Readers, I am honored to share this information with you all today. A few years ago as a semi new blogger and newlywed I heard about Military.com's Milblog Conference. Even though it was the weekend of my first wedding anniversary my husband understood when I jumped at the chance to attend (at least half of it!).
I had a blast. For the first time I was able to put names and faces in person to the bloggers I had been following for years. To be honest, I was a bit starstruck!
This is one of the group pictures from the night of the conference... all of these women are amazing bloggers that I could not believe I was fortunate enough to meet!
The networking possibilities were endless, not just for bloggers either. I knew people who attended the conference and left with not just a pocket full of business cards but legitimate job opportunities as well. Now this was in 2011... two years later the conference has evolved. Do you have to be a blogger to attend? Nope! This year they are trying to reach all military spouses who wish to attend. If you can get to the DC area April 11th and 12th I highly encourage it!
Military.com’s Spouse Summit is not your typical conference. First of all it’s free! And they have banned the PowerPoint and 30 minute speeches in favor of interactive sessions with experts you can actually talk to and network with. The summit will focus on the issues that really matter like connecting with other spouses-on and offline, military mental health, what works when raising kids in the military, spouse career options and what you need to know about that looming transition to civilian life that faces every single military family at some point in their lives.
And the speakers this year are truly top notch: they have representatives from the Center for Deployment Psychology, The US Chamber of Commerce, The Warrior and Family Support office of the Chairman of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, University of Southern California's Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and they are so honored to have as our keynote speaker Sal Giunta, the first living Medal of honor recipient since Vietnam. Amazing stuff, right?
The link to register is: http://spousesummit.com/ and you can follow along on Twitter this year with the hastag #MilSpSum
I am very disappointed I cannot attend this year. Naturally this is the weekend of my play! So I will be in North Carolina, jealous of all the lucky spouses who will have an amazing time. Do you plan on going? Let me know!
Last year, when I attended the MilBlog Conference in Washington DC I was surprised when quite a few bloggers and sponsors asked for my business card.... bloggers have business cards?? I was thrown, especially when I was nearly denied a free drink since I didn't have a business card to place in the fishbowl! (Thank you to a certain blogger who helped me out there... you know who you are! I still owe you a drink!) I realized then how important business cards could be. People ask me for the link to my blog quite a bit; how much easier would it be to hand them a professional looking business card then scrawling it on a cocktail napkin? Much! And for those of you with Etsy shops (or similar) this is another great resource to have to get the word out there or even send out cute cards with your product!
I looked around at a couple companies for a bit, but put it off. I didn't want 500 of them (which seemed to be a minimum at a lot of places) and a lot of them were also quite costly. Fortunately for me I was recently contacted by PrintRunner.com about hosting this lovely give away for you all.
PrintRunner is an online printing company that offers business card services, but if you check out their website, you can see they offer much more than just business cards! How about vinyl homecoming signs? Or stickers (Etsy shop owners, how cool are those to seal your products with??)? They also have bumper stickers, personalized pens and much more! The best part is that they are affordable. Right now they have a special that gives you 25% off business cards through May 29th, just enter in the code BSCA25 at check out.
Some background information on the company:
PrintRunner.com was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later the company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California. Their commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at affordable price made their company grow. PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.
Details of the giveaway prize: Business Card
Business Card Size and Style Business Cards - 2x3.5 (Standard)
Quantity: 250
Colors: 4/4 Color Both Sides
Paper: 14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides
Proof : NONE
Rounded Corners: NO
*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.
Use Rafflecopter below to walk you through how to enter, there are plenty of chances to win! Give Away runs for one week, all entries must be in by May 22nd at 12:01am.
Happy 236th Birthday Marines! You have had over two centuries of amazingness to become one of the most amazing and inspiring organizations in the world. I am proud to be a member of the USMC Family, as both a wife and a granddaughter. I never imagined in a million years I would marry a Marine and become a Military Spouse and a blogger and be where I am today... and I would not trade it for anything. Semper Fi!
I have done quite a few posts over the past few years for the USMC birthday, the Ball and Veteran's Day. I don't want to repeat myself from all my entries, but I will link them up for you! Please feel free to look back and read. The first is my favorite, talking about my Poppy and my Husband as Marines (:
Back home in 2009 my Poppy was the Marine of the Year. He was quoted in the newspapers saying...
"It doesn't get any better than this," said C-----, who served in the Marine Corps during World War II. "We train not as an individual, but as a group. … If I had to do it again, I would, because [these Marines] are an exceptional group."
I filmed this at the milblog conference Friday... Coming Home by Mark Wills. Have some tissues ready! I hope me sniffling in the background isn't audible!
And just because we can all always use a laugh.... I need to share this email I got from my mom's friend Fran. It made me giggle!
A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect.
- I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole abike and asked for forgiveness.
- Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
- I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
- Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
- The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
- Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
- If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
- We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.
- War does not determine who is right -- only who is left.
- Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
- The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
- To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
- A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
- How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
- Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
- Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut and still think they are sexy.
- Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
- A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
- Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.
- A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
- Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.
- Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
- I discovered I scream the same way whether I'm about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.
- Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
- I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
- I always take life with a grain of salt; plus a slice of lemon; and a shot of tequila.
- You're never too old to learn something stupid.
- Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
- Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
I am so glad I went to the conference on Friday night! I got to meet some amazing women (dude I was totally blogstarstruck!) and have a great time. You may recognize some of the lovely ladies (and gent) I met...
As well as the ever anonymous Riding the Rollercoaster. I emailed you your picture! And I owe you a drink!
It was great just to talk with people who have been where you are and understand. The milbloggies were great, congratulations to Ben & Katie for winning the Best Milspouse Blog AND Fan Favorite!
Mark Wills was a really nice guy as well as a terrific performer.
Here is one video I took... I think I will save the other one for the Thursday link up!
