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The three Cs, cement, a conference and confidence.

There was a time when the sight of a cement truck driving into our front yard would have had my son jumping up and down with excitement. As a small boy he was obsessed with heavy machinery and I well remember his blissful excitement, when the council workers left a front end loader and grader in my front yard overnight when they were doing up the road. This time it was me that was excited because the cement slab for my studio was poured over the weekend.There really isn’t any way I can make a photo of a cement slab look attractive so I have included a photo of the cement truck for all you mothers of small boys out there instead.

I have bought my ticket for the Aussie bloggers Conference in March next year and Veronica has booked our room, so it looks like I will be meeting some of you lovely people very soon.

I am speaking on a panel at the conference, the subject of the conversation will be,

” My Blog My Story.”

I am a gregarious extrovert, prone to dramatic statements and theatrical gestures. I enjoy being the centre of attention and always have a lot to say about most subjects. But to be honest with you I am shitting myself. When I think about having to talk in front of over a hundred people I start to have a little panic attack. Even now writing about it, my heart is starting to beat a bit faster and I can feel the butterflies.

So help me out my lovelies, what sort of stuff would you like me to talk about? I have the bones of my conversation worked out but together we can flesh it out a bit.


Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Tina September 21, 2010, 8:39 am

    I have no suggestions for your talk but I just wanted to say that I’m looking forward to meeting you! 🙂

  • Doggy September 21, 2010, 9:36 am

    Speak about what you know – share your story (I know you’ve got one, I had a nice glimpse of it on Sunday). When you speak about what you know (in your case interesting life path and why you blog), there’s no need to be nervous because it’s not something you have to learn and pretend to be an expert in.

    The room will love you, of that I am sure (and there are not many things I am sure of).

  • plumtree September 21, 2010, 12:07 pm

    You will be awesome.
    Spend some time over the next month jotting down ideas of thing you might like to say. It’s like making a quilt–something that seems important & central will have to be jettisoned, but other things will come together to make it a whole.
    After you think you have plenty of notes, put it away for a bit…a week or two. Then take it out & start work.
    The key with any oral presentation is to know your subject inside out, so you cannot fail on this one LOL! Yes, everyone will be interested and will love it.

  • sharon September 21, 2010, 2:23 pm

    As you know I don’t blog but oh how I wish I could scrape together sufficient pennies to get there and meet you all 😉

  • Jayne September 21, 2010, 5:03 pm

    What a lovely site for you 🙂

  • Jientje September 21, 2010, 5:44 pm

    I wish you lived closer, it would be awesome to hear you speak. You’ll do just fine! Maybe you could talk about how your blog has given you more self confidence, both as an artist and a blogger?

  • river September 21, 2010, 6:07 pm

    The slab! The slab! I’m so happy for you!
    I remember the excitement when we saw the slab for our first house had been poured. Won’t be long now till you’re working in your very own studio.

    I don’t have any ideas for your speech, I’m just no good at that sort of thing myself.
    I’m still trying to work out how the heck I can get there. I can afford a ticket, but travel and accomodation are a bit of a problem. I do have a last resort possible solution.

  • BendyGirl September 21, 2010, 6:14 pm

    I’m so excited for you & V that you’re going to this conference! BG Xx

  • Achelois September 22, 2010, 6:54 am

    I am pretty excited for you, just think a swanky new studio with Amy’s artwork all over the walls!

    I am of the age where I quite like to gawp at men in a really middle aged sad sort of way at the men that drive and offload the cement lorries. lol

    On the input for the conference, apart from saying you will be fine. I get also why you would want us bloggy friend’s input. Can I have some time to think about it. There is a lot of time to get it right. I also am known for being gregarious and dare I say opinionated despite the fact that these days I am not gregarious. I like you would be crapping myself at ‘doing the talk’. Now all BG and I need to do is save up for the plane tickets so we could go too! Fat chance in reality – who said money doesn’t bring happiness was wrong….

    I will have a think on content because I like you would need constructive hints and tips just for validation that what I felt like saying seemed right. Its one thing writing a blog from the comfort of one’s front room but talking about it out loud and making people laugh, think and to stand out from the crowd is a big ask!

    In saying that I have no doubt you will do good. Veronica will be proud and I hope someone videos it so that we get to see it too. That will go someway to me not sulking so hard at not being able to go to. Ok I know i don’t meet the criteria not being an Australian blogger but I do really prefer my Other Side of the Water, world bloggers so that must count for something.

    So pleased for you and Veronica. A blogging party oh yes!

    xoxoxox

  • Watershedd September 22, 2010, 11:42 am

    Yippee! The slab! Your creative juices will have studio soon!

    I’m intending to get to the conference. Probably won’t bring the GOFA to this one! Had hoped to be able to to offer you two a bed at my place, but things here are just a bit too disjointed to be able to see that far at present.

    In talking about your blog/story, perhaps you could mention how it’s evolved from the initial idea you had of what it would achieve, to what it has become for you. Has it changed or is it as you envisaged?

    Thanks for card and news article. I didn’t get to the newsagent on the weekend around work, so the other article, if you have it, would be great.

  • Jo Scuthorp September 23, 2010, 7:57 am

    Fantastic news about the slab, did you put a kiss mark into the wet cement ?

    Is there an opportunity to have a powerpoint of some images of the things you talk about on your blog playing away behind you on a screen as you talk. A mixed bag of images – you with clay all over you, your granddaugher, dragonfly with oil on wings, your ceramics, cement trucks, eagles, your place, some of your stunning photos ?

    You were the one to inspire me to get my printmaking blog up and running !! You’ll be greeeeeaaaat. Blogging is one of your passions.

  • Mary September 23, 2010, 8:34 pm

    Gee my nephews would love that truck – and no rain in sight! Think the blogger audience will be hanging on your every word and that will make it all much easier for you…We already love you and want to know more ;’)

  • Mrs. C September 24, 2010, 8:22 am

    I do wonder if your Mum is able to peek in from heaven, how that works. I know that later there is no sadness… but not sure if she can glimpse the happiness her gift is going to bring to your family.

    Blessings to you! I am excited for all of you as well. 🙂