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So... which shoes should I wear to San Francisco then?
Wait, did I mention you are invited to a party? For you?
And that we are already offering you blog swag?
You are. We are. And it isn't these shoes.
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Everyone loves a party.
Everyone loves to be invited to a party. So...
Yeah, even you. And you. And your friend. And your friend's neighbor. And your mother's uncle, though what he'd be doing at BlogHer, I don't want to know.
That's what all of our teasing was about. And it was so worth it because...
So, do you wanna come?
Leave a comment or email me and let us know if you plan to attend so we can be sure to have plenty of goodies for you. If you forget to tell us or decide at the last minute, we'd still love to see you! You know where to find us now, right?
The night before BlogHer... so we can completely wear ourselves out directly before they expect us to pay attention to important bloggy goodness.
Because, honestly...
I'm really just going to BlogHer so that I can meet you. Yeah, you.
Graciously sponsored by:
Parents Magazine's GoodyBlog and Sprout®
As well as these awesomely generous friends o' the family:
Can't come to BlogHer this year? I feel you, I'm not sure how I'm going to make it, either.
But don't fret... this dame has something in the works for you folks at home, too!
Psst.... Want to throw your company's name into the party? Help keep all of these lovely bloggers in drinks and fanfare? email me and we can talk about how you can participate, too. This is The People's Party, after all, and the people tend to consume a lot of, ahem, goods.
Oh, yeah... If you are going, here's your first bit of swag:
Here's the code:
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Yes, nursing babies are welcome. No, it's not too late to RSVP!!!
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You knew there had to be something going on, right? All of my tiredness and distraction. You should have known.
Want to know how I let this happen? I mean, yes, it is a blessing, but wow-- I must be crazy.
I blame it mostly on her. You should go there next, since you are already here, at the beginning.
If you still can't wrap your head around it, go here. She can enlighten you.
No, more confused than ever?
This one seems to have a grip. Maybe she can explain it.
At the very least, you can find out where this happened from her.
Finally, if you are just utterly beside yourself, speechless, and want to curse a bit, you'll find all you need sitting next to her.
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Confused? Seriously, just go here. Now.
That's the next stop on this mother bumpin' buggy ride.
PS- The effect is very cool if you open each link in a new tab and just read the buttons first!
PPS- OMG! Ya'll are so sweet, but seriously, click on those links. I'm not really pregnant. *blushing*
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Rain is tapping at my window on this lovely Sunday morning. The air smells clean. My mind is clear. And I am thinking of you. Our day has yet to begin, so I enjoy this luxury.
More specifically, I am thinking of the subject of accessibility.
Most specifically, I am pondering my email inbox and this lovely blog's comments sections (tongue firmly planted in cheek, thank you) and I would like to ask you a question:
Do you, as bloggers, reply to comments via email or within the comments section itself or both?
Generally speaking. I know there are exceptions to either preference.
I used to email everyone back, however I felt it made it look like I ignored my comments. Then I tried responding with comments of my own on specific posts, but that was just messy. Plus, I rarely go back to see if anyone has replied to comments I leave on other blogs.
Finally, I tried responding to comments with comments of my own and then emailed those commenters to check for the published reply.
Yeah. Um, no. That was crazy. Though probably the most effective.
ProBlogger has a great article on accessibility as a blogger, by the way. But it still left me with questions. That's why I am coming to you.
For reasons that I will gladly share with you soon, I have been discussing the topic of iconic bloggers lately with a handful of fairly iconic blogger friends. 
The fact that I have access to these people is both laughable and a result of my not thinking of them as "iconic."
What never fails is that the "big name blogger" with whom I am speaking always thinks that one of the other "big name bloggers" with whom I am speaking is the real deal, while they are just a fraud to be outed as such at the next turn.
Celebrity is perception. Online celebrity is virtual perception.
All of it is fleeting. All of it is surreal. All of it is laughable.
We would do well by ourselves to laugh. We would do well by ourselves to let it go. We would do well by ourselves to just keep writing... and reading... and sharing.
Which brings me back to the notion of accessibility. I am a mom, at home with my boys, reaching out and releasing some brain waves through the internet. I tend to talk to you about non-poop-related stuff because I live poop-related stuff. Rather, I talk to you about the stuff that I can not talk to my toddlers about. Or, at least, I talk to you about stuff about which I get unsatisfactory responses from my toddlers.
But occasionally I wonder if you feel like I'm talking at you rather than with you. Because of the comments question I asked above.
You see...
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
I am the walrus.
My son would then ask, "So, what color are you? What do you eat? Do you go to school? Do you like Buzz Lightyear? Can you tell me a story?"
Purple. Apricots. Yes. Absolutely. Always.
But I would also like to hear your response.
Do you get caught up in the "celebrity" status of some bloggers and feel like you wouldn't be noticed if you did comment? Do you inadvertently appear to be a blog-snob yourself because you have yet to master the art of replying to comments?
What defines "accessibility" when it comes to bloggers?
How accessible are you? How do you respond to comments?
Am I taking these questions too seriously? Do you even care?
If you are not a blogger, I am quite sure you do not care. In which case, my apologies. We are quite full of ourselves and our minutiae, no?
Goo goo g'joob.
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I received no less than three emails today from unrelated people saying more or less the same thing:
"You know the [fill in the name of project here] we discussed? We need to move forward on that soon. Hello?"
Look people, in case you haven't caught on, yet, I will say "yes" to anything. Want me to write for your site? Sure, send me the access code! Want me to help you redesign your blog even though I have no design skills? Absolutely, let's brainstorm! Want me to give birth to your baby? No problem, I shoot 'em out like a bazooka.
Okay, I'm actually a little more picky than that, but you get the idea.
Inevitably, however, some things slip through the cracks. Conference calls, for instance. Um, could you all just call me? Yeah, the entire conference. You call me as a group. No? That's not the way it works? Humpf.
Wait, you wanted that contract signed? I still haven't unpacked my printer. Could you just sort of forge my signature? This email can serve as my permission for you to do so. What? Legal who? Grrrrr.
Who is supposed to pay taxes again? I think I paid those last year. What? Every year? Um, let me get back to you on that one.
What do you mean you haven't eaten lunch today? Didn't your 20 month old brother prepare a nutritious meal for you from the one cabinet he can reach? What? It only had an empty box of cereal in it and an old cereal bar wrapper? Didn't you go grocery shopping, my dear sweet 3 year old? What exactly do you think that tricycle is for, kid?
Maybe I am exaggerating a bit. But that's how it feels sometimes.
...Good God... (rereading this post so far...)
I think I've just written a textbook mommyblog post.
I am Mommyblogger. Hear me snore!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
A post about overextending myself. Huh. That's original.
Did I mention I've only been sleeping three hours a night? Not for lack of trying, either. And I was actually entertaining the idea of having a third child. I am one cah-ray-zee lady.
So, consider this my open letter to all of you to whom I have made promises since signing back online in March. I have received your emails. I have received your calls. I have received your contracts. I have received your psychic messages wishing me focus and drive and the ability to follow-through. I hear you.
I'm on it. And I really do mean that. I meant it when I said I wanted to [fill in whatever it is that I said I wanted to do]. I've just gotten a little distracted.
But now? I'm on it.
Right after I take a nap.
Love,
Megan
PS-- This whole over-extending ourselves thing? That is precisely why I have begun the launch of Blog Nosh Magazine. I want to reward all of us for keeping something of value on our own blogs. Even if that means writing something brilliant that only your audience of 20 will read.
That's where Blog Nosh Magazine will come in. Make it good. Make it solid. Make it for yourself. We'll help you find the audience. Just do it for you, first and foremost.
That's why I overextend myself. At the end of the day, I get something of great value out of every single project to which I commit, even if that something is helping others.
It is just that today was one of those really long days.
And I could have sworn it was Friday.
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| Accolades & Shiny Stuff | [−] |
Look, Ma! I made the news!
For blogs that rock your world. Hard.
Featured Blog of the Week Issue 7
May 7, 2007 Pour Your Misery Down on Me
| Threadworn Blogroll | [−] |
| Community Lovin' | [−] |
Meg Meeker: Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons
Still reading this one, but seriously, check it out. Just click the link if you have boys.
Neil Gaiman: Stardust
Fell is love with Tristran Thorne in the movie version and am falling madly in love with him in the book. If you want your heart to feel light and your head full of sparkles, read this book. Perfect summer book. (****)
Lots more to browse
including movies
in addition to what you see below.
Let me know what you think, too. We'll have our own private book club... just me and you!
