Party. Wisdom. Things. #reverb10
- At December 13, 2010
- By Lotus, aka Sarcastic Mom
- In Reverb, Writing
5
Day 9 Prompt – Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Prompt Author: Shauna Reid)
Definitely Blogher10, from the chance to see friends I love dearly, to the opportunity to speak on a photography panel, to the actual slammin’ parties. See my posts about it: Photography Panel, Blogher Memories Parts One, Two, Three, & Four. View the video below for scenes from the last night’s parties.
Day 10 Prompt – Wisdom Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out? (Prompt Author: Susannah Conway)
Clearing the brush and dismantling the cage.
Day 11 Prompt – 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Prompt Author: Sam Davidson)
- Regret – this means making better choices, but also forgiving myself the bad ones.
- Disappointment
- Anger – I’m focusing on positives and my mantra is “relax, guy.”
- Fear – this sucker pairs up with #5 and stops me when I should be full steam ahead.
- Insecurity
- Apathy – the lazy douche in me causes bouts of numbers 6-8. I need a kick in the ass.
- Sloth
- Procrastination
- Anxiety – I’m not sure how to overcome this one, but it feeds #2, and I have to manage it.
- Impatience – okay, I’m honestly not sure I can conquer this one, so deeply embedded it is.
- Ungratefulness – for the chances I’m given for free every day just by being alive again when I open my eyes.
Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Use the end of your year as an opportunity to reflect on what’s happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead.
Is it finally the end? Yes. It’s a Blogher 10 Photo Montage Video Post! Part 4
Saturday night was made for parties. Sparklecorn and Cheeseburgher did Saturday proud. Behold the Party People!
And if you’re lucky enough to have Mishelle near you often at an event, you get some nice photographic evidence of the good time you had. Which you can then force other people to view. *insert evil laugh of doom here*
The following photos are courtesy of Mishelle Lane.
View her Blogher 10 Set on flickr.
I think it’s pretty clear I had a great time. Also, I may have sexually assaulted Catherine. I’m not entirely sure… do you cross some sort of line when you actually try to stick your head inside someone’s tutu while they’re standing at the bar?
If you’d like to see all my Blogher 10 photographs in one place, they’re available on flickr. Enjoy!
I hope to see you all at Blogher 11! But bring a wet suit. It’s going to be in a whale’s vagina next year.
Blogher Party Madness: The Room 704 Party, Beeshes
This post brought to you by the ever lovely Dawn, aka Kaiser Mommy and Victoria of VDog & Little Man, and Leslie of Mrs. Flinger… all from Room 704.
And if you’re not attending the conference? Scroll to the bottom – there’s a special message for you there from me. 
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We are Queens of Procrastination here at Room 704, and the lovely ladies we align ourselves with love them some procrastination, too. SO. Without further ado, I present to you:
THE OFFICIAL ROOM 704 PARTY PIMPAGE POST (in its full glory):
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DRINKS sponsored by:
and
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And of course, drinks paid for by YOU!!!
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AWESOME swag from:
PLUS MANY, MANY MORE!!! (We can’t give away ALL our surprises! But oh yes! Eden Fantasys and GoGirl are BRINGIN’ IT.)
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Here’s how it’s going to go down – as best as we can tell anyway. Remember – we’re as transparent as saran wrap. No, we will not model the saran wrap for you.
10:30pm you will begin leaving the awesome People’s Party and making your way to “Java East.” Now, we are not encouraging you to dump another party for ours, NAY, we are encouraging you to make your way to us so the faboo ladies hosting the People’s Party can head on up to us as well, take a sigh of relief, relax, put their feet up and revel in a job well done; a party well thrown.
About the location – “Java East”….. oh Java East. Through a series of … interesting communications we have a very casual layout. We have easy accessibility, we have comfy couches…. we have a section of the first floor lobby. We feel for the people who decided *this* was a great idea, they’ll learn. They should consider themselves fortunate we are not decorating with inflatable penises …. Anyway. We will be very easy to find. Want to see it? Java East/Lobby Level/Sheraton Chicago. When it starts the 360 sweep and you see the fountain, hit pause. There is our area.
Hour One – 10:30pm-11:30pm
About the drinks: The first 200 people to make it to the bar at our party will get a tasty vodka drink on us. No tickets, no bracelets, whatever Hotel pricing for drinks is … WOW. So ask for your drinks without ice, and be sure to say big fat THANK YOUS to sponsors of *all* the parties at BlogHer. If you are potential sponsor reading this who would like to buy a round of drinks? Feel free to reach out to us at contact at room704 dot us. If you are still thirsty after our drinks run out, head to the ChiBar right next to us, get a drink and come back out to the party (yes, we’ve cleared that with the Sheraton big wigs, and yes, you can get “light fare” there too (aka FOOD) FYI).
About the swag: As a great big thank you to those who purchased ads from us — we are putting a sticker on a swag bag with your name on it. One bag per person, so yes, even if you ordered multiple ads/spots, it’s still gonna be one bag. Since we can’t figure out a good way to make sure you get a drink, we’ll make sure you get a swag bag. (We will also be posting the catalog at Room704 so everyone can see the awesome.) The rest of the bags will go out on a first come first served basis. If you would like a “vanilla” bag (i.e., one that doesn’t go “buzz” in the night) – be sure to grab one of the ‘ProtectABed’ bags and not the brown bags
Hour Two – 11:30pm-12:30am
You can continue to get drinks from the ChiBar – and we will begin our giveaways. We have a LOT to giveaway. A LOT. So be sure to drop us your card when you get to the party so you are entered! We plan to have a place set up between the columns in front of the fountains. We’ll be the ones in the purple feather boas.
At some point we will be pimping and honoring our special guests — Stefania Pomponi Butler, a “Very Clever Girl(tm),” aka CityMama, and Michelle Lamar, aka White Trash Mom, who will be selling & signing copies of her book, The White Trash Mom’s Handbook. So don’t forget to bring some cash money for your book (and to buy something from ANOTHER special guest, yet to be announced!).
Last but not least, if you would like the latest in the series of buttons for the party – here it is!
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Editor’s Note: And for those of you not attending the Blogher Conference – we have not forgotten you! Blogher@Home has been set up to be chock full of giveaway sand fun times for those NOT attending the conference. And Room 704 (Purveyors of Swag!) has been putting together a very lovely Swag Opp for all the fabulous At Homes! So get in on the fun. Go here and sign up for your chance to win some awesome swag that we’ve rounded up from some amazing sponsors who care about you even if you can’t attend a conference.
Peace, beeshes. <3Lotus
Nope. No damn rednecks over here. Nuh-uh.
There are people who suffer outrageous tragedy and somehow they pick themselves up and not only survive, but shine. They become an inspiration to others. They advocate, support, march on.
Live.
They live, not without pain, not without sadness, but with a beauty in the face of tragedy that says to others that they still see good in life. That there is still occasion for happiness, and that laughter is healing. They help other people to believe. To Hope.
And when their long-awaited dreams are realized, those who love them cannot stand by and just let that pass without notice.
There must be rejoicing amongst all. Lifting up. Celebration!
And, because I admire and adore her, I really wanted to join this celebration, donate a little to the cause, and congratulate Tanis on this incredibly joyous and long overdue occasion. But when I read the email and post from Catherine (Her Bad Mother His Bad Redneck Aunty) and it became clear that, in order to participate, I had to talk about the ways in which I’m a “Redneck Mommy?”
Well, I got really depressed. Because there really is nothing for me to talk about along those lines! Total bummer, man.
I mean, we are just totally not rednecks over here. You know, it’s not as if I grew up in a town that was so small it had to join with another, nearby town just to have enough people to form a high-school. Or as if that high-school actually had goats in its proverbial backyard. *cough*
And it’s not as if there were corn fields right behind the house I grew up in, and my little brother and I played in an old, falling down barn, building forts out of discarded tobacco-drying sticks. I never built a fire right up against the old house we rented that was built in the 1800s and had no central air.
We so totally did not play on old stumps in our backyard and have a pile of sand there, too, that our cats absolutely did not shit in and then we played in it some more anyway. Seriously. Didn’t.
I never once stepped in actual cow manure while playing at a friend’s house! We did not burn garbage in an old water well on the back of the property we lived on. And I have no idea what it’s like to watch my mother pluck the feathers out of a freshly slaughtered chicken.
NOPE.
And my husband is totally not a redneck, either! He is like, WAY more Not A Redneck than me, even! He doesn’t play country music for a living, and he has most certainly never, ever said as a part of regular conversation, without a hint of joking intended, the words “over yonder,” or “them are.”
Or “here in a little bit” to mean, “in a little while.”
Definitely not.
He is not from Texas. He does not refer to our dog as a “turd-hound.” He has never danced the Two-Step or gone hunting a day in his life.
(Interjection: If you ask him, he will tell you that dancing the Two-Step is NOT “redneck.” It’s “country.” Then, when you ask him what’s the difference between “redneck” and “country?” he will fidget and say, “I don’t know.” And you will point and laugh at him, and mutter, “Sooo writing about this.”)
He has never crapped in the woods and then wiped his ass with a ROCK. And he doesn’t speak with a drawl. Ever.
And this? It is SO TOTALLY NOT HIM.
Photo is property of John Owens, used by permission.
Facebook is a wonderful thing. Heh.
Nuh-uh. Nope. Totally not him wearing that bolo tie.
Also?
I do not go for days without a shower or actually like the taste of Ramen Noodles. I do not go around barefoot all the time, even in the dead of winter. I have never cut my own hair. Or peed on the side of the road. Or drank the shiznite out of some Koolaid and walked away with a Sweet-Ass Red Mustache. Or used a hoe, on a garden, and not the kind of ho you’re thinking of either, because I’ve totally used the hell of out them hos.
Never worn a “wife-beater” tank top with bra straps showing under it.
If I had to put together a cowboy outfit, I’d be screwed, because it’s not as if there are cowboy boots or hats easily accessible around here. *shakes head back and forth vehemently* And there really are no guns here. Especially not a shotgun wrapped in a damn rug because we’re too lazy to figure out a better way to store it. Oh no.
Our Christmas tree is soooo not laying down in our yard, all dried out and crusty, begging to be hauled away from the reach of disapproving eyes.
WE DO NOT STILL HAVE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON A PORCH COLUMN BY THE FRONT DOOR.
Additionally, I never say, “ya’ll.”
My child is not, in fact, running around in nothing but a diaper, right at this very moment, banging a piece of metal he broke off of the wall-mounted toilet paper dispenser up against the living room wall. To say that was the case would be a total fabrication of the truth. Never happened.
And bah Gawd, we doan be a’ havin’ a rickety, hand-raised metal fence out tha back o’ the house tah keep tha dawg and tha youngin’ in, walk ’round half nekid in front o’ them thar open winders, and most definly doan never scratch ar hind quarters or go a’pickin’ ar noses in public!
That just ain’t decent, folks!
We are a strictly, 100% Non-Redneck Family around here.
So, I must regretfully decline taking part in this fabulous celebration for Tanis. As I am just not able to join with the others in proper fashion, you see.
So happy for you, Tanis. My Totally Not Redneck Family and I are rejoicing for you and yours.
Heart.Bursting.
Rainbows.Unicorns.Glitter. You know.
<3
The one where I make you look at my ass. And Elvis.
Have you seen a ton
of Blissdom Conf posts this week?
Here’s another one.
Thought I could not go.
Husband gone and no childcare.
No conference pass!
Thursday? Felt sorry
for myself. A bit jealous.
But then realized…
Your happy is what
you make it. So, Friday I
hopped on over there.
In the parking lot
saw my first three hot ladies.
FLINGER LICKED ME. SCORE!
From eleven to
one:thirty I ran people
down with B’s stroller.
Entered a sea of
mingling, chatting ladies.
Saw faces I knew.
While I still felt like
sort of a jerk outsider,
my spirits lifted.
That night, was honored -
four ladies came to my home!
For hours we all laughed.
Dawn*, Victoria,**
Sammanthia,***Leslie**** – they came -
brought food, drinks, and mirth.
Photo by Victoria, with Leslie’s Phone, Edited by Me. Heh.
A balm to my soul.
Can’t express how I needed
a night just.like.that.
Wasn’t planning to,
but Saturday morning I
hopped over again!
Photo courtesy of Domestic Extraordinaire
More love ly faces…
snapped a bra and then B and
I crashed a session!
Photo courtesy of A Mommy Story
(Oops! Sorry, Alli!)
We’re total rebels! B now
Blog Branding expert. 
Photo courtesy of Domestic Extraordinaire
Braden blogged along!
Okay, okay, it was a
Spongebob DVD.
(Damn, this is long, huh?
Heh. Sorry about that guys.
But it’s fun for me.)
I had a short, but
lovely (unregistered) time.
Wish I had seen more!
But Sunday morning,
more fun to be had on the
Blissdom Photo Walk!
Lisa, Jill, Roni,
Colleen, Leighann, Mishelle… then
Maggie and Michelle!
Walked Downtown Nashville,
took photos, chatted… enjoyed
the warm, sunny day.
Photo courtesy of Mommy Always Wins
Swooned a bit over
Elvis. I think Braden was
worried about me.
Photo courtesy of Mommy Always Wins
FYI: Some shots
require you to stick your ass
out for all to see. 
Photo courtesy of Mommy Always Wins
Did I have “total
conference experience?”
Hell no, I did not.
What I had instead,
was the best I could each day.
And? That was darn good.
*BEWBS
**”Snort that, bitchez.”
***The “i” is silent!
****She drinks when she cusses, ya’ll.
If you can’t have it all, take a little.
My fingers are cold.
Upstairs my child is sleeping.
I’m down here alone.
Thermostat set low
in the hopes that next power
bill will be lower.
My toes are so cold.
There’s work to do; I’m too tired -
Emotionally.
A short drive from here
women are laughing, playing.
Warm, happy, together.
Here, it is quiet.
I sit still on the couch and
ignore my numb toes.
Perhaps, in the morn
I’ll join them very briefly.
Just a quick warm up.
He’s the guy with the mustache and the huge wang.
Theme for March 1st, 2008: “Party”
Today’s theme made me think of a few things.
First thing I thought of was this:
It’s really the most important party I’ve been to recently. In fact, it’s the most important party I’ve ever been to. You can read about it here, if you missed it when it happened.
But then I thought a little longer. And I remembered things like this:
Beer sampler in the middle of the day!
Drunk at the airport! It’s a wonder they allowed me on the plane.
Weee!!! Huh? What’s focus? Oh… the camera goes which way??
These photos depict a different type of party. These are the tame memories (in the photos). The not so tame ones creep into my mind sometimes, too. Having been completely sober for a year now, I cringe at those memories, just a little. Sometimes just a lot. I’m hoping nobody still has pictures of those….
And while I’m on the subject of partying, I should mention that when I talked about Ron Jeremy during last week’s PhotoHunt, I got several comments indicating either that people didn’t know who he was, or indicating that it was “interesting” that I knew who he was. You know, “interesting,” like, “you must watch a lot of porn, you perv!”
And while I do watch a lot of porn (Generally, that’s what Braden and I do for the better part of most days. Then we snort some blow.), it’s mostly Asian Porn, and Ron Jeremy is not Asian, so I’ve never seen his work firsthand.
So how do I know who he is? He’s a Pop Culture Icon, people! I mean, I also know who Jenna Jameson is and nope, she’s not Asian either! See?
And can I just say that I’ve always been all, “Ew, why would anyone even want to see that guy naked?” because I’ve only ever seen photos of him that looked something like this:
And just found this one, so case in point:
But during my search for an appropriate link to him for information for the last post, I found this picture:
Wow, dude.
Super Mario got nuthin’ on that.
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