Velveteen Mind

Double Doozie: Blogging Less to Write More

I quit one of my writing gigs.  Why?  Because I couldn't bring myself to post  here at Velveteen Mind when I knew I owed a post elsewhere.

I told a friend today that it felt like calling in sick and then being caught shopping at the mall, wandering around with a Diet Coke and a Double Doozie from Great American Cookie, a satisfied grin slapped on my smug little face.

What I am saying is:  my plan is to start posting here at the ole joint with the tattered book more like 3 times a week, rather than the usual 3 times a month.  Hence, the cutting back of distractions.  And if I don't?  You can call me on it.

Mrs. Fussypants certainly already does call me on it.  So does Missives from Suburbia.  And damn Jennifer from Playgroups are No Place for Short Blog Titles.  If she suggests one more time that posting frequently is a great way to build a good blog, I'm going to poke her in the butt with a fork.

Um, so yeah, I know I should post more.  I totally get that.  (I'm planning on memorizing Jennifer's Blog Tip Sharing series.  I see that she has up a post about maintaining uncluttered Sidebars.  Good Lord, do I even want to know?  Jennifer, side offer:  if you will come over to my blog and critique it, I will offer you my butt's ability to warm a bed for 3 nights at BlogHer.  You in?)

The irony is that while you may think I've fallen off of the blogosphere, the reality is that all I have been thinking about is blogging for the last month.  I'm talking about Blog Nosh Magazine...  again.  I keep mentioning it because a lot of work is going into that project and I am not only inundated with emails every day from bloggers and editors, but I am also flooded with pride and a fiery passion for all that we are banging out and building up.

Not to mention The People's Party.  And, yes, I will be mentioning BlogHer a few more times (insert laugh here) in the next few weeks.  I'll try to do it without annoying those of you not going, but talk about a huge project!  And worth every second.

So while you have been seeing no new updates at Velveteen Mind, I have been thinking about you for hours every day.  Thinking of how to best promote your work on Blog Nosh Magazine, how to entice the most click-through to your blogs, how to let you shine.  I've been thinking about meeting you at BlogHer, helping to make you feel welcome, introducing you to our sponsors who are interested in you, plotting ways to keep you entertained and engaged, all the while taking into consideration how to include those not attending the conference.

Speaking of you broke folk (holla!) and shy peeps not going to BlogHer:  Don't forget to send me your bloggy business cards for distribution at The People's Party if you are unable to attend.  Just email me for my address.  And you absolutely have to tune in to the live feed of the party (details soon), call your friends-in-attendance and encourage them to make fools of themselves on camera while giving you a shout-out, and see that, "Hey, I should go next year because it's not that big of a deal."

(and if this isn't the most arrogant post ever, I don't know what is---  just bear with me, because I am trying to convince myself that I can pull my weight despite my traffic currently being dismal  --post more post more post more-- and my patient readers growing impatient...  hey, look!  another cookie distraction!)

One more thing:  Jennifer from Playgroups are the Longest Blog Name in History also says that all of our posts don't have to be long and eloquent.  She encourages us to keep it quick and dirty. 

If anyone has a needlepoint that I could hang over my computer that says "Keep it quick and dirty," I'd love to have it. 

 

*Double Doozie photos via the flickr page:  turbo binge

(**Consider this fair warning:  if you visit turbo binge, you will immediately gain 5 pounds.  Man, I am hungry.  Starving.  mmmmmmm....)

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Blog Nosh Magazine has Launched!

You see that blue gummy bear?  The one passed out on the floor?

That's me after the last couple of weeks.

What do I have to show for the pass-out-worthy work I've been doing?  Aaaaah, something mighty tasty, ya'll...

Blog Nosh Magazine has launched!!!

Head right over and let us know what you think!

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Blog Nosh Magazine Editors are Good Enough to Eat.

What may appear as blog paralysis to you is actually a great mind at work behind the scenes.

No?  Not buying it?

Okay, so I know I haven't posted in something like a million years, but I have been blogging, in general terms.  I have been teaching myself how to make blog graphics so that I could finish designing the Editors page of Blog Nosh Magazine and I am almost done.  Almost done!!!

Wonder why I am so excited?  For one, teaching myself how to design buttons and graphics and blawg sturf like that is not easy.  But most importantly, the editors I have lined up are utterly awesome and I've been working hard to do right by them before we launch.

Want to take a sneak peak?

  Click over to Blog Nosh Magazine and
check out the Editors Page in-progress.   

Even a quick browse through the editors and each of their channels will tell you that we have a diverse group, although still heavily female.  Must work on that.  Men?  Manish boys?  Dads who are really just kids?  We need you.

Click through to the editors' blogs, take advantage of the handy "Subscribe" buttons, and be sure to check back at the end of the day when the remainder of the editors should be included.

Seriously, Blog Nosh Magazine will only work if you support the blogs that are featured there.  That includes the editors.  I pay them in exposure for their blogs...  so technically, that makes you the bank.

So click!  Read!  Subscribe!  And absolutely tell me how you think we are doing so far.  I am making this up as I go along and I'm doing it for you, so speak up!  Tell me what you want to see and we'll do our best to deliver.

Launch date is hopefully next week.  Now go nosh!!!

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A Few Loose Strings from my Threadbare Mind

I'm taking another turn on the eBay blog rollercoaster.  This time the ride is called Sparkplugging, my personal car is called eBay and eCommerce, and I'm graced with a new passenger/ co-author.  Frankly, this ride sounds much more exciting than eMoms at Home, dontcha think?.  Wanna check it out?

I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it.

Hopefully I won't fly out of the car this time and forget to write anything for, say, five months.  Well, I was busy.  I'm writing now.  Deal.

;)

I'll be continuing my eBay Selling for eParents channel at Sparkplugging, writing about starting and managing an eBay store.   My co-author is Kristie McDonald from Nitro Toyz and she will be covering much of the how-to nuts and bolts of opening and running an eCommerce store, which extends far beyond eBay.

So, yes, I'll pretty much be prattling on about personal eBay stories, crazy customers, and my envy of much-cuter-than-mine eBay stores, while Kristie will tell you how to get some real work done.  Sounds like a deal to me.

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If the work-at-home generation is not your style, then take a swing over to my other project, Blog Nosh Magazine. A divine new banner is up, courtesy of Sam at Temptation Designs and you have to check it out.    Seriously, I want to eat that banner.  I literally had to go out and buy a pack of chocolate doughnuts after we were done with the design.  Yeah, I didn't have a craving for a ripe red apple, strangely enough.

And then my butt and thighs chuckle to themselves.

I am still organizing the site and I still need your help.  Particularly, I need your help finding a few good men.  Aaaaawwww yeah. 

No, seriously, we need some testosterone in that joint and I'm not talking about the kind that makes us sprout hairs in weird places.

Do you know some amazing dad bloggers?  Male gamers?  Men who eat food?  Send 'em my way.

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Don't care about working at home or promoting your own blog and those of others?  Rather just splash out on some snazzy new fitted tees?  You'll be happy to know that this is a project I have absolutely nothing to do with:

Mrs. Fussypants is launching her new CafePress store today!     Blissfully Domestic Designs offers clever products in categories ranging from Blissful Babies to Mommy Bloggers.  Going to BlogHer this year?  Buy your wardrobe from Blissfully Domestic Designs! 

They also have coffee mugs (buying all of them, I swear), bags, and hats.  Seriously, just a ton of stuff.  All with that Blissfully beautiful air about them.

Ooh, and if you are a particular fan of Mrs. Fussypants, finding yourself consistently flattered by her complimenting of your beautimous face and cute shoes, followed by her big sweet "MWAH!" kisses, then sneak over to Mrs. Fussypants Baby Shower today and wish her well on shooting out baby boy #5. 

Yeah, the woman is insane.

This is why you need to buy something from her new CafePress store above.  The chick needs to pay for 90 packs of diapers a month.

The Baby Shower blog will feature well-wishing posts from some of your favorite mommybloggers today, including me, if I ever write anything.  Love you, Alli!  I thank God every day that I am able to manage two little boys.   Five?  Bless your heart.

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So, clearly, what I am saying to you today is:  Be anywhere but here.  Because here at Velveteen Mind today, I got nothing.  But all of those other places?  I got tons.

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What do you have on *your* plate?

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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