Netroots Nation #1 - "My Roots Aren't Net"

The next few days I will be blogging from the Netroots Nation Conference in Austin, Texas.

I've always considered myself more of a writer than a blogger, but I am thrilled to be on this journey. I guess you could call me a 'blogger-in-training.' So here I am at a conference put on by the Daily Kos people. A convention for 'progressive' activists.

A few hours before I got on the plane yesterday I realized I wasn't quite sure about the definition of a 'progressive' (versus liberal or radical). Fortunately, one of my politically aware friends called and offered this definition: "Liberals and progressives talk the same, but progresives act on their words." As an example, he said both groups espouse the value of public school, however a liberal was more likely to send his or her child to a private school.

This sounds more like a hypocrite to me, and I know we have those in all political areas. So I will continue my quest for the definition of a progressive versus a liberal.

My own political persuasion? I'm probably more of a moderate Democrat, and dare I say I am conservative on some issues?

So...I'm anxious to see how I am going to fit in with these progressive bloggers.

Let me back up and say I am here because of a scholarship I won from Democracy for America and I am thankful to all the 'progressives' who brought me and 29 others to this convention.

Will I fit in? I am a 52-year-old African-American, Christian, suburban mom. The image I have of bloggers is : young, geeky, white males. It occurs to be that my 18 year-old son would fit in here better that I.

I know the Netroots people are making an effort to make the conference more diverse....hence the scholarships.

Will I fit in? Will there be anyone like me who represents a community that is more concerned with buying gas and food than the FISA bill vote?

I'm headed downstairs to register....Stay tuned....