I literally cannot believe the blogosphere (in particular, the momosphere) is still buzzing about this whole Sweetney/Mrs. Fussypants thing. I mean… STILL? Has it been a slow news week or something? Are we all bunged up because BlogHer is looming and we need to have some sort of drama in place BEFORE the conference this year (we’re total overachievers if that’s the case)? Yes, I may or may not have alluded to this in my “compassion” post, but I want to make it clear that that post was inspired by the story I saw on The Today Show on Tuesday morning. The whole hubub over this was merely a reminder of how the internet plays into this whole “I don’t have to be nice if I don’t want to” mentality that we are seeing more of in our day to day lives.
I’ve seen this blown out of proportion from all angles and it just boggles my mind. I’ve seen the “shame on Sweetney!” posts, the “yay for Mrs. Fussypants” posts, the “give us our free speech!” posts and the “what’s the real issue here that no one is paying attention to” posts. Whew. There’s a lot out there right now about this. And… you know, whatever. At this particular point in time, after a night of getting jabbed in the ribs by little baby toenails (I totally need to clip those TODAY), I’m just tired of it. All of it.
Here’s the thing: I read and enjoyed Sweetney before this all went down. I’ll continue to read and enjoy her. This doesn’t really impact how I feel about her. I didn’t learn anything about her that I didn’t already know. Nice or not nice, this is just how she is. I hesitate to say, “she can’t help it,” because of course she can. Just doesn’t want to or see the need to. And that’s fine. Whatever. Whatever works for her.
I also read and enjoy Mrs. Fussypants. She’s a nice lady who tends to like to do about a million things at once. Seriously, sometimes i need to look away or I’ll get a migrane from all that this woman tries to juggle at one time. I can barely remember to trim my daughter’s toenails. She has FIVE boys. Do I agree with Sweetney’s statements about her? Eh… doesn’t really matter what I think, does it? I doubt anyone really cares what I think anyhow. I don’t think Sweetney was looking for people to agree with her in the first place. Or maybe she was. See? I obviously have no idea.
I’m having a hard time getting my thoughts out here. I don’t think I’m stating myself very well. (Wouldn’t be the first time.) I guess my big point here is: can’t we all just get along? Let’s bury this hatchet and move on and let the bygones be bygones. BlogHer is in a few short weeks and I would love for this to be all but a distant memory by then. I don’t want to get there and have the room divided into two factions: those who are on Sweetney’s side and those who are on Mrs. Fussypants’ side. Feh. How about MY side? Is anyone on my side??
*crickets*
Fine. Whatever. Let’s just let this go and let the immediate parties concerned work out their issues, mmkay? No hard feelings. Sound good?
Tags: blogging, community, drama, mommy bloggers, Mrs. Fussypants, Sweetney
Perhaps, just maybe, it’s ironic that I’m speaking on a panel about overcoming introversion at BlogHer this year and I find myself feeling rather, well, introverted about it all? I don’t know. I never could really pin down the definition of irony, after all. Dang that Alanis Morrisette. She totally screwed me over with that one.
Some of you who are going to BlogHer this year have met me at past BlogHer conferences. Some of you have not. For those of you who have not, I want to be sure to tell you what to expect when and if you see me there. What to look for. We don’t get a really good physical representation of ourselves on these blogs and I so rarely ever take pictures of myself. So here goes:
- Despite the hip, new haircut, I’m really rather dorky. It shows in my physical personna.
- I am tall, about 5′8, and awkward with it. I don’t wear heels because I don’t want to emphasize it.
- I’m also large boned which makes me feel like a hulkish freak at times. Tall and Large. Fantastic.
- Add to that all the excess baby weight that is hanging around. So yeah, that’s my way of saying I’mon the chunky side. I definitely have some extra padding (read: back fat, jiggly arms, thunder thighs, floppy belly, big ol’ boobs… you name it).
- I wear glasses. I take them off usually for pictures of myself but I do wear them all the time. I can’t see, otherwise.
- My clothes are either out of fashion or ill-fitting or both. I’ve never been very good at knowing what looks good on me.
- I have big feet, which will probably be wearing flip flops. Unless I’m wearing jeans. Then I’ll wear sneakers.
- My nails are messed UP. I hope to have them painted and hopefully looking halfway presentable but they’re an issue for me right now.
- My teeth aren’t so great either. I have an enormous mouth and big teeth and they don’t look THAT great. I see myself smiling in pictures and cringe half the time. I hope to whiten them before going so at least they’ll be white, you know?
- I’m not entirely sure I know what to do with my new ‘do. I’ve tried a couple times so far and so far it looks pretty sad. Plus, you know, mah hairs is all gone! I’m not used to it yet.
So there you go. Paints a pretty picture, huh? I’m thinking I did one of these last year too. Shows you what a self-conscious twit I can be. But… there you have it.
Also: Am still stressing the budget. I SO want to stay at the Westin on Friday night. But Kile keeps hemming and hawing. He tells me to raise the money. RIGHT. And how would I do that? Perform a little magic trick and it’ll appear? Voila! Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m going to try to sell some of my maternity clothes (now that I don’t need them anymore) that still look nice (the rest are getting donated) and see what that brings in. I have my latest ad revenue check from BlogHer. But beyond that? Ehhhh…
I hate to even SAY it but I considered putting up a PayPal donate button in the sidebar. You know one of those, “Help me go to BlogHer!” type deals. But I don’t know, that just feels… weird. I hate to even think it. Still, it may come to that. Perhaps I could offer up some swag to donators come August when the budget has righted itself once more and I can make it to the post office.
I don’t know. I hate to ask anything of you guys. You’re all so fabulous and I’m just amazed that I have any readers here at ALL. You guys, for lack of a better word, ROCK. I should be sending you guys swag just for showing up day by day.
Tags: about me, BlogHer 08, budget, community, self-image
Everyone else seems to be posting about BlogHer this week, so I figured I should join suit. I’m such a follower. It’s amazing that I have a single original thought in my head sometimes, isn’t it? I really should be ashamed of myself.
Oh, and if you are one of the unfortunate ones who isn’t able to attend this year and posts like this are making your head hurt? Feel free to skip this one. I give you a free pass. I understand.
So. Where was I? (I had to take a small break to entertain Evie, who was requesting some face-time.) Oh yes. BlogHer. The conference with which to end all conferences. The Big Kahuna. The Drunk Tank, if you will.
Every year, as much fun as I have, I always walk away with some regrets. This year, I vow, will be different. I’m sure there might be a regret or two (or three), but I am hoping they are NEW regrets and not the same old tired issues I had the year before. After all, I want to foster personal growth and expansion here, don’t I?
With that in mind, I vow:
- NOT to duck out on sessions on Day 2 like I always seem to do. I was better about this last year. But there were still a few times where I just hung out instead of going to a session and I feel, afterward, like this was time wasted, somehow. This said, I do not regret missing the “speed dating” dealie and hope to miss it this year as well. I’m all for putting myself out there this year, but even I have my limits.
- I will introduce myself to more people and get more business cards, etc. I was better about this last year, again, but there is definitely room for improvement. This is like one of the major reasons for going to BlogHer in the first place and to let my insecurities prevent me from enjoying the legions? Is just goofy. I will spread myself around a lot better this year, I PROMISE. I hope to return home with NO business cards left this year. And a huge passel of cards from other people.
- I will NOT be weighed down with tons of crap this year. Now, I’m a lot less certain about my ability to uphold this one. The future of our Westin hotel room is in jeopardy, after all, and I’m hoping to be able to dump swag there as needed. I plan to carry my husband’s laptop (which is itty bitty and I normally detest it but for such an event, I can definitely see it’s merits) in the diaper bag. Because, yes, I will have Evie with me. I’m hoping to having her in a carrier, but I’ll still need a diaper bag. Especially if I’m planning to have her in cloth. Which I am. So the less crap to carry around? The better. I will try to offload the swag as soon as I can. Perhaps during the speed dating! (Two birds, one stone! Sweet!)
Yep, Evie will be with me the entire time. I will be putting Liam in childcare. Harry will be staying in San Jose with my parents. Kile will have Blessed Time To Himself. I’m sure he’s looking forward to it. I’m a little bit nervous about having Evie with me the entire time, but I’m sure she’ll be a good girl. I’m thinking I’d like to find a good nursing cover so I don’t have to wrangle a blanket to cover her every time she wants to eat. As for my own session (first thing, Friday morning!), I’m hoping that maybe I can foist her off on some good-hearted soul. Tell me, if you’re going to my Introversion session, would you be willing to Evie-Sit? Also, for the record, if anyone wants to hold her or something (particularly if they want to hold her so I can eat), PLEASE ASK. I will, chances are, be more than happy to hand her off. You know, provided you’re not an axe murderer or something.
Evie stands to be the better dressed of the two of us too. I’m okay with that, at least for now. Chances are the morning of Day One I will be fretting that I don’t look nearly cool enough to be seen amidst such an amazing group of women. I’m thinking, however, that I’ll rock jeans (perhaps capris) and t-shirts. Maybe a blouse. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make any cocktail parties, but if I were, I would probably change for them. As for shoes, comfort is key. I will probably wear various and sundry flip-flops. But if i’m wearing jeans, that might look silly. So we’ll see.
I’m ordering business cards from Zazzle this year. They have “Moo” shaped cards but you can order in smaller increments. I’ve always had 100 cards and always come home with about 90 cards left. Even if I hope to pass out more cards this year, I still doubt I’ll pass out more than 60. So that’s what I’m going to get.
Wow, this has already taken hours upon hours to compose. What a geek I am.
I guess my point (do I have one?) is that a) yes, I’m excited about going to BlogHer and b) I’m hoping to not make some of the mistakes I’ve made in years past. I had other things I was going to say, but Liam woke up from his nap and he’s in a Mood. The whining is seriously blocking any coherent thought from my brain. I’ll leave you here and if I have anything else to say, then… I guess I’ll say it. Later.
Oh! One last thing: Can I have breakfast with you on Day 1? Please? I’m all by my lonesome at this thing!
Tags: BlogHer, BlogHer 08, community
First off, I want to thank you ALL for entering this giveaway. It was so much fun to give away something that is so cool. I quickly realized what the problem was: I wanted ALL OF YOU to win. I really did. I’m glad I left this one up to random.org because otherwise I would have never been able to decide. Even letting the random integer generator pick for me is giving me stress because I know that while one of you is going to be SO happy, the rest are just as deserving of going to BlogHer as she is.
Without further ado… I fired up random.org this morning and this is what came out:
Wow. How often does that happen? That it picks #1? I mean… that NEVER happens, right? It must be destiny, RIGHT? So who is lucky #1 in this giveaway? Let’s have a look…
It’s Rhi, of Rhi in Pink! Congrats, Rhi! I’ll see you (and Mini Owen) in San Francisco!
Again, thanks to EVERYONE for entering. I hope all of you that really want to go are able to, because I think everyone who wants to go to BlogHer should be able to go. Call me crazy (and naive) but there you have it. And if you aren’t able to go, well… you’ll be missed. Know that.
Until next time… (and there WILL be a next time… I just love giving things away!) you all hang tough! I’m leaving for Elko this evening so I imagine I have a busy day ahead of me!
Tags: BlogHer, BlogHer 08, contest, giveaway
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