not, even if it acting differently might get me more readers.

What's strange is that the very reasons I loved Mom 2.0 are the reasons I sometimes feel bad about my blog.

I've been doing this since 2005. I've done fine for myself work-wise, and have made more amazing friends than I could have ever dreamed of, but sometimes I wonder what's wrong with this blog. Why do I still have the same traffic I've had since 2006?

What am I doing wrong?

Intellectually, I know the answer. I know that it varies -- that I'm doing nothing wrong, except when I am.

Seeing so many writers that I admire was energizing, and having some of them tell me how much they've loved this little space reminded me that while what I do here isn't for everyone, I really do love and connect with the ones that are reading.

(That's you. Thank you.)

Then yesterday I went to watch the Boston Marathon. If you ever want to put things in perspective, go watch marathon runners.

While I was as amazed as everyone by the record-breaking times achieved by the elite runners I couldn't stop watching the everyday people. The ones who kept going even after the race was won.

I was explaining the marathon to my children as we watched the people run. Why was everyone cheering? Why are they running? Why was that man crying as he ran? Why is someone running in an Elvis costume? Why? Why? Why?

And then my oldest asked me why people kept on running if someone had crossed the finish line hours ago. Why run if you're not going to win?

"Because winning isn't the point. I'm not sure finishing is the point."

I think the point is simply to do it.
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<blockquote>If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. -- Emil Zatopek, Czech runner; winner of four Olympic gold medals</blockquote>
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