Listen to Your Mother, Northwest Arkansas

The first time I heard about Listen to Your Mother, I wanted in.

What is Listen to Your Mother?

Listen to Your Mother features live readings by local writers on the beauty, the beast, and the barely-rested of motherhood, in celebration of Mother’s Day. Born of the creative work of mothers who publish online, each production in this national series is directed, produced, and performed by local communities, for local communities. The mission of each LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER production is to take the audience on a well-crafted journey that celebrates and validates mothering through giving voice to motherhood–in all of its complexity, diversity, and humor. And it’s coming to Northwest Arkansas in 2012!

Why Northwest Arkansas?

Because we rock. It started when I saw that Wendi Aarons was producing Ann Imig‘s Listen to Your Mother (LTYM) in Austin. I wrote to Ann, letting her know how much I loved the idea of the show, and how I’d love to help her bring it to Northwest Arkansas. For the next year I Facebooked and Tweeted her, sent her a copy of Blacklisted from the PTAto review, and took the mic at the LTYM Salon at BlogHer11–all the time reminding Ann how very well LTYM would be received in Northwest Arkansas. Keep in touch, she said.

Then I got the call to action. Ann was adding cities to the 2012 schedule. All I had to do was apply. All I had to do was convince Ann that Northwest Arkansas was the perfect community, I was the perfect one to lead the effort, and that I would have lots and lots of help to make the event a success. No pressure.

And we got it, Northwest Arkansas! We got it!

I’m so excited to work with mother/writers in our community to celebrate the diversity of motherhood. Listen to Your Mother, Northwest Arkansas is going to be amazing. Because you’re all going to be a part of it. Can’t wait. Can. Not. Wait! Stay tuned for specifics, including timing, sponsorship opportunities, volunteer staffing, and auditions.

We’re in Good Company

The 10 cities hosting LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER shows in celebration of Mother’s Day 2012:

AUSTIN: Co-Director/Producers Wendi Aarons and Jennifer Sutton

CHICAGO: Co-Director/Producers Tracey Becker and Melisa Wells

D.C.: Director Stephanie Dulli, Producer Kate Coveny Hood

MADISON: National Director, Ann Imig

NYC: Director Amy Wilson, Producer Varda Steinhardt, Assoc. Producers Holly Fink and Julie Nemitz

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS: Director/Producer Lela Davidson

NW INDIANA: Director/Producer Stephanie Precourt

PHILADELPHIA: Co-Director/Producers Cecily Kellogg and Dresden Shumaker

SAN FRANCISCO: Co-Director/Producers Kim Thompson-Steel and Kirsten Patel

SPOKANE: Director Stacey Conner, Producer Elise Raimi

 

Special thanks to BlogHer for national media sponsorship!

 

Image: Auntie K, Flickr

8 Types of Bloggers You Meet at BlogHer

I went to my very first ever BlogHer last weekend. Wow. I had heard it was big and spectacular, but I didn’t know it was Disneyland. There was so much vying for my attention that I could have spent the entire weekend mourning for the things I missed. But I did not do that. Instead, I sampled a bit of everything the conference had to offer. I went to a couple of sessions, had a couple of meetings, went to a few parties, and strolled and worked the expo floor. The best part, of course, was meeting so many fantastic people I follow online or in print. (More on them below.) I came away with a new respect for blogging, a lot of great contacts, and a feel for the different types of BlogHer conference attendees.

The Swag Whore

Not to be confused with the whore-whore (um, yes, this was a convening of media people, so…) Anyway, I had heard about the merchandise given to bloggers at BlogHer, but there is just no way to comprehend the quantity and quality of swag until you see it first hand. The Swag Whore is more interested in checking items off her Christmas list than improving the quality of her website or the caliber of her connections. In my [stupid] attempt to focus on my primary goals and travel light, I maintained a no-swag policy until the very last party. Next year I will keep my focus on business, and outsource my swag whoring.

The Matriarch

The Matriarchs of BlogHer have been around since Al Gore invented the internet. I didn’t meet a single one, but admired them from afar.

The Bright-Eyed Baby Blogger

For the most part, the women I met at BlogHer were highly accomplished, driven professionals. I only met a few newbies. And they stood out. For example, in a hallway full of women bloggers introducing themselves, one extra-excited young woman exploded in “I’m a mommy blogger too!” What are the odds? This is akin to the newbie writer’s conference attendee who is certain their manuscript is *this close* to being optioned into a Spielberg film. This close. I like these people, mostly because I want to go back in time and be them again.

The Groupie

I expected to meet a lot of the bloggers I’ve followed over the years. I didn’t expect they’d have entourages and hold court in corners of conference rooms and bars. I fell into the Groupie category on many occasions, such as upon meeting Wendi Aarons, Tracy Beckerman, Stefanie Wilder Taylor, Ann Imig, and Jessica Bern. I positively gushed over Deb Ng, who used to run the very best resource for freelance writers online and is now a big deal in the co-ed blogging world. (Yes, boys blog, too.) I tried not to bug these wonderful women, for real. I don’t think asking them to sign my breast in Sharpie went too far.

The Diva

The Diva strolls from one party to another with premium swag weighing her down. She has been around. She knows all. Luckily, I only met one blogger who disappointed me with her less-than-lovely real life self. Of course I’m not going to mention her by name, but I will say she wasn’t the only one. I heard many stories of “Who are you?” and “Don’t you know who I am?” Being courted by the brands does not impress me. Show me the money or write a book and then I’ll respect you. Which brings me to…

The Writer

The Writer is not quite sure why she is attending BlogHer. Some are here to see old friends, who are also writers and who may or may not have been bloggers before they had book deals but now they are literary types whose publishing houses really should be handling all this marketing filth. Some are painfully shy. Some are funny. Some are serious. Most have dignity, at least enough NOT to dance with a McDonald’s bag on their heads.

The Funny Bitch

Oh, there’s nothing quite so entertaining as a Funny Bitch. The trouble is when they flock together, pouncing on jokes and competing for attention. And yet, the funny bitches were the most fun.

The Para-Celebrity

I understand the blogging community in a whole new way since attending BlogHer. In our celebrity obsessed society, bloggers get to carve out a little audience. In turn the brands feed them drinks, glamorous party locations, and red carpet photo opps to feed their semi-famous self image. If I learned anything this weekend, it’s that I need to do a better job of pretending to be a celebrity. How else will I get to the point where some Groupie asks me to sign her breast?

Sass Runs in Packs

It’s that time again. Links to stuff I like. I have good taste, so go read this stuff. And make sure you tell them Lela sent you!

 

• Wendi had a bad week. Go cheer her up – she’ll return the favor!
• The Mouthy Housewives (this one is actually Wendi too) gives us the definition of a Cougar. Finally. Now that I’m forty, it’s very important information for me personally.
• And speaking of, who wants to be a Cougar anyway? Not Gretchen Shift. I love this piece on MyPheme, and I wholeheartedly agree. Why would anyone want to be the older woman?
• Don’t forget the fork. Jessica Bern tells why.

Telling It Like It Is

Please stop by the fabulous new website, MyPheme.com, where they tell it like it is and where I will be contributing whenever I can manage to do that. This weekend they featured a my thank you note for a whore Barbie. Please go read it, and if you like it please comment on their site and also pass it along to your friends. And while you’re there, if you haven’t had a chance, you really must read Wendi Aarons’ legendary letter – the one to James Thatcher about the Always ‘Have a Happy Period’ campaign.

Pass the Bubbly: Green Ink and Links

Okay, so I need a little help today. First, the light green header and link ink – is it annoying or is that just my you’re-almost-forty-who-are-you-trying-to-kid eyes? Second, are you enjoying these links? Because I’ll tell you what – if you think it’s just my sorry way of slacking off and not writing a post then we are on exactly the same wave length.

However, turns out it takes far more time for me to choose and post links than to rattle off some smart mouthed comment or humiliating detail of my children’s lives. So just let me know, please. If you like the links, I’ll add more. And if not, well I’ll just have to find another way to spend my mornings…..

In the meantime, check out these funny women:

• When Jessica’s daughter goes away for a week, she tries to spice up her pathetic life with some domestic projects and unsuccessful fliration. Similarly, with my kids away at day camp, I am finding myself wasting the days on watching reality shows on MTV. And we all know those are not the good ones.
• New advice site Mouthy Housewivesis great. And it ain’t no Dear Abby. Both Wendi Aarons and Jessica Bern, who I link to a lot, contribute to this sassy online advice column.
• Ah… marriage… what would we be without our significant others to tell us just how ridiculous we really are? Wendi Aarons may be a hypochondriac, but as long as we all get a laugh out of it, I say it’s healthy.
• Sugar knows how to camp, right out back in the community garden. Okay, so she was just testing out the tent. But I really like this post because it reminds me of our recent camping debacle that climaxed in our driving home from the lake at midnight. I’m sure nothing like that will happen to Sugar Jones.
• The Homesteading Housewife has a cautionary tale to anyone who has passed through the grocery store doors to pick up ‘just a few things’ refusing the cart and the basket. Bad things can happen. Prosecutable things.
• I absolutely cannot wait to hear Crazy Texas Mommy’s adventures in PTA. Watch out ladies, Candance has signed the clipboard.

Pass the Bubbly: What do Kate Gosselin, Gene Rayburn, and Metallica Have in Common?

Okay – Kate Gosselin, Gene Rayburn, and Metallica have nothing in common other than being included in this edition of Pass the Bubbly. That’s what we’re calling these link posts from now on. So if you know of any funny people who need some bubbly links, let me know.

• Wendi Aarons totally agrees with me on the whole Kate Gosselin hair thing. And she’s having six more kids to get hotter. Plus, she has a new website and we love her so please check her out here: http://wendiaarons.com/.
• I just found Citizen of the Month. In this post he ponders the ever evolving etiquette of meeting in public.
• Boob, Injuries, and Dr. Pepper has me terrified of summer vacation already.
• Anyone who admits to a crush on Gene Rayburn deserves our attention.
• YesButNotYes found Legos rocking out to Metallica. Make sure you watch until the end – otherwise you’ll miss the mosh pit.

I hope you enjoy, and if you can find any other connections between Kate, Ray, and the boys of speed metal, please share.

Parenting Blogs That Tell the Truth

I know you visit some blogs with that long list of their favorite blogs on the sidebar. You won’t find that here. For one, a lot of those bloggers are just plain lying. They don’t really like all those blogs. Because really, how could they? As a blogger AND parent (hence the parenting blog) I can attest to the fact that you can’t be halfway decent at either one if you’re taking the time to keep up with 100 or so blogs. I don’t have the time to be amused by others and produce such brilliant work here, all the while raising the two most awesomest people on the planet. Seriously, I’m only one woman.

Still, I want to introduce you to some [other] great blogs. I’m going the selective route. Here are the first three:

Dooce – Heather Armstrong is a force. Is it ironic that me, a fellow blogger has only started to read the most famous [un] Mommy Blog in existence after seeing Armstrong on the Today Show? Maybe. You’re probably all way ahead of me. Go pat yourself on the back.

Ashley’s Closet – Sassy to the edge and super smart. Please don’t like her better than me.

Wendi Aarons – Her tag line, they’re not all gems, is a lie. She is the funny that I am in my own imagination, before it comes out in words that are not quite as clever as I had thought they might be.

Go, now, read! And feel free to bookmark this page so you can come back here over, and over, and over to click these links!

Lela Lives In Print Again

Here I am! Look at me! I still get wildly excited about seeing my name (and my baby, After the Bubbly) in print. I was going to hold back on pointing you to this link to Parent: Wise Austin, and my essay, But Why? in their Mother’s Day issue (page 14), but then I found another great column for you – so you know, it’s not ALL about me.

You must, must, must read Coke-Dependency by Wendi Aarons on page 46! And get this, Aarons is the one and the same who wrote the now famous An Open Letter to James Thatcher, Brand Manager, Proctor and Gamble – the hilarious rant on Always maxi-pads stupid Have a Happy Period slogan. I know many of you have seen it in your email inbox, but it’s worth another read. Wendi is my hero and I will be reading. Won’t you join me?