KristySF's blog

2009 Holiday Gift Guide For Guys

2009-11-10T08:00:00-06:00

Let's face it: shopping for men is stupid.

We want to get them something they'll love, something other than grilling tongs or cologne, and so every year we ask hopefully, "What would you like for Christmas?" And every year we hear the same, mumbled, "I dunno."

Seriously. How is that even possible? I don't know what it is about the Y chromosome that makes men gift-dumb, but each year I feel like shopping for the guys in my life -- especially the in-law males, good grief -- makes me want to get everyone a Best Buy gift card and be done with it. (And by "Best Buy gift card" I mean "bottle of bourbon." FA LA LA LA LA.)

That said, I have been doing this a long time. And for every failed gift (I thought he'd LIKE Celtic Christmas carols), I've had some real successes, too. (Aside from the bourbon.) So I'm passing the fruits of my exhaustive hunts on to you. Thus...

Here are my Top Ten Official Suggestions for Gifts for Guys this holiday season! They are many and varied, in no particular order OR price range, but will hopefully prove useful for at least one hard-to-shop-for guy.

1. If you're going to go the "traditional" gift-giving route, do it with style.

Just because wallets and cufflinks are standard-issue male gift ideas doesn't mean they're bad ideas, especially if the items themselves don't suck. (Just sayin'.)

I happen to love Tumi bags and accessories, and their wallets are just as nice. I got one for my husband last year and he said it was one of his favorite gifts. I ordered it from Nordstrom.com and was very pleased with the quality of the Tumi packaging. It was evident the gift was high-quality.

This is the $88 L-fold ID version, but there are cheaper and more expensive versions as well.

In the same vein, I love these cufflinks. Yes, I know, cufflinks, yawn. Plus who even wears French-cuffed shirts anymore? But still. Cufflinks are arguably something every man should own, and possibly something older generation males on your list might actually like, want, or need. These are monogrammable AND let you pop in mini photos. I think of it as a man-locket.

I should also note these are from Red Envelope, which always has beautiful gifts and gift packaging. $119 for silver, $99 for gold.

2. I have never gone wrong with gifting assortments of salsas and hot sauces.

Why do guys like condiments as gifts? I have absolutely no idea. But they always seem to love these!

Great as stocking stuffers individually, you can go crazy and buy "fancy" gift assortments as full-on gifts.

There are always interesting finds at Williams-Sonoma (and even more cool-but-expensive versions at Dean & Deluca), but I like trying things that are harder to come by.

Consider a site like "Hot Sauce World." For one, it's called Hot Sauce World. For another, I've ordered from them several years in a row, and have never been disappointed.

The gift pack shown here is $31.98 (and easy to wrap, unlike individual bottles). They also have interesting BBQ sauces and coffees, such as those flavored with Maker's Mark. (Yes, bourbon again.)

3. Man books.

Of course, it's entirely possible that your guys are like mine and prefer lengthy, detailed non-fiction books about something that happened a hundred years ago in a part of the world you didn't know existed featuring "historic" figures no one's ever heard of.

But if that's true, then your guy probably also likes anything having to do with poo. Because if there's one thing my husband thinks is ENDLESSLY ENTERTAINING, it's poo.

I cannot roll my eyes hard enough.

Anyway, have you seen this?

I like to think of it as a way to keep the poo-happy men in your life amused AND healthy. And now Chronicle Books has come out with a sequel, "What's My Pee Telling Me?" and I am not even kidding. Visit their site for the entire collection of books, calendars and well, other gifts.

Moving on...

There's nothing that says that gift books need to be specifically FOR the men you're giving them to. For example, every dad who has children could benefit from a copy of The Daring Book for Girls or The Dangerous Book for Boys. (About $18 through Amazon.)

Or you could snag my favorite Guide To Guys of all time for your guy, even though you'd actually be buying it for you. Try Dave Barry's Complete Guide To Guys. It's a classic.

And I suppose we must include a golf book, yeah?

I'm kind of fundamentally opposed to getting guys ties and golf paraphernalia of any sort as gifts, but this book amuses me. At $29.95 it's good coffee table fodder.

I also really like the store/catalog it comes from, www.signals.com. Cool stuff there!

4. That thing that will mostly just take up space in your kitchen but that you buy anyway because the 6 times a year you use it you will feel like Martha Stewart.

I don't need to tell you about how awesome grilled cheese and tomato soup can be - everyone knows it's the ultimate comfort food. But really, what soup-sandwich combo isn't great? Enter this handy-dandy item from Uncommon Goods. Pretty, useful, and doesn't take up the kind of space that those other kitchen items you never use will. Plus, it can double as a chip-and-dip type serving platter. $30 for a set of two.

5. Because any Guy-themed gift list is going to include beer-related products.

This is a ridiculous item and I'm sure it's mostly a joke, but I had 4 different guys email me about it when it made the news last year, so it's got to be worth mentioning.

It's called the beer belly (www.thebeerbelly.com), and its express purpose is for smuggling beer into sporting events. I feel like you can't even say the product name without prefacing it by yelling, "DUDE!"

(I wish there were better product photos, but I don't know what I should be expecting. Still, this image...am I allowed to say "Gay Porn" in a gift-giving guide?)

Anyway. You wear this God-awful thing under your shirt, and then you discreetly suck from the beer straw. Ta-da!

Yes, they sell a version for women called The Wine Rack. Ahem.

The Beer Belly costs $49.95 which is a little much for a gag gift. But who knows? Maybe some DUDE! out there reaaaaaaally wants this.

Classing it up just a tad...

Here's another Red Envelope special. Still has a DUDE! feeling, but somehow more civilized and less porn-y.

It's $34.95.

Last but not least of our beer-themed gifts we have the Ring Bottle Opener from Urban Outfitters. It's $8 and exactly what it sounds like. A sort of macho/metro man-ring that doubles as a bottle opener.

6. And wine, too.

The folks at Crushpad run a nifty operation, where you can have your own blend of wine made for you. If you live near Crushpad (in SF or NY), you can actually go visit the operation, but this "Fuse Box" is their do-it-at-home version.

Basically, you take the kit and futz around with various blends until you have the wine blended to your exact preferences. Then you send away for an actual case (or more) of the wine you created, complete with custom labels.

You can learn more about it here.

The kit itself is $79.99. If you go through the steps, find a wine blend you like and order your wine, the finished product will cost $336 per case. Not cheap, but not bad ($28/bottle) if you go in on a case with friends. And you can always invite those friends over to help you create your personalized blend in the first place.

7. And something to put the drinks in...

Who doesn't love that telltale blue box? Believe it or not, there are some reasonably priced, gorgeous items available at Tiffany & Co. Among my favorite (uh, and only) things to purchase at Tiffany are glasses.

These tumblers are attractive, well made, great for anything (not just booze) and come with the cache of being from Tiffany. A set of two is $30.

8. For the man who's handy in the kitchen.

You will think I'm totally lying but I'm not: this was my husband's second favorite gift last year:

Yep. A $15 pan scraper from The Metropolitan Museum of Art store. (Leave it to me to see a MoMA catalog and pick out a pan scraper.) But seriously. My husband does the dishes most of the time, and loves this sturdy, all-around useful tool. It's really pretty amazing.

I also really like these, because one chopping board is never enough. Plus it looks all clean and organized.

Of course, this handy, easy-to-clean set is a bit on the expensive side, coming in at $85.

I still think it's worth it if it means separating HIS space in the kitchen from YOURS. (Or is that just my issue? Hmmm.)

Lastly, we know that boys like knives. They just do.

Personally, I think that's awesome (I love cooking with good knives), BUT. I hate the look of standard, clunky wooden knife blocks.

These alternatives to a standard knife blocks are attractive, simple, and a great idea. (You just stick the knives in among the bamboo reeds.) I love them. So for no particular reason, I'm assuming this means men will love them, too.

They range in price from $49 (small) to $89 (large) from VivaTerra.

Lastly? Let it be known that these things rock. Men, women, it doesn't matter. Get a pair of onion goggles! They will save your onion-cutting life.

Sure, anyone wearing them looks ridiculous -- note that the catalog image does not include someone IN the goggles -- but hey, it's better than looking like dinner has made you weep uncontrollably. $22 at Sur La Table.

9. For the Metro you know and love (or for the man you just want to spruce up). Especially those who shave their heads.

If you have a Metro guy in your life, you know how impossible they are to shop for. Things must be just so. At least, in my experience.

That's why I LOVE this scarf, also from the MoMA store. It's chic, urban, artistic and high quality. Frankly, I think men who can pull off wearing this (which is basically any guy WILLING to) is sexy.

What? Aren't men in scarves sexy? Am I getting sidetracked?

Remember how I mentioned men like knives? I think razors count, too.

If you've never heard of it, let me introduce you to The Art of Shaving line. It's all old-school shaving tools, like when men used to go to the barber to get a shave with their haircuts. Except they also offer updated grooming products and beautiful gift sets. Check them out.

The good? The items are incredibly high-quality and really attractive, frankly. They're the kinds of products you don't mind sharing bathroom space with.

They are excellent for men who shave their heads.

The bad? The products are all super expensive. Arguably worth the cost, because they're items men will use almost every day for years. Then again, for what a basic set costs, you could get an iPhone. The "Manual Shaving Set" pictured above runs $275.

Speaking of shaved heads...

If you are shopping for a man who has to shave his head regularly, you can always try one of the HeadBlade products.

HeadBlade is a razor developed specifically for guys who have to run a razor over their skulls, which requires a very different motion than shaving one's face. Apparently. I don't know, it seems really cool and there are lots of accoutrements you can get to go with it. And unlike the shaving systems above, the basic HeadBlade costs $13.

BY THE WAY. The best after-shave, bump-reducing tonic on the market is called Tend Skin. One bottle runs $20 but is TOTALLY WORTH IT. Why? Because not only is it the best product for reducing redness and bumps on men's faces and necks, but it's the best stuff for addressing redness and bumps post-lady-waxing. So you can give it to the man in your life ("It's the best stuff out there!") and then steal some. Win-win!

And if you're just looking for a nice gift set for a non-metro guy, something not too girly or expensive or weird, how about The Man Can by Orvis?

This $50 gift set includes all the things you'd want from a spa kit, but dressed up in manly colors, names and scents.

Nice, huh?

Plus the non-metro recipient of this gift will perhaps feel rest assured when you tell him it's from a website that has a man in a canoe with a dog on its homepage.

10. Into every life, a little geek must fall.

If you haven't seen it, haven't heard of it, haven't visited Think Geek, you can thank me now. Honestly, if I were a little less creative and just a little more lazy, my entire gift guide would be "Go to ThinkGeek.com. You're welcome." If the men in your life skew even slightly geeky, this is the only place you'll need to shop for them, ever. (You might pick up something tricked-out-geek for yourself.)

I couldn't possibly showcase all my favorite products because there are too many. Flasks that say "Meh." T-shirts with Shakespeare in code. Products displaying "WTF." LOLCats fridge magnets. Toys for cubicle wars. Light sabers.

Oh, it's a goldmine.

But if I had to pick just one...I'd probably select the ever-popular, ever-fun, ever-awesome-to-open-Christmas-morning remote-controlled helicopter.

Think Geek claims that this little gem is the "easiest to fly, most precise controlling R/C copter yet!" Okay! As of the time of writing this, it's also 23% off -- just $22.99! Not bad for such a fun gadget.

Bonus: Cats love these things!

But of course, we all know that techie, code-loving guys aren't the only kind of man-geeks out there. There's also the reader-y, writer-y geek, too.

I don't know why it is that men I know love -- LOVE -- writing on graph paper (????) but they do. So rather than question them and/or fight it, I just go with it.

And everyone loves Moleskine notebooks, yes? Big, small, graph paper, normal paper, you name it. These high-quality notebooks are beloved in our household, and I think it's safe to say that if you know a guy who likes writing, taking notes, keeping track of...oh...anything...these should be a hit. Hardcover, softcover, sketch, graph, lined, large, small, you name it.

All available at Chronicle Books. Small graph notebook pictured above, $12.

Now, this next gift suggestion is extra special, because it works for geeky guys who read, but ALSO for geeky (and NON-geeky) guys who are "handy" AND/OR guys who might not have anything to do with geeky but who HIKE and are all outdoorsy and stuff!

It's like the omni-guy gift!

It's called the Headlamp. And, well, here's the thing...

A couple weeks ago, I wanted to go to bed and crash at around 8 p.m. My husband wanted to stay up reading The New Yorker. (Different kind of geek altogether.) I felt bad and said he could keep the light on, but he said "No, I have a thing, let's see if I can find it."

Next thing you know, my husband is lying next to me in bed in his boxers, looking like he's about to go on a spelunking mission.

"What is THAT?" I ask him, having never seen this device in the years we've been together.

"Oh, it's a Headlamp thing. I can use it to read at night while you're sleeping. But originally I got it for when I used to go running before the sun came up."

I was awestruck. I took a picture. (It looks like I took it using nightvision goggles or something.)

I didn't understand why anyone would own one of these things, it looks so ridiculous. (And let's not get me started on how ridiculous "running before the sun comes up" is.)

But then an amazing thing happened! When I asked people on my blog to come up with suggestions for the ultimate guy gift, I received precisely ONE reply. And it was for the Headlamp. The commenter said that her husband uses it for EVERYTHING, particularly for fixing things around the house. Which is when I realized that the Headlamp is maybe the best geeky/non-geeky guy gift that ever was.

Now you know. Petzl Headlamp, available at REI for $39.95.

Ooh! Extra #11! Because sometimes, you just want to give a guy something romantic or meaningful (that isn't so schmaltzy he won't admit to owning it).

That's where this comes in.

It's a personalized "Night Sky" poster.

I know it sounds cheesy, but it's kind of cool and I liked it and thought it was worth mentioning.

See, you can pick your date and location, and they will provide a personalized photo of what the night sky looked like then and there.

You could pick a birthday, anniversary, any special occasion, really.

So that's my guy's gifting round-up! May it serve as at least a somewhat useful starting point for your own impossible-man-shopping this season.

Good luck, and happy holidays!

And They Never Had Sex Again: (Our Non-Existent) Sex Life After Baby

2009-10-16T15:36:02-05:00

Shortly after I learned I was pregnant, I went to a party where I ran into a first-time mom bouncing her infant in her lap. I asked her how things were going. She replied with a slightly manic expression and an air of triumph: "I made eggs today!"

I didn't really understand. Eggs? Is having a baby really that hard? Certainly not. Certainly it would be different for me. Right? I simply couldn't fathom ever being so all-consumed by a baby as to be triumphant about eggs.

Since my child was born in early July, I've had sex with my husband precisely twice.

My point here is that I didn't know how challenging having a baby would be, but there was one thing I was sure of: even if my life was so disrupted by the birth of my kid that I could barely complete the most basic of daily tasks (e.g., eggs), there was NO WAY it was going to disrupt my sex life.

See, I consider myself a very sexual person. I'm in no way shy or retiring when it comes to my sexual wants or needs. It's quite possible that my husband is fantastic about initiating sex, but I wouldn't know because I almost never give him the chance. And when he isn't able to accommodate me (because, say, he's not home), I do not hesitate to take care of myself. We share a modest-but-high-quality collection of toys and, yes, videos. Most importantly, we have frank and honest discussions about our desires, fantasies, and feelings.

I point this out especially because, as a plus-size woman who always wants to be thinner and in better shape, I do not carry my body issues with me into the bedroom.

So as I was preparing for the birth of my daughter, I did my research.

I Thought I'd Have An Active Postpartum Sex Life Because...

"Sex After Giving Birth" is quite a popular topic, and it seems that lots of couples suffer from a complete drop in their sex life post-baby. But as I read, I discovered this prolonged sexual drop-off is basically attributed to four things:
1. Couples being too tired
2. Not having enough alone time (away from the baby)
3. The mothers "not feeling attractive"
4. Hormonal shifts in the mothers

And I tell you what. I laughed in that list's face.

Well, come on.
1. We've all been too tired for sex before...but if you gotta get after it you don't need the bells and whistles. You need like ten minutes. 15 tops.
2. And alone time? Don't babies sleep?
3. This one I dismissed most readily. Pregnancy does not do kind things to one's body, but it's all part of the process. One I believe I am in together with my husband. It is my job to carry the baby, it is his job to find me attractive while doing so. And after having done so. God-awful though they may be, I'd never let a thing like stretch marks get in the way of a good time. .
4. I had no idea what kind of hormonal shifts would happen after pregnancy, but if my hormonal shifts during pregnancy were any indication, "loss" of libido was NOT the issue. Ahem.

I Was So Very Wrong Because...

In the first place, I had a(n unplanned) c-section. On the day we left the hospital, as my doctor was reviewing my at-home care regimen, she casually tacked on, "Oh. And no sex for six weeks."

For the first two weeks, that was fine by me. I was sore and on drugs and had a new baby. But somewhere around week three, my hormones must have shifted because I was suddenly climbing the walls. Despite my new-parent, sleep-deprived, leaky-boobed stupor, I was like a cat in heat. I've never felt quite so out of control of my body in my entire life, not even during pregnancy, because there was nothing to be done about it.

By the time the sixth week rolled around, I practically pounced on my husband. At least, I started off by pouncing on him. The actual sex act itself was totally un-pounce-y.

In case you don't know, let me be the one to tell you: the first time you have sex after giving birth even if you've had a c-section can feel like having sex for the first time ever. And you know what? No one likes that. I mean, maybe you're one of the four people in the world who had a fantastic first-time experience, but my first time was awkward and uncomfortable and slightly terrifying. (I suppose if I squint really hard and put the experience in a larger life context it was maybe a little romantic, definitely sweet, but definitely not "good.")

And it was absolutely the last thing in the world I expected to relive as a married, thirtysomething woman WITH A CHILD. All of the pain, none of the mystique. Awesome.

Of course, I'd read that it could feel that way, but I assumed I'd be different. For one, I've gone six weeks without intercourse before and managed to get back on the horse (uh, as it were) without a problem. For another, I thought that "feels like a virgin" thing would only happen if I'd had a vaginal birth. It makes no sense to have such a hurty hooha given how little action my hooha saw during the whole birth process. And yet. Sigh.

So to restate: the first time I got to have sex after giving birth, I pounced on my husband(!) and then spent the next however-long yelling WAIT! OW STOP! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! OW DON'T MOVE! OKAY TRY...OW NO.

Hawt.

Needless to say, it was not the grand, six-week long, pent up hormonal release I was hoping for. It was much more like my first time: surprisingly painful, and while perhaps a little sweet, mostly uncomfortable and ultimately unsatisfying. (And my "finishing" had nothing whatsoever to do with a penis.)

Following this episode, I wasn't exactly champing at the bit to do it again. But about a week later we DID do it again, and it was muuuuuch better. Hooray!

And then my hormones took a nosedive.

Oh, it's not like I don't ever want to have sex. I do. But my desire comes in very inconvenient (and short) bouts. And it is immediately overshadowed by The Baby.

Yes. It has happened. I am more often than not too tired for even 10-minute sex. (I swore I never thought I'd live to see the day.) And while in theory I don't have a problem having relations with my husband while the baby's sleeping next to our bed, in actuality it's quite unsettling.

Consider this exchange from two nights ago:

The baby has just fallen asleep. It's sometime after 10 p.m. She will wake again in three, four, or five hours. My husband and I are lying in bed close together. His hand falls on my behind. He gives a squeeze.

Husband: Didn't we used to like sex?

Me: That sounds like us.

My mind immediately fills with sexy thoughts and it feels as though my hormones might cooperate. Could this be the night we get busy? Maybe! Except just then the baby makes an adorable sounding coo/snore in her sleep.

Husband: Oh my God, she's so precious.

Annnnnnnd scene. Hormonal rev-up nipped in the bud. Mommy-mode in full effect. Who can think about sex when there are cute baby coos? My brain cannot process both.

Next thing you know, we're asleep. And somehow, I have become the statistic I never thought I'd be. Me, the self-proclaimed poster girl for Healthy Sexual Appetite, is either too distracted or too fatigued for sex. Ugh.

So yeah, I know this is temporary. I know that eventually, we'll move the baby to her own room. Eventually, she'll sleep through the night. Eventually, my hormones won't be riding the postpartum rollercoaster.

But for now, I just have to look forward to the days when I can be triumphant about making more than eggs.

Related Blogs:

The Shape of a Mother

Crooked House: Baby on Board

Harvest of Daily Life: I am back, almost back to normal

BlogHer Conference Bling! Blog Badges Galore!

2009-01-14T17:32:11-06:00

Planning to attend BlogHer '09? Why not let everyone know? We've got the goods below -- our tried and true, BlogHer Badge Basics.

But we're also looking for great ideas for new badges, too! As you may recall, last year we made a few less traditional, more fun buttons as well, including:

"I'm breastfeeding at BlogHer '08"

"I'm geeking out at BlogHer '08"

"I'm drinking at BlogHer '08"

"I'm wearing cute shoes at BlogHer '08"

So...what do you think? The BlogHer community is known to be awfully clever, and we'd love to hear your ideas! (And check back often; we'll update this post with the new badge code as we add your ideas.)

* * * * *

Want to Work at BlogHer? Help Us Recruit A Rockstar!

2008-12-19T15:19:17-06:00

One of the many things that makes BlogHer an amazing organization is that it -- they, we -- believe in what we're doing. We believe in The Blogosphere. We get why women are blogging in record numbers, and we aren't surprised in the least that blogs continue to change the way the whole world communicates. This is an organization whose founders "walk the talk" every day. Perfect example: I can't think of another organization that would actively encourage me to blog this.

See, we're not just saying, "Hey, we have a job opening." Instead, I get to share with you my personal experiences at BlogHer, what this Events Manager job really looks like from the inside...and why we're now seeking my replacement.

First, Why The Change
Believe me when I say this isn't your (or really, I should say my) everyday story of "I'm leaving to pursue other opportunities, blah blah blah." Quite the contrary. A surprising -- but wonderful -- conflation of life changes are happening all at once. I got engaged in October; five days later I made the rather shocking discovery that I'm pregnant. Yay! And also, Gah!

So after much much muuuuuch discussion with my fiance/partner/soon-to-be-baby-daddy who commutes daily 70+ miles away from our apartment in San Francisco (which, by the way, is quite lovely but also nestled among pockets of the city's more colorful crackheads), we decided it's time to move. For all our sakes. And when we put all the pieces together and looked at the big picture, we decided it makes a lot of sense for me to take some time off from working as well. For now.

Especially since I'm due, if all goes well, about three weeks before BlogHer '09 kicks off. Nice timing!

Who We're Looking For
In case you don't know (or just want more information), I am the current BlogHer Events Planner. Since November of 2006, I've helped organize all of the BlogHer Conferences and events. It's a crazy, and fun, and demanding, and rewarding position. And we'd love to have someone who is part of (or at least familiar with) the BlogHer organization take the reins.

For specific specifics about what the position entails, check out the job description here: http://www.blogher.com/jobs

And if that hasn't scared you away -- a good sign! -- please allow me to add a little color commentary. :)

What makes this position incredibly challenging is what also makes it unique, and special, and really pretty awesome for the right person. We don't do "cookie-cutter" events. We don't take a "This is what we're doing, and if they don't like it, tough" attitude about anything. Every decision we make is based on weighing extensive feedback from our community. And our community is quite big. And vocal. And has a LOT of opinions. And that is a great thing!

Of course you can't please all the people all the time. But when you're in the 2.0 world, and you have the incredible opportunity to hear what your customers are saying -- through blog posts, through Tweets, through comments -- every single day, it's your responsibility and obligation to listen.

Granted, that listening thing can get tough. It is not unlikely that you get to the end of the day and realize what people seem to want is an event that's appropriate for uber-tech-geeks but also their moms who may or may not actually know what blogs are, and plus seasoned business professionals and PR people, but no one annoying. Also please have lots of free food and booze and nothing made of plastic and let's definitely go to a big expensive city but only if it offers cheap hotel rooms and P.S. The conference should be free and please try to get Oprah to be there this year.

Okay, okay. I exaggerate. But there are always competing demands, and a huge part of this position requires finding the best balance possible between what the community of bloggers, editors, staff members, speakers and sponsors want, what's feasible, what simply won't work, and what, exactly, our budget will allow. Sometimes the answers are obvious, and sometimes the solution requires some awfully darn "creative" problem-solving.

The bottom line: This role requires making a lot of value and judgment calls. I think those calls are a lot easier to make when you have a genuine feel for the community you're trying to represent, and is why this position would be excellent for someone who's already part of it.

The Really Good News
This position Never. Gets. Boring. There's always something new, different, cool to build. If you are a "What if we tried it this way" kind of thinker, you've come to the right place.

BlogHer has always been about "do-ocracy" and that's true for BlogHer's internal environment as well. I've never been in an organization more open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. Yes indeedy, the entrepreneurial spirit is strong here. Perfect if you're looking to make an impact. (Not so perfect if you're looking for a 9 to 5 desk job.)

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, this role reports to Elisa, and can I just say? Well, hold on. First let me say that it would be very easy for me to just point to her bio and be all, "See who you'd be working for?" and then you'd be all, "Whoa." But it's even better than that. Elisa is whip-smart and amazingly perceptive. She is the antithesis of your worst manager (and trust me, I know whereof I speak). She is supportive and helpful, she knows the business and industry inside and out, and, well...it's incredibly refreshing to work for someone who just gets it.

To Apply
If you or someone you know would be perfect for the BlogHer Events Planner position, please review the job description and qualifications and send your resume and cover letter to us:
elisa@blogher.com
kristy@blogher.com

This full-time position will be located out in Redwood City, CA. We are hoping to begin interviewing candidates in early January, so please send your info asap. As always, please feel free to leave comments/questions below.

Should I Attend BlogHer '09?

2008-12-10T13:59:36-06:00

Every year, we announce that our annual BlogHer event will have something for everyone.

And every year, we get lots of feedback like:

I don't think I'm a big or important enough to go...

I won't know anyone there..

I can't go, I'm a dude!

I'm not techie enough for a blog conference...

I'm way too techie for a blog conference...

So in case you -- or someone you know -- is feeling hesitant, here's our take. Please pass it on!

For new and beginning bloggers
Every year, a significant portion of our attendees come to BlogHer before they've even started a blog. So there will be lots of other beginner bloggers in attendance, and we'll make sure there are plenty of opportunities to get information at a beginning level.

To facilitate this, we will be taking a slightly different approach to technical sessions this year, instead offering an ongoing Geek Lab all day, both days. The Geek Lab will include two presentation areas, one reserved just for tutorials for beginning bloggers. Plus our tutors will also have "office hours", so if you need a few more questions answered, experts will be available for you. So if you're a beginner, you don't have to worry about tech panels being over your head. Instead, we will be gearing specific content toward helping you get up, running, and getting the most from your blogs.

For new-to-BlogHer bloggers
Whether you're a beginning or experienced blogger, we know it can be intimidating to attend a conference with a thousand+ other people, especially if you don't know what to expect. Please know that we will be working very hard to try and keep you well informed and well prepped before you ever set foot at the conference: through newsletters, blog posts, pre-conference guides and more.

And this year, we will be hosting an event just for BlogHer newbies on the first day of the conference. (We think it's a little easier to walk into a room full of people you don't know when you DO know that everyone else feels the same way!)

For small-is-beautiful bloggers (even those who think is small is beautiful, but are looking to grow)
How "big" your blog is has absolutely nothing to do with what you can get out of BlogHer. We all know our traffic can be more private than our bra size or favorite sexual position. (Just ask BlogHer co-founder Jory Des Jardins, who shared everything except her traffic in this vintage post: Every Blogger's Worst Nightmare).

Everyone is in the same boat...we're passionate about blogging; which likely makes us geeks to the non-bloggers in our lives...no matter how much traffic we have or don't have.

For the geeks (and wannabe geeks)
As stated above, there will be a two-day Geek Lab going on throughout the conference. The second presentation area will be reserved for intermediate-to-advanced tutorials, and there will be lots of tables set up for smaller group hacking, tutoring, helping others, troubleshooting and problem-solving. We're going to offer the opportunity for the community to propose tutorials they'd like to give or attend, at various levels, and let the community vote. So stay tuned for more.

Bottom line: more content for geeky BlogHers! Yay!

For the dudes
Yes, BlogHer is a community by and about women who blog and yes, our event looks like the living, breathing version of our online presence. But in no way to we exclude or discourage men from attending.

Any professional or marketer who wants to really understand the 2.0 space has to really understand what the majority of bloggers (that's women) are actually doing there. And hoo-boy! There's simply no better place to observe women bloggers in action than at a BlogHer event.

But there are lots of reasons for men to attend. The agenda we build is relevant to many audiences -- improving one's SEO or getting published, for example, has nothing to do with gender. Maybe you're a parenting blogger and have a lot of female readers. Or maybe you're not a blogger, but just want to understand why your partner, wife, girlfriend, mom, daughter, sister (etc.) is spending ALL OF HER TIME blogging.

Traditionally, about 10% of attendees are male.

So...what are you waiting for? Click here to register.

Oh Yes, Oh Yes - Registration Is OPEN for BlogHer '09!

2008-12-08T12:09:38-06:00

In case you missed the first announcement (which we made right before Thanksgiving, so we suppose it's possible that you were a little busy), registration for BlogHer '09 AND BlogHer Business '09 is OPEN!

Click here to register: http://blogher09.eventbrite.com

Our hotel/venue is ALSO taking reservations under the BlogHer room block now, too. You can make reservations by calling (877) 242-2558 and letting them know you're with BlogHer OR (NEW!) you can use this handy-dandy URL: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/Blogher2009.

A few reminders about how BlogHer registration and reservations work:

The entire BlogHer Conference will take place at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers. That means programming, sleeping rooms, cool sponsor areas, and even cocktail parties. What could be easier than that?
The cost of registration for BlogHer '09 is the same as last year! Earlybird pricing is in effect through February 28, 2009. The cost to attend each day is $99 (or both days at $198), plus small processing fees.
Each day's registration cost covers a VERY FULL day of programming, breakfast, lunch, break/snacks, and an on-site cocktail reception.
BlogHer Business is priced differently, because it's a different kind of event and targets a specific audience. You can read a little more about it here.
Hotel reservations are not included in the registration costs. Our rooms at the Sheraton are priced at $199/night, and that includes free in-room internet.
Our hotel block spans the nights of the conference, plus a few nights on either end. So if you want to come a couple nighs early and stay through Monday at the BlogHer rate, you should be able to!

So...what do you think? Ready to register? Got any burning questions? Let us know!

I'm Getting Married! Again! (But Do I Really Want Another Wedding?)

2008-12-01T15:56:16-06:00

When Peter picked me up at the airport, he had a small bouquet of flowers in his hand and a goofy smile on his face. I'd been gone for a week, tending to BlogHer Boston, BlogHer DC, and visiting the site of BlogHer '09 in Chicago. It was late on a Wednesday night, I was tired, and the LAST thing I expected was for him to suddenly drop to one knee, right there on the roof deck of San Francisco International Airport. But he did, and he asked me to marry him, and I said yes (of course I said yes), and I couldn't be happier. About getting married.

The wedding? Um...

I am 33 and Pete is 40, and we have both been married before. Not only that, but we've both had lavish, formal-like, fancy-pants weddings before, too. So...do we do it again? And if so, how?

We don't know. And we keep going 'round and 'round in trying to figure it out.

In the ABSOLUTELY WE SHOULD HAVE A WEDDING camp, we have the basics you'd expect. First and foremost, we want to say our vows to each other, in front of the people we love most in the world. I want my family to be there, especially since my parents cannot be. Secondly, we are not entering into this lightly. In fact, my wedding managed to take on far more significance the first time around than my marriage did. This time, it's most certainly the opposite. We're older, wiser (at least, we hope we are), and we want to get it right this time. We dated for three-plus years before making this decision, and now that we're confident it's the right decision, we want to celebrate it! Lastly, I know how to put together an event, and I love doing it. So there's no added stress to the planning process -- that part, for me, would actually be fun.

In the WHY WOULD WE PUT OURSELVES THROUGH ANOTHER WEDDING? camp, there are all these other factors. For one thing, our engagement is decidedly NOT about a wedding, but about our commitment to each other. I have no need for something formal or lavish to make it feel real, it just is real. I cannot envision doing anything one traditionally does at a wedding (I barely did any of them the first time):

I don't want a big poofy dress (been there, done that, see Exhibit A for proof); I don't want posed, formal photos; I don't want to toss a bouquet or do the garter dance thing; I don't want to make a big deal out of cutting a cake (I don't even want a cake, I just want cupcakes -- and maybe popsicles).

At most, I just want to assemble our friends and families together for a lightning-quick ceremony and then I want to feed them lots of unexpectedly delicious food and have my friend's 80s cover band play while everyone gets good and loaded and has a jolly ole' time. I just can't take the idea of a "real" wedding very seriously.

So do I want to drag all these poor folks out from across the country (everyone in my family lives in the Northeast; Pete's family is in Arizona and LA), if I'm not going to even give them a cake-cutting? I mean, it's not just that flying out and staying in San Francisco is expensive, it's also totally inconvenient. Can I really believe it's justified to ask this of guests if I really don't want any of the pomp and circumstance?

And also, I can't exactly go without mentioning that, while I do enjoy the planning part, absolutely anything we do is going to cost us a small fortune. There is just no way around it (and believe me, I am trying).

I just don't know what to do, and nothing is sitting right with me yet. Should we try and find the most fun, least formal place we can and just invite everyone to our untraditional "party" wedding? Most of the time I think Yes, absolutely! But then I think of how much trouble we'll be putting our guests through, especially if we just want something on the small side. And we start looking at the costs and the timing and the hassle, and next thing you know, Peter and I are discussing City Hall again.

I guess I'm hoping that the right idea will suddenly drop into my lap. In the meantime, I'll keep gazing contentedly at my sparkly ring, and you know...get to work on building my new life with my soon-(ish)-to-be husband.

Registration is OPEN for BlogHer '09 and BlogHer Business '09!

2008-11-26T11:17:48-06:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we've added a new way to celebrate...

Registration is now OPEN for BlogHer '09 and BlogHer Business '09! Just follow this link: http://blogher09.eventbrite.com/

We hope you'll find this year's registration process easier and more straightforward than ever before. And remember:

- EarlyBird pricing is in effect through February 28. After that, the cost to attend the annual conference goes from $99/day to $149/day.

- BlogHer Business is a separate event, taking place the Thursday (July 23) before the rest of the conference (July 24 & 25) and is priced differently.

- Ticket prices for the annual event include registration for the conference, all-day conference programming, breakfast, lunch, breaks, and cocktail party.

- Ticket prices do not include hotel reservations. Those need to be arranged separately, by calling the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers reservations line at: (877) 242-2558.

Happy Holidays, and Happy Registering!

If you have any questions or concerns about registration, please feel free to email me directly: kristy@blogher.com.

Reservations Are OPEN at the Sheraton Chicago for BlogHer '09

2008-11-20T12:01:36-06:00

Good news! The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, site of all things BlogHer '09 (including BlogHer Business '09, taking place on July 23) is now taking our reservations!

To reserve your room via phone, just call (877) 242-2558 and let them know you're with BlogHer. As a reminder, BlogHer '09 takes place on Friday and Saturday, July 24-25. Our room rate is $199/night, and includes free in-room internet.

What's more, we've reserved as many rooms with TWO beds as the hotel would allow, in hopes of mitigating some of the BlogHer '08 spooning issues...

Of course, we'll be providing our designated BlogHer reservations URL just as soon as it's available, but thought you might want to get a head start on reserving your rooms now. Details on registration are coming soon, too.

Stay tuned!

[11/07/08] BlogHer Conference News

2008-11-07T11:47:20-06:00

November 7, 2008BlogHer Conference News

The VERY BIG BlogHer '09 Announcement is really and truly almost here. In fact, you'll know...well, scroll down to find out.

And since we're so sure you'll love the locale, won't you consider contributing to our Call for Ideas?
We're always on the lookout for recommended speakers and topics, and
who knows what you want at BlogHer '09 better than you? Details below.

In the meantime, have you ever found yourself wondering what the founders of BlogHer get up to when they're not running the site, the conferences, the ad network and their own blogs? Turns out, you can often find them speaking at conferences
all over the world (about such things as the site, the conferences, the
ad network and their own blogs). We thought it'd make sense to keep you
updated on where Elisa, Jory, and Lisa are presenting and what they're
talking about. So, you can expect regular features in this newsletter about their upcoming speaking engagements. Yay! Starting with...

Elisa Camahort Page spoke at Forum One Communications' event, The Marketing & Online Communities Conference. Learn more about the event, Elisa's perspective, and how to get more information below.

Finally, December 11 is the Massachusetts Conference for Women. Find out more about the event and get your discount code below!

BlogHer '09 Location Announcement
Check BlogHer.com early on Monday morning to find out (once and for all!) where BlogHer '09 will be taking place.

We couldn't be more pleased with the venue, and we're sure you'll be pleased, too!

Coming November 10th!

BlogHer '09 Call for Ideas

With the BlogHer '09 location announcement coming Monday, we expect a sudden influx of responses to our Call for Ideas.
So why not stay ahead of the curve and get your ideas in this weekend?
(Of course, all ideas will be weighed equally, but we love hearing from
the earlybirds!)

In case you're not sure, our Call for Ideas
is where we ask you to to share your thoughts on who, and what, BlogHer
'09 should be about.

As Elisa writes:
Why a "Call for Ideas" and not a "Call for Speakers" or "Call for Proposals" or something like that?

Answer:
Because BlogHers are a generous bunch, and there are plenty of you who
like to recommend other people to speak and want to suggest panels
you'd like to attend, not personally speak on. And we're are all for
that...any idea is welcomed, collected and reviewed by humans.

You have until November 24th to tell us what you think, and what you'd like to see discussed in one of our five tracks:

Identity and Passions
The Business of You
Politics & Activism
MommyBlogging
Geek Lab

Check out the official blog post to learn more and make your voice heard.

Elisa @ Marketing & Online Communities Conference

When: November 5, 2008
Where: New York City
What: Thought leaders from the
marketing and online community sectors discussing marketing challenges
- and unprecedented opportunities - in online
communities.

Elisa
Camahort Page joined Kendra Bracken (Vice President, Digital Media,
Fleishman-Hillard Public Relations) to share insights on what bloggers
are doing with, and what they want from, PR groups.

Elisa
showcased some amazing bloggers and their work, particularly
illustrating how blogging empowers women, and how bloggers build trust
and community.

The purpose:
To explain why it's so vital for PR folks to understand the culture of
blogging to be able to conduct successful campaigns. Kendra then showed
some relevant case studies from her work on blogger outreach.

For
more information on BlogHer's extensive 2008 Social Media Benchmark
Study, which offers many relevant data points, please feel free to download the .pdf file here.

You'll find plenty to spark ideas at the 2008 Massachusetts Conference
for Women! The power and presence of this amazing community of women
provides the inspiration, information, connection and motivation you
need to write your next chapter, whether your goal is to build your
network, impact your community, achieve work-life balance, advance your
career, improve your health, market yourself and much, much more. Join
us!

[10/23/08] Conference Newsletter

2008-10-23T17:31:39-05:00

Woohoo!

BlogHer's Reach Out events in Boston and DC were tremendous successes, thanks to all the locals (and not-so-local) bloggers in attendance. Scroll down for a round-up of liveblogs and photos.

(And psst. Did you give us your feedback on those events yet?)

The VERY BIG BLOGHER '09 ANNOUNCEMENT is almost here. So where will it be? We still can't confirm till the end of this month. (Sorry for the Twitter-teases in the meantime)(sorta).

But while you're waiting ever-so patiently...did you see? Our Call for Ideas? Much of our event programming comes from ideas and speakers you send our way. Learn more about how to contribute below.

There's still time to learn how big companies use social media! Check out details on the upcoming BlogWell event below, where BlogHer's own Jory Des Jardins will be speaking.

BlogHer Boston & DC Round-Up

Perhaps you've seen the blogosphere a-buzz with all that happened at the Boston & DC events? If you didn't have an opportunity to follow along in real-time, you can follow along now via our liveblogs.

Click here for BlogHer Boston's Liveblogs.

Click here for BlogHer DC's Liveblogs.

And you can always look up #BlogHerBoston or #BlogHerDC tags to find some fantastic photos our attendees have taken, like this one:

CE's Sassymonkey & Suzanne R.
Photo by Rubyshoes

Got a great set of BlogHer photos you'd like us to know about? Email Joy (joy@blogher.com) and they could wind up on the BlogHer.com homepage!

Did you attend BlogHer Boston or DC? What did you think?

Just a quick reminder if you attended either of these events that you should have received an email with a survey link to provide feedback on the event.

Feedback, we should add, that we take very seriously.

If you haven't, please take a few moments now to do so!

Click here for the BlogHer Boston survey.

Click here for the BlogHer DC survey.

BlogHer '09 Call for Ideas

It's time! (Erm, actually, it's a little earlier than usual.) But the point remains: we have opened our Call for Ideas. You get to share your thoughts on who and what BlogHer '09 should be all about.

As Elisa writes:

Why a "Call for Ideas" and not a "Call for Speakers" or "Call for Proposals" or something like that?

Answer: Because BlogHers are a generous bunch, and there are plenty of you who like to recommend other people to speak and want to suggest panels you'd like to attend, not personally speak on. And we're are all for that...any idea is welcomed, collected and reviewed by humans.

You have until November 24th to tell us what you think, and what you'd like to see discussed in one of our five tracks:
    * Identity and Passions
    * The Business of You
    * Politics & Activism
    * MommyBlogging
    * Geek Lab

Check out the official blog post to learn more and make your voice heard.

Want to learn how to blog for big companies? Come to BlogWell!

When: October 28, 2008 from 1-5 pm
Where: San Jose Convention Center
What: 8 Great Case Studies on the Best Social Media Programs at Large Corporations

From the BlogWell site:

Social media and blogging for big corporations is isn't as easy as blogging for yourself. You're speaking for an enterprise with thousands of employees, dozens of brands, and complex issues. Learn how some of the biggest companies successfully manage their social media programs.

Featuring Jory Des Jardins as one of the esteemed speakers. Learn more about the conference and what you'll take away here.

Brought to you by BlogHer's media partners, GasPedal, and Blog Council

BlogHer DC - The Liveblogs

2008-10-12T18:10:18-05:00

BlogHer DC kicks off bright and early on October 13, 2008. This is the place to find the liveblogs, which will be posted shortly after the sessions end. Check back often as the links go live!

* * * * * * *

Blogging Basics: I Blog, Therefore I Am… How to find your blogging mojo

Online Community building as natural promotional tool

Blogging Basics: 6 Steps to Personalize, Polish & Promote Your Blog

Online community building for a cause

Blogging Basics: Managing Information Overload: How to find your blogging community

Online community building for political action

Closing Keynote: Social Media - Changing the Political Process; Changing the World

* * * * * * *

Check out the full agenda with session descriptions here.

BlogHer Boston - The Liveblogs

2008-10-10T16:31:15-05:00

BlogHer Boston kicks off bright and early on October 11, 2008. This is the place to find the liveblogs, which will be posted shortly after the sessions end. Check back often as the links go live!

* * * * * * *

Blogging Basics: I Blog, Therefore I Am... figuring out your blogging mojo

Social Media Can Save Media

Blogging Basics: 6 Steps to Personalize, Polish & Promote Your Blog

Social Media Can Save Your Business

Blogging Basics: Managing Information Overload: How to find your blogging community

Social Media Can Save Dinner

Closing Keynote: Change Your Future; Change the World

* * * * * * *

Check out the full agenda with session descriptions here.

It's Not Too Late To Register for BlogHer Boston & BlogHer DC!

2008-10-08T20:02:46-05:00

There's still time to register for BlogHer Boston and BlogHer DC...but not much!

Click here to register for BlogHer Boston.

Click here to register for BlogHer DC.

We WILL be accepting on-site sign-ups (so pass it on), but it helps us prepare if we know you're coming ahead of time. Plus, everyone who registers by noon (EDT) tomorrow, 10/9 will still have a printed badge waiting for her (or him)!

As a reminder, BlogHer Boston takes place this Saturday, October 11 at the Boston Marriott Burlington. More details can be found here.

Boston DC takes place the following Monday, October 13 at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. More details can be found here.

Hope to see you there!

[10/08/08] Conference Newsletter

2008-10-08T19:51:59-05:00

October 8, 2008BlogHer Conference News

Only 3 more days to register for BlogHer Boston!
Only 5 more days to register for BlogHer DC!

We're down to the wire now, with just a few days to go before BlogHer hits the Northeast. Will you be there? (Psst. Yes, on-site registration will be available!)

And speaking of being there...did you see that Lesley Stahl
is joining BlogHer DC's Closing Keynote session? Read about this
fantastic closing session below, along with some of Boston's
programming highlights you won't want to miss.

Whether you're attending or not, perhaps you still want to snag a copy of the Official BlogHer Boston or DC Conference Brochure? Download it today!

Of
course, we'll be liveblogging the whole thing, so stay tuned on
BlogHer.com and for next week's newsletter round-up of live blogs,
videos and photos. In the meantime, did you happen to listen to all
the great audio tracks from BlogHer '08? We've posted them all in one easy-to-find place, so scroll down to get the link.

Wanna know how big companies use social media? Check out details on the upcoming BlogWell event below, where BlogHer's own Jory Des Jardins will be speaking.

Lesley Stahl joins WaPo's Mary Ann Akers, WMC's Carol Jenkins, and the RNC's Liz Mair at BlogHer DC's keynote

We're
always excited to feature a diverse range of speakers at BlogHer
events, and couldn't be more thrilled about this powerful lineup for
BlogHer DC's closing session, Social Media - Changing the Political Process; Changing the World.

The
mainstream use of social media tools by voters is forcing not just the
media, but political campaigns and politicians themselves to change
their approach to the political process.

For this session, BlogHer's Lisa Stone will talk Ms. Stahl, Akers, and
Jenkins -- who represent folks inside and outside the traditional
political media and political process -- to get a sense of how their
worlds have changed in the last four years...and what it means for all
of our futures!

BlogHer Boston proudly presents how Social Media will save the world...and dinner! (Not necessarily in that order.)

Amidst
the doom and gloom of how social media is going to ruin all things
traditional (like media, for example), Boston is a shining beacon of
why that's not so. In fact, the Boston area is a hotbed of innovative
media practices and professionals who are using the new to reinvent the
old. Our custom track called "Social Media Can Save..." illustrates
how, featuring Social Media Can Save Media,Social Media Can Save Your Business and -- yep! -- Social Media Can Save Dinner.

Download the Official Boston & DC Conference Brochures

Even
if you're not planning to attend the events, you can still see what
they're all about. And if you ARE attending BlogHer Boston or BlogHer
DC, here's where to get the detailed agenda, floorplan and summary of
speakers and sponsors.

Note: BlogHer has moved to a
tree-saving model of online-only conference brochures. We will have a
mini hand-out on-site, but the full brochures are only available
electronically.

To download the .pdf file, simply right click and "Save As..."

Download the BlogHer Boston Brochure.

Download the BlogHer DC Brochure.

BlogHer '08 Audio Tracks

It's finally final! Elisa has rounded up and posted the last of the
BlogHer '08 audiocasts. Now you can listen to any (or all) of the
sessions you wanted to attend but couldn't.

All in one convenient post!

There's MANY to choose from, including this year's stand-out new edition, "The Community Keynote." It's certainly worth a listen to, since the readers and their readings come directly from within the BlogHer Community.

Want to learn how to blog for big companies? Come to BlogWell!

When: October 28, 2008 from 1-5 pm
Where: San Jose Convention Center
What: 8 Great Case Studies on the Best Social Media Programs at Large Corporations

From the BlogWell site:
"Social media and blogging for big corporations is isn't as easy as
blogging for yourself. You're speaking for an enterprise with thousands
of employees, dozens of brands, and complex issues. Learn how some of
the biggest companies successfully manage their social media programs."

Featuring Jory Des Jardins as one of the esteemed speakers. Learn more about the conference and what you'll take away here.

Brought to you by BlogHer's media partners, GasPedal, and Blog Council