Gearing Up for Blog Potomac

On Friday the 13th this week (cue scary music), I will be attending the sold-out Blog Potomac, a DC-area unconference, and I could not be more thrilled. I have long-evangelized that meeting online networking contacts in "the meat space" (can't remember to whom to attribute that terrific way of putting it) is just as vital as reaching out via social media. Which is part of why I am getting excited for this particular event, as it will allow me the opportunity to meet in person some folks I have become quite well-acquainted with in the blogosphere, as well as to reconnect with contacts I have not seen in a while.

Kami Huyse, Debbie Weil, Rohit Bhargava, Jeremy Pepper and Josh Hallett are just a few of the folks who I will get a chance to meet in person after enjoying their work solely on the interwebs for some time. Additionally, I'm very much looking forward to reconnecting with Geoff Livingston, KD Paine, and Maggie Fox.

I am hopefully going to be live-blogging the event, depending on wi-fi capability, and here's the list of sessions I'm looking forward to the most:

Opening Keynote: Lionel Menchaca, Direct2Dell's chief blogger and Digital Media Manager

Dan Beyers: The local business editor of the Washington Post will be speaking about the symbiotic relationship between new and traditional media. This is a subject that's interested  me since I interviewed veteran journalist Steve Roberts earlier this year, I am interested in hearing Dan's take.

Lunch Keynote: Frank Gruber, AOL's Social Media & Web Product Development Expert, and Author of Somewhat Frank

All three of these are voices I was previously unfamiliar with, so it will be exciting to discover what they have to say, along with what I am sure will be great presentations from the other speakers.

So if you're heading to DC, I will see you there--if not, be on the lookout for liveblogs!