Blogher Bingo

Posted on July 10, 2014 by The Next Martha

I will not be at blogher (a women’s blogging conference) this year even though I have gone the last four years.

It’s nothing personal. I just needed 3ft dolls more than I needed to learn about SEO.

Now that the conference is nearing, the chatter is beginning to heat up. I was starting to feel left out so I thought I could play along with Blogher Bingo.

Maybe you’re not going and want to play too.

Log onto twitter, facebook, instagram, google+, and youtube, from July 24 – 26 and follow the #’s:

#Blogher

#Blogher14

#BlogherSanJose

#Blogher14SanJose

If you are going, you can play too. Just make sure you text me the photo of the square that you are filling. It’s only fair. _________________________________________________________________

If you’re going to tell me that professional bloggers don’t write things like this, you’re late to that game.

I suppose if I was a professional blogger, this would be sponsored and I would have a giveaway. Guess I learned nothing in those 4 years.

*A swagon is a wagon/suitcase rolling device that one might roll behind them as they stuff STUFF into it. Swag-wagon. My friend Lookieboo came up with that term and it could not be more perfect.

I’d love if blogher did a swagon parade on Sunday morning, like, float style.

I’d totally book a flight now for that.

Think of the DIY bloggers blogher.

So you’re going to be hosting Blogher at your hotel….

Posted on June 24, 2013 by The Next Martha

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This will be my 4th Blogher experience and I’m lucky that my hometown is hosting this year.

I saved airfare so I decided that upgrading our room would be a great idea after I got an email suggesting doing so for a fairly reasonable price.

I called the Chicago Sheraton and spoke to a Ms. Victoria (who was very helpful and nice btw) and though small talk realized that she (and others at the hotel) didn’t know what Blogher was.

Oh.

Oh my.

Taken from Sheraton website

So Sheraton Chicago? This is for you.

And you’re welcome.

Thank you Melissa

1)What is Blogher?

Short? It’s a collection of online writers (blogs and otherwise) who gather to learn more about the art of blogging. It’s about 99.8 percent attended by women. The few men can be found carrying a flask to offset the estrogen hurricane they just entered. The Blogher conference covers many different aspects of blogging including writing, photography, technical, design, and probably lots of other stuff that I don’t do or understand.

It’s also so much more. For me, it’s the annual pilgrimage to meet online people that I read all year round. I can get my geek on and have not a single person think I’m strange. And I am strange.

2) What do one of these “bloggers” look like?

You can tell a blogger by the technology. Look for smart phones, iPads, Apple lap tops, and lots of texting and SQUEEING when two women meet. Bloggers are squealers. Get yourselves some ear plugs now and thank me later.

3) What should I expect from bloggers?

Thank you Lady

You should expect from them as you would any other customer unless you piss them off. Then? Expect your social media to BLOW UP LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. You should warn whoever* runs the twitter and or Facebook page now. Really. And buy them a bottle of vodka for each of the 3 nights that the conference is going to be there. (*feel free to tweet me @thenextmartha to say thanks for the vodka I just got you)

4) Why should I care about these bloggers?

You don’t have to but I can guarantee that they will be one of the most diverse groups of women that you’ve ever hosted. If you just take a moment to talk to them you might find yourself inspired, in awe, laughing, and better just for meeting them. You’ll meet writers who talk about humor, loss, love, family, crafting, food, technology, politics, their spanx and their lady parts.

Thank you Sili

Other stuff you should know:

-Many bloggers bring children and some of them are babies who are breastfeeding. Hell, you might find toddlers breastfeeding in your lobby. Get to know Illinois breastfeeding laws before this group enters.

-This may be the only 3 days a mom gets out of her house from taking care of kids for the whole year. She chose this conference to spend her money on. Your hotel may be the only hotel she stays in all year. Please don’t judge a mommy blogger by her cover. Give her the same service that you would of any customer. Again, if you don’t? You’ll pay social medially.

-Swag. What does that mean? It means that there are corporate sponsored parties that donate items to get them into the hands of this shopping powerhouse of the family. How does this affect you? Housekeeping. At the end of last year’s conference my room had ½ a closet stacked 3 feet high with stuff we decided to not pack and bring home. We left a note explaining that we were leaving housekeeping with any of the stuff we left. A lot of this stuff is NOT junk. It simply cannot all be taken. Please come up with a policy for items left behind in the room for housekeeping if you don’t already have one.

-Expect your Wi-Fi to be taxed more than you think is possible. We may just break it.

-Don’t water down the coffee you serve us. Don’t. We’ll hunt you down and kill you with hashtags. #WheresTheCaffeineSheraton?

There is probably more but I think I’ll let you chew on this for now. As for myself, I thank you for hosting us in advance. It’s not going to be an easy or low key weekend for either of us.

And when it’s over? You can thank me for giving you a heads up.

-Jen
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Bloggers:

The Chicago Sheraton has their own app

Blogher Hangover is Real

Posted on August 12, 2012 by The Next Martha

Most of us have been home a week and yet many of us aren’t over it. I’ve seen more than one person talking about blogher hangover.

And I’m here to tell you, it’s real.

You might think “Well yeah, WineJen and her glow stick skirt sparkled hard.

Oh, yes. We did.

But it’s more than that.

I’ve caught up on the sleep.

I’ve *finally* gained back that 4lbs I lost while starving in New York.

And yet? It’s still there.

The loneliness. The isolation. The sadness about something so awesome being over.

It starts to creep up about the 2^nd day you’re home.

Maybe part of it has to do with the location itself. New York is high energy 24/7.

Maybe it has to do with the events you attend. It’s not every day you have companies fling bags of stuff at you. Maybe it was the designer shoe buffet. Or going to fancy parties at the Viacom building and having an amazing view of Times Square.

But really, it’s none of that. It’s the people.

That one who made you laugh.

That one you admire.

That one who inspired you.

That one who made you cry.

These people understand you. Get you. Forgive you for tweeting at the dinner table.

In the end the location was great, the event was nice, but it’s the people your heart aches for that takes some time to get over.

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Just a little thank you to Toy with Me , Blogging Dangerously, Babyrabies, Lifes Candy, and Harpers Happenings for being the best roommates ever

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Just another little thank you to BabyRabies, Harpers Happenings, and Tie a little Ribbon, because I swiped a few of your photos (the good ones)

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And finally a HUGE thank you to my dear friend Melisa who wrote a beautiful story about the Martha Stewart keynote that includes pictures of the table I set

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The Martha Project

Marginally Talented

Category Archives: Blogher

Blogher Bingo

So you’re going to be hosting Blogher at your hotel….

Blogher Hangover is Real