She really is Gorgeous, isn’t she? As much from her heart as from her outer beauty.

I loved spending time with both of you, too. I’m sure we’ll get to play sometime. And who knows, I may pack up the kids one of these days and head to Georgia.

Thanks for everything you both did in pulling off SOBCon. I’ll keep you updated on the coming changes up here.

Jesse,

Iowa’s fine, but the winters aren’t any better than Michigan. If I’m moving, I’m moving to a more agreeable climate.

It’d be great to talk sometime. Conversation and relationship is why I’m blogging in the first place. And it’s amazing that I could meet so many incredible people from a little website.

That’s a great write-up of the conference. I really liked our couple of minutes to chat. I’d love to spend hours with you if we made it into a whole weekend. I’ve always been more of the computer geek than the publisher, so I really connect with the core designers and techies like you and Mike Rhode.

I think we should all start a bloggy-hippie colony. I suppose it should be in Iowa to save half of the people who attended from moving too far. Then again, there’s always Tampa…come on in, the water’s fine.

I agree Kent.

I have a little secret about offering up my blog for critique…I’m going through both a change in business direction and I’m in the process of beginning a redesign of my site. So it wasn’t as hard as it might seem.

Also, having been a designer for 10 years, I’m used to people not liking the work I do. Clients can sometimes be down right nasty in telling you what they think of proposed designs. That’s part of the reason I was chosen.

Next time we really must find time to talk! Can’t believe your courage offering your blog up for open critique. Wow!

Kent

Thanks. Takeaways. Boy there’s a bunch.

Speakers: Read my post on David Armano’s talk.

Folks in the room: The biggest thing I took away is how much bloggers really want to help each other. It’s genuine, sincere and oft-practiced.

Site Critique: Two major things…First, be really clear on who you are, what you’re doing and who you do it for. In other words, branding. Second, Pay very close attention to what’s “above the fold.” Your most important content should be above the fold. There’s much more, but these are two major ones.

I’m meeting a friend next Tuesday for breakfast (Deborah Brown of Bizinformer.com) and going to try to give her my takeaways. Can you give me 3: one about the speakers, one about the folks in the room and one about having your website critqued? Thanks!!
Chris