Shauna Moerke is…

So it’s 5 am, I find myself sitting in bed in a much too big suite at The Wit Hotel now that I’m by myself and I’m having problems falling back asleep. Not because I’m not tired, I am most certainly that. And not because I’m missing my BFF April, even though I already am. You see, the last few days here in Chicago have been a whirlwind of activities and emotions and they are all jostling around in my head for attention. I”m thinking that I need to pull some of these thoughts out and by writing them down, be able to not only organize them in my brain, but also be able to get some more sleep before I drive home. You all just get to be the recipients of such thoughts so lucky you.

Here are some of my thoughts on HRevolution:
– The HRevolution committee did an amazing job putting everything together and their hard work is evident in how effortlessly everything seemed to fall into place from the perspective of an attendee. It takes a lot of hard work to make things run that smooth.
– The location for the event was top notch (Catalyst Ranch) and really drove home the the fact that this was an unconference and the old conference rules did not apply. The “feel” of the event was more dynamic and different right from the start due to this and I felt the difference over last year, when it was in a hotel ballroom, immediately.
– With almost 3x as many attendees here this year there were a lot more voices to be heard, people to meet, and conversations to be had. The only downside is that last year I was able to personally chat with everybody, even if only for a couple of minutes, and this year I didn’t come close to that try as I might. And I did try. And try. So if you attended the event but I didn’t get the chance to chat with you, and even if I did, please take this as an open invite to reach out to me. I’ll be doing the same.
– Cupcakes and maple bacon popcorn rule. #justsayin
– I can’t believe I missed a chance to ride in a mini cooper with Crystal Peterson and Jason Seiden. Still kicking myself over that one.
– Shenanigans were had, oh boy were they, and sometimes I wonder how you guys put up with a dork like me. I appreciate the indulgences on your part for the crazy antics.
– Next year there needs to be a nap room because some people, i.e. me, can and will fall asleep in the “sausage room” on a scratchy floor if they have too but they would prefer something a little more comfortable.
-I loved the interactive nature of the tracks, how the attendees were pushed to be creative, how freely people questioned, spoke up, and challenged each other. The conversations were lively and I felt I got at least a few great concepts out of each session I attended.
– You can’t come to an unconference and just do the event itself. You just can’t. The value of all the tweetups, spur of the moment sightseeing, running into people in the lobby or on the street, etc. is not often apparent, but it is there. The socializing aspect is critical. It helps you break the ice, get to know people better in different contexts, and is another way to deepen your relationships with them. Miss out on that and you miss out on a large part of the overall experience. You can learn more about someone and who they are in a quick run to the deli across the street than you would in the short time between tracks as you move between rooms.
– Upgraded hotel rooms rule. #justsayin
– Don’t be afraid to hug people. I will hug you.
– The HR Happy Hour was a little rough this week as we went live from the #MonsterSocial tweetup but it wouldn’t be our show without craziness, technical difficulties, and laughter.
– I came to the event with some specific goals in mind and I accomplished almost all of them. Having that focus was very helpful when there is much to do and less time to do it in, but I’m glad I also stayed flexible and didn’t plan out every second.
– BFF’s rule, making new BFF’s is even better, and stealing other peoples BFF’s is best of all. #justsayin
– #hashtags are now part of my everyday conversation and are awesome, even if only social media geeks like those at this event know that I’m using them.
– Despite the coolness of online relationships, there is no replacement for meeting someone in real life.

Ok, ok, I think that is enough of a brain dump for now that I should be able to get back to sleep. Better formed and more cogent thoughts from the event will be coming your way in the future so please look forward to it too!