Because my life needs a ChargHER more than ever before and I think Energizer & Barefoot Mommies can do it!
July 19, 2010
Hello.
Did I have you at hello?
I know my posts have been a bit sparse lately. But I had to bring to you a matter of national importance. Okay, not national but local. Okay, not local but it is important to me. Does that count? Of course it does. Help me, help you. Well, really, it would just be you helping me in this case but then in return I could totally help you. Really! I promise on a stack of stupid, dead batteries because that is all I have in my house right now.
Let me start this begging post by saying I have never missed a BlogHer. I was there when it was tiny and we could all fit into one restaurant and have seen it grow to thousands in just a matter of years. That is the power of women and the Interwebs, people. When we want something, we get all charged up about it! (See what I did there?) The truth of the matter is that finances have totally sucked the ever living life out of us these past few months. Though I registered for BlogHer waaaaayyyyy back in…well, before it sold out is all I remember…. I am looking at the real possibility of not being able to attend. (You should be hearing the weeping, moaning and the violins about now.)
You see, the old school blogger in me was all like “Sponsors? How do you do that?” and the trying-to-stay-hip blogger was all like “Yeah, man, you can actually ask people to send you and they will help pay AND you get to be their spokesperson like Billy Mayes only more-so and alive.” The old school blogger is still all, “Whoa.”
Then I read about Barefoot Mommies and Energizer giving away a scholarship for BlogHer. Not just a little scholarship but a big honkin’ $2000 scholarship to TWO bloggers. The old school blogger in me just flat out fainted. The trying-to-stay-hip blogger was all “Try it you old fart! It is your only shot at going at this point!” So in the spirit of explaining why I should be the one to be chosen over ever other person flooding Twitter with begs, I shall explain why I am a super Energizer ChargHER BlogHer blogger choice. (Besides the fact I can say that out loud without my brain exploding.)
You see, at the first BlogHer, I (along with two other amazing bloggers) was able to charge up a room (See what I did there again?) of people about the most dreaded topic of ‘05: Mommybloggers. Oh, yes, we were the bottom of the foodchain, the pondscum of the blogs, the….well, you get it. Yes, I along with my panelists let the battle cry charge for respect for the Mom(my) Blogger. Now, PR professionals and marketing reps are coming to us. To pay. For us. To go. To BlogHer. I’d like to think I had a hand in that. (Of course, Al Gore think he invented the Internet so….)
Energy? Oh, I have energy but could always use a charge. But even alone, I can hug a statue to life. It’s true. Look:
I can hug a statue to life!
But it isn’t just energy I can bring to the table, I can bring great networking skills. Mad networking skillz. In fact, I am not above jumping into a hot tub fully clothed to meet someone and tell them all about whatever it is I want to because face it, when you see someone plummeting towards you in a hot tub, you tend to listen.
Hot Tub Networking
But those can be the easy talks. You have a captive audience while in a hot tub or talking to an inanimate statue. They tend to listen. However, when I am all charged up (like the Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger) I will go into battle for the message and not be afraid to come out beaten and bruised to make my point. Just look at the battle scars I am willing to endure for a cause. (Of course, I would never cause this to anyone to share my message or give away a USB charger. I am too nice for something like that!)
I can take a hit and still keep on going and going and going....
My point is this: If you really want someone with SUPER high energy to tell people about the Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger, I am totally your girl! People think that it is the coffee that makes me so high energy. Well, there is some truth to that and the Diet Coke, but mainly, I just love people. Meeting people. Seeing old friends. Talking about things I am passionate about- well, actually talking about everything.
So why am I a good fit for this scholarship/Gift from the Energizer gods above? Well, let’s just compare, shall we?
The Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger features a large LCD screen with a countdown clock displaying remaining charging time and a fuel gauge indicating the current level of power in the inserted NiMH rechargeable batteries. It also features a slow charge rate, which extends the number of battery life cycles.
Me? Well, I don’t have a large LCD screen with a countdown clock but I have a big mouth that can share information. (Maybe I should look into getting one of those LCD screens with a countdown to warn people when my batteries are low, too.) I do have fuel gage but it isn’t one you can see. It is more like one you can sense when my energy is down. It is then you know it is time to recharge the Jenn. I, too, have a slow recharge to last longer. (A nap.) Or a quick charger. (Diet Coke or coffee.)
The Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger features and a bad battery alert that automatically indicates if the batteries are no longer useful or if a disposable battery has been inserted by mistake.
Oh, honey, if you know me, you know that I can automatically detect a bad battery (or in my case a bad cup of coffee) when trying to recharge. I can also tell if someone has tried to slip me another diet soda that is not Diet Coke and that just doesn’t work with me. Much like a dead battery won’t work for my toys.
I am meant to be combined with this amazing product. I have 3 kids. We go through batteries almost as fast as we go through toilet paper. Every grocery shopping list always has batteries on it. (Of course, I usually forget to get them, but that is a totally different story!) I know batteries. I know how frustrating it is when batteries die or you think you hit the jackpot with a new battery only to find that some rude kid in the house put a BAD battery back into the junk drawer. (What? You have a just drawer, too!) Energizer Recharge Smart Charger & I are meant to be together. We have so much in common! And? I have tried other ways to recharge batteries my own way. Let me just be the first to tell you that dunking a battery into a cup of coffee to give it a charge (like I get from coffee) just doesn’t work. Don’t try that at home, kids. The Energizer people have a way better method than I do, for sure!
This is the Energizer Recharge Smart Charger
This is Jenn Recharging
See? We even color coordinate! We are the perfect match!
The bottom line is this: I want to go to BlogHer so much it hurts. I have never missed and the thought of missing this year breaks my heart. (When less than a dozen people have ever missed and it would be awesomely cool to keep this track record going to support BlogHer and continue to be an active part of this conference.) This is my one shot left. I do hope I am chosen as a Energizer Smart ChargHER ! You know you want me. I know I want you. Let’s make it official and join us in a union that just may be illegal in at least 38 states but I am willing to risk it to be paired up for BlogHer with Energizer. I am a risk taker, people.
Because let’s face it, after the year I have had, I so desperately need a rechargHER in my life.
(This is where the dramatic yet poignant music plays that tugs at your heart strings after making you laugh and tells your heart and your head to pick me! So you do.)
See you at BlogHer10. Right? I’ll be the one in the Energizer shirt. (I hope!)
Misbehaving, plotting & sneaking my Plum
June 26, 2010
When you share a bed with the same person for 20 years, you establish some “unwritten rules” of behavior. For instance, it is not okay for me to wake Clint up to tell him about something I just thought of that was really funny. He will not find it amusing. Another example, it is not okay to wake me up to ask me if I am sleeping or what time I am planning on waking up. Simple things that keep a marriage going strong and prevent one from getting pushed out of bed when one least expects it.
I have a confession to make. One of these rules I break every chance I get.
You see, I have been banned from reading Janet Evanovich books in bed. Especially the Stephanie Plum series. Why Janet Evanovich? Because I “allegedly” wake him up every time I read these books in bed. Okay, I admit to laughing. Out loud. Sometimes I try to hold it in. That just results in me shaking the bed so hard it wakes him up simply because I am laughing so hard and trying not to make a noise so as to not wake him. Or it results in the loud laugh-snort. None of it works. I laugh. Out loud. Every time. Thus, the ban.
So last night I was ready. I came to bed as if everything was normal. I had my water (ahem Diet Coke), my phone and my book.
“Freeze!” He looks at me hard.
“What?” I mutter in my most demure manner.
I was ready. See, I am onto Clint. He knows the release date for the new Evanovich books. He had the nerve to think that I would blatantly bring in a new Plum novel. Ha! You see, I knew he might be looking for it so I did what any rational person in this situation would do. I put a Stuart Woods cover over the book so that it appeared to be a Stuart Woods book and not my forbidden fruit of hilariousness.
“What do you have?”
“Ummm, a drink, my phone and a book.” I held the book up for him to see. He looked doubtful but let it go.
I silently giggle and crawl into bed.
By the third page I am giggling and trying to hold it in. By the second chapter I am laughing out loud and trying to practically bite my pillow to resist.
“Hand it over.”
I jump. I thought he was asleep. “What? Huh? What book?”
He lays there with his hand outstretched waiting for me to hand over my book.
“That is SO unfair!” I pout and hand over the book.
“I cannot believe you thought you could sneak this past me. You know you laugh. You know you wake me up. Did you think your fake cover would work?”
“Well, actually, yes, I did. Let me get this clear: That book right there in your hand is off limits in bed. That book.”
I could see he was wondering where I was going with that. “This book and any of her books-paperback and hardback. One through 16.”
There was victory in his eyes as I rolled over and turned out the light.
As soon as he fell asleep, I reached for my book light & my Kindle. I giggled as I threw the covers over my head and began to read Sizzling Sixteen right where I left off when I handed over my book.
Silly man! He totally should have seen that one coming.
I tried it again tonight. He totally busted me when I started to giggle. I get my Kindle back at daybreak.
Good thing I have Kindle app for the iPhone!
Vacation- All I ever wanted! Vacation- Had to get away!
June 24, 2010
I went on vacation and fell in love. Yes, it’s true. I went with expectations of enjoying some time with my family and maybe catching some good beach time but it turns out, I fell in love. Many of you know Clint could not go with me on this trip. It was me and the kids and a total of 23 people in one house. Yet, each morning, I would sneak away to meet my new baby and we would spend a few stolen moments together.
We met here the first morning I was there. I was just relaxing on the beach and he caught my eye.
"Our Spot"
It’s not like I could resist jumping up to see him and meet him. I knew my eagerness would scare him away but it did not. He approached me cautiously but didn’t flee. My heart leaped with joy. In 17 years of vacationing here, this had never happened to me. What I thought was a one time meeting became an every day experience. At the same time every day I would race to the beach to meet him and there he was. Even my son met him face to face. I suppose my only regret is that we missed each other my last day at the beach. Maybe he was too sad. Maybe he knew I would be too sad. Maybe it was the idiot teenagers chasing everything that moved in the water that caused him to stay away. Perhaps it was for the best. Goodbyes are never easy. I tried to get a picture of him one day, but he raced off too quickly.
This is a rendering of him along with a picture that looks very much like he does:
Rendering of my ~Crush~
~Crush Look Alike~
What? Like you never went to the beach and met a sea turtle that you had a crush on and then met up with him every day? Oh, please, it isn’t like that kind of stuff just happens to me. Is it?
But it wasn’t just folicking with sea turtles. Oh, no!
Everyday I spent laughing with people I love, sharing amazing food and spending time relaxing and refocusing. I did a lot of writing. This was the view from my office:
Oh, but it certainly was not all work! Not at all! I spent some wonderful time with these people whom I love:
Who needs poses when you have laughter
I think some of my favorite times were spent with my brother and sister. We always laugh when we are together. Always. Being with them is so good for my soul.
Oh, the tales we could tell on each other!
Of course, I spent time with my amazing children. And, well, you know the tale: Getting two teenage boys to pose for more than a couple of pictures is sheer TORTURE. It is practially downright abusive to them. But, I did get a few. Here is one of my favorites with my and my babies:
Yes, my boys are that much taller than I am!
At the end of the day, there was much to laugh about. Especially for your kids when they knew that you were about to be attacked by a flock of seagulls. And totally not the kind that will sing to you. The kind that absolutely will poop on you.
The Flock of Sea Gulls didn't even sing to me as they flew over!
But at the end of the day we all enjoyed beautiful sunsets together. We knew another perfect day was ending when we saw this:
Another perfect end to a perfect day
Though some of us night owls tended to get back up after the house of 23 was quiet and calm. when we did, we were treated to beautiful sites such as this:
If you were a night owl, you enjoyed nights like this
So, there is a brief glimpse into my vacation. Oh, there are tons more pictures I could share but the time, the bandwidth, the “that is so sucking vacation chill from me” is going to cut it here. (I have many more on Facebook!)
THE END!
I won’t be quiet. No one should be in this situation.
May 6, 2010
I usually try not to use my blog as a pulpit. I try not to come off as someone who tries to make people think as I do. I tell stories. I am not a motivational speaker or preacher and I don’t use my blog as such. So, since you have been with me (many of you) for years, indulge me as I share something with you. I need to say it. If not for you, than for someone whose heart is open to it.
There are people I love who have been through hell this past week. Good people. For that matter, maybe even some bad people, too. Who they are doesn’t matter. They are people. Many are suffering. Many are in situations that are unfathomable to you as you sit in the comfort of your home cruising the Internet. Situations that should bring a tear to your eye or at the very least make you see that there is a world out there so much bigger than your tiny circle that you deal with on a daily basis. People whose problems are bigger than many of yours. Most definitely that are much bigger than anything in my life, that is for damn sure!
This is Nashville:
Look at it. Watch it. And when you do, don’t ignore it. What if it was your town? What if you were stranded without power for days and couldn’t get out or get supplies? What if your neighbor or your friend was missing and you knew that it has become a “recovery mission” and not a “rescue mission” now? Ask yourself whether or not the little annoyances matter in the grand scheme of things. As people have lost everything, ask yourself if the situations you are in- whether by choice or circumstance- are nearly as devastating or nearly as important as the ones these people are facing right now. Or if maybe, just maybe, you personally could use some of your own passionate nature (and I know my readers…they are passionate) to better use for these people. When you complain about having to deal with difficult people at work, be thankful you can go to work and then have a home to come back to at the end of the day. A home that is not under water. A home that is not devastated. A home where you have not lost everything.
I am not saying your problems are not real. They are real. Your struggles and grievances are just as valid. And, yes, they do matter. But for the love of all things human, LOOK at what people are dealing with right now. Look at their problems. Look at the real devastation in their lives and ask yourself: If I refocused my energies on the people of Nashville who need it, would that be a better use of passion, my prayers and my time than whatever it is I am currently focused on?
This flood hits my heart hard. I have people I have come to love that live there. I have friends who have been blessed enough to only endure a lack of power and friends who have seen complete devastation. THIS is what matters right now to me. And, you know what? THIS is where I choose to focus my energy, my attention and my heart. The silly little bullshit that goes on in day to day life that no one truly cares about and won’t even remember a year from now? I Do. Not. Care. About. That. Not when people I love face a situation such as this. My attention is where it needs to be and should be.
I care about these people who need it. I care about the loss of lives. I care about the people who are mourning the deaths of neighbors and praying that they can have something…anything… of their lives to salvage.
People I love are in need of my attention. And that? That is where I am focused because that is what matters in my heart.
And I would hope it would matter to others as well. Get out of your bubble and give your attention to people who need it. Isn’t that what humanity, compassion and “the greater good” really are about?
Think about it.
To help
- Check Hands on Nashville or follow Hands on Nashville on Twitter for information
-Or, donate to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
