- Michael M.: Too much going on. Life in flux, etc..
- Sunshine: Wow, I was soooo happy to see a new post in my rss reader. I was hopping this is already the comeback! :(...
- gandalf: Did you only get caffeine through Dr.p or did you drink coffee as well? I’m interested, since...
- neeka: nine kilos… wow… :) happy holidays to you, michael, and to all your loved ones! veronica
- m: It was a bargain. No strings attached.
Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Maribor, Slovenia.
Portoroz, Slovenia.
• AlienMelon
• Burger.si
• Heck
• Izklop
• si.blogs
• Sloblogi
• Blogorola
• Natalija Verboten
Demonstrating how to rip out a man’s heart and show it to him, at Blogres. [Photo by]
There are a lot of summaries of the big blogging conference floating around so I’ll just quickly throw in my thoughts. First, I felt a bit uneasy before my turn at the podium. I arrived at about 10:15 a.m., meaning that the first presentation had already begun. I didn’t want to barge in so I quietly sat and watched the in-house feed. What I saw was a very professional-looking powerpoint presentation. I’ve never made a powerpoint file in my life, so I started feeling a bit anxious about the thing I had brought along. But what really spooked me was the next speaker, who made a few offhanded jokes and was met with silence. As in total silence. Not even a polite “heh” or anything. It was clear that this wasn’t just a tough audience; it was a brutal audience. And I was next.
A few things helped me calm down before I walked in. First, the organizers were great — especially Lea, who was supremely patient with me. (I learned on Wednesday that the deadline to turn in your presentation was Wednesday. I had nothing ready and at the time still didn’t know how to use powerpoint. Thank God for caffeine.) Second, I bumped into Borut, who exudes this it’s-all-good vibe wherever he goes. That helped. And third, I noticed Mare checking in, said hello, and was flattered to hear that he had come to see me. (Thankfully he also wasn’t disappointed, although I absolutely agree that my ending should have had more punch. This is a recurring problem of mine. Not sure what to do about it.)
Overall, I was surprised at how well it went. And I was relieved that I wasn’t met with stony silence, because that would have been just plain awful. I don’t think any of the presentations will be available anywhere, but if they are I will post them here.
Afterwards, I had a chance to briefly meet and greet some good folks like had, Klemen (whose pictures of the event are here), hirkani, and others. I then stepped out for a ménage-à-trois (minus the ménage) with Pengovsky and Poulette. We sat and drank for hours and although we took an oath of secrecy about the contents of our conversation, I will say this: Poulette is as cool and classy as her blog makes you think she is, and Pengovsky is more knowledgeable than the Slovenian wikipedia. It was, in a word, awesome.
We returned to see some more presentations, both of them good: One by Baya and one by Lesjak’s replacement. And that was it. I missed nymphee, unfortunately, and I missed sunshine (we walked right past each other without a glimmer of recognition) and many others.
I wish I knew of a stronger way to end this post but I don’t.
Thanks to everyone who came and thanks to the organizers for having me!
Comments
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you certainly *were* confident enough with powerpoint so it didn’t seem like “the first time” at all.
to me, your presentation was very engaging. cheers 
I thought you were demonstrating how to, erm, approach Natalija Verboten in that picture.
Your presentation was great.
I’ve read at some people’s places that your presentation was their favorite. So you can relax now. 
Nymphee arrived quite late, but I was there the whole day. The problem was probably the kidnap that Pengovsky and Poulette performed.
Michael: the audio part of your presentation is to be found HERE.
Mea culpa maxima! It was kind of hard for me to remember that we basically don’t know each other… Same thing happened to me when ARF came to LJ and I forgot to introduce him to everyone else. Sooory!
But to anyone who might have missed Michael’s presentation: He’s just being modest. Yes, it was a tough audience, but he cut through that like a hot knife through butter.
Michael M: I don’t buy that “I-never-did-a-PowerPoint-presentation” stuff. I liked it a lot. It didn’t divert attention from your lecture, it just helped you get the point accross. And the “blur” effect at the beginnig was hillarious!
P.S.: I’ve got your entire lecture on video. Can I poste it on google video? Feel free to say no
The presentation was indeed great and very funny! There was absolutely no chance that anybody would be dissapointed!
pengovsky: That’d be great — go for it. I’m assuming you will also do the “Fight Club” thing and splice in some meat?
BeeBee: You’ve just given me a great idea for a photoshop.
Thanks to everyone for the love. I’m diggin’ it!
Well, audio alone is cool, therefore with video I’d like it even better.
Silent crowds -silent dessert + western hay-ball rolling around- are smtg I have been the witness of, and suffered myself in quite some occasions around here, so if you got them to smile be assured you did a great job.
desert, not dessert :S
I’d watch that powerpoint every day, one page in particular… What was it? Marja Novak?
It was great!
You had a great presentation .. it’s really interesting to listen to a non-native speaking about Slovenia … and our politicians .. ain’t that a shame ..
It looks like we have a Smug Alert: “Ljubljana once again is the smuggiest city in the country.” All the blogres self-satisfied garbage will fuel a “perfect storm” of self-satisfaction, where Ljubljana and possibly entire Slovenia will dissapear completely up its own asshole. Because, it seems this is just the beginning.
Ah, I just love South Park…
Damned!, I’m so sorry I couldn’t come.
Glad I didn’t come, even though I legitmately have Slovenian blood in me, albeit a trickle. Turns out one of my bakas was born just outside of Maribor.
Anyway, based on the most excellent pictures rendered and plastered by Mr. Klemen, one had to be:
1) Sleek
2) Svelte
3) Perpetually smiling
4) Photogenic.
to attend the conference. I would qualify on a fifth category, Hair Loss, but I would have bombed out on the first 4 qualifications.
Michael, the pictures of you are most enlightening, although I’m not sure why no one there was courteoous enough to point out that your shirt’s tab was sticking up, thus giving you a Dennis the Menace quality, which is quite similar to the “just-got-out-of-bed and here I am speechifying” look.
Did everyone there look so earnest? Including that guy with the t-shirt emblazonned with “Nemoj me Jebat”?
@DarkoV: I’ll take that as a compliment
You forgot to peg me as “breathtaking” but I’ll let it go. It was great hanging out with you guys, your japanese pleasure balls are just awesome.
Taking a good look at the photos I have realised I fulfill at least two criteria for visiting a bloggers’ congress:
- a T-shirt portraying my mentality sufficiently
- assets comparable to these
So, Pengovsky, you were there for political reasons only?
Khm, khm.
Erm.
Sunshine…
?!?!? Yes?
:oops: 
Alcessa, of course we don’t beleive you without pictorial evidence. Preferrable smeared with marinara sauce or something.
Crni: No can do. Don’t you see I’m busy blushing all over?
This is the first blog I have really looked at — it’s amazing. I will return…
@Sunshine, alcessa, crni: We are talking about hair, right?
And yes, my interesets were purely political… I was glad to see that Blogres is not just a spin-off of Zares
Then again, there was a personal agenda, but as Michael put it… We’re sworn to secrecy under the threat of Poulette strangling us with Japanese pleasure balls
Right, hair it was. To be honest: I wished mine was already that long. So pictorial evidence will follow as soon as it has grown enough to be shown.
If hair is an asset, than yes.
@ Pengovsky: No way! The string on Japanese pleasure balls is way to short.
Ufff … glad to see I’m not the baddest girl in town
What exactly are Japanese pleasure balls? A harakiri instrument?
I’m not sure I can post it here. It’s a peeeeep thing.
Darko: You should know that I’m a hopeless and irredeemable slob; probably the worst-dressed man in Slovenia. This made meeting Poulette particularly shameful, as I must be physically painful to behold for anyone even remotely fashionable. My “good clothes” are those without visible holes or marinara stains.
@alcessa
Thanks for posting the audio.
@pengovsky
…looking forward to the video!
@michael
Great job!!
On the contrary Michael, you were the epitome of casual chic (not to mention a chunk of a hunk). And considering you’re American, I would’ve been satisfied with anything short of a Birkenstock/cowboy boot.
@Crni: as for you sir: sorely missed, you were. Cowboy boots notwithstanding.
@Sunshine: Poulette does the secret Kil Lyou Withba Lls maneouvre, where a single ball can take out an entire male audience, so… nuff said
@camille: Will post tommorow.
Finally I’ve managed to find this blog. I wanted to say how much I liked your presentation though I have to admit I haven’t expected it to be so much interesting. Well, suprises are great.
Regards.
Hi Michael,
I’m Nico, the speaker who made the presentation just before you…I don’t think that the audience was so bad, it’s just that with all the technical problems I had during my presentation I wouldn’t be surprised that the people couldn’t hear my jokes because of the mic which was moving around
Your presentation was cool btw and I’m sad we didn’t have time to talk during the day cause I had a couple of questions for you.
Maybe next time! Take care!
Thanks to alcessa I could get a glimpse of Michael’s abviously cool presentetion. It’s just audio and I am already getting turned on…We wanna see the power point presentation as well!!!
Lovin’ it..really! Great work!
Ooooohhh, the power of teh Michael, he’s getting babes all turned on by the power of his voice.
Here’s a tip for you, Barabara - get one of those OhMiBod accessories and listen to Radio Slovenia International when he is the vajajay deejay.
I am a devoted listener of RSI for many years but I am not in any case a marriage-breaker. Besides there is still forbidden Natalija on his priority list so…
And I am sure that Michael knows I am completly harmless;)
But I still wanna see that PowerPoint presentation! Will it be possible to take a glimpse of that marvellous first time creation in near future?