Last week I went to my first blogging conference, Blissdom.

I had a blast. Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration. Really I left feeling kind of really overwhelmed. It was a lot of women. And a lot of information.

But I would go again in a heartbeat.

I learned. I was inspired. And I met some amazing women. Amazing women…who blog. Amazing women…who blog and tweet.

The Tommy Nelson Girls with Dedra and Tammy

Here are six you should follow. Right now. Go check them out. And don’t forget to tell them I sent you. (more…)

I am headed to Blissdom…

Blissdom is the premiere conference for women who find and express their bliss by publishing online.  Blissdom ‘10, our third conference, is a welcoming oasis in the ever-changing blogging world. Speakers and panels featuring the best blogging, public relations and social media pros will be gathering to mentor new and old friends alike.

I am so excited. I love to learn. I love to blog. I love talking about social media. I love connecting with other bloggers. I love putting a face and a warm laugh with a twitter handle. Plus, the handsome crooner Harry Connick Jr. is going to sing me a song or two. I love it when handsome crooners sing me a song or two.

But as much as I am looking forward to it, I am kind of really nervous. (more…)

One thing I love about Social Media is that it is an easy what to know what is going in people’s lives (not everything, but certainly the very good and the very bad tend to pop up). So you can kind of keep tabs on what to be praying for. I am sure you already have a laundry list of prayer requests but can I suggest a few more?

Sweet, sweet, sweet Kate McRae’s family has had to make a hard impossible decision about her future treatment plans. Now that is behind them, they have a long road of ahead with chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Pray that the family would endure, stay faithful, and that their little girl would be healed. (more…)

…that this year is off to a slow start.

But, well that is just not the case. I can’t believe how much has already happened in 2010. And get this…it is only January 13. (more…)

One of the best things that I did in 2009 was start this blog.

Not only has it  served as a wonderful outlet for me to process through my often-tangled thoughts, but it has fostered an UNBELIEVABLE COMMUNITY. I appreciate you all you reading…and adding to the conversation.

Here are my top posts of 2009 (aka EVER).

1. I Am What I Tweet? – Some people say we are what we eat, do you think we are what we tweet?

2. The Stars at Night – Looks like I need to talk about Texas more often. I apologize for getting you mentioning that song. Find comfort in the fact that it is stuck in my head too.

3. 32 and Single..Don’t Judge Me Too Quickly – So I am 32 (now 33) and single…that doesn’t mean you can lump me into some stereotypical category. (more…)

Last night I had dinner with Spence Smith, Keely Marie Scott, and Ryan O’Quinn. I had never met Keely and Ryan before “in real life.” But they were even cooler than I imagined.

I had so much fun. It was one of those nights that was completely energizing (something I don’t take for granted in this season of Christmas parties and holiday hoopla). It was one of those nights when I reconnected with how much I love interacting with new and interesting people in a small group setting (not at cocktail party setting, that kinda freaks me out).

We talked about Compassion International. We talked 90210. We talked Battle Star Galactica (or “BSG” as I learned it is so aptly called).

We talked blogging. We talked steaming techniques (I’ll note the girls at the table had not-a-thing to contribute to this conversation). We talked books. We talked Glee. We talked Pioneer Woman. We talked Cross Point. (more…)

When I started blogging several months ago, I assumed that most of my readers would be my family and friends who can’t keep up with my day-to-day activities because of geographic challenges. Boy was I wrong! A huge majority readers are people I have never met “in real life.” They are people, like you, who I would like to get to know better.

So I have created my first reader survey.

I hope this survey will empower me to do two things. One, get to know you better. And two, make some improvements on the functionality and content of my site.

If you would do me a HUGE favor and take 5 to 10 minutes out of your busy day to answer a few questions, I would be immensely grateful. Immensely grateful.

Here’s the link to get started.

Earlier this week, I posted about cultivating community. In the comments section, it quickly became obvious that I had missed something. I had neglected to define community. Are people who gathering and exchange thoughts and ideas online really a community?

When I am looking for definitions, I typically pull out my oh-so-handy Webster’s Dictionary (or search my Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary online).

Here’s their definition of community:

Main Entry: com·mu·ni·ty

Pronunciation: \kə-ˈmyü-nə-tē\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural com·mu·ni·ties

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English comunete, from Anglo-French communité, from Latin communitat-, communitas, from communis

Date: 14th century

1 : a unified body of individuals: as a : state, commonwealth b : the people with common interests living in a particular area; broadly : the area itself <the problems of a large community> c : an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location d : a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society <a community of retired persons> e : a group linked by a common policy f : a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests <the international community> g : a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society <the academic community>

2 : society at large

3 a : joint ownership or participation <community of goods> b : common character : likeness <community of interests> c : social activity : fellowship d : a social state or condition (more…)

I started twittering a few years ago with the simple hope of wanting to keep others updated with me. (I know, stupid. Who really cares what I am up to? Besides my mom and dad, not a who lot of folks.)

This spring when I started blogging, I had the simple goal of having a place to put my thoughts down in written form to make sense of them. (I discovered that sometimes in written form they still don’t make a lot of sense.)

Yet today I find myself completely immersed in this Web 2.0 world. Not because I am naive enough to think people care what I have to say or because I need to bring order to my random thoughts but because of something entirely different. Because of community.

I blog, I facebook, and I twitter as a way to interact with friends, old and new. I want to hear what they have to say, I want to find out what they think, I want to discover what they are doing (and sometimes eating), and I want to encourage them in their walk. Because they encourage me in mine. (more…)

Last week I had the pleasure of hearing Paula Berg, Manager of Emerging Media for Southwest Airlines, speak at a Nashville Chamber Small Business Breakfast as part of the Informed and Inspired series. Paula was terrific. She was engaging, honest, and approachable. But most importantly she was informed. I loved learning what she had to say about Southwest’s “wild ride” in the blogosphere.

Here are just a few things that she shared that surprised me: (more…)