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“We’ve Got the Dreamers Disease”: Reflections on SOBCon08

May 5th, 2008 • Starbucker • 32 comments • Click to view Related Articles
Filed Under: SOBCon • The Essence of Me

It happened on the plane over to Chicago.

The excitement, the anticipation, and the nervousness over what was about to come.

SOBCon08. Showtime!

Like last year, I had fears that people wouldn’t come, the facility would be bad, the food would stink, and I would make a fool of myself at the podium.

Liz Strauss had put SO much work into this (if you all only knew) - I couldn’t let her down. She has always been the kind of partner you just never wanted to let down, because of what she gave - and gave, and gave.

The good news was, I knew how to quell those bad thoughts. Yep, the trusty iPod. iPod always knows what is good for me - it has a 6th sense (thank you Steve Jobs).

I clamped on my headphones, put iPod on shuffle, and let ‘er rip.

It did not disappoint me. Right out of the box it played “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals, which just happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time.

Why? Because of a beat and melody you just can’t shake, and lyrics that hit me in the heart, right from the very first line:

“Wake up kids. We’ve got the dreamers disease”

I love that line. It’s a call to action. It was calling me to action. Forget about all that fear stuff - we are going to make everyone’s SOBCon08 dream come true!

My feelings immediately became lighter - now buoyant in the anticipation of what was to come. Then I heard the chorus:

But when the night is falling
And you cannot find the light
If you feel your dream is dying
Hold tight
You’ve got the music in you
Don’t let go
You’ve got the music in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don’t give up
You’ve got a reason to live
Can’t forget you only get what you give

My eyes were welling up with tears - happy ones. I was about to spend three days with people like me, people with the same “dreamers disease” - and a bunch of givers to boot.

Then I realized that if Liz and I gave the best conference we could put on, what we’d get would be incalculable and indescribable.

I came to Chicago on a wonderful high, spurred on by a musical marker.

And then the smiling, and warmth, and giving, and learning began, from the very minute I picked up Chris Garrett from the airport on Thursday.

It went on for 72 hours straight - as many

hugs, smiles, photos

thank yous, laughs, Twitters,

“ah-has“, “wows“,

“you rocks!”, “I didn’t know thats“,

“why is there so many men with facial hairs“,

debates about the best music decade (I voted the 70’s),

interesting attempts at karaoke by the MC (”Sexy Back”, of all things) and by Starbucker and Brogan on the streets of Chicago (a rockin’ “Bohemian Rhapsody”),

“the food is pretty darn goods“,

“the speakers were awesomes“,

“I love yous”

and finally, tears (and hugs again)

as one could ever experience in that short of a time.

We even created (or should I say Melissa created and we endorsed) a new word - “vulnerablogity”

We put ourselves way, way out there - we gave ourselves up to the moments. Which was because, as Chris Cree said on Sunday, “we all have value - each of us has something to offer”.

And there were thousands of things offered, all moments to savor. I can’t even begin to list all of them.

By Sunday morning, the word “trust” was mentioned again and again - our hearts were clearly showing. There was no “strutting” going on (thanks for that word Tammy).

We didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want it to end. But it had to.

There was really no doubt about the words I wanted to use to close the conference (before Liz brought the house down). I had to bring this full circle.

I read the chorus of “You Get What You Give”.

Yes, we had the Dreamers Disease. We got what we gave, alright - and then some.

It all tells me, and all of us, that we must continue to dream, and dream big, and not let them go. Be fearless, and open, and giving - all the time. Nothing is beyond our grasp. After all, who would have thought a small little Open Comment idea would turn into this?

And oh yea, I should keep blogging too.

To those who attended, or twitted, or watched the video feed, or submitted slides, or gave us positive vibes because they couldn’t go, I sincerely thank you all. You have enriched my life in ways I never thought possible.

Here’s the list of attendees