Thanks to all your input and amazing ideas we have really great blog bling in preparation for BlogHer '09...all of you are so clever!. Now, with LobbyCon Bling!!!: Here are the newbies:

This is the first in a four-week series to help BlogHer '09 attendees explore Chicago.My favorite way to explore a city is on foot. I think it has something to do with the experience of using all five of my senses in a way that driving (or boat-riding) tours just can’t match. (Not to mention that walking is good for Earth, good for you and good for your wallet. Well, potentially good for you and your wallet. I suppose that depends on your discipline when in such close proximity to Garrett Popcorn Shops.) So if you’ve planned a little extra time before or after BlogHer ’09, and were hoping to see a little bit of the city (believe me: there’s plenty to see), then I’ve got a juicy tidbit for you: Chicago walking tours.

If there’s one thing that Katie Orenstein is passionate about, it’s helping women’s voices penetrate the largely male-dominated (by 85%) Op-Eds (for those not familiar with journalism lingo, that’s an opinion piece historically published in newspapers opposite the editorial page, but which has now translated to online forums, as well). Katie is founder of The OpEd Project, a day-long seminar created to help women find their voices and engage in these public debates. She is bringing a portion of her seminar to BlogHer ’09, leading two sessions in our Leadership track: “Owning Your Expertise” and “Writing Your Op-Ed.”

Whether you’re a BlogHer conference veteran or you’re making your first trek to our annual conference this summer, it’s probable that you’ve got questions. Questions about what to pack for BlogHer ’09, or what to wear, or how many business cards to bring, or whether you need your laptop. We’ve gathered together posts written by veterans who’ve answered those questions for you. And guys, we even have a little love for you, too.

Wow, what a week!We have been gearing up for the event and now it's go go go all the time!  This train has left the station.  Here are some highlights - 

BlogHer '09, BlogHer's fifth annual conference, will be our biggest conference yet. Every year we have sold out and dealt with the dreaded waiting list. This year we sold out BlogHer '09's original capacity in mid-March, which left us with lots of community members wanting in.

Being green isn’t just about recycling your plastic bags or separating paper from glass. It’s about thinking smarter environmentally, and it can affect the foods you eat, the products you buy, your mode of transportation, the companies you support. On that note, all of our BlogHer ’09 Green and Eco-Blogging panelists have been in the news lately, and we couldn’t wait to tell you all about them!

BlogHer ’09 speakers are a group of savvy women, and many are experts in more than just one domain. Take two of our speakers, for example, Jaden Hair and Michelle Lentz. Jaden, a foodblogger, has carved a career out of managing her blog’s relationship with different brands, which is why we’re thrilled she’s speaking on the Brands and Bloggers panel at BlogHer ’09. And Michelle, a social media consultant and instructional designer, has made a name for herself as a wine blogger in online food circles – one of the reasons BlogHer asked her to speak on our FoodBlogging panel. Recently different news outlets have highlighted both Jaden and Michelle – read on to find out more!

Today, we are thrilled to announce the final selections for the BlogHer '09 Community Keynote, our second annual Community Keynote, taking place on Friday July 24th. Just like last year, we received hundreds of submissions, and I have to start with a shout-out of gratitude to our tremendous Community Keynote grand poobah: Eden Kennedy from Fussy And the rest of the Community Keynote committee: Jes Ferris and Lori Luna from BlogHer

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS - DRUM ROLL....BDDDRRRRRRRRR (is THAT a drumroll sound?) 40 days to BlogHer Business! 41 days to BlogHer '09! OMG...I just gave myself heart palpatations ;-)Let's see, hmmm, what to tell you?  Oh, I know...

With BlogHer '09 fast-approaching, join us for an introduction to some of the women who will be speaking at this summer's hottest blogging conference. This week's highlights: Twanna Hines and Ree Drummond. 

It was question three on Savvy Sugar's four question quiz on vacation deprivation. If you answered 35%, 20% or 10% , you would be so wrong. The correct answer, according to this quiz, is 50%.