Tuesday, March 20, 2012

TXSC: What I Wore & What I Said

I know I usually start my posts off with images, but this time words are more important. I can't even begin to describe my gratitude for the outpouring of kind words, support, advice, and commiseration left on Friday's post. I often feel very guarded when it comes to what I write on my blog, over the past couple of years my life has had a fair share of ups and downs (like anyone's would), and most of the time, I just didn't know how to put those "downs" in to words. I've been reading each and every comment left, taking them all in, and all I can say is: you are some pretty incredible ladies. Seriously, seriously, incredible ladies.

And now to undertake the task of recapping all that was Texas. This will not be in order, let's start on a more positive note with the one fully sunny day we had. White-ass legs, meet world:
In This Outfit:
Dress: Dear Creatures (ModCloth super sale)
Belt: J.Crew (oooold)
Bracelets: various friendship bracelets
Shoes c/o Lulu's

Every time I pack a new suitcase, I think to myself "this is it, Julie. This is the time you pack a perfect suitcase". It never is. I always end up with a weird assortment of things that don't exactly match, and then a big bag of big shoes that I'm sure airport security finds suspicious. However, I did manage to keep my wits about me and pack a simple outfit for Sunday's Social Media Symposium. It was perfect because it worked, my sleep deprived self could throw it together and go: chambray dress, pop of accessories, mega-shoes. Done. No rocket science required. That pink stripe is fake, by the way, hair chalk! It's awesome!

When Indiana contacted me back in January about speaking this year at the Texas Style Counsel Conference, I felt incredibly honored, and totally freaked out. Despite having spoken in front of thousands of high school and college students during my admissions days, there was something... intimidating about speaking in front of fellow bloggers. THE TWEETS! And what if I started to sweat? Got shakey? Babbled about my cats? Well, have no fear...because I managed to do all of those things.

The panel I spoke on was titled Blog Balance: Why Your Blog is not Your Life, I was paired with three other amazing bloggers: Veronica of Tick Tock Vintage, Diya of In Her Stilettos, and Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly, all moderated by Macala of Fashionably Marketing Me. Live Life in Style was kind enough to film an excerpt of our talk (this isn't the whole thing):

Want to know what I was really afraid of? Offending someone. I know, I wish I had gotten over it. There was SO much I wish I had the guts to say, especially when asked our first question: why we choose to not blog full-time. Also, yes, I'm completely contradicting myself when I start talking about stepping back and not stressing yourself out, again, see Friday's post where I implode.

What do you think of full-time blogging? Is your blog your hobby? Do you aspire to blog full-time? Why do or don't you? At one point- after I had left Admissions- I considered blogging full-time for a hot second, but realized that, like photography (what my degree is in), blogging was a hobby that I loved, but not the career I wanted. 

If anyone has questions for me about the panel, I would be happy to answer them either in the comments section or on Orchid Grey's Facebook page (link on the side bar above).

Have a great Tuesday and thank you for reading xo