Doing it all, some of it well
Since I was so late to the party (hello TWO WEEKS after the conference), I was totally going to skip a Blissdom recap. But then I felt like, what kind of blogger am I?! I mean I can’t even blog about a blogging conference?!
That’s just sad.
So here it is, my recap…
About the series: Marketing Done Well highlights clever marketing ideas, especially those with a social media bent.
Last week I talked about the brilliant way Lucy marketed their brand at Wanderlust with one simple idea. This week I am going to talk about another great presence at Wanderlust, the Toyota Experience tent (I may be a bit biased since Toyota sent me there!)
This was Toyota’s first year sponsoring Wanderlust. It’s a natural fit since Toyota is the number one name in green technology for automobiles. Still, it was important to them that they not just show their product but showcase their commitment to the values of Wanderlust attendees. To do this, they brainstormed about what attendees at the festival needed and what would be a useful takeaway for them, keeping in mind that they wanted to stay true to Toyota’s mission of green living.
Hard to believe that SXSWi starts tomorrow! I feel like I have been anticipating it for weeks and now that we check into our hotel tomorrow, I am like a kid on Christmas eve. I only have one thing left to endure, my husband bitching about heavy my luggage is. The is the first time in years (including my honeymoon, a two week trip to Italy, and BlogHerx2) that I have checked a bag. And that bag is mainly filled with books and papers.
I tend to look at vacations, much to my family’s consternation, as a time to catch up on things. And since this is a working vacation, I brought double the stuff to catch up on. A big portion of that stuff is books I have been meaning to read. Most of them are new media specific but I made room for a few general business ones. And a stand out has been The Barefoot Executive: The Ultimate Guide for Being Your Own Boss and Achieving Financial Freedom
Unlike most of the business books I have been reading lately, The Barefoot Executive offers practical advice that I can put into action immediately. I loved the exercises in the book; they really helped me clarify my thoughts.
But perhaps the best part of the book is the relatbaility of the author. Our paths to owning our own businesses are very similar, as our backgrounds. And I adore the fact that though she frequently mentions her family as a motivation for working for herself, it’s done in a matter of fact way not in a gushing “my children are my life” way which is the usual in books written by successful moms. Her business like tone really resonates with me. I feel like this is one of the few entrpuener books I have read that really approach owning your own business in a professional way. If you’re just starting out like me, or wanting to make the jump to working for yourself, I highly recommend picking up this books and/or checking out the Barefoot Executive website (which has a ton of great resources!)
You can find the author Carrie Wilkerson on Twitter and Facebook, as well as on her website.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Barefoot Executive to review from Living The Moment. All thoughts on this post, and everything else written on this blog, are my own.
Last week I tweeted that I needed to get off the internet except that my job was working on the internet. There’s the rub isn’t it? Between my freelance jobs, maintaining my group blog, writing on this blog, tweeting, going through email, playing Words with Friends, working my way through Facebook, and checking into FourSquare I spend way too much time on the internet. It’s no wonder that my girls have started telling me “Shut the computer mommy!”
See that gorgeous view I posted above? It’s out my living room window but I never see it. Because my back is to it while I stare at my laptop. It’s a shame. So when Hallmark contacted me about their “blogout” movement encouraging bloggers (and anyone one a little too plugged in) to push the “pause” button, I figured what could it hurt.
Their words: “Our Life is a Special Occasion encourages us to pause and recognize those unplanned, perfectly imperfect moments we share with our loved ones — the moments that take place in between life’s big milestones. We are not suggesting a retirement of your smart phones, televisions or computers. We are asking you to turn off technology for a moment, an afternoon or even a day to give you time to celebrate the unplanned, perfectly imperfect moments you share with those who mean the most to you. Turn off technology and turn up the relationships with those around you.”
I mean, how can you turn that down?
I couldn’t give it up entirely but I did make an effort over the weekend (and Halloween) to put the phone now, close the laptop, and enjoy life. I stayed at my daughter’s Halloween party instead of rushing home to check to see what I “missed” on Twitter and Facebook. Instead of snapping pics with my iPhone and uploading them to share when we raked leaves, I broke out the camera and took some high quality shots. I found that when my girls heard less of me saying “one more minute” they were actually more patient. We were actually able to record the recordable storybook Hallmark sent us without a twin fight.
So though I won’t be giving up the internets any time soon; I will be making more of an effort to make them an addition to my day instead of my focus. Moments are just as memorable without Instagraming them.
So it’s finally the week of the BlogHer conference and if you’re not going you’re probably sighing a huge sigh of relief that a week from today it will all be over and your favorite tweeters and bloggers will finally start talking about something else. Even though I am going, I feel your pain. There’s nothing worse than hearing about something you can’t go to constantly. So I would like to give you a piece of BlogHer!
Even though the talk may be all about the parties on twitter, the real meat of the BlogHer conference is the learning opportunities the sessions offer. I can’t pack you in my bag for my geek bar appointment and the photography roundtable I am attending. But I can give you some of the knowledge through two informative books from Wiley publishing about digital photography.
The first is Mamarazzi, an every mom’s guide to taking better pictures of your kids. It is a must have for any mommy blogger. It will ” show you how to compose shots, handle cameras from basic compacts to advanced dSLRs, take portraits or candids, create prints that impress, and even work with kids! Packed with beautiful examples and written in a down-to-earth style from one mom to another, this book will help mamarazzis everywhere take better photos.”
Image Credit : Wiley Publishing
The second book is Plate to Pixel, a digital food photography and styling guide. This book will “Discover how the food stylist exercises unique techniques to make the food look attractive in the finished product. You’ll get a taste of the visual know-how that is required to translate the perceptions of taste, aroma, and appeal into a stunning, lavish finished photograph.”
Image credit : Wiley Publishing
Want a copy? Leave a comment telling me which book you would like before 11:59pm on August 7th. The only requirement is that you not be attending BlogHer. Attending BlogHer and want a copy for yourself? They are both available for $29.95 through the Wiley site. Ebooks are also available. If you would be so kind I would love it if you would like my Facebook page too.
Disclosure: I was given these books as a personal gift. This giveaway is not sponsored by Wiley Publishing. Shipping to send the books to you is courtesy of my spare change piggy bank.
mother. thinker. advocate. friend.
Email me at :
theguavaliciouslife(at)gmail.com
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