alt design summit...

so last night was the sort of night when everyone who lives in my house pronounced no with at least two syllables.

at one point, i even hisspered i. am. not. digging. your. nos. girls.

esmé's hand flew straight-away to feel her nose. i could see that little wheel creaking as she wondered what the heck was wrong with it. and then she segued into full-on fighting mode.

well...i don't like your nose, either!

{sigh.}

we all hit pause. which is always a good choice when fast forward and rewind are not an option.

also - and here's the only important part of this post - you MUST watch first ascent on the travel channel. you just must. i'll admit i have a thing for heights and adventuresome boys, but this...oh, this. it's a brand new series, so it may be hard to find at first.

find it. you'll die a little after seeing it. plus it may also make you want to climb to higher peaks. and then jump from them.

wait. here's another important part of this post. last night, amid all the grumpy girlies three and their grumpier mom, popped up an email. from her. about alt design summit.

i won't bore you with details {here is where you think really, karey? you'll bore us with stories of homophones and completely gloss over the sweet bits? really?}, but her note made me smile all darn night.

truly important part: if you're at all interested in design and trends and social media and anything creative, you should go to alt.

it's not about who's speaking, really. it's about the magic of the collective group. it's about sitting next to erin from design for mankind, listening to gayla of you grow girl speak and comparing chillbumps on your arms. it's about meeting joy from oh joy! and proudly admitting you know every detail ever written about her life. and then asking about beth. it's about encouraging san francisco girl by the bay before she speaks to a packed room, and thinking how insane it is that she has no idea the impact she has on the design community. it's about taking the seat next to someone you've read, and thinking they're so much sweeter and prettier in person. it's about seeing the sparkle in someone's eye, trading business cards, and keeping in touch.

it's about getting inspired and sharing the energy and transforming these thin air relationships we have into real, tangible, touchable, and very sweet friendships.

if there's a chance you could go but are hesitating because you think i'm not a design blogger or i'm not a good enough design blogger or i don't know anyone from my real life who's going to this thing or i'm scared to just jump?

jump.

because you do know someone who's going to this thing. we've been reading each other for years.

pretty faces from a painted face. i love make-up.