Today, somewhere between having to help my 80 year old mother, a parent-teacher conference, work, the grocery store, making dinner, school drop-off and pick-up, our third showing in 24 hours (anyone want to buy a house?), and all other situations faced by a sandwich-generation-special-needs-parent-homework-helping-homemaker-full-time-employee-mom-wife. I felt like life was slapping me in the face today.

I couldn’t bear to take on. One. More. Thing.

That’s when I found this among the sheets I pulled from the dryer.

And, I was so desperate to fill my soul with something sweet that I almost ate it. After it had been stuffed in the laundry chute with dirty clothes, washed in detergent and bleach, then dried with a dryer sheet. I mean, the wrapper hadn’t broken so it was still good, right?

Then there was a knock at the door and some guy standing there asking, “Are you Diana?” which I’m totally not, but I nodded anyway and he handed me these.

It turns out, that when you’re having a really dark day, washed and dried mini-Twix bars are not the answer; good friends who send you emergency flowers are. Thank you, Melisa.

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This is a good week, because some of my favorite people in the world celebrate their birthdays. If you weren’t born this week, that’s okay, I still like you. Kind of.

Birthdays are a funny thing. I enjoy celebrating them when they belong to someone else and I like the wishing on the candles part of my own, but the whole getting older thing? I could do without.

Somewhere between 27 and 43, I was living my life, but I don’t remember much of it. That portion is a blur of spit-up, home improvements, career changes, my son’s surgeries, puppy poop, bad hair and mom jeans. I don’t think people should go to college until they are in their 40s, because you don’t really know who you are, or who you want to be, until then.

I wish I could go back in time and relive those years, knowing what I know now; I would’ve done things a lot differently. But, unless Michael J. Fox pulls into my driveway I don’t think that’s possible. I blame the Libyan terrorists.

So, on my next birthday, I think I’ll blow out the candles and wish for the knowledge of an 80 year old so I don’t waste any more time.

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What can I say? Melisa came to town and I didn’t blog for a week. Mostly because I had to entertain her. She’s exceptionally needy – if “needy” = comes in with beer, gummy bears and clown noses, makes me laugh, pulls me away from my computer, encourages me to go for long walks in the sunshine, eat good food, and explore parts of my own town I never see.

Melisa first came to see me in 2009 and it’s been a long time coming, but I would like to thank whomever left that freezer door ajar.

There is something to be said for a friend who can come into your house and fit into the family so seamlessly that by the third day you accidentally call her, “Honey” and halfway mean it.

At least there will still be a piece of her here with us after she leaves.

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What happens when you take Queen Latifah, Sheryl Sandberg, Wendi McClendon-Covey (of Bridesmaids fame), Randi Zuckerberg, Gale Anne-Hurd (as in the writer/producer of Terminator, and producer of AMC’s The Walking Dead), many, many more talented and inspirational speakers, hundreds of brands, and thousands of bloggers?

Why, BlogHer ’13 of course.

Now imagine the logistics of all of that; the food (including vegan and gluten-free options), signage, transportation, set-up, registration, social media, programming, promotion, and every last detail down to a lactation lounge, a fashion show, a shipping station, and transcribed session content – and imagine all of it being managed by a staff of about 15 people. That, folks, is really where I’ve been.

Let’s put it this way, I picked up a copy of USA Today on Thursday and didn’t even get a chance to read this article until Sunday.

oh hi, those are my bosses in USA Today.

U – S – A – Today.

So it’s weird, you know? It’s weird to have the cell phone numbers of those three women, or be a fangirl of all these big name speakers and Food Network stars like Ree Drummond who is actually one of your greatest friends. Just so you know, it’s possible to be inspired by Ree AND pose for a picture with her in which you accidentally move Anissa’s wheelchair with your breast. Yes, that happened. (Thanks for the photo, Cecily.)

Cecily, Ree, Dresden, Katherine, Rachael, Anissa, and me. Awkward.

It’s weird to only see your co-workers a couple of times a year. Or have the opportunity to hang out with your co-worker/BBFF/Bedazzler-Extraordinaire, Melisa and be TOTALLY fine with walking around in the shirt she made you. She, literally, can not help herself. I love her.

totally fine, because it was awesome!

And, it’s odd that I speak on panels with unbelievably powerful women, with great stories and amazing hair.

Seriously, how did I get to here?

It’s strange to have one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in the World sitting just feet away when she gives you a great quote like this:

.@sherylsandberg "Next time u are going to call your daughter Bossy, take a deep breath/say she has executive leadership skills" #BlogHer13

— BlogHer Conferences (@BlogHerEvents) July 27, 2013

— BlogHer Conferences (@BlogHerEvents) July 27, 2013

It’s crazy to walk through the Expo Hall at the conference and get a manicure from Kiss USA, grab a drink from Dailey’s Cocktails (or Turning Leaf, or Moskato Life, or Yellow Tail), pet a puppy from ASPCA, check out a generator from Ryobi Tools, swoon over We Montage, and fall so deeply in love with the Shark Sonic Duo that you almost grabbed it and ran.

I got products I love (and will buy again) from some of them, and from Windex, White Cloud, Samsung, Folgers, ULTA Beauty, Walgreens, CLR, Jamba Juice, Orbit Gum, and Budweiser’s STRAW-BER-ITA. As a matter of fact, I want a STRAW-BER-ITA right-NOW-er-ita. I also learned about the good work of companies like Etymotic and Camp Wonder, supported generously by Cetaphil. Social good makes me warm and fuzzy.

I think the brands were better than ever this year and they GOT IT. They understood that blogs and social media are the new front porch/back fence/water-coolers of the world. Trust me, if I like something I’m sure as heck going to tell you so. And, who would’ve thought that 10 years ago? Uh, no one. See? More weirdness.

So, it’s surreal; this enormous gathering of (mostly) women from all over the world who affect change, share stories, and influence people online. It’s the only place I’ve ever been where it isn’t considered rude to pull out your phone in the middle of a conversation and send a tweet. Bloggers are nothing if not multi-taskers. We are often simultaneously posting to Twitter, Facebook, IM, and email. While we’re making dinner. And, picking up after our kids.

In all it’s weirdness, though, BlogHer is the one time of year where everything is familiar. It’s my people. We are writers, educators, brand ambassadors, and a hundred other labels, but above all we are bloggers.

And, I will own that weirdness all day long.

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