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Dear readers of MY blog Table for Five, I have to tell you something

April 30, 2010 By

It all started with Google Alerts.  I subscribe to an alert for “Table for Five”.   A couple of months ago, I got an alert for a post on “Table for Five Reviews and Giveaways”.

I clicked the link.

Sure enough, it took me to a  blog with that title, a blog started in January 2010 by a woman with three kids.  I thought to myself well, maybe she didn’t realize there’s already a blog called Table for Five.

So I emailed her.

I very politely pointed out that my blog is almost five years old, that I post reviews and giveaways, and that calling her blog the same name as mine would just confuse her readers.  I asked her to consider changing the name of her  blog.

She emailed me back and said NO.  No, she said, it’s too late to change the name (which, no it’s not), and besides she already had a Facebook page set up and she was so proud of herself for doing it, and she wasn’t going to change it. Period.

WELL THEN.

I got an email this morning from one of my RSS email subscribers.  When he got the email with my latest post, it reminded him that he was having trouble entering one of my giveaways because of a confusing requirement. He wanted to know what the requirement meant, because he’s never had trouble entering one of my giveaways before. You know where this is going, right?

IT WASN’T MY GIVEAWAY.

It was a giveaway on this other blog.  I had to reply to him and tell him he had the wrong Table for Five.

My regular readers know how hard I’ve worked to build the reputation of this blog.  I join social networks, I go to events, I pass out business cards. I comment on other blogs, I support the blogging community with my words every chance I get.  I introduce myself at events as “Elizabeth from Table for Five”.  I know it’s a cliche, but I think of Table for Five as MY BRAND.

And in a matter of months, someone else came along and well, stole it from me. Why did I never trademark the name? I guess I’ve always figured that since there’s a movie called Table for Five and a book called Table for Five, that I couldn’t trademark it.  No one was going to confuse a listing on Google for one of my blog posts for the movie or the book, so I didn’t think it was a problem.

But someone flat out using the name of my blog for their own, just adding “reviews and giveaways” to it? That’s a problem.

I’ve gone back and forth over what to do. I’ve sought advice from my closest blogging friends and  from my husband.  I’ve thought long and hard about YOU, my dear readers. And what I’ve decided is that all of you will be able to tell the difference between me and her.  I’ve also made another very important decision.

I’m not going to do reviews and giveaways on this blog any more.  Does that mean I’m giving in? Letting her win?  I guess so. But what I need right now is less stress, not more. If she wants to be the Table for Five reviews and giveaways blog, fine.  I”m going to be the bigger person here.

Let me show you something.

Blog Header

That is my blog header from around 2006. See the tagline? “A blog about my family, books, music, movies, TV and more”.  Starting today, Table for Five is going back to where it began – as a personal blog.  Reviews and giveaways will be exclusively on MomReviews.    Those of you who subscribed to this blog as part of a giveaway, I truly hope you will stick around.  I think I do okay as a blogger and I hope you’ll read what I have to say.

And to that other blogger, well, good luck to her.

Filed Under: Born to Blog Tagged With: ,

Brooke Shields talks about “Furry Vengeance”

April 29, 2010 By

Last week I had the pleasure of joining a small group of bloggers on a conference call to talk to Brooke Shields about the movie Furry Vengeance, which opens this Friday in theaters.  If you haven’t seen the trailer, Furry Vengeance stars Brooke, Brendan Fraser, Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”), Samantha Bee (“The Daily Show” ), Matt Prokop (“High School Musical 3″), and a bunch of cute but ruthless forest animals.

Synopsis: A real estate developer moves his family to rural Oregon for his work on a new housing project. But construction threatens the local forest population and the animals come out with fur and feathers flying, seeking to sabotage construction and save their homes.

My question for Brooke was why she had chosen to do this movie in particular. Her answer – “The opportunity  to work with Brendan, the chance to make a kids’ movie, and to entertain adults with smart humor”.

For her answers to the rest of the questions, I just typed as fast as I could and paraphrased what she said.  Here’s what I got from the interview:

  • what she liked best about making the movie – director said “trust me”, gathered best comics around, leap of faith, best time she’s ever had on a movie
  • imperative to educate kids on the importance of the environment without being preachy
  • her kids feel empowered by the abillity to protect the environment
  • does being a Mom affect her career choices?  was incredibly focused and ambitious performer, took precedence over everything. having children shifted her focus to considering the entirety of her life
  • is still able to be as passionate about her work but finds herself wanting to enjoy her work
  • has a desire for her kids’ respect, knows she has to earn it
  • we need films with smart humor that entertains the whole family
  • watch for the end credits, they filmed an entire music video!
  •  is it harder to make a movie than TV?  very different energy, more controlled, a bit harder to sustain since you have to redo the comedy
  • Brendan one of the most incredible talents she’s ever worked with, very intelligent. Generous with other actors, will highlight other actors’ talents

Furry Vengeance opens in theaters tomorrow.  I’d like to thank Ryan from Summit Entertainment for inviting me to join the conference call, and thank you Brooke Shields for taking time to talk to us!

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A Blogging Declaration of Independence courtesy of IzzyMom

April 29, 2010 By
Declaration of Independence
Image by Cornell University Library via Flickr

In 2006, one of the most kick-ass bloggers I know wrote a post on her blog IzzyMom she called a  “declaration of independence from all ridiculous and counterproductive thoughts and behaviors related to blogging.”

I am long overdue for re-reading this. I’ve been obsessing about comments on my posts (or lack thereof) and trying to please everyone except myself.

It was relevant in 2006 and it’s still relevant today, so for anyone who has been stressing out over their blog, here you go:

A Blogging Declaration of Independence

1. I will only write when I feel like writing. I will not allow myself to feel obligated to write a blog post or do any other blog-related activity if I don’t feel like it.

2. I will no longer stop to consider if a post will be boring to other people or use that as a deciding factor in what I write.

3. I will write from my heart and remember that my blog is about me and whatever I want to write about.

4. I will not compare myself to other bloggers.

5. I will not allow myself to feel bad if I notice that someone doesn’t come to my blog anymore.

6. I will not concern myself with comments or stat counters or other numeric devices that might have the ability to affect my mood or what I write.

7. I will not feel bad if something I care about doesn’t get a lot of feedback or comments.

8. I will always try to remember that blogging is a hobby first and foremost. When it stops being fun, I will step away and re-evaluate.

9. I will no longer feel guilty about not commenting “as much as I should” because my first responsibility is to myself and my kids. Though I love reading and connecting with other bloggers, real life needs to come first.

10. I will make an effort to not get lost in blogging. Just because I can while away an entire evening in the blogsophere with relative ease doesn’t mean I should.

11. I will not worry about losing readers if I change my focus from time to time.

12. I will be true to myself and my feelings. I will be cranky if that’s how I feel. Being a diplomat 24-7 is just exhausting and unnatural.

13. I will try really hard to fight that feeling that I am missing out on something if I’m not reading and commenting on blogs.

14. In committing myself to this declaration, I am setting myself free so that I can enjoy blogging more and stress about it less.

15. I will update and add to this declaration as necessary.

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