*sigh* Allow.
I can’t afford to go to BlogHer this year. Conference registration plus round-trip airfare plus my share of a hotel room plus extra money for dinners and such = way more money than I can justify spending. “Tax deductible” doesn’t really help me, either.
They are having a two-week “Reach Out” tour this year, going to six different cities for one day conferences in October. Those are in Boston, Washington D.C., Greensboro, Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans. I might possibly maybe be able to afford a trip to one of those locations but there’s no way to predict that now.
Man, this sucks. Now I know how Jennster felt last year.
edited to add: BlogHer is also holding six one-day conferences this year, called “Reach Out”. This is the info from their website:
We’re taking this show on the road! For the first time ever, BlogHer is launching a two-week tour, bringing all the highlights of the annual event to six different cities. These one-day conferences will feature a broad range of topics and speakers, cocktail parties for networking and socializing, and a little bit of local flavor. We’ll be focusing on topics that seem to resonate strongest in each city, and looking for your local bloggers to lead the discussions.
Exact dates and locations TBD, but the tour is planned for October, 2008 with stops in Boston, Washington DC, Greensboro, Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
*NOTE: Dates for the Reach Out Tour are NOT final. Stay tuned!
Boston*, 15 October 2008
Washington DC*, 16 October 2008
Greensboro*, 17 October 2008
Nashville*, 18 October 2008
Atlanta*, 19 October 2008
New Orleans*, 20 October 2008
Since my friend and fellow blogger Mimi lives near Atlanta, we are planning on meeting up for the Atlanta conference on October 19th. Anyone else wanna come?
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That was me last year.
If you can’t find a way to go (any BlogHerShips still available, to cut down on registration fees?) do yourself a favor and DON’T read all the happy posts about the conference. Not being in Chicago last year made me crazy, and reading how I’d missed the BEST ONE YET was depressing.
I vowed I would never miss another, no matter what.
Another thing to remember: Since you earn an income from your blogging activities, BlogHer is a total tax deduction, as the networking you will do can lead to more and better paying work. Think about that.
Donna’s last blog post..links for 2008-02-06
It’s hard I know. My husband went to Google Headquarters in Mountainview last month for the KDE launch. He was on a press junket for his blog RackIT. His trip was almost entirely paid for. Now I have a press pass for Affilaite Summit in Lad Vegas this month. But the plane and the hotel and everything else is stretching my budget, especially with five kids. However, I need to get out there for business reasons, so trying to make it happen. Believe me I understand how you feel.
Michelle Gartner’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday ~ Look It’s Edward Fry Hands (Govt. Plot Exposed- the US is cloning Super Potatoes)!
Twitter: pz5wjj
says:
I can’t afford to go either.
We’ll go to the one in Atlanta together! Come stay with me!
pz5wjj/mimi’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: 50′s Day at School
Twitter: Table4Five
says:
Donna-And you’ll be there in San Fran, right? So we’ll miss meeting up AGAIN!
Because I was a Session Leader last year, I got free registration. I think they try not to give those out to the same people, so I’m not even sure I would be eligible for one this year. I can check, though.
I’m very confused about the whole business aspect of blogging. I met with an H&R Block advisor and she said I could only claim blogging as a business if I had a home office that was a separate room from the rest of the house, a business computer account, a business phone, etc. So I am a little afraid to take any blogging related deductions!
Twitter: Table4Five
says:
Michelle-I know how you feel, my husband travels regularly for his job too, and it’s totally paid for. Meanwhile, I can’t afford to take the ONE trip I was looking forward to this year!
Twitter: Table4Five
says:
Mimi-I’m editing the post to include the BlogHer “Reach Out” info. I’m definitely planning on attending the Atlanta conference!
It will NOT be the same without you. It just won’t.
Have you entered the contest on BlogHer (click the special offers link) that is giving away not only entrance registration but plane fare as well?
Everyone who is struggling with money right now should enter – including YOU.
Denise’s last blog post..Fan Boy and Goth Girl
I’m 2 hours from Atlanta! Count me in!
Chandra’s last blog post..WFMW- Inbox Dollars
Sorry to hear that, Elizabeth. Any blogger would love to go.
Jean-Luc Picard’s last blog post..T’Pol & Britney In The Mirror Universe (Part Two)
I was going to suggest the contest too, but some one beat me to it. I think there will be other such contests in the pipeline too.
Also re: taxes: I do not have a separate room for my home office, I literally have a corner of my dining room. I provided the square footage of that corner, and from there my CPA calculates my deductions for both space and utilities. If you make enough income from blogging you can deduct expenses associated with it, even if you had no home office at all. (Sort of like I used to be an actor, and you had to have a minimum amount of income from acting to deduct acting-related expenses.)
I would try another tax person!
Wow. They have something against the west coast, don’t they?
Yeah, it’s expensive and the biggest problem is that San Fran is not a city Bossy wants to ignore while she’s at conferences. Siiiigh. There is a contest on BlogHer right now for an all-expense ride though – are you in?
Twitter: Table4Five
says:
Bossy-I know! Like, if I’m going to go to San Francisco, I want to have time to enjoy it. And that contest involves writing an engaging post about how I’m improving my health in 2008-they are getting posts from people who are changing their family to an all-natural, free-range, vegan, only-locally-grown diet. I’m serving my family Tuna Helper.
Hopefully there will be another contest, or I’ll just stick to the one day conference in Atlanta
I have begun blogging when i take a break from the free gaming sites and for me the fact that it is anonymous is very appealling and allows me to say what i feel. So a conference where you get to meet people is scarey and you couldnt PAY me enough to attend
well you never know elizabeth! blogher has a way of working out for you- SO DON’T GIVE UP!!!!
jennster’s last blog post..and then i cried in my car..