Snapshot Chronicles

Susan Getgood's personal blog

Random Thoughts, from Letterman & Palin to BlogHer & some stuff in between.

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This has been a somewhat random and slightly disjointed week. In that spirit, welcome to a random and disjointed post.

On David Letterman, Sarah Palin and the Jokes – I’ve commented on a few posts about Letterman’s notorious Palin daughter takes NY jokes. My take: if anyone is pimping the Palin daughters, it is the Palins themselves. That is all. YMMV.

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Reality TV celebrities/characters – Can these people be any more unpleasant? Seriously. Why is anyone watching their boorish, bad behavior (Speidi)? Why are audiences feeding into their narcissism (Real Housewives, shows about families with lots of kids)? Sorry, I know it can be entertaining to watch a figurative train wreck, but many of the character-driven shows seem to be like this. Isn’t the economy depressing enough? If you enjoy one or more of these programs, can you please help me understand the appeal, because I just do not get it.

To be fair, I don’t really like reality TV in general, but my family has suckered me into watching the dancing one from time to time, and I’ve seen snatches of American Idol. At least those shows entertain in a variety show sort of way. “And a von and a two.”

The character type shows just seem like the most unpleasant soap opera you’ve ever seen, where no one is particularly likable. Why do we watch them?

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Iran. – Wow. It reminds me a bit of Tiananmen Square 20 years ago. It was a similar polarizing moment. I hope this ends better.

I was in Hong Kong in the end of May and early June 1989. Read my reminiscences on Snapshot Chronicles Roadtrip.

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Last Saturday, we held the Boston BlogHer pre-conference meetup at my house. The weather gods were most definitely smiling on us; it was the best weather of the week. We had a great turnout, and from all reports, everyone had a terrific time.

Pictures from Janice of Meal Makeover Moms, Angela from mommy bytes, Christine from Boston Mamas, and posts from Jon of Daddy Scratches, Karen of 3 Garnets and 2 Sapphires and Alana from Good Girl Gone Blog. Alana also made a page on springpad, one of our sponsors (and also her employer.)

Thanks again to our food sponsors Peapod, springpad, Friendly’s, Hebrew National, Home Free Treats and door prize sponsor Westport Rivers Vineyard.

We had lots of leftover food, and took a bunch of the non-perishables down to the local food pantry on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take ice cream, so that continues to tempt us from the freezer.

PS —

Peapod has offered BlogHers (anyone really)  $15 off their first delivery. CODE: BLOGHER.

Terms: Save $15 on your first delivery.  Limit one per household.  Cannot be combined with any other offer.  Expires 8/31/2009.

Boston BlogHer BBQ

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cross posted to Boston-area BlogHers Group

I was honored when Elisa, Lisa and Jory asked me to set up a Boston-area BlogHer group and coordinate a meet-up this month for Boston area BlogHers. I have been a supporter of the BlogHer community since it began in 2005 and cherish the friendships I have made as a result. If they gave out 5-year pins, I’d qualify!

Why pre-BlogHer conference meet-ups? Newcomers tend to have a little stress about entering a seemingly entrenched community, altough BlogHer IS one of the most open I have ever participated in.  Tickets also sold out DAMN FAST!! Many folks who wanted to come, just can’t. No room at the inn.

Faced with planning the June meet-up, the simplest thing seemed to be to offer our house in Hudson MA (address on the BlogHer thread) for a potluck BBQ. We’ve got the combined outdoor and indoor room to host a significant group and setting a place from the outset seemed to move us ahead a lot quicker. A good thing, since as I write, the RSVP list for our BBQ on June 13th from 2- 6pm is  about 40 adults and 23 kids of various ages.

Initially, I had conceived of the meetup as a potluck, but when sponsors were suggested, I reached out to some people I knew, as did some other BlogHers, and simultaneously, sponsors contacted me.

As a result, our BBQ is mostly funded. Donations should cover the main BBQ items – hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs and all the fixings plus some munchies, soft drinks and paper goods. Plus dessert. More about our generous sponsors in a moment.

What do BlogHers need to bring:

  • a side dish/salad/munchies/dessert of their choice. A brave volunteer has offered to try and do a BlogHer cake to go with our sponsor-provided ice cream dessert, and if someone really has the yen to bake, go for it! Please tell everyone else what you are bringing on this post at the BlogHer thread.
  • beverage of choice if not coke/diet coke/sprite/juice box/water. Note: I’ll be drinking some wine, so feel free to bring alcoholic beverage of choice.
  • lawn or portable chair. We’ve got some but let’s be clear: NOT 60!!!

We’re trying to put together some door prizes — more about that as it evolves, but if you are coming and have something to contribute, let me know!!

Now to our sponsors. I am overwhelmed at their generosity, and encourage everyone to give them some love. As I am about to do.

Peapod

Peapod serves 22 U.S. markets in communities in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.  Peapod features more than 8,000 products in a range of categories: produce; meat and seafood; deli items; prepared foods; natural and organic foods; Kosher foods; office and school supplies; seasonal items; and video products; pet items; health and beauty aids; wine, beer and spirits (in specific markets) and private labels from Stop & Shop and Giant. They recently launched a Facebook fan page.

Peapod gave us a significant donation toward the grocery bill. Plus,  they’ve offered BlogHers $15 off their first delivery. CODE: BLOGHER.

Terms: Save $15 on your first delivery.  Limit one per household.  Cannot be combined with any other offer.  Expires 8/31/2009.

Springpad

Springpad (http://springpadit.com) is a free online personal organizer that helps you collect, organize and manage life – from food and entertainment to parenting and managing the day to day. It’s integrated with the Web’s most popular services; and makes it easy to interact, personalize and share information from trusted friends and bloggers.

Springpad — also a national conference sponsor — contributed to the grocery fund and has offered to host a meet-up in the fall.

Friendly’s

Friendly’s is sending us ice cream dessert for the crowd. Not sure what it will be, but it will be cold and yummy. Check out Friendly’s Facebook page and if you are in New England, be sure to get your free ice cream on Saturday June 6th.

Home Free Treats

We have some guests with food allergies, and the folks at Home Free Treats were happy to send us some of their nummy treats. These peanut free, egg free, tree nut free, dairy free treats let kids with food allergies enjoy dessert with everyone else!

Hebrew National

Fellow BlogHer Kim Moldofsky connected us with Hebrew National, which is sending us hot dogs for Saturday’s BBQ.

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Obviously, companies in this post were given promotional consideration in gratitude for their sponsorship of the  Boston BlogHer BBQ.

Updated 6/8/2009 with two new sponsors

Ghost-tweeting can be creepy

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I like Guy Kawasaki. His books are great. He’s an engaging speaker. A nice smart guy.

But, I just can’t get behind this ghost-tweeting thing.

Even though I can see the little initials at the end of the tweets signifying that the “real” source of many of his tweets is one of his ghweeters (ghost tweeters), I just find it creepy to see tweets like this from a man’s account:

guy1

guy2

Call me a prude if you like, but it seems a bit like bad porno spam.

And creepy.