Angry Julie Monday

Friday Favorites: Pre-BlogHer Link Party

July 29, 2011

Next weekend I will be in San Diego attending the BlogHer Conference. I will be hanging out with my roommates Kelly and Laurie. This will be my 3rd BlogHer Conference and their first. BlogHer can be a bit overwhelming just because there will be a ton of people attending (over 3000), and it can get chaotic.

I wrote a humorous post over a week ago comparing Blog Conferences and Sorority Rush, but really, it is not that scary. I think the #1 thing that you can do while at a conference is meet people and introduce yourself.

So let me introduce myself!

I’m Julie, and sometimes people call me “Angry Julie”.

I’m in my mid 30’s, married, and have a 6 year old son. I live in Orange County, CA. No, I am not a Real Housewife of Orange County. I’m not sure that I can even qualify to be a Housewife. I work full-time outside of the home. Amongst the chaos of having a 6 year old and working, I like to take photos. I am a Nikon girl, so don’t try to convert me to that other brand that starts with a “C”.

I like to dress up like a girly girl at blog conferences so you might see me in dresses. When I’m on my own time, I’m usually wearing jeans, t-shirts, and my Rainbow flip flops.

This picture was taken of me last year. I really need to get a new profile picture. I’m a year older now, and not quite as tan. I even use a different camera.

I hope to meet you while at BlogHer. Please come introduce yourself!! I promise to be nice….

I figure that you might want to meet other people attending BlogHer 2011 also. I’m starting this today so that you can go and check out the blogs and sites of other attendees.

So if you are going to BlogHer, please link up, and visit some other bloggers and Twitter peeps whom are attending.

Filed Under: Blogging, Just Julie 33 Comments

Easy Canvas Prints and Giveaway

July 28, 2011

On my blog, I like to call myself a photographer. While I can take some decent images, I can’t call myself a professional photographer. In the Fall of 2009, Jen Johnson took some family pictures of our family. We used them for our Christmas Cards that year. It was the first time that we had professional photographs taken of our family.

Did you see where I wrote, we used them for our Christmas Cards only. I never got any of the images that Jen took printed. Honestly, I really did not know where to put the photos once they were framed. I’m a complete planner and well, I’m a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to accessorizing our home. I have an entire wall in our hallway that is blank, waiting for photographs.

I was recently contacted by Easy Canvas Prints to do a review of their product. I chose their 11×14 inch size with a .75 inch border wrap. I did a colored border wrap in black. I think 11×14 is a good size for a canvas print. I usually pick an 8×10 for framed pictures, but for a canvas, the 11×14 is a comfortable size. There are two choices for sizing on the border wrap, .75 inch and 1.5 inch. I chose the .75 inch because we have some narrow walkways in our house, and I did not want the canvas knocked off the wall. I did a black colored border, because I previewed the image and mirror wraps did not look quite right with the photograph that I selected.

Photo taken with my iPhone, not my best photography.

I loved the easy process that Easy Canvas Prints offers. During each step of the process, I was able to preview my canvas, and how it would look. Easy Canvas Prints also offers re-touching, if you need some extra help. I was able to move my imagine from side to side, and I also cropped it in more to fill up the canvas more. I then submitted my order, and waited. Approximately, one week later, I was greeted with a surprise at my door. My Easy Canvas Print was delivered, and packaged very nicely to prevent damage.

I was immediately impressed with the quality of my 11×14 inch canvas print. I loved it so much that I immediately uploaded another photograph from the photo shoot. I wanted a second canvas to compliment the first one. I was going to display the two canvas’ together. While working on my second canvas, I noticed that Easy Canvas Prints had a Facebook page. I went and “liked” the page. Upon “liking” the page, I realize that they offer Facebook Fans an Exclusive 50% plus Free Shipping discount.

Photo taken with my iPhone, not my best photography.
Photo taken with my iPhone, not my best photography.

Easy Canvas Prints also offered to do a giveaway for my readers.

Here are some of the rules/instructions for the giveaway:

Giveaway is for one 11×14 canvas print.
Winner must be a U.S. (United States) Residence in the Contiguous 48 States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Winner will be selected randomly.
I will email the winner once they are selected. If I do not receive a response from the winner within three days, I will select another winner.
Comment: What picture would you like to have on a canvas. Describe the picture or when it was taken. (One Entry)
“Like” Easy Canvas Prints on Facebook. (One Entry)
Tweet or Facebook about my giveaway with the following “Win an 11×14 Canvas Print from @EasyCanvas and @AngryJulie http://bit.ly/o6unpF ” and comment that you Tweeted or posted on Facebook about the giveaway. (One Entry per person)
Giveaway ends 08.03.11 at 12am EST.

Disclosure: Easy Canvas Prints provided me with one 11×14 Easy Canvas Print. I selected the photo and used their online process all by myself. The really sloppy photos of my canvas’ were taken by me with my iPhone. It is extremely hard to photograph canvas. I learned that really fast. I got tired of trying to edit the photos of my photos. This review is my opinion.

Filed Under: Just Julie, Photography

Wordless Wednesday: Funnel Cake with Strawberries

July 27, 2011

I swear that I don’t eat all of this food that I post on my blog. Angry Kid is six, and has a very fast metabolism. We went to the Orange County Fair with my parents last Sunday. I took a bazillion photos with my DSLR but I still need to edit them.

I thought I might share this goodness that I took a picture of with my iPhone. My fixed and brand new iPhone.

Welcome to “Angry Julie Monday’s Wordless Wednesday Linky”!

If this your first time here, HELLO! I do a link-up every Wednesday! Post a picture(s) and link back to it here. Wordless Wednesday is a great day to post an awesome picture that “speaks” for itself, no words needed.

I’m trying to make it to every participants post if I can. I’m trying to get through all these fabulous photos that link up with me, and comment too. It just depends on my schedule.

Be sure to check out Wordless Wednesday Link-Ups at these other sites also:

Project Alicia, Better in Bulk, By Word of Mouth Musings, Dear Crissy, Five Minutes For Mom, Live and Love…Out Loud,Parenting By Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Supermom, The Divine Miss Mommy

(P.S. if you do a Wordless Wednesday or similar link-up, let me know. I will add you to my list above.)

Also, Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy does “What I Wore Wednesday” every week with a great big link-up

and

Krystina from Lollipops does “What I Love Wednesday” every week with a great big link-up.

Filed Under: Orange County, Photography, Wordless Wednesday 45 Comments

The Only Child

July 26, 2011

My son is a third generation only child. I’m an only child, my mom is an only child, and so is my son. The women in our family have had difficult pregnancies, and/or very sick children. I had bronchitis and asthma so bad as a child that I can remember spending almost every Holiday in the hospital. My son was born at 36 weeks old, had surgery at four weeks, and has had over 15 febrile seizures, which he has now grown out of. So believe me, I practically growl now when someone asks if I’m going to have another child.

My son is a social butterfly. He makes friends easy, and he has tons of them.This has been a hard summer though. When you have an only child, you are their playdate and companion. We have been pretty low-key this summer so I didn’t sign my son up for a ton of things. My husband and I have completely different days off so that has helped with childcare. But on certain days of the week, it is just me and the kid. I know that he wants to play with his friends and peers. It is pretty bad that he asks to go to 24Hour Fitness just so he can go to the kid’s club. Every summer before this, Angry Kid was in a year round pre-school. We didn’t have to worry about playdates or camps.

We didn’t sign Angry Kid for any camps this year, because we felt that he was a little too young. I know that he will want to attend some sports related camps in the future when he is older. I have a friend who runs an amazing day camp during the summer, but alas she is in Los Angeles. Many, almost all of his friends have siblings. When you have multiple children, you have the “go play with your brother or sister” theory. Not so much in my house. It is just me or Angry Husband.

Angry Kid is constantly begging to play with certain friends. I kept telling him, “they are not home, they are out of town, etc.” It is getting quite old. We have had some plans, but I’ve learned not to tell Angry Kid about them until we are on our way. I don’t want to disappoint him when people flake out.

My BFF Stacey is experiencing the same thing with her daughter. Stacey works from home, and has an only child also. If Stacey or I lived closer to each other, we wouldn’t have these issues. We are 30 minutes apart. She doesn’t always know when work will come in, so scheduling can be difficult for her. She said that her daughter is basically stalking the neighborhood children. Stella constantly asks, “are they at home, do you think that they want to play?” Stacey tells her daughter that since the neighbor girl is constantly playing with her sister, the girl sometimes wants some alone time. Stacey told me that she was recently “bitching” to the mother of these neighborhood girls that the only person to entertain Stella was her (Stacey). The mom then started complaining that all her daughters do is fight and annoy each other.

I remember EVERY summer being like this growing up. It pretty much sucked. It was like people disappear during the summer, and return again on Labor Day. I totally feel for my son, and want him to have a great childhood with no regrets. I guess we need to pack his summer full next year. He did go to Las Vegas last week with my parents and had a great time.

So if your child have friends who are only children, remember this. And parents of only children, we need to unite. That only child wants to play with you, please give them a call. And people don’t use the excuse that I am a working mom. I work a unique schedule. I can re-arrange things and take time off.

Now, I’m off to 24Hour Fitness, because I am fat, and I need to entertain my child….

Filed Under: Just Julie, Parenting 19 Comments

Shattered

July 25, 2011

I have a major addiction. Really, there is no way to get around it. It is a constant, nagging at me, almost constantly beeping. It is my iPhone. We are kindred spirits. I love it. It is always by my side. It is the last thing I touch before I go to bed at night.

And then, this happened….

I could see it in slow motion. I was walking down the hallway. Someone came out around the corner. I looked up, and it fell out of my hand. I’ve dropped my iPhone before. I have a sturdy case around it. But this time, it was different. I instantly knew this was bad. My iPhone hit the flat surface, straight down, on the front (glass) side. I could hear the vibrations from the glass. I could see the spider web effect from the cracking.

And then the thinking started. How much was it going to cost? When would I have time to fix it? Why did you not have the phone put away?

But I knew it was bound to happen. My husband has had a cracked screen on his iPhone before. I knew I was due. I’ve had iPhones for almost three years with not even a tiny scratch. Luckily, I was able to get an appointment at The Apple Store. The “Genius” was super-duper nice. I may have told him that I was slightly freaking out. That this phone was my lifeline. That I was a photographer, and gasp, a blogger. He just smiled. I’m sure that he sees crazies like me all the time.

And then it was replaced. For a VERY low cost.

You have no idea how happy I was. Right before I went into the Apple Store, the screen started shattering more. While I was writing this post, I showed my husband the picture. He responded with, “ohh that was bad, really bad.”

Filed Under: Just Julie, Photography 21 Comments

Project 365: Week 29

July 23, 2011

I survived Carmaggedon and went to a bridal shower last Sunday. Of course, Monday morning, I woke up with laryngitis. As in I could not talk. Do you know how hard it is to parent a wild and crazy 6 year old at the pool, without talking? It drove me crazy. I just got worse as I took my parents and my son to the airport on Tuesday. I was sick all day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. At night, I annoyed my husband with craft projects, while I marched around in pink shoes. I felt a little better on Friday, while I trimmed, well hacked at a bush in my backyard. While on my sick bed, I kept looking out at the busy. It drove me crazy to see all the bees and spiders coming out of it.

Project 365 197/365: Emily Post “Etiquette” is one of my traditional bridal shower gifts. Shower tomorrow.

Project 365 198/365: Yum! Mini birthday cake donut from @starbucks.

Project 365 199/365: Life at the lagoon…..

Project 365 200/365: Gimme a “D”….well how bout a wood “D” spraypainted red?

Project 365 201/365: Latest @etsy purchase for the red and aqua bedroom.

Project 365 202/365: Must practice walking in shoes for #BlogHer11. They are the perfect shade of Barbie pink.

Project 365 203/365: i gardened in my pj’s today. This Bougainvillea is now half it’s size. Goodbye spiders.

Filed Under: Photography, Project 365 6 Comments

Top 25 SoCal Mom Blogs via Circle of Moms

July 22, 2011

I got an email today from Circle of Moms that I was nominated for The Top 25 SoCal Mom Blogs via Circle of Moms. Yay me!

So go now, and vote!

I’m going back to bed now….still sick. I think it is a sinus infection or something similar.

Filed Under: Blogging, Just Julie, Orange County 11 Comments

Ten Similarities Between Sorority Rush and Blog Conferences (BlogHer)

July 21, 2011

This is the time of year for Blog Conferences, or a certain very large Blog Conference known as BlogHer. This will be my 3rd BlogHer conference. I learn something new every year, but many things are always the same. I was never really worried about attending blog conferences, because I have survived formal recruitment, or for the non-Greeks, Sorority Rush.

Every summer before school started at our University, we would have workshops, and practices. Sororities are very serious about formal recruitment. By the end of the summer, we were polished in our speaking, interview skills, and theme songs. Seriously, even my husband still knows my Sorority songs.

Angry Julie Circa 1993.

Top 10 List on Why Blog Conferences and Sorority Rush Are Similar

1. Name Tags

I wore a name tag throughout Sorority Rush. Luckily my name is pretty easy to pronounce, and my maiden last name is plain. It was always hard for me to pronounce people’s names. For potential new members in my sorority, I had to pay attention to their names and relate them to “what they were wearing, where they grew up etc”.

Everyone will be wearing those “Official Name Tags.” You know the kind, where you are staring at someone’s chest, trying to figure out who they are. I’ve met hundreds of people at blog conferences and I still forget people’s names. Don’t be embarrassed. It happens to everyone. Many people do not use their real names in the blog world. Their name tags may only have their blog name or Twitter ID on them. People never call me by my real name anymore, I get called “Angry Julie” mostly.

2. Your “Best Clothes”

During Sorority Rush, I wore dresses every day. I didn’t wear formal dresses, but more in the line of “business casual” with cute shoes and accessories. I didn’t show up in my usual jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops. I was trying to give a good first impression.

Although you may be blogging from home in your sweatpants, and dirty t-shirts, those are probably not the best things to wear to a blog conference. If you blog for business, or want to blog more professionally, dress the part. I suggest wearing something along the lines of “business casual” with some accessories, and brushing your hair. People will remember what you wore, and you will most likely be photographed in these clothes. I’m one of those shutterbugs, and I take LOTS OF PICTURES at blog conferences.

3. Conversation

During Sorority Rush the most common questions are: What is your name? Where are you from? What high school did you go to? What is your major? Why do you want to join a sorority? These questions begin simple, and they get more involved once you spend more time at a particular sorority.

At a blog conference, you hear these questions: What is your name? What is the name of your blog? What is your blog about? Why are you here at BlogHer, or other conference? You need to have your “Elevator Pitch” ready.

When you really need to be ready for is “Awkward Conversations”. There are a ton of things to do and see while at a blog conference. You need to make the most of your time there. It can be hard when you get stuck in an “awkward conversation” with someone. Come up with a plan ahead of time. Make a signal to your friends that you are attending these events with. I’m not trying to be rude, but I’ve spent 30 minutes talking about randomness when I missing a dinner event, etc.

4. Parties

When I talk about Sorority Rush parties, I don’t mean the kind that comes with red plastic cups and kegs of beer. I’m talking about intimate events where you meet the members of the Sorority. These parties have a certain frame, and you need to make the most out of it. Find people who you can have conversation with, and make sure to ask lots of questions.

I’m sure everyone has heard about “parties” or those special invite-only “brand events” at BlogHer. I’ve been invited to many in the past three years, and I did not attend every party that I was invited to. Just because you are invited, doesn’t mean that you have to go. Pick the invites that relate to you. It doesn’t make sense for me to attend a brand event that caters to diapers. I had the most fun at an event last year held in a penthouse (ok it was private) with a small group of people. I formed so many friendships from just two hours sitting around chatting at that event.

5. Name Droppers

In College Life, these are the people who say: “My dad paid for the library to be built” and”My mom is an alumna of this sorority, and I’m guaranteed to get in.” You might just want to smack them. I know I did.

In Blog Life, these are the people who say things like: “I invented blogs”, “I’ve been blogging since 2004″ and “I’m in the Top 10 List of This Website XYZ”, and “I’m so awesome on the Internet that I have 50,000 Twitter Followers and I only follow 20 people”. It really makes me want to PIMMAL (Puke In My Mouth A Little).

Honestly, you never truly know everything about someone. Some of these little bloggers or lesser known peeps, they may have their PhD or be a rocket scientist. So the phrase, “I’m big on the Internet” works in this case. I wish I had some t-shirts to hand out to all of the name droppers.

6. Food and Drinks (Drinking)

During Sorority Rush, you will be given finger foods and desserts. You will have the choices of water, punch, sparkling cider, or sometimes lemonade to drink. These type of things don’t sustain you. You have to make sure to get some food in between events. Although alcoholic beverages are not allowed during Official Sorority Rush Events, there will be parties during the week, thrown by the Fraternities. You really don’t want to get wasted drunk and make a fool of yourself in front of your future Sorority Sisters.

BlogHer will feed you breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday, if you purchase a Full Conference Pass. Please make sure that you take advantage of these meals. With the hustle and bustle of speaking panels, brand invites, Official BlogHer Parties, showering, and well, sometimes sleeping...it can be hard to intake food or even find it. Seriously, I need more food than a vegetable platter to make it through the day. Jill and I walked several miles in New York City last year, to get food, and ended up with pizza. Take the time to make REAL dinner plans with your blogging friends. Research restaurants and places to eat in advance. Make a list of choices. A hungry blogger is a cranky blogger. Oh, and the alcohol is flowing. I’ve observed one too many drunk mommy blogger. It is not pretty. People, slow down on the booze.

And it takes me like a WEEK to recover from any and all blog conferences. I have a condition, which Casey has dubbed as “Conference Colon”, it is not pretty.

7. Networking

In College, joining a Sorority or Fraternity is a great place to network. Seriously, alumna(e) are great for job opportunities, mentoring and internships. It was awesome finding a fellow Sorority Sister who has already taken a certain class and can give you some pointers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said as an adult: “So and so is a Sorority Sister or Member of my Sorority, in professional situations. Plus if you move to another state, you always have an instant group of friends with your local Alumna Chapter. The Alumna are great for finding the right schools, doctors, and anything else you might need while transitioning.

One of the main reasons to attend a Blog Conference is for networking purposes. It is the perfect time and place to talk to brand, Public Relations (PR) Representatives, and fellow bloggers. You can make lasting connections through this networking. I can email back and forth with someone for months. But meeting face-to-face and having in-person conversations is PRICELESS. While you are networking, think of the experience as a job interview, and act appropriately.

8. Cliques

There will always be cliques or intimate and exclusive groups in school. I don’t think that there is any way of preventing them. While in my Sorority, some of the cliques in our Chapter were based on the Fraternities that we hung out with, and whom other girls were dating. During Sorority Rush, it is easy to spot the different Cliques of girls within a Sorority Chapter. They usually dress or do their hair similar, and are grouped together. As a Sorority Advisor, we tried to make the cliques less obvious, but you can only try so hard with 18-20 year old girls.

Blogging and Blog Conferences bring out the cliques. Some of the cliques are based on niche, geographical location, time blogging, or certain blog networks. Of course, I’m a total wanderer. I’m pretty good at working a crowd, and try to fit in amongst all of the different cliques. I can try as much as I want, but I will never fit in the: homeschooling bloggers, or male bloggers. Moral of the story: find your people, they are out there.

9. Gossip

I am woman, hear me roar. I am woman, and I gossip. I cannot tell you a lie. I do.

When you are going into or joining groups in college, gossip can be used for good. It is always good to hear the reputations or gossip about the Sororities that you are potentially joining. Would you want to join a Sorority that has a reputation as being slutty? Me thinks not! You need to go into things educated, but you are also free to make your own individuals choices. Even amongst the best of friends, and Sorority Sisters, there is gossip.

Bloggers are a gossipy bunch…. Conversations such as: “Blogger XYZ is sponsored by big multi-million dollar company”, “Blogger XYZ is writing a book or is going on TV”, might occur at BlogHer. So what! Seriously, I work hard as a personal blogger. It takes time to come up with this mindless dribble the I post here. Can you imagine how much work that it takes to write a book, or get featured on TV? I can’t even fathom it.

10. New Friends

I made some of my best friends during Sorority Rush. I found people who I had things in common with, and even met my Sorority Big Sister, the first day of Rush. My best friend, Stacey, and I met during Alumna events via our Sorority. We bonded over painting the Sorority House, and getting checkbooks in order.

I’ve made some wonderful friends through blogging and blog conferences. I’ve really secured these connections while sitting on the floor or talking in a hallway in between events at BlogHer, Blissdom, and Mom2Summit. My friendship was forged with Tauni last year while taking a taxi from the airport in New York last year at the beginning of BlogHer.

But seriously, I love BlogHer….and I will be wearing all my fanciest dresses, headbands, and shoes just to meet you!!

If you made it through all of my rambling, you might enjoy previous posts that I wrote relating to BlogHer: