Velveteen Mind

"In the Bubble" at Walt Disney World

They call it being “in the bubble.”  As a guest at Walt Disney World resorts, you are “in the bubble” from the moment you step into the line for your Magical Express ride from the airport to your resort, through the landscaping on the property, to the smell of the dungeons of the Pirates of the Caribbean, right on to the moment you step back onto your plane to make your way home.

It’s those special touches.  The “We’ve got it covered” approach that meets you at every turn.  The extra dose of magic that finds its way into everything from the towels to the soap to the carpet in the hallways. 

It’s the Mickey.

Yikes, that’s a scary still frame after a long day.  The video above was shot in my room at the Walt Disney World Beach Club Resort.  By the way, that “towel” was actually a blanket.

Thank my lucky stars, I was fortunate enough to have spent the weekend at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as part of the Spring Mom Blogger Mixer.  Well, thank my lucky stars whose names happen to be Maria Bailey from BSM Media and the Social Media department of Walt Disney World. 

For my having been singled out as a mom blogger, well, some pixie dust must have been involved.

I haven’t been to Disney World since I was 12, having grown up going to either Epcot or the Magic Kingdom every year prior as part of our annual trip to St. Pete’s Beach.  Back then, Disney was a one day trip, where you chose one park or the other to tear through before heading back to your own hotel hours away.

My, how things have changed.

The resort culture that exists at Walt Disney World today is extraordinary.  As a mom of pre-school age children, it is now the only way to do Disney, in my opinion.  The benefits of spending your Disney vacation “in the bubble” (or on Disney property, from the resorts to the parks) for the duration of your stay, are immeasurable.

Our group was referred to as the “Magical Moms.”  If that means that we were magically transformed into 9 year olds, then the term is spot on.  Even the model-esque Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil was reduced to a wide-eyed awe-struck babe.  I assure you, it is difficult to be intimidated by even the most “successful” bloggers when they become a puddle of emotion and sparkles in the face of the world that Walt built.

The video above was shot during the Reflections of Earth presentation in Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon.  The mom bloggers you see are Lindsay from Suburban Turmoil, Beth (the one with the camera) from I Should Be Folding Laundry, Andrea from Mommy Snacks, and Emily from Mommin’ It Up.

There is so much more to tell you about the trip, not the least important of which being how I think I’m finally getting used to the idea of this new baby, but it’s time for us all to pop back out of the bubble until the next post. 

More videos, more stories about the other bloggers (some of whom I know you’ll love, if you don’t already), and much more about the Disney experience to come.

Most of all, I want to share with you what I learned.  You know full well that I don’t generally write reviews.  But this was different, and for that reason, I ask that you bear with me and trust me.  This trip to Disney changed the way I think of my family and my role as their mother. 

For all of the fun times that I miss from being in my twenties, nothing compares to the joy that family life brings.  Since this was a business trip, our families had to stay behind (understandably so, as we were completely booked).  Let me tell you, I had to hold back tears for the whole first hour I was in the Magic Kingdom because I missed them so thoroughly.  I was jealous of every mother that watched wonder spread across the face of her child as they stood in front of Cinderella’s castle.  I sort of wanted to kick every dad that propped his son on his shoulders as they headed toward the Jungle Cruise. 

Because I wanted to share the experience with my kids. 

My life is nothing without my family.  And the magic of Disney only highlighted that for me this weekend.  For that, Mickey, I thank you. 

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Let Them See You Trying

You'll never guess from where I am writing this post...

No, not my bathroom...

No, not my backyard...

Though writing from the car sounds intriguing, no...

From a movie theatre at which I am watching Twilight again again again?  No, but fabulous idea.

My dear friends and patient readers, I am writing this from my very own brand spanking new writing studio.

Writing.  Studio.

For writing.  Alone.  In a studio!!!  That is not a part of my home!

I never do this, but seriously...   Squeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

I am so excited I am beside myself. 

I am so excited, I forgot to bring my camera.  Oops.  I'll bring it back tonight.

But you've already seen it!  Remember?  It looked like this last time you checked, though:

I have to say, it looks a far sight better now. 

And oooh the story behind how I landed this room of my own!

You guessed it...  I'll tell you shortly.

Now?  Now I have to get to scrubbing an old stucco wall and prepare it for fresh toffee-colored paint.  I have to scour the filthy cement floor before I dress it in a lavish new rug I found at a steal of a price and then received as an early Christmas present from my ever-hopeful and optimistic parents. 

God bless the woman whose family and friends believe in her dreams.

"If you are going to doubt something, doubt your limits." 

- Don Ward

"I feel like I'm going to pass out from panic, but 'Amen.'"

- Megan

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Hibernation

The bunny is not dead.  I'm not dead.  Velveteen Mind is not dead.  Blog Nosh Magazine is not dead...  we're all just hibernating.

There's just something about NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and my consequent snarky answer in GoBloMeMoFo that seems to do me in by the end of the month of November. 

Last year?  Last year I took a four month hiatus from about December 2nd on.  This year?  Didn't even make it to December.

The poor bunny.  Amazing bloggers were swooping in to save him for GoBloMeMoFo (guest posting the way through November for me in order to Save the bunny!  Save the blog!) and yet my energy fizzled so much I couldn't even hit "publish" on all of the posts the last week or so.

That bunny was beginning to look a wee bit nervous...  Giving me the beady-eye and whispering, "Um, you are going to hit publish on those posts and not miss a day in November, right?  You, uh, did say this was just a hot bath to relax my nerves, but, er, are the carrots necessary?  I'm not even hungry, lady." 

He wasn't the only one asking after my intent...

My blogging friends ask, "How are you able to just unplug and feel no guilt?"  Pfft.  It's easy.  I just turn off the computer and don't look back. 

I have plenty to keep me busy, as do we all.  Family in from Illinois, an eBay store to revamp and relaunch, a new ****** to finish up.  Life has a way of sneaking up on you, as we all know.  But I do miss writing with you.

*Hm?  What was that?  Oh, I'll tell you all about that* shortly**.  I promise. 

**And by "shortly," I mean it.  I know, I know.  You are rolling your eyes and saying, "Really?  Like how you were going to finish the second part of your wedding story 'shortly'?  Or how you were going to tell us what that weird Wordless Wednesday photo was 'shortly'?  Or how you were going to write about what you covered at BlissDom in Nashville 'shortly'?  What about that whole Twilight continuation?  'Shortly,' right?"

Yes, shortly. 

Nothing like a bit of mystery.

In the meantime (the realm in which this blog exists, let's face it), I could seriously use some encouragement from ya'll regarding my newly revamped eBay store.  I gave it a new name, a new look, and jam packed it full of goodies for you. 

Introducing...  Found Bayou!

I hope you like the name.  I love it!  I thought of it while driving along the bayou last month, brainstorming how I wanted to change my current eBay store, Lagniappe Merchant.  People never knew how to pronounce "lagniappe," let alone spell it.  This was a welcome solution.  The tagline is "eBay serendipity... found by you." 

My husband insists no one will get that.  Sigh.

I'm running a free shipping special on all Coach bags, wallets, scarves, and key fobs right now in time for holiday delivery, but if you find something else you like, just email me before payment with the code "velveteen" and you'll receive FREE SHIPPING on any purchase.  Plus some extra goodies because I love me some lagniappe* for my readers!

*You'll have to check out Found Bayou to find out what that means, if you don't know.

Hmm...  this was supposed to be a quick note to say I'm still here, just busy, and that I'll be announcing the winners of the GoBloMeMoFo prizes soon, as well as continuing to post the remaining guest posts this month (because GoBloMeMoFo!), but it seems that my writing instinct kicked back in there.

Brevity is not my strong point.

So, is it the meantime, yet?  Seriously.  Get thee to Found Bayou and buy something for the holidays!  I desperately need the income to fund a special project I'm working on that will directly result in an incredibly ferocious spike in writing from me to you, here at Velveteen Mind.  Not to mention deliciousness over at Blog Nosh Magazine.

Lots of writing.  Gorge yourself on words kind of writing.

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Socialism is the New Black

We are currently broke.  There is a difference between broke and poor, poor seeming to me to be a more permanent situation.  We're just plain broke folk at the moment.

Given this current cash hemorrhage flow problem, I have turned to my online ventures to help stop the death throes gap.  As a blogger, this means advertising.

One of my favorite blogs is Jessica Knows, currently featuring 15 Days of Marketing.  This is right up my alley of pressing needs, as her post on building your brand through a solid biography page, reinforced through a meticulous Press page is just what I need to focus on as I decide how to pitch the advertising opportunities available on Velveteen Mind.

Fortunately, I'm fairly happy with my current "About" page, needing mostly to add Press and my advertising rates.  Oooooh, that's right...  advertising rates.

I'm brainstorming, kicking around numbers based on basic research I've already done for the advertising available on Blog Nosh Magazine, and I come to a brilliant conclusion:  Small businesses and personal blogs will receive a discounted rate, while larger businesses will receive a higher rate.  You know, the big boxes like Kodak and WalMart shouldn't get the sweet deals I give the mom and pops just trying to scrape together a living.  Let's call it a "luxury tax."

Man, I am so funny.  Crack myself up.

Heeeeey...  wait...

What exactly is different about my "tax" plan and President-elect Obama's? 

Damn.

I'm going to have to reconsider this redistribution of the blogosphere wealth.

In the meantime, I did pick up one very clear and easy-to-utilize tip from Jessica Knows:  ScratchBack's TopSpots widget!  In short, it's a tip jar with benefits.  If you would like to support Velveteen Mind and/or Blog Nosh Magazine, you simply toss in a tip via PayPal through the widget in the right sidebar.  It's the one under "Subscribe" that says "Are You in my TopSpots?" on a blue bit of paper.  As thanks, you receive a text link for your blog or business on Velveteen Mind (or go to Blog Nosh Magazine and do the same).  Simple.  Clean.

I don't mean that I literally want you to tip me right now yes I do, just swap the name of my blog for yours or your friend's and you see the intrigue.

Tip jars always felt tacky to me, yet I never hesitate to chip in when someone requests a donation for their services, whether it be NPR or a free web application I use religiously.  I love tip jars on blogs, even when I'm only tipping a buck or two.  ScratchBack gives bloggers a really easy way to give back a tangible thanks, though, which is quite my style.

And no, this is not an ad for them.  No commissions paid. 

I'm just, you know, spreading the wealth.

Sigh.

Damn it.

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I Kinda Like-a Lick-an Epson Artisan 800 Printer!

xxx  yeah, um, video goes here  xxx

Oops...  above is supposed to be a supa dupa cool and interesting video of me installing and using my wicked useful Epson Artisan 800 printer.  Give me a second to fix the video...

...in the meantime, check it out:

Epson Artisan Series (information, features, and other lickable goodness)

See it over here on the right?  The video has me touching it and stuff.

How did I get hooked up with the Epson Artisan 800?  One2One Network and BlissDom! 

These women know what a mom blogger like me needs.  What a disorganized, procrastinating, yet simultaneously ambitious mom scrambling together a working life from home needs.

Epson understands this, too, and that's why BlissDom was even possible.  Epson made BlissDom not only possible, but free to all attendees.  That is astonishing.

Yeah, yeah, I know I already wrote about the Epson Artisan and why this work-at-home mom desperately needed an all-in-one like this, but the video is even better.

Come back later! 

By the way...  See?  See how I procrastinate?!  This post was supposed to be changed to just a quick note telling you that my video needs to be fixed and I ended up writing half of what I said in the video...  but seriously, the video is better.

Focus.  Focus.  Focus.  I'll be back soon!

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