Answering the BlogHer Questions
July 28, 2010
I have mostly been ignoring the emails about BlogHer. A combination of being too busy working, which is a good, good thing and not really having anything to add. Other people have already done a good job covering it all.
Yesterday, I read someone who said anybody who wasn’t freaking out over this conference was a liar. Such a broad brush stroke to paint with.
I am not a liar.
And I am not freaking out. At least not about the conference. Maybe I have too much other stuff going on, things that require my legitimate freak out powers.
Things like sending two of my sons off to sleep-away camp for the first time. My 11 yr old left on Sunday, my 9 yr old is leaving today. I am frantically sharpie-ing everything and begging him to please use his toothbrush and hairbrush.
At the same time as the drop off I somehow need to clone myself and pick up my oldest two sons on complete other side of town. One from football camp and one from driver’s ed.
Somehow I also volunteered to work this afternoon at the concession stand with these same two sons, except that I can’t now because at the exact same time that is going on I need to pick my 11 yr old UP from camp. I am totally pulling out the seven-kid-one-mom card on this one. I apologize in advance, but when else should I use it? Hasn’t pushing seven kids out of my vagina earned me something?
So anyway, onto the Blogher questions in the five minutes I have here eating my gluten free waffle with peanut butter so I can take my prednisone prescription. My life is glamorous!
1) Yes, I will be there! Say hello. I promise not to bite. Unless you want me to, of course.
2) Wear whatever you want that fits the agenda you have for the conference. Are you there to hang out with friends in NYC? Are you there to network as a professional? What is your normal wardrobe like?
In my real life I almost never wear shorts and I never wear capri pants. They are not at all flattering on me as a short person with stubby legs. So you will not see me in either of those things in NYC. In the summer my wardrobe is skirts and sundresses. The only exception to this is when I put on my work out clothes and pretend I am going to exercise. Sometimes I go to Target dressed like that. It is my secret shame.
But what should you wear? Wear the clothes you are comfortable wearing, but as Liz says in her post, make an effort. I only have two new things I am bringing with me: a little black dress and a necklace, neither of which was purchased specifically for the conference. So don’t think everyone is running out shopping in some sort of mass shopping freak-out in an effort to portray themselves as something else, they are not. So think of it as wearing what you normally would wear, just with a bit more effort, like earrings.
What? I always wear a formal gown and boa around town.
Also, I really like shoes. I almost always wear a shoe with a heel on it, because I am short. If you like your cute shoes, wear them! If you are a flats girl, wear them! If you like heels, wear them! Just please wear some sort of shoes.
3) Your favorite bloggers want to meet you. Just don’t run up the them, stick a camera in their face and proclaim yourself their number one stalker. That is creepy.
4) Remember most people are too worried about themselves and their own fear of making mistakes to even notice yours. So lighten up. Have fun. Smile.
5) Saturday night? I am going to be here. Hope to see you.
Phew, now I have exactly 30 seconds to throw on a bra and drive around like a chicken with my head cut off for the next several hours. In the POURING RAIN, which people in Texas treat like snow blizzard in their complete inability to drive their vehicles.
Oh, and did I mention that I am leaving for NYC tomorrow and have not packed yet? So who the hell knows what I will actually be wearing by the time BlogHer itself rolls around.
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The thing that is the most interesting to me about this post is that you are short. I’ve been reading your blog on and off for a couple of years and always pictured you as tall and kind of willowy thin.
That sound vaguely stalkerish so no need to worry, I won’t be at BlogHer. But as a fellow short person with stubby legs I thought you might get a kick out of knowing you come across as tall in your writings.
July 28th, 2010 at 4:19 pmI thought you were tall and willowy too. I won’t be at blogher either. I don’t blog enough.
July 28th, 2010 at 8:07 pmMe, too - I thought you were willowy and tall. Have fun at BlogHer!
July 28th, 2010 at 8:16 pmI would feel so stalkerish taking the train 4 hours round-trip to see you at a cocktail party. But I hope you enjoy your grown-up time and flee the potential barfing bug in time!
July 28th, 2010 at 10:07 pmI never guessed that you were short. I had this vision of you as tall. I have no idea why. I guess you can’t tell in the pictures. Maybe it is because you are so slim. Hmm.
And now I read the only other comment thus far and I see that I am not alone in my thinking! LOL
Chris says: I am finding it so funny that everyone thinks I am tall. Not an adjective that would ever be used to describe me
July 28th, 2010 at 10:27 pmI’m not freaking out, either. Maybe because it’s at home for me?
I’m looking forward to seeing you Saturday night!
July 28th, 2010 at 11:41 pmThis is my first BlogHer. I can say that I’m excited to meet people - but I’m really not freaking out either. Really.
I’m sure it will be fun and overwhelming at times. Most conferences are. But it seems a little silly to get worked up about it - perhaps I’m just in a zen place right now with different perspective after burying one of my childhood friends this week? I dunno.
Definitely hope to run into you to say hello in person
July 29th, 2010 at 6:35 amI think skinny capris on short people are fine . . now the cropped pants are another matter entirely!
Re. your #1 . . . ooooh, kinky!
July 29th, 2010 at 7:26 amin the pics of you in shorts, your legs look thin not short and stubby!! but hey, I am right there with you on the shorts as a regular outfit - they just aren’t all that flattering on most people.
Not going to blogher and although I read your blog faithfully, I am aware we are not “friends” or have any type of relationship other than me very much enjoying your writing. So have a lot of fun and dish please upon your return!
and, btw, its so great having you back writing regularly on your blog. Chicken with your head cut off - so easy to visualize. And definitely think mom with 7 kids is a card you should pull more frequently!
July 29th, 2010 at 7:31 amHave fun in NYC look forword to the bathroom photos:)
July 29th, 2010 at 9:20 amHow tall are you?
Chris says: 5′ 4″ if I really stretch and stand up tall…
July 30th, 2010 at 10:07 amYou’re my favorite blogger. I’m kind of stalkerish. So stalkerish that I might climb into your bed one morning. Hope you don’t mind.
Love,
August 2nd, 2010 at 2:42 pmYour Number One Fan.
at least you won’t have me asking “what happened to your eye?” “hey, can i bum a ride with you guys?”
have fun!
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:42 am