So, lots of us actually reading things online today are “the ones who did not go to BlogHer Con.”
The ones who are going will probably be busy travelling to San Fransisco and settling in for the start of the conference on the 18th.
And some of us are jealous, and some of us don’t give a flying fart… some of us are crying into our keyboards, others are claiming sour grapes… some of us are blatantly pissed off, others of us are like, “eh? BlogWho?” You get the idea.
I basically feel like this: There are a ton of people all in one place right now who, for some reason or other, do this same thing I enjoy doing. “Blog.” Many of them do it for the exact same reasons I do, many have entirely different reasons. A good handful of them are people I admire, adore even. And lots of them are intriguing and interesting people I have never even been exposed to, but could meet if I were there. I would like the opportunity to meet the people I adore, and those I could potentially adore.
I’m settling for pictures of them with a picture of my boobies. What can I say. I’m easily amused.
Money is the main reason I’m not there right now. Ladies and Gents, that shit is expensive. And, that is not to say that we don’t have enough in savings, finally. Because we do, after kicking ourselves in our collective ass around here this past several months and scraping every extra penny into a savings account.
(Oh, hello, we can actually be responsible adults with a savings account? Who knew? Wow, John and Lotus are growing up! Congrats to them!)
BUT, and here’s where I might sound bitchy, I have to force myself to have some perspective right now. To have some more sharply focused priorities than spending money to hang wif mah homies. (This is in NO way a judgement of anyone else’s priorities – it’s about our specific situation - read on!)
I probably could have talked John into letting me spend the money in our savings on the BlogHer trip. Not necessarily because I’m that persuasive and manipulative (*cough*) but because he loves me dearly and, to a fault, he tries to make me happy. (The man changed out of his PJ’s the other night to go buy me ice cream, did you read about that on Twitter? Clearly, a saint among mortals.)
But we have some lofty goals, like paying off my student loan (which I got so I could get that M.A. that I am so obviously using the hell out of right now, see? ugh.), creating a medical fund (hai, we have no health insurance, kthxbai), buying a larger family vehicle (Honda Civic not going to cut it if we ever actually succeed at having a second child), and actually having enough of a downpayment saved to buy a house again. Because, I’m sorry, but renting sucks donkeys.
Those are big, bad, crazy dreams, my friends. And we’d like to attain them in no more than the next 2-4 years. Which, when starting with no savings, is pretty damn adventurous and hopeful. But certainly not Un-Doable.
Not Un-Doable at all… With a lot of sacrifice of things not absolutely necessary, and a lot of forced prioritizing.
Which means no hanging wif mah homies that costs $1000+, no new camera, no lots of stuff I would really reee-heee-heeeeeaaaally like.
And? It’s totally going to be worth it. So, while I’m a bit jealous, that’s it. I’m not uber upset.
(But once we have our house and ect., I am GOING to BlogHer, and I’m rooming with her and I’m absolutely licking her.)
I wrote this post because several people have been surprised that I’m not going to BlogHer Con, and asked me why. Now ya know!
#1 by Mr Lady on July 17, 2008 - 12:17 AM
*her*? Not *me*? You lousy cheater. I would have picked you for the licking link.
Mr Lady’s last blog post..Young Love
#2 by Sarcastic Mom, aka Lotus on July 17, 2008 - 12:34 AM
Silly woman. Mrs. Flinger has a licking campaign for Blogher!
You? I will BITE.
#3 by Lightening on July 17, 2008 - 12:56 AM
What’s blogher???
Just kidding.
I’m in la-la land on the other side of the world. Neither my rack nor my clinker sniffing pic are heading to blog her either although I think my purty pink business cards will be making an appearance somewhere, somehow.
How silly that I didn’t find someone to take my t-shirt with them to blogher.
Oh well. I’ll still be reading while everyone else is off partying without us.
Lightening’s last blog post..Vision Board
#4 by Athena on July 17, 2008 - 12:58 AM
I’m not going either.
Heck, I’m not going anywhere (wah). Cause we’re doing the saving thing too. 
#5 by Ness on July 17, 2008 - 2:06 AM
What *if* a new camera – while being an upfront expense of course – could actually lead to increasing your income…? eh hem…at least that was *my* argument with my hubby about 2.5yrs ago right about the time I got my new camera…tee hee.
Ness’s last blog post..Good News
#6 by kateanon on July 17, 2008 - 2:06 AM
So, I think I’ll pretend I’m there, walking around my living room talking to bloggers, drinking cocktails, in a killer outfit, entertaining everyone with my hysterical jokes and sarcastic banter.
Please try not to disrupt my illusion.
kateanon’s last blog post..Bad wife
#7 by Rachael on July 17, 2008 - 2:09 AM
I will go one day too, but we don’t even have any savings right now. In a not-so-good financial place. It’s on my ’someday’ list. Way to go for making a kinda hard decision that will lead to good things!
Rachael’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Flowers, flowers, flowers!
#8 by Zoeyjane on July 17, 2008 - 2:18 AM
I’m going next year. I’ve made a pact with myself. so next year, my boobies will totally offer to carry your bewbs there. via teeshirt, i mean.
Zoeyjane’s last blog post..Settling
#9 by Mrs. Schmitty on July 17, 2008 - 6:41 AM
I’m in the same boat. Maybe next year we can send our REAL boobies there!
Mrs. Schmitty’s last blog post..BlogHer Talk
#10 by Veronica on July 17, 2008 - 8:00 AM
Add in those prices to my airfares to actually GET to the US and I would be one very broke blogger.
Sigh.
Veronica’s last blog post..I Never Thought A Nose Was So Cute Before
#11 by Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You on July 17, 2008 - 8:03 AM
same here – I probably could have convinced hub to lemme go – except this very WEEK, his job has turned upside down and there’s a very good chance I’d have had to forfeit all that money cuz I couldn’t go anyway.
We’ll all sit on twitter and complain and have fun without all these awesome womens and then listen to the complaining when they go home LOL
Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday LOL Edition
#12 by Colleen on July 17, 2008 - 8:07 AM
I wanna say “congrats” on making the tough decisions some people never make – you’ll eventually be glad you decided to put your finances first. Its hard when you see peeps with EVERY cool thing under the sun (ahem-iphone), *knowing* they charged it while you sit back with nothing. Five years into our “plan” (in quotes cuz its laughable in its lack of detail) to control our debt, its finally working and we can do things like go on a trip with our boys. We still can’t take the trip out of state, OR send me to BlogHer, but hey – baby steps…
Colleen’s last blog post..My baby t’ain’t a baby no more
#13 by Jamie on July 17, 2008 - 8:09 AM
While I’d love to go (but on the outside will act like I don’t care), I’m too damn cheap and practical to fork over that kind of money to fly out to California. BUT I’ll be at the Nashville program in October bitches!
And I mean that in an affectionate way.
But yeah…let’s see fall trip to the beach with my husband and girls or spend that money on going to BlogHer?
I’ll pick my family vacation.
#14 by merrymishaps on July 17, 2008 - 8:15 AM
I know it’s not the same thing, but the BlogHer ‘Reach Out’ tour is coming to Nashville in October. I’ll probably go to the DC one.
Sarcastic Mom says: It’s on Braden’s Birthday. Again, priorities. (And dumb luck, howdooya like that!?)
#15 by autumn dahlia on July 17, 2008 - 8:36 AM
I’ll be here…. crying in my keyboard with ya!
autumn dahlia’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Here’s to hoping more pics of my garden won’t make you gag
#16 by MP on July 17, 2008 - 9:01 AM
Actually I’m surprised that you don’t have a sponser. There are bloggers out there w/ less readership than you that have people paying for their trip… What did they DO to get those sponsers…hmmmm
I’ll go one of these years.. SF is just really expensive to do by myself..personally I think it would be selfish of me.
I’ll go one of these years, hopfully next year..and I’ll stalk you and try to lick you.
MP’s last blog post..Old People Smack Down
#17 by A Whole Lot of Nothing on July 17, 2008 - 9:04 AM
I’ll be sulking here b/c I can’t go, but I can’t be too upset b/c it’s my own fault. NEXT YEAR bitches!
A Whole Lot of Nothing’s last blog post..Messin Up OHMommy’s Classy House
#18 by Kathryn on July 17, 2008 - 9:35 AM
I would love to go, but I’m not. I didn’t even bring it up to the hubby. He is so freaking swamped at work I can’t imagine saying, “Uh, hey hon. I think I’m gonna use some money we don’t have to fly out to Cali and hang with some of my bloggy friends for a few days while you take some time off of work to watch the boys and get even more behind on work than you already are. Sound good?” Cuz, I know he would want me to be able to go but it is just not reasonable for us.
Still. It sure does sound fun.
Kathryn’s last blog post..An Explanation
#19 by Tammy on July 17, 2008 - 9:46 AM
I wish I were going…*sigh*
I didn’t even know about it until last week.
Yes, I live under a rock!
Tammy’s last blog post..A typical day….
#20 by natalie on July 17, 2008 - 9:51 AM
i am with you. in the not going group. of course i live in turkey which means that actually getting to america would be a buttload of money. i will be in the states next summer so i might consider it. thing is i am not a huge conference type person. i would love to hang with everyone, but then they add those sessions and well…you might have to pay me to go sit and listen to someone talk. even someone i like! but the mingling…that i would love!
natalie’s last blog post..Anna Grace reporting
#21 by imaginary binky on July 17, 2008 - 10:04 AM
I’m not going, obviously. Not that anyone would have cared. Heheh.
Instead, I’m starting my diet officially today. Today is the start of big changes. I will be one medium-sized child smaller within four or five months. That is worth far more than witty banter in San Francisco (although I’d really like to have witty banter in San Francisco).
imaginary binky’s last blog post..Dance for me, gypsy
#22 by Natalie on July 17, 2008 - 10:51 AM
Last year I *knew* not one person that went to Blogher. It seemed like this big high falutin’ thing for big high falutin’ bloggers.
This year is way different and I’m kind of jealous that some of my bloggie friends get to meet my other bloggie friends. But, as with you, for me it was a choice. Other than Phoenix, San Fran would have been the easiest Blogher for me to go to. My Dad and Stepmom live in the bay area and I could have stayed for free. BUT, Disneyland has priority this year and like you, I actually want to start SAVING money so that when my 15 year old car finally takes a poop, I have a real-live actual backup plan. GO ME!
Oh, and I used “flying fart” on a forum yesterday. I totally thought I made that up. Thanks for taking the wind out of my sails.
#23 by Miss Britt on July 17, 2008 - 11:26 AM
I’m jealous, but I’m not bitter.
Like you, I could go if I wanted. And while I do *want* – I also *want* to make sure that we can survive The Worst Promotion Ever and maybe someday actually put that damn pool in.
I get it.
But next year? I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand not going again.
Miss Britt’s last blog post..Venom
#24 by lceel on July 17, 2008 - 11:45 AM
I will behave, I will behave, I will behave, I will NOT volunteer to lick anybody, I will behave, I will behave, I will stop dreaming about her RACK, I will behave, I will behave … wait a minute, now that’s going too far. I can dream about anything I want. Nipplage included. So there.
lceel’s last blog post..For my next trick
#25 by Mommy Who? on July 17, 2008 - 12:06 PM
I’m new to blogging so I don’t know what the hell Blogher is… but it sounds like fun. *Sigh*
I, however, got to go to the dentist and Walmart this morning.
Talk about “sucking donkey balls”…
Mommy Who?’s last blog post..The Hot Ness
#26 by manager mom on July 17, 2008 - 12:11 PM
Darn you with the link love for all of those kick-ass bloggers. Now I will not be getting ANYTHING done today, need to read my sorrows away since I’m not going to blogher either…
manager mom’s last blog post..How Books Are Destroying My Family, Part 1
#27 by blogversary on July 17, 2008 - 12:16 PM
I can relate to your thinking. I could in a way afford it, but with two kids I have to rethink my priorties; at least for a few years.
This August, I have a chance to meet up with a bunch of college friends, and I really want to go. The diff, I think BlogHer folks get why some people don’t go, but my college friends may not be so nice because they don’t have kids.
I too would LOVE to try BlogHer someday. I admire the same people you do.
#28 by the planet of janet on July 17, 2008 - 12:20 PM
yeah, and instead of leaving for san francisco today, i can be poked and prodded at my annual physical.
i do hope there will NOT be licking involved.
i will join in the general whining … and wining.
the planet of janet’s last blog post..A decade … and a million years ago, part 2
#29 by Queen of Shake Shake on July 17, 2008 - 2:15 PM
But could you come to Atlanta in October? It’s loads cheaper! That’s the only reason I get to go…it’s within driving distance and the fees are cheaper, shorter hotel stay etc.
My husband told me to take it out of savings or charge it, but I wouldn’t either. I say next year, but then, I said that last year too. The Atlanta and New Orleans mini conference helps make up for missing the big one.
Queen of Shake Shake’s last blog post..I’m Taking My Cookies and Going Home!
#30 by Michelle on July 17, 2008 - 2:51 PM
Holy crap! I had no idea it was so expensive (and then add in my bar tab)! Wow. It is on “something I would like to do someday” list but I might have to reconsider.
Michelle’s last blog post..Baby Watch ‘08
#31 by Summer on July 17, 2008 - 3:31 PM
Just going the BlogHer Pity Party and have a little wine. I’m hatching a plan to do something absolutely fabulous between now and next year that will get me sponsored so I won’t have to pay. Shhh, don’t kill my dream.
#32 by MizFit on July 17, 2008 - 5:34 PM
I love how many people have said to me:
really, you SHOULD HAVE GONE!
(you payin? is always my response.)
MizFit
MizFit’s last blog post..Odds &
#33 by Tara R on July 17, 2008 - 6:58 PM
I wish I could have gone…. but really there was no chance.
Tara R’s last blog post..I have serious bad airplane luck
#34 by Marye~ on July 17, 2008 - 8:22 PM
I don’t get to go to fun things like that either and we don’t have a savings account, boo ,hiss!
#35 by cj on July 18, 2008 - 11:15 AM
There is NOTHING like the feeling of being debt free and having a little money in savings. Good on you for disciplining yourself. Lotus, there is always next year. Start saving for it now and you’ll be soooo free when you make those plans and buy those tickets. If you can imagine it….
#36 by Beck on July 18, 2008 - 12:03 PM
My husband and I decided, months back, that I could either go to BlogHer OR I could get a new kitchen.
Stupid grown-up decision making.
Beck’s last blog post..Five Minutes for ME.