Yoo hoo, Texans. Over here. A wee bit closer. Bam. Here it is, an opportunity to hear me speak from the heart about strength, courage, and wisdom. I’ll be my own version of an India Arie song, sharing the raw reality of wrong turns, right turns, doors, windows, destinations, and our life’s journey, about the wisdom, tips + tricks I wish I’d known earlier. About what I’ve done right, and what I downright shouldn’t have done (though, I’m still secretly glad I did). Is “meant to be” an excuse we drum up to make ourselves feel better, or is there something to living like a “leaf in a stream,” waiting to see where the universe takes us? Is destiny a matter of chance or choice?

I’m the closing keynote at the upcoming GET SMART CONFERENCE, on October 21! Not only will I be speaking for 45 minutes, answering all your questions for another 15 minutes (do the math), meeting you and signing books, but now there’s also a special drawing for those who register between now and October 17:

PURE Austin has donated a 3-month membership ($180 value) for a drawing.
To be eligible, register between now and October 17, and use the code PURGS2010 in the comments filed of registration.

ABOUT THE GET SMART CONFERENCE
Get Smart 2010, AWC Austin’s professional development conference is scheduled for October 21 in Austin, Texas. A diverse group of marketers, journalists, publishers, PR specialists, writers, radio/television/film professionals and others will gather to network with old friends and meet new ones, to advance their career skills and knowledge, and to be inspired by the personal and professional journeys of keynote speakers Matthew Dowd and Stephanie Klein, as well as learn from four fabulous breakout sessions! “Destination Get Smart – Your Journey Begins Here!” Let’s Go!

What people are saying about the last Get Smart Conference:

Girl, what you waitin’ fo? Didn’t anyone tell you that today is the first day of the rest of your week?

In celebration of the paperback release of Moose: A Memoir, there’s a
new giveaway. To enter, simply email a picture of yourself holding a copy of Moose, the
paperback version. Lounge with it poolside or wrinkle yourself elsewhere: in the tub. Prune with it. Have a bacon explosion together. Sing a ballad. Do a line dance. Hang out with it at a BBQ. ke it your friend; share your mustard packets with it. One winner will be selected at random to receive The
Fabulous Purse from ModCloth (which incidentally, will easily be a home for your new paperback copy of Moose. All pictures must be submitted here (moose dot memoir at gmail dot com) by June 21.
Winner will be announced next Monday, June 22. To earn a second entry in the giveaway and increase your chances of winning the ModCloth bag, simply announce the giveaway on your own blog, and send a link to your post to the email above. Anything to help spread the word is always appreciated.

4 YEARS AGO: Caution, Wind, And Other Problems; Too; Too Part Two

I realize of course that it’s asking a lot. To click on something daily, which isn’t even like an ad that helps support this site. But I need help! Please click here daily to vote for Greek Tragedy. I never win anything. Except that one time in sixth grade when I won a phone from calling some hotline on a SeaBreeze box. If you do, I promise to continue to exploit my marriage and children. Woo hoo.

Of all the spirited, touching, and funny photo entries on StephanieKlein Social (thank you to those of you who shared your photo!)  they’ve finally been narrowed down to ten (would have happened sooner, but I was traveling. And seriously, it’s not easy to cut babies or dogs!). Some were selected for their composition, for the gesture, for the emotional moment captured (you MUST enlarge these to really "get it," for the story told, or for the caption. Only one will win the Johnson & Johnson bag of goods worth over $500, so please vote just once for the photo you think deserves to win. In no particular order, here are the ten finalists (Click on each thumbnail to enlarge.):

1. First Time on Slip-n-slide:

2. First Ride of Our Life:

3. First Game:

4. First Open House:

5. First Best Friend:

6. First "Steps":

7. First Day of my Life:

8. First Ride (Oh, The Joy!):

9. First Photo My Husband Saw of Me on JDate:

10. First Sand of Summer:   
   

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos for the Firsts Photo Contest. To those who haven’t, you have until midnight tonight to upload a photo to Stephanie Klein Social that somehow ties into the theme of firsts. Tomorrow I’ll post a poll here that lists five of my favorite entries. Everyone will have until this Friday, October 17 to vote for the submission they think should win. If there’s a tie, I’m turning to Lucas (my first born), and letting him point to the winner.

Nothing like a contest to stimulate some creativity. Donated by Johnson’s Baby, this limited-edition Italian hand-sewn diaper bag (filled with products and worth over $500) is totally up for grabs. Moms Melissa Joan Hart, E!’s Samantha Harris, and 90210’s (old school) Tori Spelling have their own, and now you can get on that shite like powder on a posterior. If you’re not in the market for baby wipes (even for your own face), surely you’ll be known as the friend who gives good gift by handing this off to parents in need.

The theme of this photo contest is FIRSTS. To enter, register free at Stephanie Klein Social and sign in. Once you’ve signed in, go to the photos link/tab at the top and "ADD PHOTOS" link on the top right. The image you choose to upload should be a photo (old or new) that either you yourself have taken, or that someone has taken of you, and can be of anything, so long as it’s original art (not something you stole off someone’s flickr site) that somehow ties into the theme of firsts.

Once the photo has been uploaded, you’ll receive a confirmation email along with a link to your image. Click the link and add a description of the photo, including why you chose it, what it represents.

Although this diaper bag prize is directed at parents, anyone and everyone can participate. If you’re shy, why not at least help vote and rate the incoming entries? The contest will run for a week, giving everyone enough time to upload their photo of choice, and then the top five photos will be voted upon to determine the winner.

I’m hoping to make this a monthly photo contest, with different prizes each time. This month’s winner will get to choose the theme for next month’s contest. And of course, they’ll walk away with the bag of goods, worth over $500.