day 284: blogging, casually


I spent the weekend at the Casual Blogger Conference, where I learned lots of wonderful things and spent time with women that I have become connected to through our writing.  We spoke of finding our voices, increasing readership, storytelling, and even ways to make money blogging.  What a great thing to have my own little publishing company, where I can write things that matter to me.  I love having a place to be creative and to express myself.
JThis is Momza and me.  I am a new fan.  Also, here are Tauna from Garden of Egan, and Debbie, from Crash Test Dummies.  Crash is a little lady with a big heart.  I have enjoyed getting to know her so much.  All three of the above pictures were taken by her.

 
Me on the drive home to Springville, after a terrific weekend at the conference.  Below, I snapped a photo of my feet while I was waiting for Mindy Gledhill to start singing.  I really like her voice a lot.  Very smooth.
 
On the drive home tonight I caught an actual glimpse of purple mountains' majesty.  It was breathtaking.


 
Charrette and Heather of the EO as we were finishing up lunch.  

A little Sarah McLachlan on the way home.  I was very reflective in my mind as I drove home and thought about the experience of being at the conference.
I was so glad to finally meet Heather King, of Heatherofthe EO.  She is sweet and genuine and kind and thoughtful, and many other good things.  It was a real blessing to spend 90 minutes with her.

22 comments

Ca88andra | May 30, 2010 at 3:08 AM

A casual bloggers conference sounds like heaps of fun!

Luann | May 30, 2010 at 6:54 AM

It looks like you had a great time. I'm glad, because you completely deserved it.

And I love that dress/shoe pic. :)

gigi | May 30, 2010 at 7:10 AM

Love that you got to meetthe girls! What a fun weekend. I'm so glad that so many of yall got to go and to finally put faces to other bloggers.

Connie | May 30, 2010 at 7:39 AM

It was lots of fun and it was good to see you there too! Great pictures! Love the first one of you...uh...contemplating...or were you showing off your cool ring?

Anonymous | May 30, 2010 at 7:49 AM

I am just so totally jealous.

Time for someone to plan a conference in Iowa. Ha!

Stacy | May 30, 2010 at 8:52 AM

Yes, the jealousy is running rampant. Especially since I had a nightmare of a weekend involving a "vacation" that ended with one kid getting stitches and one kid spiking a fever. Much rather would have been hanging with all of you!

Linda | May 30, 2010 at 12:15 PM

Just stopping over via Connie, hope you don't mind.

It sounds like the conference was a complete success. I would love to have been there, meeting so many of the fun, sweet, wonderful blogging friends that we've all made through the wonderful world of blogging. Hopefully next year!

Take care and have a great holiday weekend!

Kristina P. | May 30, 2010 at 1:01 PM

Karen, it was fun being slightly naughty with you during one of the sessions. I really hope DeNae talks more about her vibrating/Mary Poppins breasts.

Juliana | May 30, 2010 at 2:04 PM

I admit I have been jealous since you first mentioned you were going. My blog has been sadly ignored lately and I miss the blogging community! If they do this again next year, I'd love to attend with you. :)

CiCi | May 30, 2010 at 4:40 PM

That first picture of the pondering you is a great picture, full of personality! Fun to see all the photos of the people you met and hear about the wonderful discussions. So glad it went well.

Momza | May 30, 2010 at 5:35 PM

Hey! It was so fun meeting you!
Love that ring! lol

Paul Germana | May 30, 2010 at 6:00 PM

Actually Kazzy, making money blogging not unheard of. I think that casual blogging is the way to make a passive income online; you just need to be set up right. Your blog is perfect; just put some adsense on it.

Jenny | May 31, 2010 at 7:06 AM

So glad you got to spend a great weekend learning more about blogging & meeting some awesome bloggers.

There is nothing better than soothing music to listen to.

NLS 1993 | May 31, 2010 at 10:00 AM

Oh lady, I was so so so soooo reassured by your presence and so happy to meet you and talk with you in person. What "Charrette" said in her email is so true of you. You are so genuinely interested and ask the best questions. And you're beautiful and smart and funny and....yeah, the list is endless.

Much love to you,
Heather

NLS 1993 | May 31, 2010 at 10:01 AM

ugh, I need to go sign in now...

LisAway | June 1, 2010 at 2:33 AM

Thank you for your peek into the conference. I'm so glad you got to go and that you enjoyed it so much.

I am really missing being on that side of blogging. Although I never worked toward a bigger readership, I enjoyed the time I spent getting to know more bloggers. That phase for me has come to a stop, or at least a pause as I'm working more on mothering. I love that, too, but I really miss feeling more into blogging in the way you are describing here. Currently it is really just about keeping up relationships. And my posts keep coming out more family oriented. I sort of hope it doesn't turn into too much of a mommy journal, but it is what it is, and I write what I want to write, so I just have to see what it does.

Anyway, glad to see your blog growing in so many ways! You're awesome!

Heather | June 1, 2010 at 1:34 PM

It looks like you had lots of fun. I miss those purple mountains.

Charlotte | June 1, 2010 at 4:22 PM

It was great to meet you! Glad you were able to come.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan | June 1, 2010 at 9:07 PM

It was so great to be able to meet you!!!!!!!!!
I should have asked you to sing@

charrette | June 2, 2010 at 9:52 AM

Everything you said about Heather is absolutely true. She was beyond delightful. And hey, I thought we had a pact about those pictures!

I'm dying to hear more about CBC, who spoke, who you met, your impressions, etc.

Let me know...

Heidi | June 9, 2010 at 3:09 PM

Argh--that green monster! Aiiieeee!!!! (awesome pics,though!)

Elisa | June 10, 2010 at 10:11 AM

It was delightful to meet you! I'm bummed that I didn't get ONE SINGLE PHOTO with anyone.

boo.

xoxo