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Support the Arts in Schools with Blick- an Artsy Twitter Party

Posted in education, social media, tagged Art education, Blick, Education, Twitter on January 15, 2013 | 1 Comment »

As most of my readers know I am deeply involved in education advocacy and issues. One of my favorite topics is the importance and role of arts education in our schools. I actually think that art can and should be integrated into all curriculum areas – and that art can help illuminate concepts from math and science to make it more interesting and engaging for all students.

So, I’m thrilled to be a part of the Blick Art Room Aid campaign, and we’re kicking it off with a very hands-on event: A Twitter Party!

#BlickARA Twitter party detailsWhat: Do you believe art is an essential part of your child’s education? Then you already know how important art education is — and how schools are struggling to keep their art programs alive. That’s where Art Room Aid can help! A program of Blick Art Materials, Art Room Aid is helping teachers across the country enlist the aid of parents, families, friends, and other art advocates to fund their art projects and keep creative learning going.Want to learn more? Join this Twitter Party to find out how you can support art education, make sure art continues to play a role in your children’s lives, and spread the word about Art Room Aid in your community. We’ll be discussing projects you can do with your own kids, and sharing sources of inspiration.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. ET

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #BlickARA hashtag to track the conversation. See this Twtvite for more info and to RSVP: http://twtvite.com/BlickARA

Hashtag: #BlickARA

Prizes: We will give away five total prizes – two $25 Blick gift coupons, two $50 Blick gift coupons, and one $75 Blick gift coupon.

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

Check out Art Room Aid here: http://www.dickblick.com/ara

Blick Art Materials website: http://www.dickblick.com/

Hope you can join the conversation!

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The Digital Family Summit: A Weekend Devoted to Tech, Video, Social Media for Tweens and Teens!

Posted in events, giveaway, social media, technology, tagged Digital Family Summit, Social media, technology, Teens, tweens on May 29, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

At KidzVuz we believe that technology is not the enemy, and that our kids need the right tools and knowledge to become creative, responsible digital citizens. That’s why we are so excited to be part of the first ever Digital Family Summit in Philadelphia from June 29th-July 1st. The Digital Family Summit is an interactive, hands-on conference for teen and tween digital media creators and their families. If you or your kid is interested in blogging, entrepreneurship, creating videos, games or animations this conference will help build skills and make connections that will take him or her to the next level.

We also believe that the Digital Family Summit is the perfect way to kick off your family’s summer so that your kids can apply the amazing skills they learn over the weekend all summer long, and have a technological leg up starting the new school year. Plus, we hope that your kids will take this new-found video making and editing savvy and become a member of KidzVuz.com where they can safely create and share their videos with other like-minded kids from all over the country! We will certainly be looking for future star reviewers in this fabulous crowd.

Now the fun part. You can get a 25% discount on a family pass right now using code KIDZVUZ at checkout. Even more exciting, we are giving away a Digital Family Summit Family Pass for you and your kids to attend! Just click on over to KidzVuz Parents Blog and enter to win!

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Every Day is Take Your Child to Work Day in My House

Posted in blogging, family, parenting, social media, tagged mommy wars, Mother, stay at home mom, work, work at home mom on April 26, 2012 | 3 Comments »

I woke up this morning to find endless articles, tweets and Facebook updates about people and companies talking about Take Your Child to Work Day. I’m glad no one told my daughters about this special holiday, because then they’d be sitting right next to me at the kitchen table as I write this post. And then they’d bother me to make them food at some point. And then they’d interrupt my conference calls, and probably end up on a computer playing a game or watching Annoying Orange – which come to think of it is how many people spend their workday. But, really it got me thinking about the fake Mommy Wars and how in the midst of all this Stay at Home Mom/Work Outside the Home Mom business there are so many of us who work at home, or at a coffee shop, or during nap time or until school pick up time or any combination thereof.

My problem is not that my daughters need to have a Take Your Child to Work Day so they could get an appreciation of what I do. No, my problem is that my daughters see me working way too much. When you work from your home and for yourself like I do there is no office to leave behind at night. There is no commute to clear your head, no downtime between working and seeing your kids, no demarcation of work and personal space in the home. My “office” gets cleared away to set the table for dinner, or make room for homework, but it just moves into the living room instead.

My husband also brings home his work in the form of constant email and the occasional project. But it’s not like my work, which revolves around social media and a website that constantly needs to be monitored. My work colleagues live on Twitter and Facebook. They are not people I see for a set time during the day – they are constantly flickering through my world. And it’s harder and harder to shut it off when there is a Twitter party that needs joining, another pitch or email to get back to, an event to plan, a site upgrade to approve. Everyone in my space is working round the clock, and it’s become the norm to expect an instant reply no matter the time of day.

So instead of taking my daughters to work today I will try and do the opposite and turn off my work at 5:00 like a 1950′s dad would do, and shut my laptop and maybe even stow it away. The cell phone too. And the tablet. And – this is going to be harder than I thought…

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When it’s OK to Work For Free (Really!)

Posted in blogging, social media, tagged blogging, momblogging, momblogs, Washington Post, writing, yahoo! on December 19, 2011 | 28 Comments »

There have a been a flurry of articles in the mom blogging space over the past year about mom bloggers who work for free and how you should never, ever do it. I wrote one myself for Mom Blog Magazine. You’ve heard it before: You cheapen everybody’s work; you make it harder for anyone to be taken seriously and get paid; you are a chump building someone else’s business without getting anything in return. And, all of that is true – sometimes. One of the things that bothers me about this dogmatic approach to the topic of being paid is that often it is hurled by people I know have worked – and continue to work – for free in some instances. The other thing is, it’s not so clear-cut. I’ve written previously about why you shouldn’t work for free – but taking stock of my year and really my last four years since I started blogging – I think it’s important to talk about when it’s okay to accept work that doesn’t come with cash compensation.

YOU ARE NEW TO BLOGGING – It’s a big, wide blogosphere out there and building readership and traffic is daunting. Joining a blog community where you are posting with a group of other women can give you an automatic group of colleagues and support. You will not drive a ton of traffic from these sites – no matter what they say to the contrary – but you will start to feel like you belong, meet other bloggers and build links back to your site. I started out writing for Silicon Valley Mom’s NYC Mom Blog site and then for the Yahoo! Motherboard and those two communities gave me the connections and friendships that are far and away the most valuable I have today – both personally and professionally. I don’t regret writing for them for free for a moment.
YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR EXPERT REPUTATION: There are sites that can provide a much bigger soapbox for your views than your blog. Again, they will not throw you tons of traffic, so don’t fall for that, but they can give you a platform and a legitimacy that your blog alone will not. When the Washington Post asked to re-post an education piece I had written I did not hesitate to say yes. It enhanced my standing as an education writer and advocate and gave me a great byline to point to when applying to paying gigs in the field. As long as you own your content and you are seeing the benefit then you should consider it.
YOU WILL GET EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO EVENTS OR INTERVIEWS: Let’s face it, you are just one of many bloggers trying to get press passes, invites and other access to brands and events. If you don’t have the clout (or Klout) to obtain those on your own then having the byline and credentials from a much larger site can help. I have attended many conferences, expos and events thanks to my affiliation with Yahoo! Motherboard. It’s a name those outside of the blogging world understand. To me, that was valuable.

Like I said in the beginning, nothing is black and white. You have to go with your gut and you have to feel like what you are contributing is being respected and acknowledged accordingly – cash or otherwise. You also have to be realistic about your worth. Only you know what is right for you. What do you think? Would you or do you work for free?

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She Streams Conference: The Next Evolution in Blogging?

Posted in blogging, conferences, events, she streams, social media, Speaking Engagements, tagged kidzvuz, Maria Bailey, she streams, vlogging on September 26, 2011 | 6 Comments »

I started with this blog. I formed the Blogging Angels podcast a year ago. I launched a user-generated video site, KidzVuz, this year. And I am not unique. All around me women are launching real media careers from their blogs – taking charge of their presence and voice in as many outlets as possible. Once upon a time there was Lucille Ball – and then there was Oprah – women who owned their production companies, not just starred in the show. Now, with the internet and social media, building a mini-media empire is truly within reach of women who have the gumption and work ethic to do it.

I spent two days at the first ever She Streams Conference – as an attendee, a speaker and on the expo floor with a booth for KidzVuz. I had no idea what to expect since this was the first ever She Streams, we were presenting with another blogger we didn’t know in real life (even though her twitter handle is RealLifeSarah!), and then again with The Blogging Angels in a format we’ve never done before, and demoing our new KidzVuz redesign to numerous bloggers and sponsors. More unknowns than I’d ever encountered before. But, it was honestly fantastic.

First of all we New York City area bloggers are jaded. We have so many events every week, a vibrant blogging community and a constant flow of PR pitches and meetings. But let me tell you – the women bloggers across this country, in tiny small towns, rural areas, exurbs, South, West – where ever – they rock. They are leveraging video, cornering their local markets, forming amazing communities and working their butts off creating fully monetized and successful blogs. I love it. This was a diverse, engaged and creative crowd. Maria Bailey, who pulled off this endeavor with her top notch team in six months, really came through in a hugely impressive way.

You can check out the schedule here. Hopefully they will post the sessions too. The one downside to exhibiting in the Expo Hall and speaking in two sessions was that I didn’t get to attend any of the great sessions! Check out the facebook page for more info.

Here were my top 5 Take-Aways:

Sit next to someone you don’t know. I made some of my best new contacts at lunch each day.
To-do lists – learn to love them because they work
Have a partner, or 3. (I already knew this but it bears repeating.) When you team up with super smart people you shine.
Good lighting is everything.
It’s always worth it to put yourself out there. Even if you’re terrified or just pessimistic. There is opportunity everywhere.

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My 7 Links Challenge – Writing Against My Will

Posted in blogging, social media, tagged blogging, blogher, facebook, My 7 links on August 23, 2011 | 5 Comments »

If you know me you know I am not a big joiner. I never did the 25 things about me meme on Facebook, I rarely answer those emails that urge you to answer questions and then send them on to 5 more people, I hate polls, but I am writing this post because this game of virtual tag intrigued me and came from one of my real life best friends, Shari of My Judie the Foodie. The premise behind the My 7 Links Challenge is to analyze your own blog and break it down by some interesting categories. And if there’s one thing I like it’s a chance to analyze and dig into some metrics in a new ways.

So, here it goes:

My most beautiful post: I don’t think of myself as a “poetic” writer or a particularly fabulous photographer so I will define “beautiful” as a post that pulled at something deep inside me when I wrote it and that is The Bittersweet Inevitability of Growing Up. Read it and weep.

My most popular post: This is an easy one thanks to actual data and it’s a recent one: No One Puts Women Bloggers in a Corner – Except Women Bloggers. But I have to give honorable mention to Mona Lisa Cat because it’s ALWAYS in my top 5 even though it’s just an image!

My most controversial post: I guess it would be The Sex Talk: There’s No App for That. Not so much on my blog but when it went up on Yahoo! Shine the comments were crazy and belligerent.

My most helpful post: Hmmm, I’m a big advice giver on Mom Blog Magazine and The Blogging Angels, but don’t do that much of it here. So, I’m thinking my latest post about BlogHer parties is up there: Ain’t No Party Like a BlogHer party: Except The 50 Other BlogHer Parties.

My post whose success surprised me: Why Aren’t Parents Rioting in the Streets? I wrote it because I had to write it or I would burst. I didn’t think anyone else would really care. But, I touched a nerve, leapt into the education reform debate and ended up reprinted in The Washington Post. And the comments were even better than my post I think.

My post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved: So many. No really. If you’re a blogger you know there are those posts you work so hard on and then watch as they recede into the ether while something you dash off in 15 minutes gets the limelight. For me that post was Finding My Religion in a Bowl of Matzoh Ball Soup. It had decent traffic but I love that post and it didn’t get the reader love I had hoped.

My post that I am most proud of: Ick. I don’t feel “proud” of my posts. I think as a writer I am never fully satisfied with anything I write and I could tinker with posts forever. It’s why blogging is still not second nature to me. But, if I have to choose I’d say Generation Hillary is one that I wrote and feel like my daughters will read in the future and remember a part of themselves that was important and true.

Now I get to nominate 5 Bloggers I adore to name their 7 links!

And loyal readers I have to ask – do you agree with my links or do you think I have no idea which of my posts resonate and which don’t?

If you tweet this (and I hope you do!) please include the hashtag #my7links. Thanks!!

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One Post, A New Friend and A Look Back on Jewish Italy

Posted in food, Italy, social media, Travel, tagged food, Italy, Jews, travel, Travel tuesday, Twitter on July 19, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Image via Wikipedia

Two years ago today I was in Pitigliano Italy, site of one of the oldest Jewish towns in Italy – though of course not anymore. I blogged every day of our month-long stay in Italy and Pitigliano was particularly hard to write about. I thought about this post recently because when I wrote it I was still not very involved in twitter, my Facebook friends were all old high school friends or new real life friends, and believe it or not I had no idea if or why people read my blog. I wrote, I published and I didn’t care about what happened after that.

But, when I came back from Italy where I had been posting every single day – and still not looking at my stats! – I was shocked to see that my blog readership had exploded. I thought I was writing about our trip purely for my family and good friends, but it had been passed around and shared and so on. It was my first real lesson in how far my writing could go on the web if I kept consistently putting it out there. That’s when I discovered twitter too. It was Amy Oztan, selfishmom.com, who shoved me in to the twittersphere, but it was meeting Jennifer Perillo that made me stay.

Jennifer’s blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen is some of the best food and good old-fashioned writing you will find anywhere. An Italian girl from Brooklyn married to a nice Jewish boy (ok – man), Jennifer was looking for and writing about Italian Jewish food. I told her about the cookbook I wrote about in my Pitigliano post, which was the very one she was reading at the time – and then that spurred a full-out conversation about the Jews of Italy, my visit to Pitigliano and so much more. Jennifer linked to this post from her recipe on egg-free gnocchi. And so a friendship was born – of twitter, but thankfully into real life.

So, in a Travel Tuesday reprise – here’s my post about Pitigliano and the testimony to how our food culture endures and social media can keep the conversation going.

Pitigliano – It’s So Not (Jewish) Ghetto

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Ain’t No Party Like a BlogHer Party (except the 50 other BlogHer parties)

Posted in conferences, social media, tagged blogging, blogging events, blogher, parties, Social media, Twitter on July 15, 2011 | 10 Comments »

As BlogHer looms ever closer the party haves and have-nots are starting to make their voices heard on Twitter and across the blogosphere. It’s inevitable that when there are 3000 women at a conference, but only a small amount of invitations available for many events, that jealousy – or even panic – will set in. I am co-hosting two events at BlogHer this year – one for KidzVuz and one for the Blogging Angels - for the first time ever. For both events guest lists had to be created – and agreed to – by the different hosts, and everyone had their reasons for choosing certain people.

But, truth be told I just don’t know everyone at BlogHer, and many of the people I might want at an event won’t be at BlogHer. And then there is the added requirement that the blogger actually fit the event. Bloggers write across many niches and when you’re thinking about who will get the most out of the sponsors or event theme you have to consider that too. So, we’ve done the best we could and I hate that some people might feel left out. They shouldn’t. See, the best thing about BlogHer is that all of the official parties are open to everyone. There are endless opportunities to meet new people and grab a drink and wear your most fabulous shoes or sparkliest earrings. It’s not about the number of invites it’s about what you make of the parties you do attend.

This is an article I wrote for Mom Blog Magazine way back after the Disney Social Media Moms debacle. I think it still applies, and hopefully makes sense to those looking for guidance on how their social media footprint looks to event organizers:

So you weren’t invited to the big event that everyone is talking about. Maybe it’s a lunch with some fabulous celebrities, a cocktail party with sneak peeks at new products or even a hugely coveted three-day conference to a magical place and you’re wondering why others were asked while you were passed over. It’s not an easy question to answer because in the end PR reps will not divulge how they make their lists. But that doesn’t mean you should sit around and wait to be asked to the ball. No matter what stage of blogging you’re in you can be proactive about managing and building your online presence.

The first step in getting taken seriously by brands is to treat yourself like a brand. Your blog, your Facebook page, your Twitter stream, your YouTube channel – all of these social media outlets are your ever evolving online resume. Unlike real life where you are judged by your clothes, your home, even your accent, your online persona can be crafted in a way to always present yourself in the best light, maybe even a brighter light than you can even imagine. First, take a look at how you appear online to others.

These Tools Can Get You Started

Social Mention: socialmention.com You can use Social Mention to monitor your blog and your own name. It’s like a Google Alert on steroids. Get a snapshot of where your blog is being mentioned, linked from, stumbled and commented upon. See the keywords that define you and how strong your influence and passion are.
Klout: klout.com The ultimate cheat sheet for brands — though many industry pros know that it’s not the perfect tool — it doesn’t measure quality, loyalty or other important traits that could help identify bloggers that make a good brand match. But, brands love it. Make sure you register with them and link your Facebook account too to maximize your score.
Addictomatic: addictomatic.com In one beautiful page view you can see your blog mentions or your name in various outlets: Google Blog Search, You Tube, Twitter, Tweetmeme and more. It gives you an instant sense of your reach and where you need to improve.

(NOTE: Forget Compete. It’s so off and lags so far behind that the stats are always way off. Unfortunately some brands and PR people will still use it because it’s fast and free so you should at least know what they’re seeing if they do. But, check out this post: Why and How to Keep Track of Your Blog Traffic by Kris Cain for some other traffic stat sources.)

Compete: compete.com I know, we’re all in this together and you should focus on yourself right? In a perfect world of course, but in the real world go ahead and type in your blog with some of your peers and see how you stack up. Then check out the blogs that are doing better than you and see how you can improve.

So, now you’ve got all of these stats and a clear picture of how you and your blog perform across platforms. Where can you improve? Tweet more meaningful links? Spend more time commenting on other blogs? Create better links in your own posts? Most importantly, be true to yourself and your voice. Be aware of trends, but don’t jump on every meme that comes your way. Be consistent, be unique and be engaged. Chances are you will find yourself with an inbox full of invites and an even bigger problem – what to wear?

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