here’s what I learned at BlogHer
I’m sitting in the hotel restaurant looking like a fool typing on my computer while I eat, but I feel like I need to get this down while I’m still here.
I had grand plans to live blog some of my sessions yesterday, one of which was on Information Overload. Yeah. Just being here is information overload. It’s awesome though, and I’ve met some amazing people. What a FOOL I was to think I’d have time for posting at all!
I laughed until my face hurt, and talked until my voice was hoarse.
I don’t know how to even start telling you about the people here. This conference, and BlogHer are not just about the sessions, it’s about us. Our community. Every session boils down to the same thing. Write well, find your community, have conversations. The rest will come. You want traffic? Do those three things. You want comments? Do those three things. You want more opportunity? Do those three things. Write well, find your community, and have conversations. Put yourself out there (does the word twitter ring a bell?) and the rest will come.
Okay. I’m done eating and will probably get dirty looks from the waitress soon. When I get home I’ll post my pics up on Flickr, and give some linky love to everyone whose business card I have in my pocket!
Updated: I only took a few decent photos, but I just posted them to Flickr. I really could kick myself for not taking more. D’oh. Luckily lots of other Bloghers took more than I! Check out the BlogHer flickr group.
Filed Under blogging, friends Tagged blogging, BlogHer, conference, flickr
one more day to blogher
Today is a much better day! No headache and a decent night’s sleep do wonders for the psyche.
I’m mostly ready for tomorrow. I have adorable (and comfy) new shoes, and a huge new laptop bag. Both on sale – so it wasn’t a huge splurge. I really really needed the laptop bag, the shoes – well you know, they’re shoes!
I’m also happy: 1. because I got my BlogHer ad code today – yay! and 2. because DH fixed the pictures on my blog!
Since I need to test uploading images, let’s show you my lovely new purchases!
See how cute?! The bag is pink inside! Uh. Don’t look at the table though. I swear those are watermarks, not fingerprints!
So what do you think is holding that bag upright? Why it’s the giant pink can of coffee I won in Mamaspohr’s contest in honor or Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
It’s like the Godzilla of coffee cans! Thank you Mamaspohr. 
I think that’s more than enough coffee to wake me up tomorrow morning. At least I only have a 45 minute drive, but I still have to be up WAY too early. I’ll try to post something from there during the day, hopefully some pics and maybe even liveblog one of the sessions for fun, but I can’t promise anything!
Well you know what I’m doing, and probably thoroughly sick of hearing about it, so tell me, what are you doing for the weekend?
headache bullets
Top causes of today’s headache:
- The never ending pile of work.
- The dirty dishes that spontaneously reproduce baby dirty dishes in the sink.
- The clean dishes in the dishwasher that need to be put away. Again.
- The boy’s constant craft projects, the cutting! the painting! the taping! all scattered about the room!
- The laundry.
- The packing for BlogHer Boston (!)
- The pictures on this my blog that are still not working. And I don’t have the first clue how to fix them.
- The meals I need to plan and make between now and when I leave on Saturday at 7am.
- The sinuses.
- The cat puke in the upstairs hall.
- The fact that I forgot to make coffee this morning. And now it’s too late if I want to sleep tonight.
- The lack of sleep. Went to bed early last night, but was wide awake at 3am.
- The eyestrain from my crappy glasses.
- The boy who never stops talking and/or singing.
Can someone stop over and take a look at my ears? I think there’s brain matter leaking out of them.
holiday $pending
I’m curious.
I know it seems early to ask this, but I’m really curious how everyone is planning to handle their holiday shopping this year. Especially compared to years past.
I made a decision that we’re cutting way back this year. We’ve never done really extravagant presents for anyone, even the boy, but all the little things really really add up. Part of the problem is that I end up getting a bunch of last minute things that I shouldn’t have. This year I’m planning better, budgeting better, shopping smarter, and frankly, shopping less. There will be no new camera, no new iphone, no Wii in sight. (We don’t really have video games around here, and I don’t mind keeping it that way.)
This is embarrassing to admit, but last year, I thought I did really well with my planning for presents for the boy. I found some Lego sets and action figures on clearance in September/October, hid them from him, and apparently from myself too, since I promptly forgot about them. No really, I forgot I bought them, and went and bought completely different things for him in November/December. When I found everything the week before Christmas I was pretty mad at myself. I had enough freaking toys for both Christmas and his birthday in March. Ridiculous.
That won’t be happening this year, that’s for sure.
So here’s what I want to know, how is the current economy affecting your plans for the holidays? Are you cutting back a little, a lot, not at all? Did you already cut back in recent years? If you are planning to spend less, what are your strategies, or tips for doing so?
Have you even thought about any of this yet? Am I too early to even ask the question?
I’m really very curious.
Filed Under shopping Tagged christmas, holidays, money, presents, shopping
so, it looks a little different around here
(Hey all you feed readers – you need to click on over today and see my shockingly different site design!)
Welcome to the new and improved Catnip and Coffee! I designed the header, but my dear husband did all the real work! I’m very luck to have a resident geek, and a cute geek at that. He’s been very good at putting up with my whining about nagging micromanaging of this process.
This look definitely feels more “me” to me! Black, white, red, and touch of pink – that’s definitely my style. I’m super happy to finally have my avatar incorporated into the design here. It just makes more sense.
There’s still some tweaking to do. Like the post titles aren’t quite right, and the photos aren’t working yet. I also lost my entire blogroll. The new blogroll will be in a separate page. If you were on it before, and are not yet, please feel free to remind me to put you back!
Also, the right column, which looks very bare right now, is going to have BlogHer ads soon! I’m very happy to be accepted in the the BlogHer ad network and can’t wait to get it going!
Anyway, I hope you like this as much as I do!
who cares about a title, it’s just bullets today
- TGIF!
- The boy has been out of school yesterday and today. There’s something wrong with the plumbing, and the older kid classes have taken over the pre-k and kindergarten rooms (where they have their own bathrooms) They can cancel pre-k and k because there aren’t requirements for how many days they have to attend school per year. It makes sense – by keeping grades 1-4 in session they don’t have to make up the days later – but still bites for me!
- With nothing better to do we headed out to the library this morning. I just got home to find the fly on my jeans unzipped. Yay for tunic length shirts! Dumb, dumb, dumbass.
- TGIF!!
- I have had this headache on and off for a couple of weeks. At first I thought it was a sinus thing, but now I’m beginning to suspect it’s my eye prescription. My eyes haven’t changed in about 5 years, but I’m due for an optometry visit. If it’s changed I’ll need both new glasses and new contacts. Dang $.
- It would probably help my eyes if I didn’t stare at a computer screen 18 hours a day, eh?
- More than just my headache would be better if I had less screen time, my dishes would be done, the laundry would be put away, the rugs vacuumed…heh. Oh well!
- Speaking of screen time, if you’ve seen me on twitter the last few days you’ll notice a change in my avatar. We’re turning twitter pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Let me know if you do it too!
- Thank you to everyone who commented on my business cards! I had them printed exactly as shown (they’re clearer in person, I swear!) at Fed Ex – $20 for 200 cards.
- And speaking of comments – I love you all for your moisturizer advice! Seriously. I bought the Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Moisturizer, as suggested. I couldn’t believe how many choices Aveeno had, and this one seemed like the best bet for me. This stuff is fantastic! Not greasy at all, and has the spf I needed.
- TGIF!!!
- Okay, dumb gardening question. What do you know about growing hot peppers? I have some Kung Pao mix growing – long and thin, and still very green. Frost is coming soon. If I pick them green will they continue to ripen and get red like a tomato does? If not, they’re still edible green, yes? I have A LOT of them (plants are in a big pot on the front porch) and I intend to freeze them. Do I do it whole or trim and seed them first? Can you tell I’ve never grown hot peppers before??
- Speaking of gardening, did I mention that I did not have to buy a single tomato all summer long?! We had tons of them just from the three pots (and almost none from the real garden, sigh) on the porch. I’m planting container gardens forever more.
- Good god, a work email just came in that I’ve been waiting on all week. Must go deal with it, and then?
- TGIF!!!!
Have a great weekend, mwah!