Status report

Quick update on the latest with the Blogs United conference.

I have reserved 10 rooms at the Marriott in Newport News' City Center. Because of our conference, we have had about $40 knocked off the price and it's a paltry $99 a night.

I have to sign the contract with the Marriott, but I hope at least 10 people plan on staying at the hotel. Otherwise, your's truly is on the hook.

We have decided to not use the Mariner's Museum for our little swanky party on Saturday night.

1) It's expensive
2) They don't return my calls
3) CNU has a killer menu and bar. I'll post the menu here this weekend and we can look over what we want to eat.

Just to recap --

Friday is a check-in at the Marriott and a cocktail party at CNU. If someone wants to have hospitality suites at the Marriott, it's their dime/responsibility.

Saturday: Everying at CNU. Coffee and Donuts. The conference...including a lunch. And a swanky dinner. Hospitality suites, again, for those who want to.

Sunday: On your own. Recommend staying overnight on Saturday and going to Mariner's Museum (to see the Monitor)/and Jamestown on Sunday.

CNU has really gone out of their way in providing the facilities we need to make this conference work. Working with Dr. Quentin Kidd has been a breeze.

So, what's next? Here's a mini-plan of action:

• Establish the menu so that we can finalize costs (Jim, with input from all)
• Complete the contract with Marriott, so that you can begin to make your reservations (Jim)
• Establish a bank account and get the money items all worked out (Vivian Paige -- our accountant)
• Invite our keynote speaker (Jim, with input from all)
• Establish a program (All)
• Determine and acquire conference items (Unassigned, with input from all)
• Determine levels of sponsorship and solicit sponsors (All)
• Develop communications plan (The Squeaky Wheel, with input from Jim)
• Determine, nominate and select Blog Awardees (Badrose, with input from all)

BLOGGER AWARDS

I posted these in the comments suggestion of the previous post but after I published them and realized how truly excellent they are, I decided they deserved a post of their own:

Suggestions for Blogger Awards:

1) Blogger that's lived in their mom's basement the longest.
2) Most helpful blogger.
3) Blogger with the best teeth.
4) Blogger with the cutest pajamas (can be tied in or separate from:
5) Blogger holding record for most consecutive days wearing their pajamas.
6) Best looking (of course I mean Web site) (Male & Female).
7) Blogger with most lawsuits threatened against them.
8) Blogger with most suits actually filed against them.
9) Blogger who actually owns a suit.

Am I forgetting something?

Blogs United in... Hampton Roads?

Well, Alton - Lord help him! - has invited me to be an author here at Blogs United, so I suppose I ought to get the ball rolling somehow.

There's been some idle (well, to me - I've been too wrapped up in Christmas and Munchkin's school to pay much attention) talk about having the blog conference in the Hampton Roads area this year. For those of you who may not know, Hampton roads is a general area which include Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Hampton (did I miss any?). There's lots to do and see, and of course there's also a LOT of history there.

Now, I'm forgetting whether there's been any specific location mentioned, but this year is the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, and of course Williamsburg is in that area, too.

So... What do you-all think about location, when do you think is a good time - August, like last year? - who do you think we ought to invite to speak, what topics are of interest? Oh, and what about FOOD? *snicker* Can't forget food...

Please comment with your suggestions - or bring me up to speed with anything that's been set up that I've missed seeing!

(UPDATE: Sigh - Hampton, Tidewater - I've heard it called both ;-) And I *see* the countdown, but I'm still fuzzy about the date... Yes, I know... I can be a dizzy brunette! LOL)

Commonwealth Society of Bloggers

Hope everyone will join the Commonwealth Society of Bloggers.

We're a great bunch!

Killing Two Birds with One Blog. . .

I feel so sorry for this little abandoned blog and I still have photos I haven't posted from the M-ville Blog Conference SO I will occasionally post a blog photo. Feel free to capture it, caption it, etc. It's all in good fun.

Try as I might, I just couldn't come up with anything clever for this photo:



Maybe you'll have better luck -

UPDATE: Kat is out of the Witness Protection Program - I'll post the other names if/when I have permission. Or just guess! I'll cough once for "yes" twice for "no."

Time to Rebuild

This one gets my vote. Never forget - never forget.

Logos that Didn't Make It. . .

I'm cleaning out my computer this morning. This file escaped while being dragged to the trash can so I'll park it here, just in case we need it next year. . .