Additional images by Justin Hackwork and b.a.d. photography

Last week I flew to Salt Lake City, Utah to attend the 2012 Altitude Design Summit. It’s a professional conference for those of us in social media focused on the design, style and creative space.

At least that’s the official definition of it.

What really defines this bootcamp for your creativity, design and writing passion is the cocktail of inspiration, reality checks, hardcore skills, collaboration, intelligent discourse, style, laughter and lightbulbs. And food.

But the lightbulbs and reality checks? Oh, man. Those are the stuff.

Blogging is hard work. It may look easy and fun (and, make no mistake, it’s a blast), but “easy” is an illusion – to the readers and to those that want to start this adventure. It’s art and science and me and you and magic all at once but it’s not the kind of magic that just HAPPENS.

There was a panel I attended that had a slide by Meg from A Practical Wedding that simply said,

“There is no G-d in the machine.”

Truer words have never been shared. No matter what job or niche or project or industry you work in, there is only hard, continual, focused work.

I needed to be reminded of that even after doing this for six years.

These conferences are not to promote and stroke egos. They are for learning and sharing and understanding we are accountable to DO BETTER. Our readers are earned. Our relationships with them and the brands we choose to work with are holy.

Every comment has meaning, every tweet is a conversation, every post shared with friends or family is a gift. Honor that. DO BETTER.

The collage up above is made up of images and moments from the conference itself. I had some extraordinary opportunities while I was there and some of the images hint at a few of them.

But, don’t worry. I can’t wait to share them.

Life List Item: Attend Alt Summit. CHECK.

I’ve not met Yuli Ziv personally, but I have followed her business adventures as head of Style Coalition for well over a year. When her book, Blogging Your Way to the Front Row, came out a few months ago, I had it down to grab it and highlight the ever-loving hell out of the pages, but somehow my task list grew longer and that particular one was put aside.

It shouldn’t have been.

So when I saw her tweet about an Amazon promotion for a free Kindle-version download last week, I knew it was the fates kicking me in the shins and I immediately downloaded it.

Here is the first thing you need to know: Of all the books I’ve ever downloaded on my Kindle iPhone app, I’ve never (EVER) bought the hard copy of the book.

Until now. It is this good and I want a hard copy to dog ear and highlight and serve as a reminder about what it takes to really succeed in the business of blogging.

Here is why I want to own the hardcopy as well as the electronic copy. Yuli is a straight shooter. She has run the gauntlet of starting business and blogs and has the bruises (and lessons) to prove it. Her experience creating Style Coalition and clawing out a position for fashion and style bloggers is real and hard fought.

The book is easy to read, full of well-seasoned advice and the end of every section has strategic, powerful and ACTIONABLE items for you to do – each important and thought-provoking. It covers strategy for voice, branding, relationship building and revenue, but the most interesting thing the book does (in my mind) is that it also covers the psychology of bloggers. It may be geared toward fashion/style bloggers, but anyone who has spent any length of time in the blogosphere and is thinking about turning their site into a business will see themselves in these discussions as well.

I’ve been to a number of “mom blog” conferences and have heard a lot of panels discuss a lot of what is covered in this book, but even with that experience I found this book to challenge me to think just a little differently – and that is hard to do.

If you have any interest in looking at your site as a business – in any form, and no matter what blogging niche you are part of – I’d really tell you to grab a highlighter, this book and your brain. You won’t regret it.

Thanks, Yuli – this is a great way to kick off 2012.

Buy it at Amazon: Hardcopy | Kindle

We did it together

Yesterday, Cecily was alerted to a book that was being sold on Amazon that is a “How-to-Guide” for pedophilia. Specifically how a pedophile might be able to receive a lesser sentence by modifying his/her approaches – but that pedophilia is ultimate okay and should be celebrated.

Not surprisingly, the Internet lost its mind. There was outrage and disgust that the book was even available for sale on Amazon and a request to them to remove it from their inventory. Under the guise of “censorship”, Amazon refused and, once again, the Internet responded. LOUDLY.

This was not censorship. This was a business decision. A bad one. There are several great responses to this situation from a variety of view points — all well thought out. Here are a few:

Backpacking Dad: A slippery slope argument only works when you show that the slope is SLIPPERY, not that it’s a slope.

Shannon: Amazon and Moral Codes

Milehimama provides a timeline of events for those that want to catch up.

Today we found out the book was pulled. The kids won. We should all be proud of that.

Cecily took a great amount of heat from some folks who believed it was censorship – and that she (and the rest of us) were acting like Internet bullies. There was a lot of talk of “mobs” and “radical” and “Big Brother”. There were threats and name calling. In many cases it quickly went from an argument to a fight.

Cecily has a great deal of notoriety on the Internet and because of this and the success of the efforts yesterday, has received more information about other books in the same genre.

This is not Cecily’s job. It’s your job. And my job. We all have a voice and a reach. For all the talk of the dangers of social media, it can do a great amount of good in the world. I hope you’ll join the conversation. I hope you’ll advocate when you can. Yesterday’s efforts exposed a company in need of a moral compass – and saved children from sexual victimization.

Yesterday it was a good day on the Internet.

I began a project tonight that has become infinitely more interesting than it started. I wanted to make an inspiration board for my closet. A touchstone for personal style.

Luckily I had two months of style magazines stacked up next to the bed so I had endless content to edit for only the pieces I wanted to use a true inspiration. After I was done ripping pages and shredding copies I took a pair of scissors and began trimming certain pictures down so that there was only a small edge. Some of the pictures were of models in full ensembles and as I trimmed around them their forms took on a different shape. Instead of being a part of a page they stood on their own. It reminded of playing paper dolls as a little girl.

It also reminded me of something else. I dabble around with some pretty things and some ensembles over at AccessoryWhore, but the truth is I kinda really love it. I wish I had more access to the style world. I wish I could talk with designers and see them work and get a chance at the sneak peeks of collections before others and giddily marvel at the latest artistic creations. And it is artistic to me – at least the great ones are.

I have a blog post from Karen bookmarked in my favorites that I’ve gone back to two or three times in the past few months. It’s all about figuring out what you really love to do – in work and in life. She has an exercise she did to discover those core things that she describes in her post. I’ve avoided doing that exercise quite consciously for awhile, but I’m getting to where I’m having a hard time avoiding it now.

There are things pulling me in different directions. Opportunities. There are also frustrations pushing at me as well. At some point something will give – it always does, right? I just think this time I’d like to have some say in the matter and apply some sort of thoughtfulness to the situation. Be able to really evaluate things. Be selective in my choices.

I’m on the hunt for a good french memo board or cork board that will fit in my designated closet space – then I’ll show you what I’ve collected.

What about you? Do you keep an inspiration file?

The nice folks over at Mom It Forward are having me over for drinks today for some final thoughts on the Ultimate Closet Challenge I did in September. Go check them out – they’re nice folks. And while you’re at it? Check out Aimee’s lovely photography tips for Fall pictures!

Now that the challenge is over, I get to wear WHATEVER I WANT. So I did. There’s nothing like a (mostly) fall day and a lunch date!

I’m over at Accessory Whore today kicking off Felicia Sullivan’s Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge.  It’s Day One!  Come join me — Or at least let me cry on your shoulder when this gets really hard.

xo,

Pam

For all the talk around the blogosphere these days about brand and mission and purpose and authenticity and marketing I’ve found that I don’t really always fit that model – and that’s okay.  This place is more of a discussion – sometimes it’s with you and sometimes it’s just with myself.  But this beginning task has helped me think through some focus for this outsidevoice of mine – and that’s a good thing no matter where this site ends up.

So here is my mission statement:

…When I close my eyes my life is a magazine editorial.  Styled for ease and elegance and a hint of audacious.  Full of information that makes you think and full of stories that make you laugh.  Like the type, things are pretty black and white around here.  Come join the table – bring a good argument, a great cocktail and an evening bag full of wicked and you’ll fit in just fine…  

I am taking part in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge.  This is Day 1.

It’s interesting to me that this person would think that just because you want to discuss fashion that you may have missed the point that conferences like BlogHer serve greater purposes like new connections, new friendships and tons of education.  As if discussing what you want to wear and being excited about getting a little dressed up or buying a new pair of shoes was all that defined you as a woman or an attendee.

I found it really sad that by making this comment it could deflate the enthusiasm of a newbie/first time attendee.  Where’s the Blogging with Integrity?  Where’s the support for others to come and join the fun and learn?  Exactly when did it become okay to limit the discussion on the internet to only what YOU find interesting or acceptable?  The internet’s big enough for all discussions – so back off the clothes, if you don’t mind, and consider for a moment a few things.

These are women – traveling to a conference who may or may not know a soul and want that extra shot of confidence from looking and feeling good.  LET THEM.  PROVIDE GUIDANCE.  HELP THEM OUT.  If you had a big job interview with a large organization you’d think about what you want to wear and make sure you’re outsides matches the confidence you have your abilities inside.  This is no different.  People want to dress appropriately – why is that so wrong to discuss?

These are also SMART women who know pretty clearly that two days of educational sessions and hours and hours of networking during fantastic experiences are not successfully executed solely on their wardrobe.  An uninteresting and narcissistic asshole with nothing to offer in Dolce & Gabbana pants is still an asshole.  We’re all old enough to know that by now.

And if you happened to have looked on the schedule for BlogHer you’ll notice there’s a fantastic ROYO session specifically for those of us who have an interest in fashion and blogging about it. 

So I’d ask you to give these women a break – and the benefit of the doubt while you’re at it.  For the hours and days and weeks and months of hard work of being a mom and wife and an employee and a daughter and a friend they put in, they are allowed to be excited about a great few days away to celebrate themselves and stretch their wings.  And if they want to get excited about what shoes go best with those wings – well more power to them.

And she’s right. For all the great things social media and this digital age brings there is a side that can feel defeating. Isn’t it easy to see who’s traveling the world, holding the dream job, saving lives, making policy, making people laugh and building a second home?

There’s the girl who became beautiful long after you lost touch. The quiet boy who is now smart and handsome. The technology innovator you never knew. The stay at home mom who looks like she has it all together. The one who had a book published. The one who is working with rock bands.

It can be unnerving, our friends’ success. The second guessing of choices. The “what ifs” that creep in at the weaker moments.

There is a movement going around many blogs asking people to write a letter to their 20 year old selves. It’s an interesting exercise, isn’t it? In many cases sites like Facebook bring you virtually face to face with your life as a 20 year old. How does it look 20 years later?

I think it’s that mirror effect of Facebook that’s so hard sometimes. I don’t begrudge other people their success – and I know that for all the openness and rawness that makes the Internet so compelling and interesting we’re all still putting a measured picture of ourselves out there. It’s the daily exercise of facing old decisions – good, bad or never made – that can wear on you.

Living in the present is hard. Hell, there are times where living in the moment is damn near impossible. But trying to integrate that “life as a 20 year old” with “a life today” – well, it’s still a work in progress.

You guys! Want to help me cross off a life list item?

OF COURSE YOU DO.

While at BlogHer ’10 in New York City, I want to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s not only a Life List item for me, but also right before I turn 40 and, really? I think celebrating in NYC is the way to go. Also? What better time to accomplish it than at BlogHer! The lovely Amber is going to join the fun because helping someone complete a Life List item is on HER Life List. See how this just gets cooler every sentence?

OF COURSE YOU DO.

I’m thinking the weekend is jam packed with exciting things already, but perhaps all who are interested can gather that Sunday morning (August 8th) for the stroll before heading out of town? If you want to join the party which may include other fun things yet to be determined, leave me a comment or find me on Twitter and we’ll see what kind of hungover brave group we get for the event.

(I’m looking at you, ladies of 1970!)

This is gonna be awesome. Join me!