16 Days To BlogHer '08 & I Can't Wait To Meet You!

As of today, there are only 16 days left until the 2008 BlogHer conference in San Francisco.  The event will be held from July 18th to July 20th at the Westin Hotel.

This is going to be my first BlogHer conference---not to mention my first as a BlogHer Contributing Editor---and I can't wait.  I've been reading all the helpful tips from BlogHer veterans and it's a good thing too, 'cause who knew I'd need to leave room in my suitcase to bring home sponsor swag?

Another reason I'm excited is because, I'm going to be involved in two Birds Of A Feather meet-ups during the three day conference.  First, on Friday the 18th from 10:30-11:10am, I'll be participating in an Entertainment Bloggers Meet-Up led by Melissa Silverstein of Women & Hollywood.  Any of you ladies who blog about television, movies, theatre or celebrities, I expect to see you there.

Then on Saturday July 19th from 3:15-3:55pm, I'll be leading a Women Of Color Bloggers Meet-Up.  One thing I love about BlogHer is that it tries to be a community that represents all kinds of women.  During the Women Of Color Meet-Up, I'll be interested in knowing what you ladies want to see more of at BlogHer.  I'll also be creating a master list of women of color bloggers---especially women of color entertainment bloggers---so that we can maintain contact when BlogHer '08 is over.  I'm interested in knowing what you like to blog about and sharing your ideas for the future of BlogHer.

So if you're coming to BlogHer '08, be sure and attend one or both of these meet-ups because I'm really looking forward to meeting you!

Megan's Emily Gould Post Quoted On Slate

I feel like I'm having an "Emily Gould" moment.  That's because my post about Gould was quoted by Michael Weiss of Slate in his daily blog roundup.

I've hit the big time!

It's my own New York Times Magazine cover story, it's my own Gawker writing job, it's my own claim to blogging and internet and who knows what other kind of fame.

Aw, the power.

Thank you Michael Weiss for giving me this moment in the glare of the internet sun.  If I can ever return the favor, please let me know.

Emily Gould: A Blogger More Than Exposed

This week the New York Times Magazine published an article by Emily Gould, a blogger who started her blogging career with her own personal blog and eventually ended up writing for Gawker, a very popular site that promises "media gossip and pop culture round the clock."

In the article, Gould talks about her lifelong tendency to "overshare" and how her original blog, Emily Magazine was an expression of that compulsion to overshare.

Her oversharing went into overdrive when she hit the big time, getting a job as a writer at Gawker.  She was to be responsible for twelve of the forty posts the blog published daily and suddenly she felt like she had achieved her destiny.

Megan's TV Recap Update

If you're a loyal Megan's Minute reader, you know that I've written full length recaps of "Desperate Housewives" since the beginning of the 2007-2008 TV season.  During the writers' strike, I began recapping "Lost" and picked up my recapping of "American Idol" from last year.

I now find myself over extended.  I continue to write weekly posts for Blogher.com (which I love), and daily posts for Video Runway (which I also love), and am trying to keep the quality and frequency of posts at Megan's Minute as high as always.

Well, I'm only half succeeding.  My priorities have to be Blogher and Video Runway since they're helping keep Daisy in dog food, and me in fancy handbags, but I'm determined to keep Megan's Minute the blog that I started and get such joy and pleasure from writing.  So something's gotta give.

What I'm going to do, starting with the 4/13 episode of "Desperate Housewives" is write shorter recaps, or what I call "Snap Recaps" of "DH" for the rest of the season.  I will continue to write full length "Lost" recaps---I realize I'm still two episodes behind on those, but I'm working on it---and when the season is over, I'll reassess where I'm at in time for next season.

I will however, no matter what, continue to write full length recaps of "Damages" whenever it returns.  (The latest estimate is January of 2009.)

So please bear with me as I try and get this time management thing down, and I hope you continue to come back often and enjoy Megan's Minute as much as I enjoy writing it.

The New And Improved Megan's Minute

If you've been playing close attention, you've probably noticed Megan's Minute has a new look.

Early in January with the approach of Megan's first anniversary, I decided Megan was going to be around for the long haul and deserved a look that was unique to her.  Up until that time I'd been using two different TypePad themes.  They were nice and all, but they weren't special enough.

One day I was on a site that said it was designed by Swank Web Style Design Studio.  I liked the look of the site, so I decided to check Swank Web Style out.  After filling out an extensive questionnaire about my likes and dislikes I began to work with Vicki.

Over the next several weeks, we worked together via email.  Vicki sent me sample mock ups and I would modify them until we came up with the design you see today.

Swank Web Style's services were great.  They didn't cost and arm and a leg, at least by web design standards, and Vicki came up with exactly the kind of design I was looking for.

Vicki designed the site, wrote the code and then installed and tweaked it as needed.  As of last week, our own version of beta testing was complete and this new great design is up and running.

So I'd like to official thank Vicki for her fabulous work and the folks at Swank Web Style Design for hooking me up with her.  If you need a new blog or web design, I highly recommend them.

And I hope you enjoy the new Megan's Minute as much as I do.

Happy Birthday Megan's Minute!

Exactly a year ago today, at exactly right about now, right before midnight, Megan's Minute was born.  My first post was about Cara and the fact that Valentine's Day is her birthday and how I felt about that.

I didn't post it earlier in the day because it took me all day to get up the courage to post it at all.  It was my first foray into the blogosphere and quite a bit scary.

Wow have things changed!

In the next couple of days, I'll be writing another post to reflect on everything that's happened, but until then, it's a hearty Happy Birthday to Megan's Minute, and a hearty Happy Birthday to Cara.

Megan Now Posting At Video Runway

I'm happy to announce you can now read my bright and pithy observations not only here at Megan's Minute and over at BlogHer, but at a new blog called Video Runway.

Video Runway is a blog designed for those with very little time, but who still want to stay on top of the television and online video world.  The posts are short and sweet and the topics timely.

The blog is part of the WOW Women's World website which covers a variety of topics of interest to today's women, including webcasts, podcasts and social networking.  So be sure to check it out.

BlogHer Founder Lisa Stone On ABC News Now

BlogHer founder Lisa Stone and Contributing Editor Susan Wagner were interviewed this week about women and blogging for ABC News Now. 

Lisa talked about how BlogHer got started and why she believes women bloggers are growing in such large numbers.

Susan is a stay at home Mom and talked about why she started blogging and how she makes a living at it.

So if you're interested in a little history about BlogHer and how to get started blogging, check out these interviews on ABC New Now.

Farewell My Little Canon

Megan's Minute lost a significant contributor over the Christmas holiday.  In fact it was so disturbing, it's only now I've been able to bring myself to write about it.

Sniff, sniff.

This contributor captured the beauty of Longwood Gardens.  It roamed the back alleys of the 2007 US Open to document the qualifying rounds.  It was there on opening night when I saw Serena Williams play in person for the first time.  It took every picture of every Handbag Of The Month.  It helped make my beloved Daisy a star.

It contributed thousands of words, but never touched a keyboard.

It was my Canon SD630.

Oh God!  Sniffffff.

The picture you see here of the pretty woman in the lovely blue dress was the last one taken by my little Canon.  You see, it all happened while Kay and I were taking a Christmas house tour late last December.  It was a brisk winter night, the carolers were singing and tour guides were dressed in festive Dickensian costumes.

We had just entered this little house all decorated and glowing with Christmas cheer when we heard music.  It was a performance by the children of the house.  A girl of about eleven played the piano and the young man who must have been her brother accompanied her on the violin.  I had just taken the picture of the lady in blue and was juggling my Canon, my gloves and my handbag.  Suddenly the music stopped.  The children had completed their piece.  They were so adorable, I raised my hands to applaud their performance and the unthinkable happened.  Like in slow motion, I watched as my Canon slipped out of my grasp and crashed to the planks of the hard wood floor.

As Kay gasped, I cried out, "Noooooooooo!"

Adorable children forgotten, I immediately fell to the floor and cradled my little Canon in my upraised palms.  At first glance it looked undamaged, and then...I saw the lens.  The lens that was usually so straight and true was now tilted at a grotesque angle.  I tried desperately to save it.  I gently prodded and pushed and coaxed the lens back into the camera's battered body, hoping that would resuscitate it to its normal function.  But no, it was a camera in critical condition.

You see my Canon SD630 Digital Elph was my very first digital still camera.  I bought it last February primarily as a way to upload photos for Megan's Minute.  It had a 3 inch LCD screen, a 3.0x optical zoom, a top ISO of 800 and because it was only 6 megapixels, I got it at a bargain price of $239 on Amazon.  As soon as it was delivered and I saw its sleek little body, handled it's smooth, slim frame and shot those first few photos, I was in love.

That's why first thing the next morning I contacted my local camera repairman and asked how much a repair for the damage of my little Canon might cost.  I had already made a tough decision.  If the repair was less than $100, I would do everything humanly possible to save my camera.  However, if the repair was $101 or more, I would have to let it go.

After consulting at length with my camera repairman, he informed me that a repair of the kind of damage I was describing would cost upwards of $150-$200.  My heart sank.  It was too much.   As hard as it was, I made the decision to let go.

Sniff, sniff.

Looking forward to the future, I went on Amazon and searched for the most recent version of my little Canon SD630.  It was the Canon SD750, the 7 megapixel version.  At first I didn't want it.  Nothing could replace my SD630 so why not start fresh?  Choose something totally different.   A Nikon Coolpix or maybe an Olympus Stylus.  But after comparing spec to spec, I kept coming back to the SD750.  Forcing myself to be brave, I ordered the camera. 

I packed my little SD630 in its box and placed it on a shelf and out of my heart.  When the SD750 arrived I hardened my heart against it.  It would never be as good as my SD630.  But then after several days, something miraculous happened.  As I got to know my new camera, I came to appreciate its increased ISO (1600), it's improved menu function, and its responsive handling

All my photos for my Christmas windows post were taken with the SD750.  And I had to admit, they were beautiful.  As good, if not better than my SD630 could have taken.

Now a month later, I'm happy again.  I use my SD750---wrist strap always attached---with confidence, and yes, now I can say it...love.  But every so often, when I glance at the lady in the blue dress, I remember my first digital love.  Sniff.

Farewell, my little Canon.

Megan Is The New TV/YouTube Contributing Editor at BlogHer

I'm very happy to announce that as of today, I'll be writing for BlogHer as the new Contributing Editor covering Television and YouTube.

In case you don't know, BlogHer is the largest site for women bloggers on the web. To quote BlogHer's founders:

"BlogHer's mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment.  Today BlogHer provides the number-one community for and guide to blogs by women, via annual conferences, a Web network, and an advertising network of more than 1200 qualified, contextually targeted blog affiliates."

Since last summer I've cross posted many of my Megan's Minute posts at BlogHer and when the opportunity presented itself to write for them on a steady basis I was pleased to accept.

I'll still be writing for Megan's Minute as always, we've got "American Idol" recaps beginning next week, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is back on "The View" and with the writer's strike still going on, there'll be plenty of media issues to write about.  Not to mention Doggie Frolic updates and Handbags Of The Month.  But you'll also be able to read my take on TV every week at BlogHer.

The posts will be published every Monday and you can keep track of all my BlogHer blog posts here.

Help! There's No Time!

I'm going out of town again.

I know, I know, you're saying what, another vacation?  Look, I deserve a little time off for all those up 'til 2 and 3 AM "AI" and "Damages" recaps.

Meanwhile, my time management issues are hitting critical mass.  I'm blogging, I'm vacationing, I'm working, I'm watching tennis, I'm working, I'm blogging, I'm watching tennis...something's gotta give.  So here's what's up.  Everything but US Open updates and "Damages" recaps are going on the back burner until the US Open is over a week from Monday.  The one exception will be a post or two about Whoopi's first days on "The View" starting September 4th. 

I tried, I really did.  I tried to continue Monday Mail Call and Handbag Of The Month and all those lovely little stories about my little senior citizen Daisy, but until I'm being paid a lot of money to blog full time I can only do so much.  So, Handbag Of The Month for September will be coming, it will just be a week late.  Monday Mail call will return September 10th, the Monday after the US Open is over.  Those book reviews and wonderful insights into all things fun and fabulous I promised for the summer are being pushed back to fall.

I love, love love writing this blog and I'm doing everything I can to make it something special and a place that people find informative, but primarily fun.  It's constantly a learning experience and the whole time management thing is part of that so please bear with me.

However the next three days I'll be on the beach in Delaware and if my new little Blackberry alerts me to something at the US Open that I just can't resist writing about, you'll hear from me.  If not, see you on Monday when I'll be back at the Open in person.

Onward and Upward

Have you heard of the musical "Stop The World, I Want To Get Off?"  That's what it's been like for me the last week.

Two major items were on my plate demanding my attention at the same time, both very important.

I was waiting to find out if my shoulder needed surgery and I was also waiting to find out about a new blogging opportunity.  By the end of the week I found out my shoulder may not need surgery (yeah!), and the blogging opportunity that seemed like a sure thing at the beginning of the week, was a no go by the end of the week (bleh!).

I was disappointed and surprised because I'd basically been offered the job.  What happened? I don't know, but I do know that it's time to move on.

Onward and upward.  No more crying over spilt milk.  Time to make lemonade.  Time to bask in the silver lining.  Time to....you get it.

So what's up next at Megan's Minute?  Tomorrow is Megan's infamous Monday Mail Call.  The end of the week will bring July's Handbag of the Month.  In between, because Wimbledon starts tomorrow, they'll be special tennis coverage.  All tennis, all the time, with special emphasis on the women.  Hooray for the women!

And if I can possibly fit them in, those long-awaited "MI-5" recaps.  Yeah, I know.  Promises, promises. 

Plus some special posts that I've been holding in my pocket for quite some time.  Stay tuned.

Onward and upward.

Coming Up Next At Megan’s Minute

Now that "American Idol" is over and with it my Idol Chit Chats, I hereby pledge that I, Megan will not be resting on my blogging laurels for the summer.

Over the next few weeks, Megan's Minute is going to introduce a couple of fun new features, while continuing to explore any topics that capture my fancy.

Beginning next week, Monday Mail Call.  What is it?  Exactly what it sounds like.  Monday Mail Call is going to be a humorous look at the mail I receive every Monday.  Silly, you say?  Boring, you say?  Well, we'll see, won't we?  Mail Call posts will be published by Tuesday morning, and trust me, you'll never open a bill or throw out a piece of junk mail the same way again.

I also hope to get in some beach reading and write a review or two on some of the best books of the summer.

What else?  I'm in love.  That's right, I'm helplessly in love with my neighbor's kids. You'll hear all about my love affair with 4 year old Cara and 6 year old Milos in Kid Konfidential.

On television, I still haven't watched the finale of "Robin Hood" from BBC America, starring Jonas Armstrong.  It really is "A Little Brit Different," and I'll have some jolly ol' musings about that very soon.

And God knows what may happen next on "The View." But not to worry, I'll be monitoring that situation very closely. Who needs to worry about war, death, and pestilence, when you can worry about who's throwing down on "The View?"

But finally, I'll be able to write about some of my other passions. Primary among them, tennis. I play on two USTA leagues: a women's summer league and a mixed doubles winter league. Tonight I won my first women's league match of the season. Woo hoo! I played doubles with my partner J.M. and it felt great to crush the opposition---even though one of the women on the opposing team was six months pregnant.

A few weeks ago, my mixed doubles team won our division and next week we go off to sectionals. You'll hear all about that as well

The French Open is in full swing and I'll have some choice words for the American men. Some of which include, "What the heck happened?" I'll be shamelessly cheering for the Williams sisters and against anyone I don't happen to like. Can you hear me, Justine Henin?

If you love tennis, you'll love these new posts, if you know nothing about tennis, you'll learn some, and if you couldn't care less about tennis, why would you possibly think that you should have an opinion about anything?

Of course, favorites like Handbag Of The Month, Television Recaps and Reviews, and the ever popular Doggie Frolics will continue.

And as always, I reserve the right to pontificate about anything I deem relevant to my life and just maybe to yours. If the issue's serious, the post may not be funny, but it will be heartfelt.

In the meantime, check back tomorrow for June's Handbag Of The Month, and in the coming weeks, look for more entertaining blog posts from Megan's Minute.

Happy Anniversary To Me

Yesterday was a milestone for Megan's Minute. It was two months ago that I started this strange thing called blogging. I understand now why so many people, several million as of last count, find this form of writing fun, entertaining, and totally different from any other form of expression. It's a fascinating way to connect with people all over the country not to mention all over the world.

Since it took me awhile to get up the courage and the confidence to put Megan's Minute together it was important to acknowledge this milestone.  So, on my two month anniversary I wanted to reflect on what this blogging life has been like.

The first person who suggested I start a blog was my friend, Island Girl. She knows that I have loud mouthed opinions on all types of subjects, and that a blog was probably a good outlet for me to let off some meaningful steam. She also knew that I needed to escape the current boring funk of my day job and the emotional slump I'd been suffering for quite awhile.

Valentine's Day 2007

It's Valentine's Day 2007.  I'm single, childless, over 20, under 60 and once again alone on Valentine's Day.

But that's okay. You know why?  Because, four years ago today, Valentine's Day took on a fabulous new meaning.  Cara was born four years ago on Valentine's Day.

Cara's the daughter of my good friend Lucy.  And since we live next door to each other, Cara's my surrogate daughter.  After Cara was born, Valentine's Day was no longer the day that I watched nauseating couples snuggle closer on the subway.  No longer the day I inhaled the suffocating fragrance of hundreds of flowers, none of the them for me.  No longer the day I heard the extravagant dinner plans of couples who had to take out a second mortgage to eat at Le Cirque.  No sir.

Valentine's Day became a day I looked forward to.

A day I could celebrate away from all the plastic red roses, stale chocolates and gaudy engagement rings.  It's my beloved Cara's birthday and I get to buy presents, and a card, and see her positively twinkle the minute she sees me.  How's that for love?  You can keep your sticky chocolates.

Except this year, Cara has strep throat and she's as contagious as the plague. God knows I love her to death, but strep?  I'll just have to see her when she's better.  So for me, in 2007...it's just Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day.