I’ve been struggling with finding the right words to describe the #cwc09 weekend.  I say weekend because, for the most part, the conference didn’t really end until the last few distant travelers made their way running through the terminal at DIA “texmex in hand” (@samababy).

I’m not usually one at a loss for words.  My blog posts, whatever quality you deem them to be, are crafted at the same tempo as my typing skills allow them to be.  No editing.  No stalling.  Simply shutting down the internal editor to open up what I really feel about whatever it is I’m writing.

So why the loss of words?

Sitting down for coffee with Gwen on Wednesday afternoon, I confessed to quite the post-conference “hangover.”  It wasn’t from the partying – or karaoke – but rather from being around so many high energy people that shared the same passions as I do.  It’s so intoxicating and then, when it’s gone, it leaves something of a void.  I’ve been struggling all week trying to describe that intoxication while dealing with the void…

Photo courtesy of http://www.greeblemonkey.com

I don’t want to forget a single person.  It’s as if, by writing just a few select names, I devalue the bonds formed with others – and that’s just not true.  Each connection I met was genuine and heartfelt – and I feel the community that is built around the event will be a strong one.  I really hope that the conference lives on.  I would love to revisit it again next year – even if I’m still 1 of 4 guys there.  I will try to highlight some people:  I laughed a lot with @geekmommy, @zaellen and @greeblemonkey; talked shop with @samababy; was interviewed by @waynesutton and connected with @zenaweist, @barbarajones, @zsazsa and scores of others.  I apologize if I left any twitter handles out – it’s hard to memorize people’s twitter handles! I hope that doesn’t take away from the connections – if I could name everyone there, I would!  Every person I talked to brought something unique and interesting to the table.  It’s virtually impossible to experience that kind of dept at most conferences.  That’s something special….

So – in summary, I’ll just leave you with the visual evidence of the conference.  Instead of posting photos here, I’m just going to try to link to Flickr sets so that the proper credit goes to the talented photographers below.  For untalented photo taking, you can also visit my Flickr set.

@cr8tvjen’s Flickr Photostream
@zaellen’s Flickr  #cwc09 Set
@waynesutton’s Flickr @cwc09 Set
@gwenbell’s Flickr #cwc09 Set
@greeblemonkey’s Flickr #cwc09 set and afterparty set
@girlontheband’s Flickr #cwc09 set

(you can also search Flickr for the hashtag #cwc09)