Category Archives: Work

Fickle

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So… I changed my mind about doing a session at BlogHer.  I would rather do something with Kathy and since she can’t be there this time, we’ll wait until next year.  A 30-minute session is pretty darn short to cover much that requires actual instruction, at least from a design standpoint, which is why I wanted to make it more of a “conversation with the Moxie Girls” — a place to just hang out, dish and answer questions about blogging and design.  But, despite the positive response it got, there was also a little confusion, so I think it’s better to just go this year to get a vibe of what the attendees want out of a session.

I was also kind of unclear about how BlogHer handles the submissions and presenters. It would be perhaps several weeks, if not a couple months before I even heard if my panel was chosen, and since it doesn’t appear that speakers get free admission (like SXSW), I wanted to make sure I got my ticket before “early bird pricing” passed me by.  Then I decided if I was going to pay for my ticket, I didn’t really want to be anxious about presenting, too.  Despite my gregarious nature, I get a little nervous speaking in front of groups… alone.   I want to enjoy myself, network, sign some books (I’m working on setting up a signing with our publisher) and mingle with all them fine ladies. :-) Continue reading →

“Earn More Sessions By Sleeving”

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Hey, We Wrote That!

Kathy and I decided to forego SXSW this year so we could attend a conference that allows us to meet n’ mingle with our clients and other lovely people likely to be potential clients and friends… BlogHer.

We were supposed to go together, but she’ll be delivering another kidlet right during that time, so I’ll be flying solo.  I was just going to go to hang out and observe, but I’ve reconsidered and decided to throw my hat in the ring to host a panel, but not really a panel because it’s just me. A session, they call it.

I wanted to call it “When Your Blog Has That Not-So-Fresh Feeling”, but I decided at the last minute to call it “Blogging with Moxie”… you know, what with the book n’ all.  I figured I could go over topics from the book and do a lot of Q&A and maybe some on-the-spot blog critique and tip-offering, if anyone was interested.

Or I could just sit there and drink coffee if no one shows up.

I’m not stuffy, in case you hadn’t noticed, so my session won’t be either. It’s not going to be boring, it won’t be explicit insert tab A into slot B, it won’t be overhead projectors with code all over it.  It would be more intimate, more relaxed, fun, if you will.

I’m open to questions and basically… dishing.  About blogging. And all the merriment that comes with it, like the obvious design tips and some technical stuff like, what exactly does an RSS feed do? which blog platform is right for me?  where should my ads go?  But also things we’ve gleaned over our six years in this business, like how to handle blog drama, blog etiquette, choosing a topic, how to keep people enchanted with your bad self… that sort of thing.  I’m considering some kind of game or quiz and of course… prizes.  Everything is better with prizes.

If you are going to BlogHer (or even if you’re not), I’d welcome your input on my session idea. You can let BlogHer know you’d attend by visiting this link.

Drinking Since Noon

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Well, my new design is up.  I’m still tinkering with things around here: tweaking this, adding that, finessing this, stroking that. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with it.

I’m sure there will be some of you that won’t care for the new look, prefer a lighter background, want bigger text, like more contrast, wonder why my ‘banner’ is way down at the bottom, wish Brad Pitt were your husband… whatever the case may be. And that’s ok, though Angelina might take umbrage.

So why this look?  Because I wanted to do something different. Because I wanted to experiment with textures and depth. Because I needed to break out of the box a little and at the same time, rekindle some of my joie de vivre! And because well… I like it like that. :)

*cue Tito Nieves*

Some of you may have noticed I’m taking a break from my long-term relationship with Expression Engine and having a fling with WordPress. It’s not because I don’t love Expression Engine anymore (I still use it for clients).  I just needed to feel the tingles again. You know what I mean?  If WordPress doesn’t sweep me off my feet, I’m sure EE and my blog will meet again… when 2.0 comes out.

If you are so inclined, please check back again to see if any changes have been made. Or, if the look is just not your thing, update your feed.  Muchas gracias.

Creative License

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Joelle: as my father would say,  “Horse on you!”
Joelle: I think that’s the old fashioned version of “Sucka!”

Kathy: does it have to be a horse?
Kathy: or could it be like a buffalo
Kathy: or a wooly mammoth
Kathy: or
Kathy: a dead chicken

Joelle: “dead chicken on you!” does have a nice ring.

Kathy:  decomposition brings a new aspect to it.

Under the Strobelight

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Pretty soon she’ll have a whole woodland creatures comedy set.

Joelle: I need one of those remote light switches like in the infomercials.

Kathy: you need The Clapper!

Joelle: yes, but when I have sex, it might be like a disco. *hustles* Ooee ooee!

Kathy: *slap slap slap slap slap*

Kathy: ball to ass contact should be a caveat on the box. “Clapper may not work if you shave your beav.”

Joelle: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a theme.

Easy, Breezy…. uh, Blogger?

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Joelle: Is there a new way to export from Blogger? I haven’t done it in ages.

Kathy: no, I’d have to look it up in the docs

Joelle: Blogger makes it such a pain in the ass

Kathy: I know. Moving from Blogger to WordPress is a breeze

Joelle: God, not to Expression Engine it isn’t.  I have to export to MT first, do the hokey pokey, then use the MT import utility.

Kathy: Exporting Blogger is like… “crap an anvil, step left, sew a quilt, then download this patch, then call this 800 number, then eat a sardine upside down, bake a cake backwards, enter this key number in the space provided and… voila!”

Joelle: Mmm…. breezy.