I once spent an entire night walking and talking with a man (whose name escapes me) through the streets of New Orleans. I was a conference planner at a web conference there and met him in the computer lab while we were both checking email. After a quick chat, we both decided that we needed to explore the city rather than our mail boxes and headed out. We had a great time walking through gift shops and checking out the tourist activities at the various bars. After a few hours of city exploring and walking around, like a perfect gentleman, he walked me to my hotel, bid me good night, and I never saw him again. While I was single then, this was not something I was used to. I would have never ventured out into the night with a man I had just met, no matter how frustrated I was with my email or how much I wanted to see New Orleans at night. He had a golden ticket though that made me instantly trust him. He was wearing the conference name tag. Having attended more than my share of conferences, I have noticed that this is quite common among people who meet at such events. I am always amazed at the atmosphere of trust and friendship that conferences provide for all their attendees.

There are three ways you meet people at the conferences: meeting up with old friends, meeting face to face with online friends and making new friends.

One of the best things about conferences is that you run into acquaintances and friends. I had a great time hanging out with Jen, Steve, Dave, Teresa, and Halley among so many other friends. I even ran into Jen, a friend of mine from college days, I had not seen for years.

The other best thing is that you get to meet online friends and personalities that you have admired from afar but never met face to face. It was a blast to finally meet Julie, DrumsNWhistles, Jory Des Jardin and Lisa Stone.

The bestest thing though is that you meet and befriend complete strangers. These are close contacts of the third kind in the true meaning of the word. While at times, these are short and sweet, you meet like two ships passing each other in the night, sometimes they initiate long lasting friendships that can change and better your life forever. I sat at the same table with Lisa Williams who told me that she had met a handful of friends at the last Blogher conference who have become life long friends. These are friends she told me that she could crash on their couch and who had asked her to baby sit for them. Friends, in other words, who trust each other with their lives. I really enjoyed meeting Deni Bonet at the conference and I am glad that she trusted us enough to get into our car along with Julie and we went out for dinner with some other attendees the last night of the conference. It was a blast.

I have a feeling we all go to conference not so much for the sessions but to meet and greet each other. Human beings are such social animals.