BlogHer 2012 Bound Pt. 3 - The Parties

Now that we've gotten the basics and the business parts of BlogHer covered, let's talk about the parties! There are two types of parties happening a BlogHer, the official and the private or offsite parties. The big difference between the two is the official parties are open to everyone with a BlogHer pass. The private ones are invite only, for the most part. Now, before I get into the actually parties there is one thing I need to mention, Outboarding. In simple terms, outboarding is a term used to describe a party that sort of latches on to a large event in the area. They don't sponsor the larger event, in the case BlogHer, but they do gain from having all these people come into the city to attend it. If you read the article I linked above, you see there is question if it is ethical for people to latch on to a bigger named convention and do on. I'm torn on the topic and don't really know how I feel. I want to support BlogHer in every way, but the opportunities some of these private events offer are really too good to pass up! Plus, it is NYC so I'm sure there are always events going on, but for the most part these private events are using BH to some extent. It's a toss-up. So I'm going to leave it up to you to make your own decisions about the non-BlogHer sponsored parties. Go with your gut. But also keep in mind you are trying to be the best blog you can be and sometimes a detour out of the main event might be what is needed.

So, on to the parties! BH is hosting a number of parties each night. On Thursday you have some parties to kick off the main event, including Serenity Suite, Evening at the Expo, The People's Party, and Queerosphere. Friday evening brings you some even wilder fun with Voices of the Year, Open Mic Salon, and ending with the most talked about party... Sparklecorn! And on Saturday, to close out the event they are even more wilder parties Come As You Are, Social Fiesta, and CheeseburgHer! The official parties I plan on attending are Sparklecorn, I mean seriously, rainbows, glitter, and a giant unicorn cake!? Add to that liqueur, glowsticks, and a lot of crazy dancing women in wild party outfits... It's going to be one out of this world party. Depending on how my Saturday goes, I'm hoping to stop into the CheeseburgHer party. This one features food by McDonalds (I think) and as the evening progresses people end up wearing paper bags on their heads as if the were in some crazy hamburger loving cult. Those are really the only two parties I think I'm going to be able to visit. My good buddy Laura is thinking of maybe going to the Open Mic event to see what that is about. I'd go with her, but this is where the private events start to come into play for me.

On Thursday night, I'll be attending Sweet Suite, a party hosted by The Big Toy Book. It's being held at Viacom studios, overlooking Time Square! And some of the brands that will be in attendance... Hasbro, Hexbug, Lego! Who could pass up a chance to meet Lego!? Not this brick loving freak! The whole night is going to be pure toy geek heaven. Perfect for a just starting out toy blogger like myself! I plan to stay the whole toy party, so I didn't even try to get tickets to the countless other events that night, like Social Luxe and Social Soirée. I wanted my night to be all about the toys.

© The Big Toy Book

On Friday evening, I managed to snag an invite to another toy party, this one all about Hasbro. I'm really looking forward to meeting the pr reps for this one because they aren't too far from my in NJ. There is possibility for future toy events in NYC or NJ, both very easy for me to get to! This was the only private event I picked up for Friday. I wanted to go to Sparklecorn, and I wanted to give myself a chance to enjoy each one instead of quickly running from one party to the next. That just seems like too much work for me and my jacked up knee. Maybe next year I'll be a little my daring in the number of parties I attend.

© Disney

On Saturday, I again only have one private event. This one is a movie premiere and cocktail party hosted by Disney. Yes, you read that right, Disney. Perfect for my Magic Family of sites wouldn't you say? The movie they a premiering is The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. Not 100% sure what it's about, but I'm always game for a good Disney family film. And Laura got into this event too, so getting to enjoy it together is a big bonus! I got other invites for this day, but I took a long look at the schedule and at my blog goals and ended up turning them down. I'm sure the free swag would be great, but the content wasn't a perfect match and I hated taking the spot from someone else who would get more out of it.

Now you are probably wondering how, as a newish blogger, did I manage to get any private party invites. It was pure luck. I was either in the right place at the right time, or I knew the right people. It's not hard to get the invites, you just have to know where to look. Most popular place - the BlogHer12 hashtag on Twitter. And join a group on Facebook about going to BlogHer. Those group members are a wealth of information! It's also who you know, who you've work with in the past, and how easy it is to find out about you, your site, and your contact info. If you are just starting out, you'll take a bit of a blow to your ego, doing a lot of "why wasn't I invited". It's not personal no matter how hard you believe it is. Just let that party go and move on. And if there is a party you want to go to really bad,  please for the love of Pete, do not beg, plea, whine, or spam the BH hashtag. It makes you look needy and desperate. And that's no way to come across to people you may want to work with it the future.

Enjoy the parties you got and don't sweat the ones you didn't! Party On!

BlogHer 2012 Bound Pt. 2 - The Business

In Wednesday's post, I told you all the basics of BlogHer. Now let's move onto the Business part of the conference. To be honest, this is the part that scares me the most. I am somewhat business savvy, but meeting with brands to rep myself, my work, is the terrifying part. I've never done it before. And really when it comes to my blogs, I don't even know the direction I want to go. It's leaving me feeling very unprepared. And I have about 2 days to figure everything out. No pressure at all. ;) Then there is the whole sponsor thing... but more on that in a bit.

When it comes to preparing for the business side of BlogHer, there are a few things you must have:

• Business Cards
• An Active Blog
• A Positive Attitude
• A Smile

There are other things, like media kits or cards, logo gear, or copies of you stats. But those are completely optional. Since I’m not sure what direction I want to go in yet, in terms of brands, affiliates, ads, and the like, I just went with some basic business cards. I did three different sets… a card for the 3 toy blogs,  one for the 3 Disney blogs, and a basic card for this site. The basic card also lists information on the other 6 sites… just for reference. I’ll most likely hand out the most cards for this site, seeing it’s the most me. I’m pretty happy with how my cards came out. Guess that graphic design degree is worth something.

Cards for the Toy Blogs - Printed by Moo Cards

The Land of Melted Clocks Cards - Printed by Uprinting

Magic Family Cards - Printed by Uprinting - Was going to add ribbon, but changed my mind

Dali
The Amazing BlogFox

The other thing I did was create a mascot for this site, something to help me stand out. I’ll be carrying a stuffed fox that I named Dali. It was my creative attempted at branding. Hopefully, I’ll become know as the cool fox girl… not the crazy chick with a stuffed animal. If you are going to be a BlogHer and want to meet Dali (and get free Disney stickers), just follow the hashtag #Dalishere on Twitter. I'll be tweeting his locations from the event.

The other major part of the business side of Blogher... and believe me, it's a doozy. Sponsorships. Getting a sponsorship can make or break BH for some people. When you add up hotel, registration, travel, etc... BH is not a cheap date. To be able to go, people will pitch companies to sponsor them. This might be in the form of cash in exchange for promoting the company at the event. It might be in ad sales for their site. Or it could even be products, like dresses, business cards, or bags. Anything to help defer the cost of going to BlogHer. Now, I sort of have a sponsor... Janet AKA Super Mom is sending me as a birthday present. Others have sponsors like Best Buy, New Trent, LifeLock, and every other kind of company you can think of. I took a chance and pitched one company for some product, but it didn't pan out. At least I tried. Next year I should be in a better position to try and get some sponsors.

When you do work with sponsors, there are a lot of pretty strict rules you have to adhere to from BlogHer, so be sure you do your research before you promise anything to a sponsor! And be professional! There are a lot of companies that have never worked with blogs and you don't want to risk giving your fellow bloggers a bad rap. And get a contract in writing if you can, I've watched a lot of bloggers have to cancel their trips because a sponsor backed out. And please, please, hold up to your end of the deal. Some companies already have a bad taste in their mouth for bloggers... we don't need a reason to give them an more.

This is just some of the basics. If anything it gives you some topics to take to Google to get you started on your research. I am far from an expert, but I am learning very quickly. Here are some links to other posts by attendees on how to prepare for the business of BlogHer for your reading enjoyment:

BlogHer Boot Camp: Top Ten Tips for Networking and Socializing
BlogHer `12 and Tom Bihn Sponsor Spotlight
Preparing Your Blog, as a Business, for BlogHer
How to Make a Quick Media Kit Using PicMonkey

Dear BlogHer Sponsors... They Don't Speak for Me

Prepping for BlogHer 2012: Business Cards
Conference Corner: 3 Things to Know About Blogging Business Cards
BlogHer 2012: NYC Conference Sponsorship

Good Luck!

BlogHer 2012 Bound Pt. 1 - The Basics

You may have noticed the little button over there on the right telling you I was going to BlogHer `12. Well, really it says I'll be geeking out at BlogHer `12... which is true. But what is BlogHer you ask? Simple put BH is 4500+ women and a few men gathering at the Hilton hotel in NYC on August 2 - 4 to talk about blogging, meet brands, learn some things, and party. And by party, I mean PARTY! That's the nutshell that is BH. But, I won't leave you with just that little bit of information, I have a whole series planned to fill you in on all the goodness... and anxiety, that is BlogHer `12. There are going to be 5 parts to this series: The Basics, The Business, The Parties, The Fashion, and The Extras.
So, let's talk about the basics. When I first planned to go to BlogHer, I was prepared for two days of events ending at 5 each evening. I was going to take a bunch of sessions, enjoy breakfast & lunch, visit the Expo, and meet fellow bloggers. I planned on taking the train in and out of NYC every morning and getting home at 7 both nights. Then I joined this Facebook group about BH. Well, let me tell you... I got overwhelmed very quickly! All this chatter about parties, official and private, meetings, sponsors, running around from place to place... it was all pretty insane. Then the addiction started. The craving to get invited to every party, every meeting, every event. It consumed me. But more on the parties in another post. Even the act of picking sessions became a task. Some required signing up before BH, others were open to all. And the topics! So varied and all so interesting! But there was only so much time in the day! Plus there was an Expo to attend, filled with sponsors waiting to hand out swag and make relationships with bloggers like me! It was all so much!

Finally, I sat down, studied everything, and made my plan of attack. I have goals for my blogs... I want to become a professional. I want relationships with brands so I can get things to giveaway to my readers! I want to make an attempt at getting an income! I want to be NOTICED! With those goals in mind and a detailed list of the purpose of all my blogs.. the schedule was born. What ended up being a small 2 day affair turned into 3 jam packed days, where come Sunday I think I'm not going to be able to stand! I feel I have a good mix of sessions, parties (both official & non-official), and lots of Expo time. And did I mention I get to do all of this with my good friend Laura, Editor-in-Chief of Enjoying the Magic and Owner of Tales From the Geek Vest? I'm just as excited to spend time with her as I am for the event! We even get to room together on Friday night, thanks to my mom insisting I not kill myself trying to commute back and forth to NYC!

My BlogHer schedule starts on Thursday August 2nd with a 7:45am train. From there I will be attend a non-BlogHer workshop all about photography held by Adorama. The topics I'll be learning about are: Developing your Unique Vision, 10 Ways to Make Your Photos Blogworthy, and The Power of Visual Storytelling. I'm really excited for these! From there I head to a Toy Party and then it's on an 8:35pm train home. Doesn't sound too bad, right?

Well, then comes Friday morning and the non-stop events that will have me on my feet for hours. I'll be catching the train at 6:07AM and the event starts off with a Newbie Breakfast. From there it's Speed Dating, 30mins in the Expo, a session on Brand-Blogger Connections, then lunch with Laura where we plan to talk a lot about Enjoying the Magic. The afternoon starts with a Blog Design Audit, lots more Expo time, and finally a break. Well, so far it's a break... events are still popping up daily, so who knows what will end up happening! The evening closes out with a private Hasbro event and the most talked about party... Sparklecorn! Sparklecorn is supposed to be a glittery, loud dance party with tons of  people in crazy outfits. Frankly, I'm a bit scared. But I joined in the fun and got some crazy accessories to wear!

Saturday kicks off with breakfast at 8am, followed by a session on Affilate Marketing. Then my favorite... Blogger Rights! Over an hour talking about copyrights and protecting yourself, I'm so excited! From there it's lunch, with guest speaker Katie Couric! Throw in some more Expo time, a session on Grammar, and a Disney movie event! And that's not even the end of my day! Sadly, after the movie I have to say goodbye to Laura, then it's off to two more parties, and hopefully a journey home on the 11:22pm train. I'm getting exhausted just typing this all out! And there is a ton of stuff I'm not doing! On Thursday, BH has two full day events... Healthminder and Pathfinder. And on Sunday there is a family day planned! As for non-BlogHer events... I only managed to snag invites for 3 events. There is probably a good 50 more I didn't get invited to or was waitlisted! Can you imagine my schedule if I did get invited to a lot more things? I don't think I would survive!

But enough of me rambling on about my plans for BlogHer, check out these awesome blog posts written by some of my fellow attendees:

The Basics
BlogHer `12 - Survival, Style and Street Food
Tips for BlogHer12 from Simply Frugal Mom (Guest Post)
Not Just Another BlogHer12 Post
BlogHer12: Seize the Moment
Top 5 Tips for Blogher
BlogHer `12: NYC
Blogher `12, Social Anxiety, and Being Pregnant
Blogher `12 Planning! Part 1 - The Romance & The Doom
Conference, Schmomference
Tips for BlogHer `12 New Attendees

The Tech
10 Tips to Help Safeguard Mobile Devices #Blogher 12
Must Have Apps for #Blogher

The Hotel
BlogHer Bootcamp: Top Ten Tips for Roommates

The Packing
BlogHer Bootcamp: Top Ten BlogHer Conference Packing Tips
Made in USA Packing List: Ten Travel Essentials
Heading to #BlogHer? What to Pack!
Traveling Essentials: Geek Style

The Emotions & People
Adaptation
Blogher Anxiety
The Top 10 Faces of BlogHer
8th Annual BlogHer Conference Will Host Katie Couric and Martha Stewart as Keynote Speakers

Now there are hundreds of more posts on the internet about going to BlogHer, so if you want to learn more hit up Google or follow the #BlogHer12 hashtag on Twitter. And I'll share more links in the rest of my posts in the BlogHer `12 series!

Got a post you want to share that I didn't link up? Post it in the comments!

Happy BlogHer  `12!

Mama's Boy

This is the story about a not-so-tiny grey kitty that goes by the name Gryffin. He joined my little family in December 2004 at the age of 6 months old, while I was living in Maryland. He was named Elliot by the rescue group I adopted him from and was originally going to be called Stitch. But he really didn't seem like a Stitch, so he ended up being named Gryffindor. Yes, he is named after a Hogwarts house. And the name couldn't be a more perfect fit. Like all true Gryffindors, he is pretty brave, very daring, and oh so full of chivalry. And he is the love of my life. Some days I really don't know how I got here today without him.

You see, two days after Gryff was adopted I was laid of from my job that brought me to the state of Maryland. It wasn't the first time I had lost a job, but it was the first time I was living in a state away from ALL my family. Thankfully, my mom was also not working at the time, so she was visiting me when it all went down. In fact, she was the one who gave my Gryff... he was an early Christmas present! But while it was nice to have my mom with me at the time, she couldn't stay... and my lease wasn't up until April 2005. Gryffin and I ended up heading home to CT for the holidays, but come early January it was just us, alone, in Maryland. Let me tell you, having him to care for was the highlight of my days. He made it worth getting out of bed. Well, for the most part. He's a cuddle monkey and sometimes made it hard to GET out of bed when he was purring at your side.

June 2005

Enough of the heavy, let's get back to the bundle of fur. For some reason, I can't locate any photos when I first got him. I have them, just can't find them. I blame my really poor computer file system that I keep! Anyways, here is the little guy around his first birthday, June 2005. Isn't he a cutie? He is also a huge chatter box. I can have full conversations with him! He'll just sit there chatting away. And when I say he is a cuddle monkey... I mean it. One of his favorite spots is on my desk, right between me and the laptop. Laying on one of my arms. He makes it a little hard to work... but who can say no to a warm, squishy, purring bundle of love? And he loves to play, whether it's with his toys or your arm. I've been licked, and bit, so many times I've lost count!

September 2007

Now, is Gryffin perfect? To me yes, but to others they may not think so. He does have his quarks, which charming as they may be, might not sit well with others. For one thing, he has severe separation issues. He loses it when I am not around. He also has this habit of sitting at the dinner table with the family. As soon as my dad gets up, he hops in the chair. And he is such a messy eater! If he is eating and something distracts him, out of his mouth and on the floor it goes. And eating food off the floor? He won't do it. He also won't eat people food or out of your hand, and he doesn't know moderation. If you give him a full bowl of food he will eat until he gets sick. Though he'll only eat from the middle of the bowl. If it's on the edges he'll cry till you move it to the middle. I really should have given him the middle name of spoiled!

December 2008 - right between me
and the laptop!

Some of his other "habits"... running to the middle of the house and screaming loudly to let you know he pooped. He is obsessed with peeing in empty plastic laundry baskets or bins. He also adores chewing on paper. I've had to reprint many blog project notes because he's chewed them to bits. And he begs to be feed at 4am almost Every. Freakin. Day. After 7 1/2 years of this I now get up at that time... whether he is meowing or not. My buttons... he knows every one. Like jumping on my laptop in the middle of the night. Or scratching at my door when it's closed because I'm trying to work. Or barging into the bathroom, like he can't be away from you for a second. See, lots of quarks.

Even with all that, he really is the perfect kitty. When it really matters he knows when you need him, and he knows when your really need to be left alone. He's been with me through my lowest lows. And if I ever get some super highs, he'll be there too. He truly is a good boy who loves his mama. And his mama truly loves him.

June 2012