On Saturday I attended my first blogging “conference” in Baltimore. (Ironic, isn’t it? Same day as my blogaversary.) “Bloggy Boot Camp” was put on by the Secret is in the Sauce or more affectionately known in the blog world as SITS.

I’m gonna be honest with you, I had no idea what to expect.

The conference had a nice blend of topics and some truly engaging speakers.  And I learned a lot. But in the end, I didn’t really care much about all that.

You know what I liked most of all?  Hanging with MY PEOPLE.  You see, in my real EVERY DAY life, I am the odd ball.  Having a blog isn’t as common as say, owning a car. Or a blender. My friends appreciate my blog, don’t get me wrong.  They just don’t have a PASSION for blogging like I do.  They don’t exactly “get it.”

I’m the odd ball.

But at Boot Camp, the bloggy passion was literally oozing out of these ladies very pores and it was simply AWESOME.

I confess that I even found myself a little nervous around ladies that I admired.  And I was all yammering on like that middle school girl who just REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wants you to like her.  Which was amusing and slightly pathetic at the same time.  Thank goodness I have ADD and quickly moved on to the next shiny object or I might not have emerged from under the proverbial blanket ever again.

So if you are a blogger and have not had a chance to attend a conference or a seminar or something of that nature, I say to you “GET THEE TO ONE, AND QUICK!”

You will love it.

And because I am feeling all generous and stuff, I put together some tidbits I gleaned from the sessions:

Good overall advice: Be clear on who you are and what you do. You don’t HAVE to categorize yourself as a “mom blogger.” Once you decide what it is that you do… DO IT WELL!  Develop a tagline. USE IT.  And whatever you do: BE SWITZERLAND!  Stay neutral and out of the drama.

On social media: Everything you do in social media has to be thoughtful.  Who you follow and who you interact with makes up your online reputation.  Even your comments can be traced back to you.  Don’t forget that even Twitter is searchable by Google.  Above all else, be professional!  You are your own brand.  Consider every part of your online presence and act accordingly.

If you would like to see a Whrrl story on Bloggy Boot Camp, click here. For more pictures, you can check out Scary Mommy’s photo stream on the event here OR for tons of posts on the event, head over to In The Trenches of Mommyhood for a link up of the posts on this event.

DON’T FORGET: I’m hosting a Blogher2010 cash sponsorship giveaway from SEED!  Find out more here!

DO YOU WANT TO WIN A SPONSORSHIP TO BLOGHER 2010?

Well, then it is time to speak up and start talking about SEED!

SEED Power (a line of all natural body care) is providing some lucky ladies with the chance to attend BlogHer 21010 in NYC with their fabulous SEEDS OF INSPIRATION contest.  Not only will the winner receive a $250 CASH sponsorship, but they will also be VIP guests at an exclusive, swanky NYC PAR-TAY the Friday night of the convention.  (And let me tell you – from what I hear it will be FAB-U-LOUS!)

HERE IS HOW ENTER THE SEEDS OF INSPIRATION BLOGHER 2010 SPONSORSHIP CONTEST:

Visit the Seed Website and read about the products and the founder’s story. Write a blog post about how the products, philosophy or owner’s story INSPIRE YOU to nurture your own entrepreneurial spirit, live a more organic lifestyle OR make a more positive environmental impact! The post must include a link to the SEED website within it and a mention and link back to this contest to be considered. Then come back to Hip As I Wanna Be and link up!

A COUPLE OF OTHER RULES, BABY:

All contestants must ALSO complete the following steps for their entry to be considered:

• Visit the SEED website and join their community via email
• Follow @SeedPower on Twitter
• Tweet the following “I’m inspired by @SEEDpower & the SEEDs of Inspiration #blogher10 #sponsorship contest http://bit.ly/b2oQDM #pickmeseed”
• Become a fan of SEED on FaceBook

{And don’t forget to leave a comment letting the contest host (ME!) know you completed these required steps}

Submit your entry via Mr. Linky below and then you are done!

BUT THERE IS ONE MORE THING, LADIES... The fact that you can enter to win once a week until the contest closes. Just create a new post, link up again and tweet!  The coolness, never ends does it?  And if you want extra chances to win in a different way, you can enter each week over at Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom (Whrrl contest) and Makeover Momma (Vlog contest) as well.

TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU…  If your lovely self submitted ONE entry weekly on each of the three blogs hosting the SEEDs of Inspiration BlogHer 2010 Sponsorship contest {Hip As I Wannabe, Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom and Makeover Momma} THEN you would have the opportunity to enter a total of 12 times {4 times on each host’s blog}.  Sweet!!!

Each entry must be unique and not simply the submission of the previous week’s entry.

Winners who have followed the submission rules will then have their entries judged by SEED on the following criteria:

Creativity
Originality
Interpretation of the theme

SEED Power Body Care will choose the winner of the contest as well as several ancillary winners who will receive invitations to the swank-tastic invite only party being hosted on Saturday August 5th, 2010 by SEED.  BTW – Hip As I Wanna Be, though partially sponsored to BlogHer 2010 by SEED, will have no part in the selection process and is simply hosting this contest as part of an ongoing involvement with Team SEED.

Contest ends March 31, 2010 at 11:00 p.m. PST. Winners will be announced on the SEED website on or about April 9, 2010.  (But it might be a good idea to follow “me” on Twitter and fan Hip As I Wanna Be on Facebook to make sure you are up to date on the contest 411.)

AND…. because they are a truly fabulous company, Seed is also offering the readers of Hip As I Wanna Be a discount on their products.  To order some fabulous products using your special discount code, click here.

Powered by MckLinky

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Yesterday my family and I were invited to experience a brand new exhibit called “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious” at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore.   What a blast!

My childhood hero!

Now, we had been to Port Discovery years ago with the kids and, of course, we loved it. But this trip was entirely different.  They were completely engaged and were begging for us not to leave. It was three stories of kid nirvana. (THIS kid included!) My personal favorite has always been the Egyptian exhibit.  Last time we visited it, the boys were too young to appreciate it.  This time?  They were running around like maniacs trying to find codes and checking out the mummies. I think we were in that exhibit for a good 30 minutes.

The newest addition to the museum, and the reason for all of the celebration,  is the Curious George area.  This exhibit, which was developed in partnership with PBS KIDS, is an interactive dream for little ones weaving in  math, science, engineering into a colorful fun adventure-land.  Even my oldest son was captivated by it.  Two words: mini – golf!

I highly recommend bringing your kids out to Baltimore for a day of family fun.  Port Discovery is a gem for the kiddos! For more information on Port Discovery and all the exhibits they offer, click here. FTC Disclosure: My family and I were invited guests to the opening celebration of the Curious George exhibit. All opinions are mine alone.

Have you ever forgotten where you parked your car?

I did that today.  AGAIN.

Every day I park in the parking garage behind my office building and every day I hike up and down that stairwell to my destination.  Here lately… I have wound up completely LOST, having no blessed clue where I parked my stinkin’ car.

I am just so used to making the same trip day in and day out that it is automatic for me.  I am pretty much a zombie traveling here, there and all over the place.

And today, when I once again found myself wandering aimlessly through the rows of automobiles, it struck me that my lost car debacle was a symbol.  That search was more than a just a common frustration.  It was symbolic of how many people live their lives every day -  totally and completely on AUTO PILOT. Searching for something.

It is a shame, really.

Many of us travel through life in a sleepy state of acceptance, never really knowing what our purpose or passion is.  Just accepting what fate throws our way.  Reacting, rather than strategically planning our existence.

Such a tragedy.  Don’t you think?

I think we need to “live out loud” with an unbridled passion.  We should laugh way too much. (Giggle, even.) We should dance every single day.  (Badly) We should be spontaneous! (When was the last time you did THAT?) We should reach down deep inside and pull out those secret yearnings and really examine them to see if there is a way we can bring them to fruition.  (Why NOT begin to paint again? Dust off that old book manuscript and finish it!)

So here is my challenge to you: I want you to WAKE UP! Do something completely different today.  (Even if it is ordering a Cafe Mocha as opposed to your boring old decaf.) Turn off the auto-pilot and start creating the existence that you’ve always wanted.

Oh, and while you are at it…  try to remember exactly where you parked your car.

Ahh, the Christmas elves have arrived and right on schedule my friends.

In my house we have a tradition that has been passed down from my childhood.  You see, we believe that on Thanksgiving Santa Claus sends his elves all over the world to monitor boys and girls in the last couple of weeks before Christmas.

Kind of like “Secret Service” agents or holiday spies, if  you will.  They make their arrival known by leaving a present on Thanksgiving.  It doesn’t matter where you are… they FIND YOU.  And from there on out, you are being monitored very, very closely.

Every child in the world who is a believer get’s their own special elf – ours are named Jingle and Jangle.  We know this because often they will leave little notes to let my children know how they are doing.

Sometimes you can almost see them, if you are quick enough.  Why last year we almost caught both of them in the boy’s room… they left the window open and a trailer of magic dust behind. WE WERE SO CLOSE!

So even though we have nary a decoration put into place or a light hung, we have already ushered in the holiday season – ELF STYLE!

Don’t you just love holiday magic?

I’ve decided that I am deficient in gratitude.

Probably not more than the next person, but still.  Enough that I need to do something about it.

I think that being grateful is not something that comes easy for most of us. We have expectations. We feel slightly entitled.   Some of us just don’t know any different. We don’t know what it is like to really, REALLY go without.  We’ve always had clean water to drink and food to eat.

I am blessed to have a wonderful, caring husband and two sweet children that I adore. I have a house, a job and modest creature comforts. Yet still… I sometimes take these things for granted.  In my opinion, I lack a true, deep level of gratitude in many areas in my life.  I don’t tend to cherish the small things.

I want to cultivate a more grateful attitude.

I’ve heard it said that once you concentrate on something consistently for an extended period of time it becomes second nature to you.  A habit.

I’m banking on this.

For the next 32 days I plan on documenting my gratitude in a journal in the hopes that I will learn how to truly and deeply comprehend the blessings in my life.  A simple reaffirmation of the glass being half full, instead of empty.

You probably think that 32 days is an odd number… it is and it isn’t. The significance? My birthday. I would like to celebrate my birthday with an improved attitude and a more joyful and thankful heart.

I probably won’t subject you to 32 days worth of my musings, after all, it would get a little boring and a tad too personal. I just encourage you to play along if you want to and keep track of those things in your life that make you grateful and joyful, no matter how small. You never know, you might just surprise yourself!

“Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don’t.” –Unknown

My family and I spent the day on a family adventure exploring two lovely towns as part of the Eat, Drink, Buy Art program being coordinated by Maryland Life Magazine.

I’ve got to be honest, here. I’ve largely spent my “life” in the Western part of Maryland and quite frankly, have not given the Eastern counties much though except when passing through on my way to Ocean City. But in following this promotion, I have been pleasantly surprised to find so many lovely little communities! It has been so much fun making these discoveries. (I’d previously visited Snow Hill and Berlin as part of a fun girls’ weekend away.)

So, we packed up the kiddos and together embarked on a day trip adventure to the communities of Cambridge and Denton.

It turned out to be the perfect excursion. We enjoyed some real family time on the road and had a chance to just enjoy each other’s company. (Except for the part where my sons insisted on playing Michael Jackson tunes non-stop for 30 minutes. Yeah. Don’t ask.)

Things we enjoyed about Cambridge… mosaic murals everywhere! Lovely shops and shop owners.Water, gulls and the smell of the sea. Adorable cobble stone streets. Talented artisans. History.

And Denton was such a charming town! The atmosphere was laid back, the food was delish and it was the perfect fall day for exploring. (Just ask my boys who collected “the biggest leaves EVER!”)

If you are interested in seeing some pictures of Cambridge and Denton, click here. (Fan page on Facebook for Hip As I Wanna Be… more photos will be uploaded later.) If you live in the Maryland area, I would encourage you to check out Eat, Drink, Buy Art. You might be surprised at what you find when you go exploring!