I've been pondering things lately. Blog things. Ideas about how to move this blog forward, give you guys a bit more of me, and connect more with my life. And - if I'm lucky - find out a bit more about that word "monetize". Somehow, it makes me a bit nervous. But it also energizes me.
To that end, I had a nice long conversation with Cecily by phone the other day. (Not for nothin', but she sounds exactly like the voice I had in my head.) We talked about conferences, the pros and cons of being "public" versus pseudonymous, twitter, blog ads, commenting, politics, and allergies.
And as a result, I've been making some changes behind the scenes, and I'm talking with people who are knowledgeable in these areas before I go live with any big changes. I've also decided to try to attend Mom 2.0 Summit. It's next month, Feb 19-21, in Houston.
I have friends in Houston, and I know I have more than a few blogger friends there, and I'm hoping that one of them/you wouldn't mind putting me up. [insert giant earnest smile here, and a few batting eyelashes, blink blink]. There's a free portrait session in it for you!
Houston is within driving distance, so airfare isn't a problem. But the conference fee would be. It's $355. And with the taxman breathing down our neck for property taxes, we just don't have that to spare.
So (gulp!) I'm seeking sponsors. I'm not exactly sure what I'd be able to offer you in return - but tell me what you need, and I'll see if I can help. Would live blogging or sharing copious notes on all I learn there be of interest? And what's the best way to go about the technical side of accepting sponsorship? Should I set up a tip jar?
One thing I know: I'm tired of "playing small". I have amazing, loyal readers. And I have a great story here. I think I have something to offer. And if there's a way to give more to my readers while providing more for my family, too - we'll I'm gonna do it. So there!