Ohmystinkinheck

Last week kerflop and I decided that I would fly out to Idaho during the weekend of the Blogher 2007 Chicago Conference so we could mourn together host our own Not-So-Blogher at the local Dairy Queen.

Because we are so amazingly creative, we had all kinds of interesting sessions planned out, like “How to do 15 loads of laundry in one day.”, “How to clip toenails with blunt toddler scissors.”, and “How to pretend you haven’t wasted all day blogging or reading others’ blogs when your husband arrives home from work.” It was sure to be fabulous.

Yep, that was the plan.

UNTIL … Elisa Camahort rode in via DSL and offered up a Blogher invite for us to lead - stop snickering, I can hear you - Section #2 of the Taking Your Blog to the Next Level lab on Day 2 of Blogher. Oh man, I just peed my pants for the third time. Geez.

And of course, I refused.

What? You don’t believe me?

Actually, I squealed so loud that I blew out the eardrums of all that inhabit my home and the surrounding 8 blocks, and then, got on the horn to call Jessica; she wasn’t there. I SWEAR YOU PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL LIVES KILL ME! I left about 400 messages at her home, IM, twitter, and email, and then tied myself to a chair to sit and wait for her to return my call.

That.took.forever.

While I waited I reminisced … shall we?

Do you know any of these blogHERs?

Last year, I knew the one in the middle. Y’know, the one too busy talking to smile. Yep, that’s my lab segment “mate”. WHY WON’T SHE CALL???

Please note her adorable hip accessory. Of course, she’s quite grown now … the “hip accessory”, not the momma holding her.

I’ve since had the opportunity to correspond with jenandtonic and fluidpudding, far right to left; both are lovely and witty beyond words ( *get it* witty beyond words *snort* - I’m such a dork.).

I roomed with Lori and Jessica. It was the first time I had met either one of them in person. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to wrap your arms around women you’ve spent years getting to know online.

I would like to take this time to point out my hair. See my hair? The very short hair? The hair I DO NOT HAVE RIGHT NOW because you guys voted for me NOT TO CUT IT. Okay, just thought it was worth a sidenote.

And back to Blogher 2006. I love this shot. I particularly love remembering Jessica say, “I would turn around and talk to you guys facing the other way, but I don’t know what is worse - you staring at my face or my butt.” … or something like that. I had pushed her to the front strongly encouraged her to go forward and share a nightmarish experience she had in one of her blog ad sales last year.

I thought she might hyperventilate up there, but she’s proven since that she is a fabulous public speaker - even in front of lovely, God-fearing people.

There are other shots you can see at my flickr.

But let’s get back to business.
Jessica called.
More screeching ensued.

“This is what we do!”
“This is so awesome!”
“Oh.my.gee. we could so totally help a ton of women to do this!”

She’s trying to rearrange an entire family reunion while I sit here, tied to a chair, praying that it will all work out for her to go too.

In the meantime, I’ve checked tickets online and reserved a room. Oh My Stinkin’ Heck THESE ROOMS are divine.

Someone pinch me.
Harder.
Nope, still here.

32 Responses to “You are not gonna believe this - Blogher 2007”

1. frugalmom

   Well, you can’t possibly come to my neck of the woods and not come by for a visit. Oh, wait, You prolly won’t have a car, right? Bogus. Okay. I’m thinking out loud…

   It doesn’t surprise me in the least that you were asked to go and lead. You are a leader and a teacher. Fabulous. Congrats.

2. saj

   Now I’m really bummed I can’t go.

3. MissPrissy

   That’s awesome! Congrats to both of you!!

4. Angela

   That is fantastic!! Congratulations!!!!!

5. Angella

   Ditto to SAJ. Know anyone with an extra million bucks who can fly us there?

   Kidding! SO happy for you!!

6. Christina

   Ah yes, I remember the fun of BlogHer last year. I spent most of the time wandering around star-struck.

   I just got my reservations in yesterday. Sadly, I was too late to get the swanky hotel. :(

   Congrats on the speaking gig for BlogHer!

7. OMSH

   frugalmom - actually I really am not a leader. I can follow really well. Especially when given a task and left alone. Maybe that makes me a follow-loner or a folloner?

   saj - are you sure? Certain? I know Baby Bug wants to see Navy Pier!

   MissPrissy and Angela - thx!

   Angella - not a million! And? They have rooms in a hostel - I swear … read it on the blogher site. heh heh

   Christina - Keep trying with that swanky hotel - I just got my reservations two nights ago (perhaps someone cancelled)?

8. SmocknMama

   Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
   Congratulations!!!

   I am so squealing for you guys. BTW, I heard those squeals of little girl proportions all the way over here in Louisiana. I did.

   I must admit. I am jealous. Not of the leading thing - so NOT my gig, but of all those lovelies that get the privilege of sitting in YOUR audience.

9. KYouell

   Someday I will have the $$ to go to my professional organization’s (www.rid.org) conference and also to go to BlogHer. I just can’t imagine skipping something that I really should be going to for something that I just want to go to. Especially since I’m just a casual blogger. Congrats to you both. I hope by the time I make it you will be presenting again!

   Oh, and I want a photo of the Extreme Wow Suite’s U-shaped chaise.

10. Annika

    Oh, HECK. Knowing Jessica wasn’t going was the one thing keeping me from crying that I can’t go. Now I’ll have to find something else.

11. Jill - GlossyVeneer

    Wow… you guys will be awesome. Will there be a podcast of your presentation available?

12. Chris

    I just started blogging after reading many for years and man, I’d kill to go to Blogher to learn from the cool chicks.

    Someday.

13. OMSH

    Smocknmama - Well, fortunately for us, it is a LAB, so hopefully we won’t have an audience. We will be walking around and actively helping women get set up. Remind me to pack my deodorant and breath spray! HA!

    KYouell - I’m gonna want a photo of that suite too … I’ll have to break into one of them so you can see it. I’m sure I have the “less than wow, but still way above par” room. :)

    Annika - What was that 90’s rap song (or was it the 80’s - crap, I think it was the 80’s) … “don’t cry … dry … your eye…”

    Jill/GlossyVeneer - well, it isn’t THAT kind of presentation … more like a working session. If they podcast it there won’t really be much to podcast. But I’m secretly hoping no one will record my voice b/c I truly do sound like The Beverly Hillbillies on tape.

    Chris - I’d love to have you there, but you’ve already done your blog, so you’d have to learn from much cooler chics than me.

    I always learn something new too though - cannot wait to go and listen and learn myself!

14. Grasping for straws to suck up my pride.

    [...] ← You are not gonna believe this - Blogher 2007 [...]

15. SmocknMama

    Well, I guess I should have said “to be your worshipping student in class”

16. Laura/PinkFontGirl

    ahem….

    all i have to share on this particular topic is that i don’t think you’re referring to a rap song in that reply up there…i’m thinking you’re referring to Teenage Wasteland by Pink Floyd?

    but in other news…congrats ;)

17. OMSH

    Teenage Wasteland?

    I’m trying to remember all the words to the song, but I swear it wasnt Pink Floyd. Mr. OMSH used to make me listen to that while falling asleep and truly - that gives me nightmares.

    Plus God knows I need an education AND I need some self control.

    The song I’m referring to was rap.

    Don’t cry - dry, your eye
    Here comes your momma with her …

    can’t remember the rest.

    I am so.old.

18. KYouell

    “Don’t cry, don’t raise your eye, it’s only teenage wasteland! Yeah!”

    That’s from Baba O’Riley by The Who. It’s on Who’s Next, one of their best albums.

    I’ll be 42 in October. Their first Farewell Tour was my senior year of high school (Class of ‘83). So I missed Keith Moon, but am still old enough to know the song ain’t called Teenage Wasteland.

    I’m also too old to know that someone used the line in a rap song.

19. SmocknMama

    “first Farewell Tour” Bwahahahaha.
    at that the truth of just about everyone these days?

    older than OMSH.
    younger than KYouell.
    remember that tour too (class of ‘86)
    *****
    I am now laughing out loud - I just now noticed the cute little OMSHville couple in the footer. TOO CUTE. I like the one square bottom and one round bottom.

20. OMSH

    Laura/PinkFontGirl and KYouell … I’m sittin’ here with a big *duh* written across my forehead.

    If it wasn’t Country and Western, I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Mr. OMSH.

    SmocknMama - I was wonderin’ how long it’d take someone to notice I’ve got my OMSH and Mr. OMSH monsters up. I have a ton of them - will post my praises for a very special graphic artist tomorrow!

21. jen lemen

    woohoo! this is great news. i’ll be there again this year with my sister kris and that baby that was making her ill in utero last year.
    :)

22. SmocknMama

    hey, OMSH, didn’t the original OMSH monster have three legs? ;) I thought I remembered making a comment or two about his ‘third’ leg. Maybe that’s why it only has two now?

23. OMSH

    Yes, the pattern had 3 legs - only b/c I was trying to make sure not to look as though I was mimicking a third pattern. But SAJ changed it up enough so as not to look like anyone else’s plush and voila! OMSH and MR. OMSH were born!

    No, your comments aren’t so powerful that they can knock a *ahem* third leg off my OMSH. :)

24. SmocknMama

    aw, man. you mean i’m not the all powerful smocknmama? shoot. *wink*
    i’m glad, because as i said before, “that third leg is oh.so.very important.”

25. OMSH

    I should be embarrassed, but I gave that up years ago. bwahahaha *wink*

26. Heather B.

    I’m speaking at BlogHer too. I marked the occasion by deciding to give up food until July 15th and not squeeling. Is that odd? I might even get a haircut to really bring it all together.

27. OMSH

    Heather B. - First, I think your idea is excellent … the squealing part, not the food part.

    I can’t get a haircut unless my readers give me permission as I have officially turned my head over to my readers. I’m afraid they aren’t getting my subliminal messages that I want to CUT IT!

28. SmocknMama

    GO CUT YOUR HAIR!!!!!

    How’s that for permission? *wink*

29. OMSH

    SmocknMama - Yes, that is permission, but I promised a voting poll, so it isn’t the majority.

    Next time I’m posting REALLY HORRIBLE PICTURES - like right when I wake up or something. That oughta work!

30. chris

    I am puzzled why I never got to meet you! I did meet jessica, though I think I talked to her baby in the sling. Sort of like the baby-lovers version of talking to a woman’s chest.

    This year I’ll make sure to find you. You will NOT have short hair, right?

31. OMSH

    Chris - no, I can’t cut my hair. Majority wins. I’ll post a picture before I leave for everyone attending. I’ll be the one wearing the bright orange sign that says, “OH MY STINKIN HECK talk to me or I will die of embarrassment and lonesome-dom!”

32. Leah

    I met Jessica for the first time at BlogHer last year (somehow I hadn’t read her site before), and we found out we grew up just a few miles from each other. Even without that little bit of serendipity, though, it was great to meet her because she’s so frickin’ cute! (Katie was pretty adorable too.)

    So…I’ll see you both there in July!