After yesterday’s outpouring (felt so good getting that out, thanks all for the warm fuzzies), I’m enjoying today’s calm.  I got Seal’s new album Soul that just came out on Tuesday, and it’s been some serious therapy.

He’s singing some of the most classic soul songs ever, including A Change Is Gonna Come (which is so apropos after yesterday’s breakdown.  A change will come, I can feel it.  Yes, it’s been too hard living, and it’s been a long time coming.  Now I just have to figure out how to wait that change…

If you’re a fan of Seal, you’ll adore this album SO very much.  If you’re not, still give it a listen (I have a widget in my sidebar where you can listen and WATCH–see how spage age I am?–music videos) and see if you like a couple of the songs.

Best of all I have a giveaway for you loyal readers, as a thank you for all the love and support you offered me since yesterday (And always, really.  You all rock my casbah).  And not only do I have a giveaway for you, but One2One Network (p.s. sign up there if you haven’t already) has an even BIGGER giveaway, so keep reading for the details…

The first giveaway is Seal’s CD Soul, plus something to sweeten the deal.  These mini retro ipod speakers (win them so I can steal them from you) from Delight.com:

If you have yet to behold the awesomeness that is Delight.com, then check it:

Think of Delight.com as a unique boutique that stocks the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Delight features eco-friendly tote bags, gadgets for guys, kitchen gear that is smart and saves time, travel essentials, one-of-a-kind baby gifts, stocking stuffers for holiday gift shopping and unique jewelry and décor accessories with most under $50.

Glamalicious, no?  You can also subscribe to their newsletter, so that you don’t miss a single deal.

So how to win?  Enter a comment here telling me two things:

1.  What you do for at-home therapy.  Music? Chocolate?  Go on and spill.

2. Click on over to Delight.com and tell me one thing on your wish list for this holiday season.  I’ll pick a winner at random on 11:59 pm, November 21st, 2008.

Are there ways to get extra entries? Oh you know me so well! Of course my dear:

1.  Follow me on Twitter and tweet the link to this contest.  Come back here and enter your link as an additional comment.

2.  Post about this contest on your blog, leaving your link as an additional comment.

3.  Grab my badge from the side bar and post it on your blog, leaving your comment as an additional comment (if you already have it on your blog, I LOVE YOU, and also leave your link as a comment)

And that’s not all…

You can also win one of these fabulous prizes for helping spread the word about Seal’s new album!

1st place=$200 gift card to SpaFinder.com and Seal’s Soul CD

2nd place=$100 gift card to SpaFinder.com and Seal’s Soul CD (two winners!!)

3rd place=Seal’s Soul CD (40 winners!)

Amazing no?  Again, please win a gift card so that you can invite me and we can share. This mama needs a massage, pronto.  How to enter:

1.  Embed the widget on your blog or any social media site (the widget has easy peasy “get & share” instructions).  You get one additional entry for each location the widget is placed.

2.  All entrants must email the url of the location they put the widget to me at arianne.segerman[at]one2onenetwork.com to be entered.

3.  Winners will be picked at random.  You have until November 23rd at midnight for this contest.

Lots of goodies for you all, so I hope you enjoy, have some fun spreading the love, and good luck!

**Right after this, he miraculously fell asleep. I will someday use the magic ear buds again, but for now I give thanks**

Tonight I opened up this picture (taken on my phone) and just stared.  I put on songs from the movie Once, and let the emotion and energy that comes from music and baby drama wash over me.

I have so much to tell him, so much I wish he could understand.

Things with him have not been easy.  We know he’s on the autism spectrum, so this should not be news.  Yet, it is.  We want him to be doing better.  Feeling better.  Living better.

As I stared at this photo, and really studied it, I thought about the complicated world going on inside his head.  The one we can’t access.  He can’t express things, and he gets so frustrated.  So very upset.  All.Day.Long.

He doesn’t sleep, doesn’t talk, doesn’t eat anything remotely solid, and he’s so wanting to love us, to love life.  But his brain and body are getting in the way.

They just won’t stop getting in the way.

We are in a place where, despite having two older children on the spectrum, we are at a loss with what to do with this boy #3.  He’s so much the same as his brothers, but so very different at the same time.  Nothing we’ve ever done with the other boys helps him, or works with him.

We feel inadequate.  Helpless.

We hang in there, don’t give up, and continue to endlessly research.  What are we missing, we ask each other.

There must be something.

But then the fear creeps in…what if we aren’t missing something, and this is just…what is.

I try not to think about those things, because as hard and–actually no wait IMPOSSIBLE–as things have been, yesterday he said “mama” to me for the first time since he regressed and lost his language 6 months ago.  A huge milestone, and even though he hasn’t said it since, it made me feel amazing.

And gives me the hope to keep going, to step one foot in front of the other.

The hope for those searing blue eyes in that photo, that have so many stories to tell.  And one day, yes, he will tell them.  Oh yes.

He will.

Share and Enjoy:

]]> http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/13/autism-keeps-him-from-u/feed/ http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/10/5-ways-to-step-outside-the-mommyblogger-box/ http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/10/5-ways-to-step-outside-the-mommyblogger-box/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:27:28 +0000 Arianne http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/?p=536 Nearly every day I am asked by mom bloggers how to do more with their blog.  “How can I make money, be invited to events, and get on the “inside”?  How can I do what you do?“ The answer is that it’s not easy, but it is simple. It involves work, it involves putting yourself out there for possible rejection (and also for serendipitous connections), and most of all it involves never giving up.

So where do you begin?

1.  It starts with YOU.  You have to know yourself, be honest about your strengths and talents, and decide what your goals are.  You know you can rock it, so now is not the time to be shy!

If you’re going to seek out help and further yourself and your blog, you need to be prepared when people ask how they can help you and where you are going.  Ask yourself the tough questions.  What do you really enjoy blogging about?    How can you best grow given your talents and skills?  Are there skill and knowledge gaps you want to fill?  Where do you see yourself in 1 or 2 years? Look at your social networking skills and see how you fare.  Now is the time to address any shortcomings you may have, and it’s always a good idea to continually work on personal growth.

2.  What’s your niche? Finding your niche and knowing your context in the blogosphere is just as important as knowing yourself.  More and more social media and social networking mean that YOU are your brand, and all things that you do and say online are connected to that brand.  Sure, you want to have a food blog, a fashion blog, a music blog and a parenting blog, but which one is really you?  Focus on what you can really promote and stand behind effortlessly. Make it authentic, keep it real and write what you know.

3.  Form your tribe. Now that you know your strengths and know your niche, the next place to go is to those around you who are either in the same place as you, or a few steps (or leaps) ahead of you.  Your tribe will not only help you, but you’ll help them.  As you grow, so does your tribe, and therefore your influence among the interwebs.  Influence has become worth more than traffic among the smaller niches (like momblogs) and others. Influencing the influencers is what really matters, because every eyeball that reads your blog is not equal.  We adore our loyal readership because they become our community, but we also love to check our webstats and see that someone from Dell or Walmart or Ford was checking us out as well.

One of my allies and someone in my tribe, Jessica Smith, has been going through 15 Days of Marketing on her blog JessicaKnows.com.  Be sure to head over and jump in (especially today, where she talks about what else=allies!), there’s always time to catch up, and you don’t want to miss the juicy information she’s sharing.  Specifics about building your brand, monetizing, and more that any social media buff who’s looking to market themselves should know.  She shares insider tricks and tips, and leaves no stone unturned when sharing how to market yourself online.

Two other allies, Katja Presnal and Christine Young, are holding a holiday themed marketing class coming up on Thursday, Novemeber 13, all about how to market and earn money from holiday gift guides.  They have vast knowledge on the subject, so be sure to check it out!

These bloggers are just a few examples of the leveraging that can be done with your blogs, your tribe, and your unique knowledge.

4.  Grow your influence.  This might seem like a silly thing to say–because influence is something you can’t force–but hear me out.  The difference between someone who “gets it” and someone who does not, is that those who “get it”, understand that they must put intentional effort towards growing their influence.  Put yourself out there on twitter, commenting on blogs, on Facebook, get to know your readers and those bloggers you admire.  Sign up with various marketing companies, apply for new writing gigs, contact PR and marketing people, and most of all think of strategic ways you can help others, so that they can in turn help you.  All of this must be authentic, because as tight knit as social networks are, they are also ruthless with those who try to bait them or trick them.  Even if you’re selling a product (or selling “you”) always think first how you can help that other person.  Helping someone today can reap huge rewards for you in the future, so consider it all an investment in your brand.

5.  Play for keeps.  So often I will see moms reach out and do some (or all) of the above points, and then they’ll drop off the radar for days or weeks on end.  Then they pop back into action, but wonder why they are missing out.  As one of my favorite successful bloggers Liz Strauss puts it, “why play the game if we aren’t playing for keeps?“.  If you want to show your influence, you have to keep up the momentum and truly commit to making a go for it.  You can’t let rejection (or perceived rejection) get you down, because influencers around you are experiencing the same thing. You can’t get behind on posting (I’m looking in the mirror on this one) and expect people to take you seriously as a blogger.  You can’t let your blog get cluttered or crowded and expect people to see your site as anything more than “just another mommy blog”.

No excuses, just intentional work towards those goals you set for yourself.  If life gets in the way, as it so often does as a Mom, see where you can wedge in time here and there, see how you can free up your day a few days a week, and don’t give up.  You have value to add, you have a gold mine of influence just waiting to be tapped, and you can reach your goals!

Election Day 08 from To Think Is To Create on Vimeo.

**Photo by Beth Fletcher Photography

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a Sparkplugging party sponsored by Epson and One2One Network in Chicago.  It was a blast from beginning to end, and not just because of the free flowing drinks and hors d’oeuvres.  Yes, it was a party for Epson to have us all get together to show off their awesome Artisan 800 printer, which of course made the party that much more fun being able to see these fabulous lab quality photos printed out straight from the camera, and handed to the guests.  But it also rocked because the party was held in a stunning lake shore apartment, overlooking the water, in Chicago’s lovely North Lakeshore Drive district.  We were pampered just by being able to go there and hang out, and the staff and ambiance was so laid back and personable, it made the evening very comfy and really fostered the best environment for the most fun part of the evening:  networking with smart and successful women until the wee hours of the morning.  What was scheduled to be a cocktail party, turned out to be a rowsing late night-er that left us all drinking more, gabbing more, and–if you check out the Flickr set–hamming it up more than ever before.

Many of the business savvy women and women bloggers in the Chicago area attended, and it was invigorating being in one apartment with all these great (and fun) minds.  I finally had the pleasure of meeting Wendy Piersall, CEO of Sparkplugging in person, and she’s even more lovely than I could have imagined.  Meeting Liz Strauss was also a highlight of the night, as well as more of my fellow Chicago Mom Bloggers that I had yet to meet in person before that night (waving at Hormone-Colored Days and Deaf Mom!).  Of course I enjoyed hanging with my girls, Beth and Donya (also new CMB-ers themselves), and a party is not a party without Rachel and my sistah from anotha mutha Jen, the Eco Chic Organizer.

These events may seem daunting if you’ve never attended them and have to show up alone (just ask Kim from What’s That Smell?), but the truth is that these women are not only down to earth and fun to hang out with, but they are also so very smart, and so successful, you’d do well to hang out with them at every chance possible.

Thanks to Epson for sponsoring such a great event, and all the swag bag contributors (it was packed with fun randomness, which I adore), and also don’t forget to read my full review of the Artisan 800 printer over at Mama Speaks today.  This company, this brand, really gets it, and they value women bloggers and the voice we have and command.  We, ourselves, know our influence, and we all know we spend the majority of the money in the household, and it’s thrilling to see that finally companies are starting to take notice, and coming to us to help them spread the word.

Share and Enjoy:

]]> http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/03/marketing-to-women-epson-gets-it-right/feed/ http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/02/idea-book-remember-those-fleeting-moments/ http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/2008/11/02/idea-book-remember-those-fleeting-moments/#comments Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:53:30 +0000 Arianne http://www.tothinkistocreate.com/?p=509

*me, at 6am, at the airport, no make up.  ALONE.

During my recent travel adventure, I was going it alone.  Just me on the plane, traveling to and from airports, in the hotel, etc.  All of my family travel has always been with at least one child and/or my husband, and all business travel has been with women I work with.  So this was my first time being all by myself and I must say, I loved it.  I can imagine if you had to do the solitary thing frequently,  it could grow lonesome, but for this mom of three boys and husband who works from home (read: we’re always together), I was elated to just worry about me, myself, and I for a change.

One of the things I finally made myself do for this trip was take an idea book with me.  This is just a blank journal type notebook (I use this one from Etsy), and I carried it on me at all times.  I wrote down inspirational things, ideas for blog posts, random objects that moved me, and more.  Just today, two weeks after the trip, I had a chance to sit down and turn the pages back and look at what I had written down.

One of the main themes that resonated with me was how–when you are alone with your thoughts–you really can take in your surroundings.  At one cart at the airport I saw a lemon bar and it reminded me of one friend.  As I went through security I saw a sign for the “family aisle” and was reminded of another friend who would be using that aisle very soon for a trip that meant the world to her.

What also struck me about my alone travel, and that I’m so grateful for my idea book of reminding me about, is that the solitude did not make me feel alone.  So many times we can be in a big crowd of people, friends, acquaintances, people we know, but feel entirely alone.  In my aloneness, surrounded by perfect strangers, I felt the energy, prayers, hearts of my friends and family.  Those little reminders of loved ones, looking at children the same age as my own, seeing couples in love, all of it made me feel surrounded by the comfort of home.

Try keeping an idea book with you, even if you aren’t travelling, because those radom and beautiful thoughts really do have an impact, and deserve to be savored!

**Photo by Secret Agent Mama

This past weekend I had the chance to attend the BlissDom 08 conference, put on by Blissfully Domestic and One2One Network, entirely sponsored by Epson.  I knew it would be a fun time of networking and learning, meeting some of my favorite bloggers face to face, but I had no idea how fantastic it would be to finally see a piece of the South, and bond with smart women who I know now will have my back any time I call.

The weekend started by me finally meeting my fellow One2One team members, and seeing that yes, we were meant to work together.  They are fabulous and fun and so smart.  Loves.

Slowly the Nashville girls started sauntering in, and I soon realized that I couldn’t help but speak like them whenever I talked to them.  Apparently a southern belle lives inside me somewhere.  Who knew?!  I think she rarely gets out on a account of the hippy in me always stealing the spotlight.

I had the pleasure of seeing my darling Velveteen Mind again, this time having some real bonding, brainstorming, how-we-are-going-to-take-over-the-world talks.  I sat in her room with Mrs Fussypants, Looking Towards Heaven, Pensieve, Nester, Simple Mom, Emily and we dished about all things blogging.  Ya’ll they are AMAZING women, and you need to go make them you’re new best friends immediately.  Trust.

I saw how kind and welcoming women bloggers are (too many to list!), as I looked around the swanky lounge our conference was held in, and saw not a single person on the margins.  No one was alone, even if they came alone.  If you’ve never gone to an event where you could meet bloggers or tweeple in person, I encourage you to take the step and GO.  You won’t regret it, and you may even benefit in profound and multiple ways (like I have).

There was a professional photographer at the event, and we were able to immediately pop the memory card into the Epson Artisan 800 printers that were there, to see first hand how awesome the printers are, and to take home a little memory of the day.

We had panels all day, which I twittered about furiously (go to twitter search and look up #BlissDom08, or #BlissDom to see what I learned and thought about the day), and during our lunch break even had a private performance by new artist Jessie Baylin.  We got photo op’s with her afterward, where she was charming as ever (and I’m a new fan, have been playing her album on repeat ever since).  She was incredible, and perfect for the mood the day had set.  Smart, swanky and the place to be.

We ended the day with Blisstinis, a drink created just for that night.  We continued to chat about life, blogging, planning on new partnerships, brainstorming how to take our blogs and brands to the next level, and creating lasting bonds.

I’m so honored to be there representing not only myself and my blog, but also On2One Network.  We loved working with the Blissfully Domestic crew, and Epson’s generosity goes above and beyond.  They are a company that truly “gets” social media, and the power of the voice of women bloggers.

If you missed this one, stay tuned, because this was a “teaser” event, and the big BlissDom will be in February.  Mark your calendars now!

Edited to add: I’ll blame the fact that I’m still recovering from sheer exhaustion bliss as the reason I forgot to mention our lovely keynote speaker, Lynn Terry.  Check out her website, ClickNewz, and go see what brilliance she has going on, and how you can use it to take your blog even farther.

Because I don’t have enough on my plate, and also because I adore her, I’ll be one of the experts on a panel at tonight’s virtual blog warming party at Resourceful Mommy at 9pm eastern.

I’m being called to board, see you all tonight!

I mentioned in a previous post that I had been applying for a job. I thought that the job was everything I had been hoping for, but when I got the call that they were not picking me, I thought to myself, “here we go again, another dream lost.”. The good news? I only had literally about a minute to feel that way, because I immediately got a call that there was a different, perhaps even *better* job that was available, and that I was the person for that job.

In a whirlwind of calls and laughs and me barely breathing, I ended up being hired for that other job. A position much more suited for me (just as the other job was suited for the person who got that first position). And all at once it started sinking in that what I’d been working towards for weeks, months, perhaps years without realizing it, was coming to fruition. That I’d not hit the end of the road, but that I’d finally stepped onto that next stone in my life, onto the edge of tomorrow.

So, I’m excited to be able to share with all of you my new position, as Director of Community Development for One2One Network. I’ll be working on marketing, blogger outreach and social strategy. If you think it sounds cool–you’re right. Working with the bloggers I know and love, connecting them with the companies trying to reach them, it’s all so fun and so perfect for me. You can read the press release and feel all official here:

One2One Network Hires Arianne Segerman as Director of Community Development

And you can read all about One2One in that press release, and also go explore at the One2One Network site itself. It’s a network of word of mouth marketing focused on hip and fun women, and it’s Founder/CEO is the fabulous Barbara Jones, my new BFF. Barbara and I hit it off immediately, having many things in common personally, and having the same dry sense of humor we’ve been enjoying the first couple weeks working together (at least I have, let’s just pretend she has too). If you’re a woman of influence online, or in your circle of friends and family, be sure to head over to One2One right now and get signed up to try out the latest products, get freebies, and you may be contacted to take part in all this fun.

I’m so looking forward to where this edge of tomorrow leads, because I know it’s just the beginning to the next chapter of our lives. I am able to see how working hard sometimes *does* pay off, and I can’t wait to share with all of you my journey as it unfolds!