I'm going to be 50 in January. I'm kind of lumpy in places (in a lot of places). My knees are starting to give out. I have selective hearing. I just started texting and I don't use hair gel. I would be less than honest if I didn't say that some of these Christian type conferences annoy me and seem a bit "too hip for the room". The last Christianese conference I went to was Promise Keepers just before it ran out of steam. Yes, even PK became lame.
Through the Twitternet I see numerous extremely hip conferences being chatted up and about. These conferences even produce hip #hashtags such as #StarBucksInTheLobby10 or #GoateesUnderTheTent2010 or #ItsReallyWineAndNotJuice. Okay, maybe I'm smoking crack but wouldn't it be interesting and maybe entertaining if there was an UnChristian Conference for those of us who are mildly or extremely unhip? A conference so unhip that it didn't have sessions. A conference so unhip that the official hotel was the Holiday Inn. A conference where the unofficial coffee was Folgers and not Starbucks. A conference where hair gel and scarves were discouraged. A conference where looking like you stepped out of a HillSong music video was not mandatory.
Okay, now I'm serious. I was talking to my blogging/social media chum Sarah Salter on the phone this evening (she is now very sorry that I have linked her name to this blog and especially this post) and shared this idea. Seriously, I would like to help organize the very first So Far From Hip That It Hurts conference. It will happen sometime in 2011. It should be held somewhere in the middle of these United States so that both the left and right side of the country can participate. Speaking of left and right, everyone is invited. Not just nutty Christians. Agnostics, Atheists, Straight, Gay, Theists, Liberals, Conservatives, Tea Party Peeps, Sinners, Saints, Black, Brown, Yellow, White and more are warmly welcomed (if I forgot a label, I'm sorry).
I have met so many terrific folks through blogging and social media I can't count them all on my 23 toes and fingers. I want to take this online thing offline. I'd like to meet as many of you as possible in person. Everyone who comes gets a free hug from me but don't let that discourage you from coming.
Wouldn't it be great to spend an entire weekend with me in the same hotel? In separate rooms of course.
I'm serious doggone it. Let's make this happen. The first annual So Far From Hip It Hurts conference coming to a Holiday Inn somewhere sometime in 2011.
Now it's up to you. Thoughts? What do you think? Crazy? Would ya? Could ya?
Yes, let's do it! I'm right there with you... Did I spark a blog idea yesterday??
ReplyDeleteAnd do it in Tulsa so I don't have to travel. :) That middle-of-the-country enough for ya?
ReplyDeleteDude, you know if I can come up with the plane fare, I'm there. I'll bring butter cake (which I'm somewhat famous for in my circle of people) and goldfish crackers and Reese's Pieces to share with everybody. And if anybody's asking, June is notoriously BAD for me. I work 80 hour weeks the entire month. And yes, it's okay that you took my name in vain. :)
ReplyDeleteBro....I'm so in...I think the hashtag from earlier is clutch.
ReplyDeleteI'm there, if for nothing else a hug from you.
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a continental breakfast in the AM and for dinner we could go to Waffle House.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I think that would be the most awesome idea ever.
I wonder if my wife would let me go? <~~ does whipped count as unhip?
ReplyDeleteHmmm, it sounds great in theory, but if you were to pull it off wouldn't that suddenly make it hip? I mean once you get a critical mass of participants, more people would want to go and then suddenly it would be the place to be.
ReplyDeleteI think if you really want to make it unhip, skip the hotel and sleep outside. Give the money saved to help homeless people. But it couldn't be in some scenic rural place because then it could become a Christian Woodstock which would be hip. So, some place that's a real dump like East St. Louis.
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ReplyDeleteI'm in. You should have it here in Detroit. The old train station is still empty and hasn't collapsed yet. Well, not completely.
ReplyDeleteHa! Do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so in, even in spite of this: "Everyone who comes gets a free hug from me but don't let that discourage you from coming."
ReplyDeleteRuns away for a moment then decides to just suck it up.
I would love to come! I don't own any scarves except for one to wear outside when it's cold and I have no need for hair gel. If I can make it happen, I will be there. Keep us posted. Thanks Mike.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea Mike!
ReplyDeleteI am even willing to host it (that way I know that I will be able to attend). ;)
This might be interesting.
ReplyDeleteOkay, why am I the only female here? Where are Katdish, Helen, Marni & the rest of the chicks?
ReplyDeleteSounds great! I recommend Little Rock as a great venue... just stay away from March/April. :) By the time you please everyone's schedule we'll end up doing it online. The conference, you know.
ReplyDelete#ilovetheidea Let me know the details.
ReplyDeleteCome to St. Louis!!! We don't know the first thing about being hip! I do have to admit that I own and wear several scarves and two pairs of TOMS shoes but NO SKINNY JEANS!!
ReplyDelete