Time and Again

The funny thing about time is... well, it never stops.

See, in my head is till feel like I'm about 25. The mirror reminds me otherwise! And the calendar reminds me that 25 was 25 years ago. Ahem.

And sometimes, if the wind is just right and I'm lost in thought, I'm snuggling my babies while watching Little Bill, and get a big whiff of their sweaty little boy heads. It was just this morning, right?

Or a chill of fall comes through the air and I'm sitting in the stands of a Friday night football game paying little attention to the field, instead, I'm watching my girl dance and jump her way through another routine. A tear of pride blurs my vision....

Was it really 6 months ago that I updated you? That I began to share our 20th anniversary trip and then dropped out of sight? Sigh. So much time and so many memories, so many stories to share, yet where to start? What about you? What has been told in your story this year?

Since time marches on, I guess it's time to update the About page. Dust off the keyboard. Share my stories again and ask about yours. I've been craving your words, and my fingers have been aching to tell the tales.

Dazzle me with you. I'll try to do the same. Let me hold your hand, and you can hold mine and we'll get back to where we used to be... Young and in love with life and time.

10 Years

I guess I should have posted this a month ago, but, Happy Blogaversary to me!



I'm finding it pretty difficult to grasp that I've been doing this for 10 years. With the exception of my marriage, children, and breathing, I don't think I've ever committed to something this long.

Back in October 2007 my life looked much different than it does now. I had a kindergartener, a second grader and a senior in the house! Now were down to 4 in the house with less than a year until we're down to three. We were living in the same house but even that looks quite different than it did back then. New floors, kitchen, patio, carpet, master bath-if you've been here since the beginning, then you've seen it all!

I started this blog to join the community of women that I found online that seemed to have it all-a family, some had jobs, but most importantly they had a solid group of friends that they could go to every day to connect. I was a pretty lonely mom back then and these friends that I've made in this space? I'm not sure that I could have done these last 10 years without you. (In no particular order, of course,) Stephanie, Carmen, Jennifer, Shannon, Michelle, Liz, Melisa, Elizabeth, Greis, Jennifer, Tracey, Mary, Debby, Anna, Heather, Issa, Zakary, Mir, Connie, Loralee, Sugar, Kim, Dawn, Devra, Matthew, Josette, Dana, Becki, Michelle, Samantha, Sarah, Trina, Diana, Sue, Robin, Jenny, Deanna, Caryn, Diane, Shannon, Cathy, Mary, Kim, Vickie, Audrey, Jenness, Ashley, Melanie, Mike, Sarah, Kim, Britt, Neil, Christina, Shannan, Amy, Kate, Christina, Aimee, Linda, Jodi, Aviva, Margaret, Glennia, Jill, Stacey, Leslie, Jen, Jennifer, Laurie, Jean, Darryle, Jennifer, Elan, Yvonne, Dre, Lexie, Janis, Jenny, Megan, and so many more, you've all made an impact on my life and I'm so thankful! Who says that internet friends aren't for real???

So, here's to the next ten years of blogging, and the places that it will take us!

No Complaints

If you noticed, I did NaBloPoMo with no complaints this year. Usually I'm bitching and moaning by day 5. I guess after 7 years you get the hang of it?

Something I learned this year has mostly happened in my head. I have grand plans for blog posts, and major things to say, and yet?  Most of the month I wrote fluff. I'm sorry about that. First of all, I was, AM, afraid of saying something that is unpopular. I know that this is my space, but I like having friends. Second, I want to be an example of a 'good Christian' and I would hate to say something that would give someone more ammunition to point the finger at 'those Christians'. Especially because those posts composed in my head are not necessarily very nice. Ouch.

I guess what it boils sown to is that I feel like I've lost my voice. I really thought that I would find it by writing every day but that hasn't been the case. I feel more tongue-tied than ever. Even issues that should have been a slam-dunk, (red cups, anyone?), felt more like lead balloons. (Not that I've ever been one to write about the day's popular or controversial topics, but it's easy.)

Maybe it's the time of day that I have available to write. 10 pm after a long day on my feet isn't the best time to pump out a cute story about the kids, or scathing commentary on today's most popular Facebook story. But often this is my only time to write, (like tonight!) Editorial calendars have never been my strong suit.

One thing I did learn, though, is that I do love having this space. I no longer feel pressure to write often, but I love having the space ready for when I do want to write. I like it here. I'm not going anywhere!

NaBloPoMo 2015, Day 1 Why?

As I embark on this journey again I'm asking myself why. Why do I do this every year? Why am I doing it again? What do I gain from NaBloPoMo?

I have done it in the past to remember my voice in our community. I have been given a unique voice in this community. We all have. I may not be a social activist blogger, speaking up for injustices around me; nor am I a guru in some specialty; but I am a unique voice and my voice matters. Someone needs to hear what I write, whether they comment on it or not. Your voice matters too. Someone is out there waiting to hear your words about your life and they will identify with it. There is power in the "Me too!".

I participate every year as an exercise in dedication. My day to day life might be crazy and unpredictable but sticking to something for 30 days is doable. Some days we have more to say than others, but 30 days is doable. Short or long, it's applying myself to sit down and reflect on a topic, to share a piece of me with you. This year I will also drop Facebook. (I'm vowing to only check fb 1x/day and use that wasted time to devote to writing and other things that I need to be doing.) Changing or shifting priorities, even for a time, can be a highly effective self-teaching tool.

I'm doing it again this year because I have so many tales from this year that I have put off writing down. I have so many things that I want to share and rather than not saying anything at all, I'm committing to getting them off my chest. From my classes at church last winter and spring, to summer stories, and personal triumphs, I've been wanting to tell you so much but haven't. Why? Probably because I'm lazy, but for this month I'm committing to telling them. You'll probably get a few days of pictures too, but I'm committing to telling my stories from this year.

I always prove to myself that I get so much out of blogging. I regain my sense of community. I fine-tune my writing voice. I connect (or reconnect!,) with bloggers that I admire and love. My mind begins to work more creatively. Producing something of worth is something we as humans desire to do, and during November, for me, it's producing a body of work of writing out my thoughts, feelings, and sharing things that I otherwise might not share.

So why will you do it? Do you need to connect? Do you have a story that you are compelled to share? There are a million reasons to do it, but only one is needed. Yours. We'll be reading.

7 Years

I started this blog back in 2007. I've written many times about why I started it and why I continue-primarily because of the friendships that I've make over the years. Every friend I've made has taught me something. I think that is one of the best things about personal blogs- learning about someone's individual story. We're all the same in that we're human, we make mistakes, we learn, we love.

But YOUR story? That sweet one about how you met your husband? That one made me smile. The story about your toddler in the grocery store? I could really relate with that one. And OH.MY.GOSH. the post about your pet peeves? Spot on. Believe me when I say I cried with you when you wrote about your loss. My heart breaks with yours.

I have seven years. Many of you have lots and lots more. I guess I'm an adolescent in this blogging thing. I'm no longer looking to 'make something' out of this-that ship has sailed. My eyes are wide open and I realize that these friends of mine- You! You! and yes, you too- are the best reason for blogging ever.

Why I Continue Blogging... (part 2)

Nothing like starting a 2 part post and then dropping off the face of the earth. Sorry y'all. If you don't know what I'm talking about you can go and catch up by clicking here.

Connecting the dots to new friends with old connections. Yes, that's where I left off.

Every conference or event that I attend now I get to meet someone new. Sometimes that someone is a friend of a friend, sometimes just a stranger that I sit next to in a session. Occasionally you don't even have to be at an event to meet the people there.

"Huh? She's gone off the deep end with that one." I guess I'll have to explain.

My good friend Carmen was at an event in March and met the women there. During introductions, one of the other attendees mentioned that she lived in the same town as I do. Twitter intros ensued and a few weeks later I have a brand new blogging friend in my very own home town.

Meet Caryn of The Midlife Guru. Turns out that we have a few other mutual friends, were at the Blissdom conference at the same time last year, and have lots and lots in common. Who knew that a frozen yogurt meet-up would last for 1 1/2 hours with promises of other events and more yogurt?

This is what I love about blogging. Our blogs grow and change and bring us face to face with new friends that we would never have met otherwise. That's why I keep at it.

Why I started blogging... (part one)

My story, the one that is specific to me and when I started blogging is under my About tab. I stand by that, but here is the rest of the story....

The part that isn't there is the sense of belonging, the friendships and connections. Earlier in 2007 I had started reading blogs because of an article in a magazine. At the bottom of the page was a web address that changed my life. (And my free time, truth be told.) I visited that blog, and another and another, and I was hooked. Through the summer I started having a longing to join this community of moms that had an online life. But me? I was no writer. But that conference in Chicago? Man, I really wanted to go. 4 days away from my kids and household responsibilities sounded like heaven.

I started gingerly. My early blog posts are painful to read now. I hadn't found my voice, didn't yet know what to say, but I kept at it. And I kept it a secret. I was afraid of failing at making real friends online and having anything worthwhile to say. I didn't have a specialty, a passion, or a niche. But I kept at it. Reading and commenting with my silly blog name hoping to make some friends along the way.

Community is a funny thing. You start by standing on the fringes, smiling and interjecting to seem a part of the crowd, and little by little you're not on the fringes anymore. You're (read: I'm) certainly not in the center but there are so many around you that you can't see the fringes anymore. You've become a part of the group while you weren't even looking.

At my first BlogHer Conference in the summer of 2008, my goals were simple. Learn a little something, and meet (most of) the women that I read regularly. Looking back, I rocked those simple goals. The unexpected icing on the cake however, was that some of those women that I casually wanted to meet have now become some of my closest online and real life friends. It's crazy to think that I have known Carmen, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Michele, Gwendolyn, Casey, and Yvonne (among many, many others,) for seven years. As in life, I'm closer to some than others but seven years? Because I "wanted what they were having" and joined a circle of women writing about their lives online?

It's both simple and so, so complicated.

The making of the friends. That's what this life, online and off, is really all about, isn't it? After all these years that's what blogging was, and still is about. Connecting the dots to new friends with old connections.

To be continued.....

The Let-Down

There is something about big events that get the adrenaline rushing for days or weeks and then, just....

nothing.

I don't know whether it's an actual biologic response or just imagined, but somehow my body knew that I did.not have time to be sick for the month prior to the wedding. As you may have guessed, within 3 days after- BOOM! I came down with the crud. Chest-y, sinus-y, ache-y. Yep, I'm a mess. Thankfully I'm the only one that has it (so far,) and kudos to Headless Dad for helping out this week. Or, more specifically, not giving me crap about the things that are not getting done. Like grocery shopping or laundry or ironing. For some reason these people that live here like to eat and walk around not naked. Huh. Who knew.

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For the first time ever I forgot my blogaversary. On October 1st, I've officially been blogging for 6 years. For some people out there, that probably sounds like an eternity but I have friends that have been blogging for over 10 years so I still feel like a baby. Although, I'm not sure that my less-than-regular updates can qualify as blogging anymore. Nonetheless, I still feel as though I have something to say. Whether anyone reads it is an entirely different conversation....

*****

After I ditch this crappy feeling I'll be back with wedding posts. You're really going to want to see it. Unless we're friends on F@cebook then you probably already have. Eh, oh well. I'm trying to gear up for NaBloPoMo in November. I guess I really am a glutton for punishment. (Is that how the saying goes? I'm so hopped up on Mucinex to think straight.)

People of Blissdom '13

Every conference I go to I get the chance to meet many lovely people. Here is a list of a few of the people that I met this weekend: (in no particular order, like seriously. it's the order in which I grabbed your card out of my bag. Which means there might be a few that were misplaced. Sorry!)

Cris Goode/GoodenessGracious
The Homeschool Post
Heather Solsbery/Sprittibee
Zakary Watson/Raising Colorado
Michelle Albright-Peters/So Wonderful, So Marvelous
Claire Mola/ a little Claireification
Sherry Carr-Smith/PaperScissorsKeyboard
Julie Crisp/Eyes Full of Pretty
Emily Emmer/Extra Space Storage
Debbie Shadid/detailed with love
Allison Davis/Girl Returns Home
Anna Tovar/annatovar.etsy.com

And some old friends that I met for the first time:

Holly Homer/June Cleaver Nirvana
Kat/Sassy Irish Lassie
Allison McDonald/No Time for Flash Cards
Deanna/Domestic Chicky

And some of the regular folks that I enjoy seeing at every conference:

Carmen/Mom to the Screaming Masses
Shannon/100 Routes Across America
Michelle/Honest and Truly
Christina/A Mommy Story

And, of course, there are perhaps dozens of you that I spoke with, laughed with, or sat with in a session that I didn't get your card or can't for the life of me remember your name. It's not you, it's me. Forgive me and leave me a comment with your link?

Unsafe

It's funny how blogging is cyclical. Someone writes a post and you think "Wow! That's totally me!", so you write it too, then someone else does. A month or so will go by and the next cyclical topic pops up, and so on, and so on.

Stimey wrote a post today about having safe places. This particularly stuck out for me:

It has also made me think about what I consider to be safe—and how much I value those things. When I talk here about safety, I’m not referring so much to physical safety, but mental safety. Safe means a place I can be myself. Safe means a place where I can make a mistake and it’s okay. Safe means a place where I don’t have to be ON. Safe means a place where I don’t have to hide parts of myself. Safe is where there are no unexpected, unreasonable attacks—interpersonal, sensory, what have you.

*****

Earlier this month, I finally sent out Christmas cards. December was particularly emotional for me this year, we hadn't taken a picture yet, and I hadn't sent a letter since my daughter was still in high school over 4 years ago, so I knew that I needed to get it out. I had no choice but to be perfectly ok with the fact that it was late. I, for some reason, decided that this was the year to 'come out' to my entire Christmas card list that I had a blog. (I've been writing here for over 5 years and for some reason don't share that openly. Maybe that will become apparent in a few paragraphs.) (Hi! to those on my list that have never been here before! Hope you like what you see/read.) That is scary for me.

Unlike Stimey, this blog has never felt like a safe place for me. I've always worried 'what other people will think' or that I'll get attacked in the comments for something I've written. See also: Why I don't write about politics or religion.

The other side of that coin, of course, is that when I decide to branch out and say a little something, even slightly controversial or comment-provoking, it's like I've written my thoughts in a personal journal and no one but me even knows that it's there. No comments, no nothing. There's no predictable pattern.

*****

One reason that I don't say too many controversial things, besides the fact that I don't like conflict in general, is something that happened years ago when I was new to blogging and the blogging community.  It was 2008 and we were deep into election season. A friend wrote about a controversial subject that was big during that election cycle. I had a polar opposite opinion on the topic and left a very carefully crafted comment about how I saw her point but respectfully disagreed and gave a reason or two why. Shortly thereafter, a third blogger (that I had recently met and thought that we were beginning to be friends,) TOTALLY BLASTED ME in the comments for my views. I was totally shaken to the core.

Polite people don't do that? Right? Was I foolish to have commented on such a sensitive topic? Was I in the wrong? Had I mistakenly been mean or inflamatory? I sent an email to the author of the blog post apologizing (Seriously, I apologized for the other person's behavior. What?) for starting that 'discussion thread' in her comments and asked her to remove my comment. The author pretty much blew the whole thing off: maybe I should have too, but it has obviously stuck with me.

*****

I think that's why this place doesn't feel completely safe for me. Yes, I realize that it's pretty irrational for me to link that one incident, on someone else's blog, years ago, to this space and my friends here. You have all been supportive and helpful and not like that other blogger at all. But it's still linked in my mind, regardless of the evidence to the contrary.

Stories and Questions

We all have so many stories in our heads. Some of them true, some partially true, and some that burst out of our imaginations, itching to get onto the paper, (or screen.)

Where do your stories come from? Do you write them? Or, like me, do they swirl around in your head, gaining momentum but decorum keeps your fingers from doing the dance? Are they truly your stories or are they just your observations of someone else's story, one that would be quoted and linked beyond recognition as something of your own?

Passions fuel the words, panting in your ear from the inside until they scream, sated on the keyboard, and you heave a heavy sigh.
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SOPA Blackout

I know that I'm not a brainiac. Nor am I a coder. What I am is an internet writer that will be effected by the SOPA and PIPA internet bills that are before Congress and the Senate right now.

The way I understand them, these laws will make 99% of the users of the internet and producers of internet content into FELONS. While I don't condone piracy or stealing, these bills go way too far to protect a very few.

If you would like to understand it all better you can check out the following articles:

About the blackout, and a video that explains it better: SOPA Blackout Set For January 18
A detailed look at the SOPA bill on Mashable: Why SOPA is Dangerous

I know that this site isn't 'blacked out' but this is what I can do. For those of you so inclined, look for ways to contact your representatives and let your voice be heard. This stuff is scary, y'all.

Edited to add: Here is a link to a petition. I signed and so should you.
Edited again: A brilliantly funny and Not Safe for Children or probably Work explanation from The Oatmeal
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Last Night

Not as in yesterday, Tuesday, but as in HURRAY this is the last night of NaBloPoMo!

This is the 4th year that I've participated but the first that I've hated almost every minute. It was not a writing exercise this year but a chore. Believe me, you won't hear from me again for a few days. I've had no inspiration, no motivation. I'm sorry that you've had to read my drivel for the last 4 weeks. OK, who am I kidding. You didn't HAVE to do anything. So, most importantly Thank You for sticking around for my drivel. You are pretty.

One of the reasons that I've had such a hard time with it this year is that my laptop is the only computer in the house. In the evenings since football has been over the boys have taken to taking over. They watch YouTube videos all.damn.night. Video game commentaries mostly. (Don't get me started on the fact that we're on our 3rd XBOX and it now DOESN'T WORK. #microsoftcansuckit )So. By the time that I get my computer back so I can actually write it's after 9pm, sometimes later than that, and it's hard to pound out a post when your shows are on and you're trying to write something inspired. (I know.)

Another reason is that I'm having a hard time with blogging in general lately. The boys are getting older and many of their stories aren't mine to tell anymore. I know that's totally a cliche now, and I hope to find my way around it, but I can't help but to at least be more sensitive to them now. I'm also finding that there seems to be people that have a problem with 'normal kids.' Let me explain. There are brilliant bloggers out there that have beautiful and eloquent things to say about their kids that have challenges. (Think spectrum/health issues, and the like.) My kids are great and smart, and yes sometimes challenging, but all in very normal ways. Not big stories here.

I'll also add (to the problems with blogging in general) that I'm having a hard time knowing where I fit in these days. Is blogging a dying art? I feel like the blogging that I knew when I started is dying, and the blogging that people refer to now is totally different. With the exception of my close friends, I don't see much community anymore. Well, it's shrinking anyway. Which makes me incredibly sad because this community has propped me up, given me purpose, and made me laugh more than any other in my adult life. I don't want to lose this but I'm not sure that I want it in the form that is emerging, either.

No answers, just more questions. But still, thank goodness NaBloPoMo is over.

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NaBloPoMo Topics

A couple of days ago I put it out on Twitter that I needed some topics for NaBloPoMo because I was out of ideas. (Yes, I know it's only day 9. Shut up.) Thankfully a couple of you responded so I was able to get a post up that night. I'll keep using them but I thought I'd share the bounty.

@Stimey's Topics: Cats. Your favorite TV show. Five things about you. The color orange. Silly kids. Writers block. Stimey blogs at Stimeyland.

@AdoTheMamalog's Topics:  Your first pet death. Where you are writing from now. Your thoughts on Pluto. How you feel about Dippin' Dots going bankrupt. Ado blogs at Mamalog.

*****

Doing the single-parent thing for a couple of days, so I'm beat. See ya tomorrow!
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Trying-SOC for NaBloPoMo

I'm trying to get 'into' blogging again. I just haven't been inspired lately despite bloggable material. Sometimes participating in NaBloPoMo helps. It certainly forces me to just sit down and write, that's for sure. Anyway, if you're interested, BlogHer is hosting it now. Anyone, even men!, can sign up using this form. Let me know if you're going to try it!

The living room is just about done. I'll post a pic later this week. Such a difference!

Mommy guilt is heavy, y'all. Did you know that I hate Halloween? With a passion. I will, however, tell you the story of this year because I totally bit it on this one, yet, it somehow turned out ok. Still with the guilt, though.

Despite doing NaBloPoMo I am going to try to stay off of the computer this month. Less Facebook, less other crap. I've honestly NOT been entertained by it all recently, and isn't that why we started all of this in the first place? Maybe I'll get reacquainted with my oven, vacuum, dust rag, iron.....

We got to go to Mammoth this weekend with friends and had a blast. No, we really had a BLAST. All 6 kids got along great, the adults got to have some adult time, including wine and conversation!, the scenery was beautiful. Made me long for the mountains, but all in all it was a fabulous trip. Uh, I totally forgot to take out the camera, so no, there are no pictures. Sorry.

Hey, do me a favor? Let me know in the comments what you want to hear about this month. Ask me a question. Pinky swear I'll get to all of them before the month is up!
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People of BlogHer '11

I've been doing this for a few years now... the following is a list of the people that I met (and exchanged cards with) at BlogHer in San Diego last week. It is by no means exhaustive. There are many people that I spent time with and didn't exchange cards with. Please also check out my lists from 09 and 10 for links to other great blogs and their writers that I've met in past years. If I forgot you here please leave a comment with a link to your blog so we can visit!

Kim from Mommy Knows

Kay from Buck$ome Boomer

Rhea from OhRheally

Kathleen from Life with Boys

Holly from CultureMom

Michelle from Honest and Truly

Melisa from Suburban Scrawl

Lynn at Walking With Scissors

Laura from Adventures in Juggling

Heather from Domestic Extraordinaire

Gwendomama

Lua from Miss Lulu Blogs

Megan from Sunshine Wonderland

Jean from Gluten Free Doctor

Careless Camper (Not what it sounds like!)

Brie from Capital Mom

Just One Miss

Kim from Crazy in Alabama

Karoli from Drums and Whistles

Renee from But Why Mommy

Aimee from Greeblemonkey

A special shout out to my roommates and suitemates: Liz, Christina, Shannon, Elizabeth and Jenn. And, of course, my BlogHer wouldn't have been complete without Carmen. I love you ladies more than you know. Now, can we go meet by the pool now?

BlogHer '11-The Essentials

This year will be my fourth BlogHer Conference. I've learned a few things and I'm happy to share!

The Basics:

• Make plans to meet your roommate/best blogging pals before you go in to the ballroom/breakfast area on the first day. It will be jam packed and with 3,000+ attendees you'll never find anyone. Meet first and go in together.
• Alternately, it's totally ok if you go in alone. There will be plenty of other people that are sitting alone or looking for someone to sit with. Introduce yourself, give your elevator pitch, then ask questions. This is a networking conference. Use it. (Honestly. I follow some awesome bloggers that I never would have found if it hadn't been for the previous 3 conferences.)
• If there is someone that you really MUST meet, connect through email or Twitter before you go and make plans to meet. Concrete plans. I have missed the same person all 3 years. No Lie. (I'm looking at you, Pauline.) Don't let this happen to you!
• Take your business cards and exchange them with people. For the love of God, please make sure you give one to me. I cannot remember everyone I meet. I iz getting old. Giving me your card guarantees a blog visit from me in August and a mention on my People of BlogHer post.
• Look over the session schedule before you go. (I've only made this mistake once.) You should have an idea of what you'd like to learn about before you get there. You can, of course, change your mind, but having a basic idea is helpful. Believe me, your head will be swimming with information and knowing a little ahead of time will ease the crazy.
• Don't sit in a session that you're hating. It is NOT considered rude to get up and leave. Since sessions are not repeated you should change sessions if there is another going on at the same time that you're interested in. You paid for your ticket; get the most out of it.
• Take notes. I can't type fast enough to keep up with all of the speakers so I make sure I have an notebook with me. It helps. A lot. It also keeps me focused on the speakers because if I have my computer open I'll often check Twitter or Facebook instead and miss something funny or important.
• Conversely, if there is not a session that you're interested in during a time slot, don't feel obligated to go. Use your time to 'recharge' yourself and your gadgets in your room, chat with friends, get a coffee or glass of wine, visit the Expo Hall, or get outside. The weather in San Diego is beautiful and I'm certain it will be cooler than where you live. Enjoy the sea breeze and fresh air!

What to pack:

• Casual outfits for daytime: capris and tops, or casual dresses are perfect. Like everyone says, be comfortable. 
• Evening changes are optional but can be totally fun. I mean, who has regular occasion to wear these?
  

  

  Sarah's Awesome Skull Heels, BH'10 (Goon Squad Sarah)
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Wear what makes you feel good and confident-whether it's dressy, business-like or casual. There will be plenty of people in all of it, so wear what makes YOU happy. The rest of us honestly don't care. 
• Related: Every year I have packed an outfit for every day and one for every night. I end up only wearing what I put on in the morning because I'd rather visit with people and continue having fun than take the time to go upstairs and change. Lesson: one extra outfit is fine, more than that is TOO MUCH.
• Make sure to pack an extra bag. No, really. You'll get plenty of shopping bags, swag, etc., but what you WON'T get is an extra suitcase to pack it all in. It is cheaper to pay your airline for an extra bag than paying to have it shipped home. Hit the mall, (or ask your friends,) and find a duffel bag that is sturdy enough to check. Pack it flat on the way there, then you can stuff it full of all of the fun stuff that you'll get at the conference!

Things I've found you DON'T need to pack:

• notebook 
• pens/pencils
• water bottle (Often there more than one sponsor company that are handing them out, plus there are refill stations.)
• attitude

Let me know if you're going to San Diego. The best part of the conference is meeting everyone that usually lives in my computer!

A sampling of my previous BlogHer Conference posts:

Why I'm Going to BlogHer (08)
Getting to Know Me, BlogHer 09
(Add Witty Title Here) (10)
People of BlogHer: 2009, 2010

Ten a Day

While bemoaning the lack of community around the blogosphere lately, Adam and Karen decided to make a THING this week. Call it an experiment if you want. I call it 'Old School'.  Blogging as it used to be. We read. We commented. We followed links when someone said something that resonated, be it funny, or touching, or asshatery; we trailed around the internet reading REAL stories, from REAL people, about REAL LIVES. Before we were all "Brands," we were people.

Let's get back to that, shall we?

And if you follow my friend Busy Mom on Twitter, you know that she and a bunch of others were talking about this on Saturday night, so I know that it's not just a few of us that are missing the old blogging. It's a lot of people, across a lot of genres. Even Gwen Bell is talking about how blogging has changed.

So, will you take the challenge?

Adam made the badge.

I'm going to do this. If I only get to read ten posts a day but comment on all of them I will do it. Can you only read and comment on 3? OK then, do it. No judgement. The point is to really read and interact like we all did before Twitter and Facebook diluted our conversations over so many platforms that we just couldn't hear, or BE HEARD over all of the noise anymore.

I'm in. Are you?

UPDATED: I'll also try to respond to the comments in the comments, at least for today, since this seems to be a conversation. LOVE IT!!!

You too?

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Don't Rush Me, Mom!

I love the new comment spam feature on Blogger. I never have to worry about stuff slipping through the cracks and I don't have to rush to get things deleted. I don't get too many spam comments, but this one totally takes the cake. Honesty, FTW!

It's so hard to get backlinks these days, honestly i need a backlink by comments on your blog / forums or guestbook to make my website appear in search engine. I am getting desperate Now! I know you'll laugh while reading this comment !!! Here is my website (website redacted) I know my comments do not relate to the topic, but PLEASE HELP ME!! APPROVING MY COMMENT!
Regards: (Honest Spam Dude)

You know that he's a 55 year old, living with his mother, hanging out in the basement in his underwear. I can hear it now: "Mom! I'm trying to work down here! I'll get you your foot bath when I'm done!"