Daily Dose

My personal highlights from BlogHer 08

13 Comments / Daily Dose, Women, Work /

In the order in which they pop into my head, which means pretty much nothing, these are the moments that stand out as highlights from my attendance of BlogHer 08….

1) Seeing Whymommy in the elevator. I didn’t really see her anywhere else, just there. And it was so damn good to see her there. It’s hard to explain, it’s just how I felt.

2) Having the opportunity to declare my love and respect for Shannon at rocks in my dryer in person.

3) Being at the right place at the right time to help a friend who was struggling. I just wish I’d had some kleenex for her.

4) “Crashing” the midlifebloggers ROYO and talking to the midlifers in person, rather than on the forums or in comments. Hi Byjane!

5) The women without children panel. I loved it. Really loved it. In some weird irrational way that makes sense only to the people who know me really really well – like TW and my kids.

6) Screaming in the lobby of the St Francis (and I do mean screaming) “Big Yellow Houseeeeee”. and making Chris Jordan blush and cringe at the same time. Awesome.

7) Kissing Badger! hahahaha and every other woman at the conference, at least it seems that way.

8) Listening to TW gush about Kaboodle.

9) Kristy Sammis. I can’t really pinpoint one thing about her. It’s everything about her. Even when something is going terribly wrong or on the verge of going terribly wrong – she’s calm, cool, collected and fixes it all. Or when she’s not calm, cool and collected – she’s funny as hell. Oh wait, she’s funny as hell all of the time. I cannot imagine what BlogHerCon would be without Kirsty. I don’t want to think about it. Nightmare. Actually, I don’t want to think about a world without Kristy, so let’s move on, ‘k?

10) Passing out vibrators (thank you Maria and good vibes.)

11) Watching Macy’s employees cringe with a smile every time a wine glass hit the floor in the handbag department.

12) The community keynote.

13) Watching the expressions on faces the first time they were exposed to The Bloggess.

14) Dodging the roombas in the cafe.

15) Being able to thank people for a lot of things, in person. Being able to answer a lot of questions, from a lot of people, in person. I’m quick with email and my customer service is pretty damn good but being able to touch bases in person with someone I’ve helped in email is really nice.

I could actually go on and on and before long have highlighted the entire darn conference… these are just a few of the small things and a few of the big things that will stick with me.

My personal highlights from BlogHer 08 Read More »

A clarification – for umm – nobody?

Daily Dose, Day to Day /

So my use of the word nobody was apparently troubling to y’all nobodies. I get it, my snarky (with a smile) comment down there notwithstanding.

The point I was trying to make was not about readership. (I actually talked quite a bit at the conference about how I’m happy with the 50 people who do read this blog.) I was talking about my personal justification for not being serious about blogging and not making a commitment to blogging.

You know that anything I commit to doing, I will do even if it means not sleeping or not eating or not doing anything else that’s not important. So where was that “nobody’s reading anyway” justification coming from? It was coming from me – the woman who doesn’t justify – the woman who doesn’t really do guilt – the woman who meets her deadlines every single time.

Except when it comes to being serious about blogging (and again, I’m not talking about HERE – I’m talking about BlogHer blogging.) Why did I let that go? Because I have contracted great writers? Because nobody’s reading and looking for serious posts from me there? (or here – y’all are nice and you take what you get here and you often get squat.) Because why?

Who the hell knows. I was just saying that hearing Y read her post, that was spurred in part from my post which was spurred from reading a really interesting book caused me to re-think the lack of commitment and to wonder WTF I’m doing.

That’s it. It isn’t about finding my current readership lacking. It isn’t any lack of confidence in myself, good grief I do not suffer from lack of self esteem (can you imagine?) It’s about me asking myself questions. Period.

Will I recommit to writing posts regularly on BlogHer.com? Who knows. Will I blog more real stuff here? Who knows. The keynote got me to stop and think about it and that’s where I’m at. If I get beyond that, I’ll let ya know.

Until then, it was just me telling you what I walked away from BlogHerCon 08 with.

OK back to work.

A clarification – for umm – nobody? Read More »

The biggest lesson learned from BlogHer ’08

10 Comments / Books in Bed, Daily Dose, Health and Wellness, Non-Fiction, Women, Women, Work /

I’m not sure it’s really a lesson learned, more like a very big reminder of something I already knew. A very big reminder of something I already knew and should be doing but probably won’t.

I should blog more often.

That’s it. That’s the big lesson. The big reminder. It’s not anything new, I say it all of the time. I need more time to blog. I don’t have time to blog. I missed my own damn deadline (no CEs are reading this, right?)

I’m not blogging much and while I miss it, I don’t really spend a lot of time thinking about it or trying to juggle my schedule or my energy so I can do it. It’s not a big deal, nobody is reading my blog anymore anyway. And, I keep contracting great writers on BlogHer so I’m not missed there either.

Except, that damn community keynote on Friday reminded me that I actually have been known to write posts that are important.

When we were reading the zillion entries for the community keynote and I saw Y’s post about body image was one of the submissions, I cringed. I cringed because I knew I’d get all weepy if I read it again. I had a hard time writing my post about Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. I had a hard time reading Y’s post when she published it and I was right, I had a horrible time reading it again during the selection process. And then listening to her read that post…during the keynote… ack.

That damn keynote.

Emotional subject matter with a little something else thrown in – the reminder that I really should blog more often because I do occasionally write stuff that other people appreciate reading.

The biggest lesson learned from BlogHer ’08 Read More »

My boss, Lisa Stone, is the BEST

10 Comments / Daily Dose /

I’ve had some great bosses and some not so great bosses but none of them compare to Lisa – freaking – Stone. Seriously. I could tell you a million reasons why she is the best woman to work for, and with, but this photo says it all…

cops

See, I have this hot cop fantasy… and Lisa Stone went out of her way to get pulled over, in front of the BlogHer 08 conference hotel…. all to try and help fulfill my fantasy.

Lisa Freaking Stone… indeed.














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Life is a Circle Game

3 Comments / Daily Dose /

It seems as though a few of you heard the news about the strategic partnership between NBCU and BlogHer and a few of you are wondering how I, in particular, feel about this strategic partnership.

Rather than answer a bunch of emails or IMs, I’ll just go public with my feelings…

Awesome. Win, win, win. I’m thrilled. Could not be happier. Seriously.

What? Don’t look at me that way, I’m serious. This is a fantastic opportunity for women bloggers to get the exposure they deserve. It’s also a great opportunity for the iVillage (and Bravo and Oxygen) communities to gain some incredible content. Seriously. Win. Win.

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BlogHer 08 or is it BlogHerCon 08?

1 Comment / Daily Dose, Work /

For me, it’s BlogHerCon 08 because I like to differentiate between the site and the conference and the ad network. They’re three pieces of a really nice puzzle (with more pieces coming…), but what I’m really blogging about is what I’ll be doing at the conference. Because people keep asking me. And I keep saying I have no idea.

It’s true. I don’t. I’ll be honest and say that I’m not really sure what the sessions ARE this year. I know some speakers because I’ve seen them float through the admin panel or I read their blogs or their tweets. But I don’t know exactly what their panels are. I just haven’t had the time to obsess over the schedule the way I usually do.

Until this moment, the only things I know for sure that I’ll be doing are these:

Thursday pre-conference, the CE/Speaker cocktail party and the newbie mixer.
Saturday at 3:15, I host the Queer BOF.
Saturday at 4:00, I’ll attend the Chicago Bloggers Room of Your Own.

And that’s it. I suspect you will find me “hiding” in the Cafe/Book Sale room quite a bit. It’s not really hiding because there will be people there but it’s not organized attendance – and I feel a distinct need to avoid organized attendance because I’m feeling incredibly unorganized. Moving across the country will do that to you. Changing your life this way will do that to you.

But, then again, after last year’s BlogHerCon I felt like I had missed so much because I spent so much time in the Cafe/Book Sale room and I vowed to NOT miss so many panels next time. So, I’m looking at the schedule while I’m typing this post and I’m choosing panels. I’m not going to “force” myself to attend them all. I’m going to give myself permission to skip out if I feel the need to just chill or if I find someone I want to just hang out with or if I bump into a CE who wants to talk.

Here goes – for those who want to know where to find me, this is what I think I’ll be attending:

Friday:

Is Mommyblogging still a radical act?
Race & Gender (but I may duck out and attend a ROYO with the Mid-Life bloggers.
Progressives & Conservatives (but I may duck out and sneak into the Mirrors session.

Saturday:

Women without children. (ducking out at 11:30 for the Obama/McCain ROYO.)
BOF with BlogHims
Queer BOF and Chicago ROYO (Really wish I could attend taking back naked blogging, though.)

There you have it…. track me down in those places and if you don’t find me there, check the Cafe.

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Some thoughts on life up here…

8 Comments / Daily Dose, Family Funk /

While you wait for me to get my act together and blog the actual “move”, here are some things that we’ve done or thought about since we have been here.

1) We went to Corner Bakery, which was nice since I have enjoyed it several times when it was in Colony North (Atlanta) and was disappointed in its absence the last couple of times I was there. It’s pretty close to our house and in the same shopping center with my beloved Wachovia.

2) We found a Sweet Tomatoes also very close to our house and who knew they had Sunday brunch? RJ in particular is fond of Sweet Tomatoes and we thought the closest one to us was in Schaumburg. RJ will be pleased.

3) Baja Fresh was a nice Mexican chain. No idea where that is, maybe Deerpark? We were roaming the countryside when we found it. But, it’s a chain so I’m sure we’ll find others.

4) Sweet Dreams just down the road from us had great organic sandwiches and desserts. The potato salad was good too. And so was the coffee. Nice little cafe.

5) In the Corner Bakery, a child was incredibly excited because there was air conditioning. That was crazy. What kid gets excited about an air conditioned restaurant? That does not bode well…

6) Except, it’s July 11 and we turned off the A/C last night because we were freezing our asses off. It’s been off all day long and we are still freezing our asses off. This does not bode well…

7) The dog does not like to go outside in back, where the swingset is. He doesn’t love to go out front either except he can chase rabbits. And since when do rabbits roam housing areas in the middle of the darn day? This is not the countryside – wtf?

8) The raccoons on the other hand stick to roaming our fence at 5am. That seems smarter to me.

9) The Great Lakes Naval Base is closer than I originally thought and I was freaking thrilled to get my ID card in less than 5 minutes (and my car sticker, too.) Those folks are much quicker and nicer than the people at the Charleston Air Force Base pass & id. I was even more thrilled to fill up my gas tank for 30 cents less a gallon. I do believe I’ll be visiting the Naval Base every couple of weeks for groceries and gas. It’s totally worth it to drive 18 miles to save that much money. Also, the base is pretty. I didn’t expect that. (Someone remind me to call my father and talk to him about it – since my mother has some pregnancy amnesia and doesn’t remember anything about living there – or giving birth to my baby brother there.)

10) The Target around the corner is possibly the worst Target I’ve ever seen – sort of dirty and dingy and understocked. Weird, it felt like a Kmart.

11) If Waukegan Rd goes everywhere I’ve needed to go, why does mapquest keep sending me down Willow/Sunset Ridge/Skokie/Eden’s Expressway? Why can’t I drive down Waukegan and be there? What are they hiding on that end of Waukegan? Stay tuned, I’ll let you know because I’m driving down there… soon.

12) It’s harder than hell to find some place that boards birds! Who knew. Thank goodness Jane at what used to be Tanglewood Kennel and is now something else that I can’t remember is going to bird sit for us. I haven’t actually met Jane yet but I think I love her. What a nice woman. Seriously.

13) The Toyota dealer on Skokie (blvd? rd? something or other – off of Sunset Ridge) is the oddest Toyota dealer I’ve ever been to – and the nice sales guy said it takes them 8 months to get a Prius – so if y’all want one, you should order now (and pray.)

And… I think that’s all I’ve got for you, for now. This weekend – Friends of the Library book sale and a quick visit to the Farmer’s Market, maybe?

Some thoughts on life up here… Read More »

Moving… sucks

6 Comments / Daily Dose, Family Funk, Friends & Family, Travel Log /

Real quick post – we’re halfway there or almost halfway there. We did the first 900 miles today, after a very rough pack out Thursday and a very rough clean up on Friday (yes there were injuries.) We’ll do the other 950 miles tomorrow and unload the truck on Monday.

We’re all fine, but tired and sad and pretty grouchy but we haven’t killed either animal or each other and haven’t even been tempted to do so. I call that a win.

Details will come – eventually. We leave for the bay area on the 13th so don’t give up on me if I don’t blog it all quickly. BlogHerCon will obviously take priority.

Anyone out there live in Manchester Tennessee? When did y’all get civilized? There’s even a Starbucks. Who knew?

Oh… quick update on my mileage – first tank, only 47.2 (mostly stop/start traffic with only the last 20 miles done at a level speed.) Second tank, 52.7 – all freeway but following a uHaul that didn’t maintain its speed very well (aversion to lane changing and a hell of a lot of traffic.) Third tank, 55.1 (mountains but not as much traffic so more steady speed highway driving.) I’ll call my dad early next week and get his mileage update. heh.

Moving… sucks Read More »

House full of big kids

5 Comments / Daily Dose, Family Funk, Friends & Family, Kid Talk /

Today we had a lot of big kids here. It’s been awhile since that happened.

Chris was here and then Charles and Sarah showed up. And, Sarah brought the baby (who we haven’t seen in a year and she is walking and talking and a-freaking-dorable.) Michelle arrived, too. Liz was also here.

The house was loud and busy. There was a lot of laughing and a little bit of crying (when Michelle had to say goodbye to Liz and then when I had to watch her cry afterwards.)

They all left, to go to work or school or somewhere and that quiet was disquieting.

Charles is back here, working on the upstairs bedrooms. Chris will be back here in a bit to help him.

I’m going to miss these big kids a lot – and not just because they do things like buff the floor and carry heavy boxes so I don’t F*** up my arm some more. I’m going to miss them because they’re funny and they’re fun.

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Dueling Hybrids?

5 Comments / Daily Dose, Day to Day, Family Funk, Friends & Family, Money Talks /

My dad called today and after he finished thinking TW was me, we chatted about his home improvement projects and about our move and as we were about to hang up because we had nothing more to say, I remembered…. “Hey! I bought a car!” he asked what I bought and laughed. I told him the Metallic Grey Prius and he laughed again. I asked why he was laughing… because he too bought a car. Also a Hybrid. Also “grey”. But he bought the Honda and just picked it up on Monday.

We chatted a bit about our choices and I of course had more to say because I have actually driven both the hybrid Prius and the hybrid Honda – he hasn’t actually driven the Prius and only test drove the Honda once before he ordered.

Anyway… being who we are… we’re tracking our mileage so we can compare every week. Which hybrid will win?

Mine, I’m sure.

Dueling Hybrids? Read More »