Thursday, August 5, 2010

Blogher Smoke Screen: Park Palooza

First things first: I'm not going to Blogher, and now that it's upon us, I'm bummed that I didn't make plans to go.

The problem is, I didn't know I wanted to go- like, I really wanted to go- until... um, yesterday. Or perhaps it was the day before. But now that I'm seeing all the posts and tweets about it- YES! I COULD share a cab with you!... er, wait. I'm not going. Boooooo.- well, it seems like a silly, fear-and-anxiety-induced decision not to go. More boooooo.

So! Next year! (<--do you like how confident and concrete that sounds?)

(Anyone want to be a Blogher virgin with me? I'm really outgoing and tend to make even very introverted people feel comfortable and/or more extroverted than they are...)

So, blah blah blah blogher blah blah. Got that out of the way. Next!



My brilliant friend and fellow playgroupie had an awesome Idea- with a capitol I- that I'd like to share with you, so I can distract myself from Blogher Woe.

Her Idea was to celebrate the end of summer with a Park Palooza. The Friday before school starts, we are meeting at a park in the morning for breakfast and a "opening ceremony" (rumor has it there will be a balloon-release-type of event). Then we'll spend the morning going from playground to playground around town. We'll have lunch at a different park, take a break for afternoon naps, and resume the park-hopping after naptime.

The plan is to end the day at the local waterpark, where we're then going to ditch the kids with the dads and go have dinner/drinks together (just the moms).

There are six families included (if everyone can make it), so we're splitting up the meals and snacks between us.

Besides the fact that our kids are going to LOVE it, I really like doing something ceremonial to end summer. Especially living in our climate- where our winters are long and cold- it seems like a celebration to honor the end of our summer is perfect.

Aren't you glad I'm telling you about this, so you can copy the Idea?

+++++++++++

I was so sad about Coco. And feeling guilty and like we colossally failed her.

However. The first morning of No Coco felt... really good. I was just so relieved that it was decided and over and done. I was so goddamn happy to not wonder about where she was going to pee next. I was so glad that my house no longer reeks. (David worked some awesome cleaning magic.)

I realized that she really wasn't a pet to us anymore. With all of her hiding and her slow decline over the last several months to being an almost-complete recluse... well, I can't say we really miss her. She was never around, anyway, unless she was peeing or hissing.

So, thanks for all the kind words. I'm feeling less guilty all the time.


4 comments:

d e v a n said...

I hope the guilt subsides, I think you made the right choice for all of you. ((hug))

Kristin.... said...

I'm not at BlogHer either. The tweets are starting to make me a bit stabby. :)
I remember how relieved I was when our cat was finally gone after all the peeing. It was nice to wake up and not step in pee somewhere. But it's been 4 years and I still miss him as he was my baby. But I understand what you mean.
Your Park Palooza sounds great!

clueless but hopeful mama said...

I love the Park Palooza idea!

So Blogher. Um. I've never even thought of going. I guess I don't consider myself enough of a capital-B-Blogger to go. And then there's my major social awkwardness. It's pretty epic. I would have to essentially surgically attach myself to someone to get through it all.

BUT. If you went, I would want to go. Meeting in real life?! CRAZY!!

Sarah said...

I love the park a palooza idea! I may copy it, if I can manage to stay off bedrest AND summon the energy. We were at a playground/waterpark for almost four hours today, and it literally wiped me out for the rest of the day. But maybe if a bunch of other moms were there to talk to it wouldn't be so rough....
I've never even considered going to Blogher. I don't really know why. I guess I LIKE the anonymity of blogging, to a certain extent, and I'm not sure that meeting people in real life would be awesome, or just kind of weird. It's like when you love a book and have visual images and voices for all the characters and then you go to the movie of it, and it's kind of a strange letdown.