So, BlogHer '07 has come and gone, and for me at least it was over way too soon. I met lots of great people and attended really interesting seminars, including a few where I wrangled a microphone for BlogHer, which was really fun! I actually had people coming up and asking me for extra tickets for free cocktails, thinking I was "connected" because they had seen me in a few meetings, running around with a microphone like Phil Donahue used to (younger Moms, imagine Sally Jesse Raphael or Geraldo).
Anyway, I wanted to take the time to let all of you know about some of the great Moms I met!
On Friday, I knew I wanted to find the MayasMom table. MayasMom, if you aren't a member, is the best community for Moms around anywhere. They don't do product reviews, so yes, you need to keep reading Cool Moms Rule! : ) But they DO have some great groups you can join.
Before I tracked down the MayasMom group, I met up with three Moms over lunch, the ladies who write for moxie-mom.blogspot.com and mommylu.blogspot.com, and another blog called "My Funny Family"--hey, you can't see that unless you are her friend! Oh, well, maybe she will see this and fix it? Anyway, these ladies were great company and made me feel right at home.
Luckily, CrazedParent, the Director over at Maya's Mom actually found me! So then after we hugged, she pointed me over to Ann, the CEO who started the whole community, who was seated with Jean, the Director of PBS.org/parents. Jean was talking about how she wanted more people to know that her site was interactive, that she wanted to do more to increase the interactivity, and that she wondered why more parents didn't come by. And I have to tell you, I felt ashamed of myself. My kids grew up on PBS shows like Arthur and I grew up on Sesame Street! When Mr. Rogers died this year, I was saddened by this loss. Although I wasn't a fan of his show in particular, anyone who knows anything about the man knows that he lived his life as a role model for kids and adults alike.
I found myself thinking fondly about those childhood days spent watching all the great PBS shows. Anyone remember Miss June from Romper Room? Remember clomping around on your Romper Stompers, while Miss June looked into her magic mirror, and you were just praying she would say your name as she started with, "I see Billy and Lisa and.."? I sure do. So, please, do remember how fantastic PBS is, and take a trip over to the PBS parents site!
I felt very privileged, on the second day of BlogHer, to meet Kristin over at PPD Survivor, because I just can't praise her enough for what she is doing. Kristin was actually an executive before she went through her own traumatic ordeal dealing with postpartum psychosis, and now she has reached out to an entire community of women, openly discussing just what that's like. Her pet peeve is the way the media portrays only the very worst--Mothers committing infanticide, horrible tragedies--about PPD, and not the success stories. She's been writing to Oprah (and others), trying to get them to show strong women who have suffered with PPD and still managed to gain control of their lives, and I think she should be the first one they call.
In one of the seminars, hosted by Microsoft, I met a wonderful young woman, Jennifer, from Malaysia, whose blog is entitled "The Imperfect Mom." As you might guess, we hit it right off! Interesting enough, Jennifer mentioned that now that she has moved to America, even though she is from Malaysia and will be returning there, her Malaysian readers seem to feel she has lost some of her validity to comment on Malaysian matters, especially politics. So let's all try to make her feel at home here, as well, and maybe check out her site?
Wow, there are so many women I want to write about, and this post is becoming long, so I guess I will need to speed things up! Kate, from Life the Universe and Everything was friendly as could be, and I rode the trolley with Susan from WMAG (Working Moms Against Guilt). I had snacks and a short break with Melissa of Under Construction, and of course there were all the great Moms who I met in passing and just neglected to exchange business cards with.
Thanks to all, and I'm sorry I had to leave anyone out, because I enjoyed spending time with each and every one of you.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
BlogHer '07 Rocks!
I just wanted to let everyone know that if you couldn't make the BlogHer '07 conference, you need to plan ahead for '08!
I've met some other Cool Moms, and next post I will write about them and their blogs so that you can meet them, too!
I've had a fantastic time interacting with all the other women (and men, too!) here at BlogHer '07. BlogHer has done a fantastic job of not only arranging quality presentations and bringing in the very best exhibitors (who, I have to say, are incredibly generous with all the swag they are passing out--it's like trick-or-treating!), but also creating opportunities for all of us to get together and socialize.
And, sorry if I am gushing here, but they really couldn't ask for a better venue than the Navy Pier here in Chicago. Once I realized that I needed to take that trolley all the way out to the very end, I was set. Note to future attendees: the Navy Pier is lo-o-o-o-ng! There's the entrance, where you find the Children's Museum and restaurants, the center full of shops, a Ferris Wheel and lots of family activities, and then finally the Grand Ballroom at the end, with beer gardens outside and sometimes music.
Tonight, though I will be flying home, is Venetian night at the Navy Pier, and I hear that the the parade of boats with their lights all lit up is just beautiful.
More soon!
Next post: Who I met and what I learned.
I've met some other Cool Moms, and next post I will write about them and their blogs so that you can meet them, too!
I've had a fantastic time interacting with all the other women (and men, too!) here at BlogHer '07. BlogHer has done a fantastic job of not only arranging quality presentations and bringing in the very best exhibitors (who, I have to say, are incredibly generous with all the swag they are passing out--it's like trick-or-treating!), but also creating opportunities for all of us to get together and socialize.
And, sorry if I am gushing here, but they really couldn't ask for a better venue than the Navy Pier here in Chicago. Once I realized that I needed to take that trolley all the way out to the very end, I was set. Note to future attendees: the Navy Pier is lo-o-o-o-ng! There's the entrance, where you find the Children's Museum and restaurants, the center full of shops, a Ferris Wheel and lots of family activities, and then finally the Grand Ballroom at the end, with beer gardens outside and sometimes music.
Tonight, though I will be flying home, is Venetian night at the Navy Pier, and I hear that the the parade of boats with their lights all lit up is just beautiful.
More soon!
Next post: Who I met and what I learned.
BlogHer '07 Session: Silenced Women Speak Out
Bahraina journalist Amira Al Hussaini led a discussion, along with Liz Henry from BlogHer.com (feministsf.net) and Katherine Stone (postpartumprogress.com) about "Silenced Communities" and giving women from these communities a voice.
These women, on the stage, live very different lifestyles, and yet they all identified with the concept of "Silenced Communities." Then the audience joined in, and the discussion really became interesting.
Amira Al Hussaini understands what it means to silenced. Her community believed that a woman should be seen and not heard. Although Bahrain does now allow women to serve in elected posts legally, the stigma is so great societally that for a very long time not even a single woman served in an elected post, because people simply would not vote for a women to represent them.
For Kristin Stone, the stigma of mental illness has created a silenced community among mothers who suffer from postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis and other mental conditions. She spoke about how women with these problems, if they are addressed by the media at all, are those at the extreme negative end of the spectrum: a mother who has committed infanticide, for example. You'll see a woman, perhaps, crying and falling apart. But you will never see a happy, healthy, recovered woman, or a strong woman trying who also happens to be struggling as a victim of PPD. She explains that she has written to Oprah about this issue several times (as well as others), but has never gotten anywhere.
Jennifer Hogg wants other women to know what it really is like for women serving in the military today. An actively anti-war veteran and gay woman, Jen has been quoted on Iraq Veterans Against War as saying, "Being willing to give our lives for this country does not mean our government should be willing to give us up so freely."
Urban Mom Liz Henry, self-described "feministgeekpunkpoet" with short vividly purple spiked hair, just happens to blog from a wheelchair. No, she will not tell you what that's like, because she is bored with trying, but she can recommend some excellent blogs by women with disabiliites:
Broken Clay
Wheelchair Dancer
These women, on the stage, live very different lifestyles, and yet they all identified with the concept of "Silenced Communities." Then the audience joined in, and the discussion really became interesting.
Amira Al Hussaini understands what it means to silenced. Her community believed that a woman should be seen and not heard. Although Bahrain does now allow women to serve in elected posts legally, the stigma is so great societally that for a very long time not even a single woman served in an elected post, because people simply would not vote for a women to represent them.
For Kristin Stone, the stigma of mental illness has created a silenced community among mothers who suffer from postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis and other mental conditions. She spoke about how women with these problems, if they are addressed by the media at all, are those at the extreme negative end of the spectrum: a mother who has committed infanticide, for example. You'll see a woman, perhaps, crying and falling apart. But you will never see a happy, healthy, recovered woman, or a strong woman trying who also happens to be struggling as a victim of PPD. She explains that she has written to Oprah about this issue several times (as well as others), but has never gotten anywhere.
Jennifer Hogg wants other women to know what it really is like for women serving in the military today. An actively anti-war veteran and gay woman, Jen has been quoted on Iraq Veterans Against War as saying, "Being willing to give our lives for this country does not mean our government should be willing to give us up so freely."
Urban Mom Liz Henry, self-described "feministgeekpunkpoet" with short vividly purple spiked hair, just happens to blog from a wheelchair. No, she will not tell you what that's like, because she is bored with trying, but she can recommend some excellent blogs by women with disabiliites:
Broken Clay
Wheelchair Dancer
Friday, July 27, 2007
Coming to You Live from BlogHer '07!
I'm sitting outside the door of the busiest room so far at BlogHer '07--in fact, it is two rooms, usually partitioned, that have been set aside specifically for this afternoon's session.
I'm sitting outside because, at the mmoment, the room is so crowded I can't even get in the door. And I'm not the only one. Mingling and eavesdropping outside with me are numerous bloggers, some I met or lunched with earlier in the afternoon.
Which session has us all hanging out here, listening in, while the seats inside--and any available floor space--is already brimming over with warm (make that hot, it's humid here in Chicago) bodies, listening avidly to each speaker in turn?
The session is "The State of the Momosphere."
That's right, we're BIG NEWS here at the BlogHer Convention, Moms!
The session's being chaired by an organization known as Five Moms, a great group of women I spoke with earlier today on an issue that I didn't even know was out there, an issue that affects one in ten kids--cough syrup addiction.
I kid you not. One in ten children, including the child of one of the original Five Moms, has this addiction. And, according to Five Moms, one in FOUR children has a friend who is addicted.
But they are getting the word out. And not only that, Moms have come from all over to share their own concerns and questions, and to join in the incredible sense of community that is the Momosphere.
I'm so glad I'm here at BlogHer '07 to experience all this myself first-hand.
(But don't worry! I'll keep you all posted, too!)
Viv
I'm sitting outside because, at the mmoment, the room is so crowded I can't even get in the door. And I'm not the only one. Mingling and eavesdropping outside with me are numerous bloggers, some I met or lunched with earlier in the afternoon.
Which session has us all hanging out here, listening in, while the seats inside--and any available floor space--is already brimming over with warm (make that hot, it's humid here in Chicago) bodies, listening avidly to each speaker in turn?
The session is "The State of the Momosphere."
That's right, we're BIG NEWS here at the BlogHer Convention, Moms!
The session's being chaired by an organization known as Five Moms, a great group of women I spoke with earlier today on an issue that I didn't even know was out there, an issue that affects one in ten kids--cough syrup addiction.
I kid you not. One in ten children, including the child of one of the original Five Moms, has this addiction. And, according to Five Moms, one in FOUR children has a friend who is addicted.
But they are getting the word out. And not only that, Moms have come from all over to share their own concerns and questions, and to join in the incredible sense of community that is the Momosphere.
I'm so glad I'm here at BlogHer '07 to experience all this myself first-hand.
(But don't worry! I'll keep you all posted, too!)
Viv
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
My Harry Potter review is on Fuel the Rebellion!
I'm happy to say that the folks over at the gaming blog Fuel the Rebellion put my review of Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows up over on their site! They've also got a new post with an interesting take on the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Check it out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)