BlissDom '09 Recap: Part I

Did y'all remember that I was away this last weekend?

I was at BlissDom '09.

A blogging conference that I touted as a "writers conference." But now that I'm on the flip-side of it, I'm don't feel that "writers conference" is as much of a fib as I'd thought. I think that what I learned in the two days spent at Hotel Preston will make me a better writer.

I plan to blog this week about what I took away from the conference. There will be some changes coming to WriterChicNLawnBoy, in both look and in name. And I have a bunch of new blogs to share with you.

But for now, the first thing I'm going to leave with you is the BEST quote of the weekend, in my opinion.

In one of the sessions I attended, Melissa Michaels of The Inspired Room shared with us an experience she had with some negative reader feedback. During a necessary and not-all-that-intentional bloggy break, a reader left Melissa a comment regarding why she wasn't "getting on with it, already." (Meaning, why aren't you posting more?) First of all, can you imagine the gall? Second, how rude! And third, I LOVED it, because, well....I've been feeling the pressure of "getting on with it, already" since we've been here in Tennessee.

No one has hounded me to write more, post more pictures of Seth, or put up pictures of the new house. It has all been a self-imposed pressure to show you all that life here in the South is fine.

But to be honest, I'm tired. This pregnancy, while healthy thus far, is kicking my butt. Big time. I'm not sleeping well. Most nights I'm on the couch rather than in bed. I'm constantly nauseated. Thank God that Jim is so patient, because my culinary skills have fallen to demanding french toast post haste the minute he walks in the door. (Too bad it only lasted about an hour -- what a waste of a super yummy dinner!) I'm bone weary. My body already aches from shoulder to hip and it takes most of my energy to keep Seth happy all the live-long day.

So, is my pregnancy an excuse right now? You betcha. It is why I'm not "getting on with it, already." The "IT" being blogging more, posting (or taking, for that matter) more photos, unpacking the final dozen boxes.....

And I learned -- or rather, had it validated -- this weekend that it's OKAY that I'm not. My life comes first -- and right now, staying healthy for this baby trumps all else. As Melissa explained to us that she responded to her impatient, irrational reader, her blog posting doesn't rule her life. Her LIFE fuels her blog posting.

So even though I take WriterChic seriously and want it to be an integral part of my daily life and our family diaring (is that a word?), it needs to fit where I have room. And I haven't (had room).

And it felt really good to hear this weekend that that's okay.

I realize that this is a horribly written post. And maybe it makes sense to only me. But you know what else I learned this weekend? That writing for me, and not necessarily the reader, is okay, too. But that's a post for another day.

And on a completely unrelated note, thank you all for your well wishes on Friday's post. It feels so good to finally have our news be public. Hope you are all ready to take this itty bitty journey with us!