Day 5 of my 4th Blogoversary celebration! With a giveaway from Edenfantasys.com!

It's been an exciting week here in Mommy Needs Therapy land! My blogs 4th birthday! My first week of contests! The first time I'm giving away something that will make you squee with pleasure well, if you are one of those noisy ladies anyway...heh! And I'm not talking about the six-month supply of laundry detergent I'm giving away either! (But, you can still enter that contest if you didn't already!)

Drew G. with Eden Fantasys, my favorite adult toy store, has generously agreed to help me celebrate my 4th Blogoversary with a fun, fun, fun giveaway!

He gave me a couple options to choose from:

I Rub my Wormie

The I Rub my Wormie well you know I do, but we are talking about YOU right now!

This discreet sex toy looks like an innocent massager, perfect for when you’d like to have a vibrator handy but don’t necessarily want to leave one out for your mother-in-law the babysitter all to see.

Press the button on the tail to select one of three vibration speeds to suit your pleasure. The petite sectioned body, large round head, and nubby feet on the underside all feel great against your body.

Completely waterproof, the I Rub My Wormie Travel Size can join you in the bathtub or shower for some wet and wild fun.

And it comes in either pink or green! Cute, cute, cute!

Or, this one:

Bondage Duckie

Snuggly bound in its shiny black corset and spiked collar, the bondage duck is your best pal in a bathtub. Use it simply as a water toy or squeeze its back to make it a sensual clitoral stimulator. With powerful yet quiet vibrations the duck is also ideal as a general-purpose massager. It is completely waterproof and it floats.

Keeping this one away from your kids is entirely on you! I know I'd have to find somewhere better than the sock drawer for this little duckie!


When it came down to it, I couldn't decide! So you get to choose! If you win that is!

Because this is such an awesome giveaway, and because we should all have our own toys for the bathtub, I'm giving you several ways to enter! Just leave a comment on this post for each entry.

1. Leave a comment here and tell me which toy you would choose.
2. Follow my blog (on the right sidebar, scroll down towards the bottom)
3. Tell me about your fave adult toy (I'm always looking for new ones to try!)
4. Follow @drewg78 on Twitter
5. Follow @momneedstherapy (that's me!) on Twitter
6. Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #efneedstherapy and link to this post - you can tweet once a day, just come back and leave me a comment each time!

Don't forget to enter the giveaways from earlier in the week! Thanks for helping me celebrate my 4th Blogoversary!

You have until Wednesday, August 19th at midnight to enter. I'll announce all the winners on Friday, August 21st. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents!!!

Day four of my 4th Blogoversary celebration! Help me celebrate with an AWESOME giveaway!

Today I have an awesome giveaway for you guys! A six-month supply of Dropps laundry detergent!

I know!!!!

I guess it's the mom in me, but a six-month supply of laundry detergent excites me! I mean, this is stuff you will really use! And frankly, I'm jealous, because no one is giving me a six-month supply!

Earlier this summer my 20+ year old washing machine finally died. RIP Maytag, but hallelujah and hello new Electrolux front-loading HE washer!! I could wax poetic on this washing machine, but I'll restrain myself. Just know that I LOVE it! And since we do a load of laundry almost every day trying to keep up with Noah's swim trunks, towels, and camp clothes, I've had a chance to try out a number of laundry detergents in it. And I'll be honest, I think most laundry detergents work just fine when it comes to actually getting the clothes clean provided you pretreat stains, use the correct water temperature and washer settings, and don't over-fill the machine.

So now you are probably asking yourself "well heck, if that's what she thinks about laundry detergent why is she even bothering to review it." And I'm so glad you asked! Because what excites me about laundry detergent are things like convenience, cost, if it is "green," and yes, the scent.

And Dropps hits a home run in all those areas! (Yes, my husband is watching baseball...again!)

Dropps comes in tiny, pre-measured dissolvable pacs so it is super easy to use. No mess, no heavy jugs, no measuring. And it's an eco-friendly, green product that helps you leave a smaller footprint on the environment. I love the smell of the Fresh Scent version, but it also comes Scent + Dye Free, and there is a baby version - Dropps Baby (Scent, Dye, and Enzyme Free).

Dropps is available online at amazon.com, samsclub.com, target.com, cvs.com, drugstore.com, and walmart.com in addition to select stores nationwide. It looks like the average price is around $7 for a 20-pac bag, less if you buy in bulk.

You know what else I love about Dropps? They are located in Philadelphia!


And, as I said, they are giving away a six month supply to one of you! That's six 20-load pouches!

To enter is easy! Just leave a comment on this entry! To enter a second time become a member/follower of my blog (on the right sidebar, scroll down towards the bottom) and leave a comment telling me you already follow me or just started! Don't forget to leave your email address!

I'll have giveaways going on all week, so check back tomorrow and don't forget to enter the ones from earlier in the week! Make sure to come back tomorrow when I'll be giving away a little somethin' somethin' from my fave online adult toy store, Eden Fantasys!

You have until Wednesday, August 19th at midnight to enter. I'll announce all the winners on Friday, August 21st.

Sorry, this giveaway is only open to US addresses. :( But tomorrows giveaway is open to US and Canada! So don't forget to come back!

Day three of my 4th blogoversary celebration! Help me celebrate with a giveaway!

**Today's review and giveaway is from Stonyfield Farms and their YoBaby line of organic yogurt!**

At BlogHer a couple weeks ago I was fortunate to sit at a table with Sarah from Stonyfield Farm one morning! She passed on lots of information and some coupons to me, and more importantly told me about their new product YoBaby 3 in 1 meals.

I'll admit to being excited when she told me it contained fruit AND vegetables. I've written before about what a horrible eater Kiel is! The only fruit he will eat right now is an occasional banana (and only if he can eat it like a monkey - so don't dare take the peel all the way off!). He actually eats a slightly larger variety of vegetables. That is if you consider pees, carrots and baked beans a "variety."

So we tried the new 3 in 1 Meals and they are a hit with Kiel. Yeah! The only issue I have is they aren't as thick as the O'Soy yogurt he is used to, and since he insists on feeding himself it is pretty messy. Today I tried mixing it in a sippy cup with some V8 VFusion and he sucked it down! Anything to get some more fruit and veggies in him!

Here's a little more info about it:

YoBaby Turns 10 – and ‘Grows Up’ with New YoBaby Meals

3-in-1 meals provide convenience and nutrition

with a unique mix of tastes in one cup

Londonderry, NH – June 9, 2009 – Stonyfield Farm’s YoBaby turns 10 this year, and marks the occasion by growing its line to include new YoBaby Meals.

YoBaby Meals offer a unique 3-in-1 combination of protein-packed yogurt + fruit + veggie purée in one cup. They’re an easy, delicious and surprising way to help moms give their babies and toddlers a trio of important food groups at every meal.

Three delicious flavors -- Pear & Green Bean, Peach & Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato – are just right for baby’s growing appetite. And the single serve 6-ounce cup offers 50% more than current 4-ounce YoBaby multipacks.

One mom-tester was amazed at the great taste of these unique combinations – and babies and toddlers agreed!

YoBaby Meals are convenient nutrition, providing more than 35% of a toddler’s daily protein and calcium needs in one grab-n-go cup. And this is an easy way to get veggies!

YoBaby Organic Meals hit natural food store shelves nationwide July 1 and select grocery chains. Suggested retail price is $1.29* for a single 6-ounce serving.

*I found it at Wegman's for $1.09. They currently include a coupon on the inside of the foil lid to buy two get one free.


Stonyfield is offering one of my readers a YoBaby prize package that includes a YoBaby bag, a travel YoBaby bowl with lid and utensils, an Eric Carle growth chart, an organic YoBaby bib, and 5 FREE YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals coupons.



To enter is easy! Just leave a comment on this entry! If you have any advice on how to get Kiel to eat more I'm all ears! To enter a second time just become a member/follower of my blog (on the right sidebar, scroll down towards the bottom) and leave a comment telling me you already follow me or just started! Don't forget to leave your email address!

I'll have giveaways going on all week, so check back tomorrow and don't forget to enter the ones from earlier in the week! Make sure to come back on Friday when I'll be giving away a little somethin' somethin' from my fave online adult toy store, Eden Fantasys!

You have until Wednesday, August 19th at midnight to enter. I'll announce all the winners on Friday, August 21st.

Sorry, this giveaway is for US addresses only. :(

Day two of my 4th blogoversary celebration! Help me celebrate with a giveaway!

A couple weeks ago Kirsten from Bristols 6 emailed me to tell me about Nippies and Nippies Natural.

This is what Kirsten had to say about Nippies:

Nippies Natural and Nippies from Bristols 6 are essentials for moms hitting up the pool with toddlers that hang on to your swimsuit. Our high-quality cover-ups shape curves and shields from overexposure and 'chilly' waters, giving stylish moms the confidence to wear a bathing suit without worry!

Nippies Natural is the first adhesive silicone nipple cover that is thin and matte, making it undetectable under clothing and swimsuits. The adhesive and non-adhesive versions are washable/waterproof/reusable, making it a budget-friendly find that you can wear during the day at the pool or out to dinner with your hubby.

For 'haute' mamas who want colorful coverage, Nippies are made from real lingerie fabrics in designer-inspired prints and sparkling sequins. Nippies are soft, stretchy and slightly supportive coverage in over 40 styles that coordinate with any bathing suit or outfit!

Now, I don't wear a bathing suit very often like never if I can help it, so I'm not too worried about nip slippage in the pool. Hell, I'm actually not that worried about nip slippage out of the pool either. After breast feeding I'm pretty immune to the fear of the ladies showing themselves at all, much to the dismay of my husband.

But, one thing I really don't like is when the "Pointer Sisters" decide to make an appearance. You know, when it looks like you are smuggling Tic Tacs in your bra, although in my case its more like Raisonettes than it is Tic Tacs, or maybe even Goobers (gotta love pregnancy and breast feeding!). I hate sitting in a meeting and suddenly realizing my high beams are showing. For some reason that embarrasses me more than if my entire breast popped out.

So I'm thinking I should probably get myself a set of Nippies just for those times I need to feel extra professional and know everyone's eyes are on my face and not my chest.

To help me celebrate my 4th Blogoversary, Bristol6 has offered to give away a set of fabric Nippies of your choice to one of my lucky readers!

To enter is easy! Check out Bristols 6's website and then leave a comment on this entry and tell me which is your favorite Nippies design! To enter a second time just become a member/follower of my blog (on the right sidebar, scroll down towards the bottom) and leave a comment telling me you already follow me or just started! For a bonus entry tell me a funny or embarrassing story about you and "the girls." You know we all have one!

I'll have give-a-ways going on all week, so check back tomorrow and don't forget to enter yesterdays give away! Make sure to come back on Friday when I'll be giving away a little somethin' somethin' from my fave online adult toy store, Eden Fantasys!

You have until Wednesday, August 19th at midnight to enter. I'll announce all the winners on Friday, August 21st.

Sorry, this giveaway is for US addresses only. :(

Day one of my 4th blogoversary celebration! Help me celebrate with a giveaway!

**Once again MyBlogSpark has given me the opportunity to try something new and also share it with one of my readers! Thanks MyBlogSpark for participating in my 4th Blogoversary Week of Giveaways!**

Do you remember Kix cereal from your childhood? I do! At least I remember the commercials. I also remember it as one of those cereals that I always wanted my mom to buy, but she never would! Seriously, I was deprived people! Now I really have no idea why she wouldn't buy it for us because it's not one of those high sugar cereals like the other cereals my brother and I always begged for (like Sugar Smacks and Corn Pops and Fruit Loops - yum!!). We were more the Cheerios kind of family I guess. See people, just another one of the many reasons that I need therapy that I can blame on my mother. Heh.

So, General Mills has a new flavor of Kix cereal now - Honey Kix.

My boys tried it and it was a hit. They are big cereal lovers in general, so I wasn't at all surprised. And I have to say, I liked it too. Now that I have "mature" tastes I actually prefer a cereal that isn't too sweet.


Here's a little bit of info that I was given about the cereal:

We are excited to offer you Honey Kix cereal, which has all the goodness of Kix® cereal but now with a touch of honey! Honey Kix is a good source of fiber, calcium and vitamin D, contains 16 grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams recommended daily) and has no artificial flavors or preservatives. A perfect balance of taste and nutrition through simple ingredients, which both moms and kids can agree on!

MyBlogSpark is giving away a Honey Kix prize pack to one of you! The prize pack includes a coupon for a free box of cereal, a honey jar, a cereal bowl, a container to take your cereal and milk on-the-go, and a great container to keep cereal fresh at home.

They also sent me a prize pack and I can tell you it's nice! The cereal container is a good size and is sturdy. I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but it has a two-in-one pour spout (large and small). The on-the-go container unscrews and you put the bottom cup (which has a freezer gel surrounding it) in the freezer (duh!) and it helps keep the milk cold. The top cup has a spoon that snaps into the lid. If you are thinking that it doesn't take much to impress me, well, you're right!


To enter is easy! Just leave a comment on this entry! If you want to tell me something you do to make your morning routine easier, that would be great and much appreciated! To enter a second time just become a member/follower of my blog (on the right sidebar, scroll down towards the bottom) and leave a comment telling me you already follow me or just started! Make sure you leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

I'll have giveaways going on all week, so check back tomorrow! And don't forget to come back on Friday when I'll be giving away a little somethin' somethin' from my fave online adult toy store, Eden Fantasys!

You have until Wednesday, August 19th at midnight to enter. I'll announce all the winners on Friday, August 21st.

Chicken butt! And the heads up on my 4th Blogoversary.

Hey! Guess what?

Chicken butt!

Hah! Learned that from Noah last night at dinner. Sometimes I forget how much fun reverting back to six year old behavior can be!

Anyway...this post has nothing to do with chicken butts, but I'm sure having fun saying it.

Chicken butt! Hah!

OK, what I'm really here to tell you today is that I have some exciting things coming up on Mommy Needs Therapy! Because my 4th blogoversary is next week! Four years peoples! I've been spreading my charm and wit here for four years! Yeah me!

So, to celebrate, and because I would be nothing without all six of my readers, I'm going to be giving away some cool stuff next week. Five contests to be exact!

Five! One each day, Monday through Friday!

chicken butt

So don't forget to come back here on Monday and check out the first giveaway!

And I promise, it will have nothing to do with chickens or butts!

And I thought last weeks article would freak out my mother!

Another post where I admit my failings as a mother

Yesterday we were supposed to be at Knoebel's amusement park but we were rained out. This is a yearly trip we take with family friends. They camp out for a few days and we meet up with them for part of the time, but stay at a hotel. We tried the camping bit for a night last year and it was a massive fail. So we are just going to stick to the hotel and hang out with our friends in the evening, use their camp fire and drink their beer. It's really a win-win for everyone! Heh! Unfortunately, this year we met up with them, ate their food, drank their beer, played in their mud puddles, then went back to the hotel and swam in the pool. And then we woke up in the morning to rain that was going to continue all day, so we drove home instead of going to the park.

But wait, that wasn't really what I was going to talk about today, although I guess it's good background.

You see, the thing is, I dread going on these trips. Dread it! And it really has nothing to do with not being a big fan of amusement parks either.

It took three hours to get ready to leave the other morning, and that was with Rich helping (and not the typical "helping" but really, truly helping). And then we still spent the two hour drive going "did you remember....?" "Ummm...nope" "fuck"

But really, its not even the work of getting ready to go that's the problem, the problem is I'm constantly on edge wondering what Noah is going to do. And getting frustrated with his non-stop talking, and impulsive behaviors, and the mess, always the mess! Then you add in staying at a hotel and all of us sleeping in the same room with a kid who is up at the butt-crack of dawn and bouncing off the walls....

Traveling with most kids is difficult I guess; you are taking them out of their normal environment, messing with their schedules, etc. Noah probably isn't any different, just more extreme perhaps? And I know I don't help it when I'm on edge the entire time. But damn, I've been burned enough times over the last couple years with him that I can't let go of the feelings.

I used to enjoy traveling. I've done a fair amount of it, especially when I was younger. As I've gotten older my desire to travel has lessened. I really do prefer to be in my own home, my own bed, etc. That has nothing to do with Noah, that's just me and my homebody inclinations.

So combine the difficulty of travel with kids in general, Noah in particular, with my less than enthusiastic desire to travel and well, it makes that dread of traveling with Noah even more intense. And then I feel like a total shit and crappy mom.

I should want to do these things and create fun memories with my kids, right? Just because I don't like being away from home shouldn't prevent me from doing it, I know. Because as a Mom I'm supposed to forget about what I want and do things for my children, right? Even if it is hard, right? Even if I'm constantly worried about what Noah is going to do next, right?

I know that I need to expose Noah to these experiences. Sheltering him at home because I'm embarrassed when he misbehaves isn't teaching him anything. Focusing on how much work it is to do these things doesn't help me enjoy it either. I see other families taking their kids places, kids with far worse "issues" than Noah, and they seem to handle it all so well.

I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say here, other than I feel very guilty that I hate doing these things with my family! I feel lazy and inadequate because I focus on how much work it is and how my patience is so limited.

Anyone else feel like this?

What I learned at BlogHer'09 when I wasn't stalking famous bloggers

Yesterday I heard about the pledge to blog with integrity. It says everything I've been thinking far better than I ever could. I was going to end this post with the pledge, but I think it is more important than any of my blathering about "what I learned at BlogHer" and I don't want you guys to get so bored reading my verbal ditherings, that I decided to put it first. blather, dither, blather...

So here is the pledge:

BLOG with INTEGRITY

By displaying the Blog with Integrity badge or signing the pledge, I assert that the trust of my readers and the blogging community is important to me.

I treat others respectfully, attacking ideas and not people. I also welcome respectful disagreement with my own ideas.

I believe in intellectual property rights, providing links, citing sources, and crediting inspiration where appropriate.

I disclose my material relationships, policies and business practices. My readers will know the difference between editorial, advertorial, and advertising, should I choose to have it. If I do sponsored or paid posts, they are clearly marked.

When collaborating with marketers and PR professionals, I handle myself professionally and abide by basic journalistic standards.

I always present my honest opinions to the best of my ability.

I own my words. Even if I occasionally have to eat them.

You can sign the pledge yourself and get the badge (see my sidebar) at the website.


Now, if you really want to read my blathering...here you go.

I went to BlogHer with some questions I was hoping to answer and some issues I was hoping to work through. Once again I find myself at a crossroads with the direction I want to take my blog and BlogHer was the perfect vehicle to help me start working through the possibilities.

The sessions I went to were all so good! I chose the sessions I wanted to go to by who was speaking/participating in them, and I was not disappointed by the people or the topics.

One issue that came up was about anonymous blogging and if it was possible. Several people were successful (so far), a few started out anonymously and were found out (with major repercussions) and many were open, but really hoped their neighbors never found them.

Last year I made the decision to rename my blog and stop being anonymous. You may recall I had a few incidents in my real life that forced me to decide if I should shut down my old blog and start a new one (which I did) to try and keep my anonymity (which I tried for a while), or just say fuck it, set up a few boundaries as to what I would blog about, and drop the attempt to hide who I am. After much thought, and discussion with Rich because I felt he should have a say in it too, I decided to stop the attempt to be anonymous and just see what happened.

So far so good. I'm very careful about who I tell in my "real life" about my blog, although the more involved I get in the blogging community the more I want to tell people about what I'm doing. I do NOT want my parents to read my blog, not because I regret anything I have written, but because I know they would not be able to understand it and they would be hurt. Even if we aren't speaking, and I don't see that changing anytime soon, I still don't want to hurt them. If they could actually talk to me about what they read and we could have a discussion about it, it would be one thing, but the likelihood of that actually happening is pretty much equal to the likelihood of one of the cats cleaning his own litter box. I guess one can hope though...

One of the issues I've been considering has to do with how I represent Noah on here, and am I being fair in that representation. I went to a session titled Realllly Personal Blogging - How much info is TMI?. It was incredibly relevant to me as I find myself worrying about Noah's reaction to my blog if he ever reads it. I worry about him finding it sometime (years from now) before I show it to him. I want him to understand why I wrote what I wrote, and read it in context. I want him to read it and feel just how much I love him, even if I'm bitching about how difficult being a parent is. I'm not sure I have it all figured out yet, but some wonderful women offered great advice to me during the session, and if I ever put business cards to faces I'll be able to reconnect with them!

Admit it, when you saw the title of that session you thought I was going to say something about how maybe I shouldn't write about my sex life and vibrators, didn't you! And then you got worried I was going to stop writing about my sex life and vibrators, right? Well no worries, MNT wouldn't be MNT with out a vibe here and there.

And as I said earlier, I went to BlogHer considering where I want to go with my blog. I started it as a way to document Noah's childhood so I didn't forget the funny things he did and said, and as a place for me to just vent. And it moved on from there to also discuss special needs, infertility, pregnancy, donor embryos, etc. And somewhere along the way I got a few readers! I'd like to say that having people actually read my blog is just an added benefit, but it is more than that for me, it was and is damn thrilling! I love knowing that there are people that can relate to what I'm writing and find something I say on here either useful, or reassuring, or just plain funny.

I haven't answered the direction question yet, or even if I need to chose a specific direction or focus, but I did realize over the weekend that there are some aspects of my blog and writing that I want to work on. Like:

• I realized that the blogs I read that I truly enjoy and think are either incredibly funny, or just damn well written, are in fact, damn well written. These women put considerable time into their writing and EDIT their posts. What a thought, actually letting a post sit for a while and then editing it! I think I might try it!
• The best blog posts tend to focus on one topic. Although I know some writers that are very skilled at "rambling" I don't think I'm one of them although I know I do it All The Time.
• I know I want this blog to continue to be my outlet, but I also want to blog with purpose. I want to be more involved in the blogging community and to do this I need to read more and interact more.
• I do not want to be a "reactionary" blogger or Twitterer. If you don't know what I mean, check out the whole#nikonhatesbabies saga on Twitter and re-read the Blogging with Integrity information at the beginning of this post. If I'm going to have an opinion here or on another blog I want to know I've thought it through and I know both sides of the story (if relevant). It frustrates me when I'm reading comments on a post and the people commenting take a side without considering the facts, especially when the post is criticizing or responding to something on another woman's blog.
• I've never flamed another blogger, and I never will. If I can't be nice and respectful, I won't say anything at all.

If you made it to this point you must really like me, because I'm not sure I would have kept reading. I wanted to get it down in print though, so I have something to go back to if I feel myself floundering again, like I have been the last few months.

And a little bit of irony about this post? I started writing it early this week and I thought I had it set to publish Friday, but I must have thought I needed to let it sit a bit longer so I could EDIT it. Hah! I almost forgot to go back to it!

The obligatory BlogHer'09 post where I talk about all the wonderful people I met *squee* and discuss my social anxiety until you can't stand it.

Or the post for those of you who really want to know what it is like to go to BlogHer for the first time when you don't know anyone and you are socially stunted.


If you followed me at all over the last few days on Twitter you will know that I found BlogHer'09 amazing! And completely overwhelming. Talk about information and sensory overload!

I met a lot of people and am now totally confused about who I met when and who is who, etc. etc. I still need to go through all my business cards and try and sort things out.

I had a mental list of people that I wanted to meet, many of them women whose blogs I have been reading since I started blogging four years ago. I was able to introduce myself to several of them and even have a conversation with a few. It must be a little strange to some of them to be approached like that by complete strangers. I always feel awkward doing it, so I have a feeling I come off awkwardly too. I was a little disappointed by the responses I received from three blogger's in particular, but to be fair I'm not sure I was approaching them at the most opportune time. And again, hello awkwardness!

I will say though that of the blogging "stars" that I met Anissa at Free Anissa has to be the most genuine person I've ever met! Someday I'm going to get a chance to talk to her when she isn't being accosted by all the other women who want to get in her bra. Jenny The Bloggess was the most gracious when I accosted introduced myself to her, and has me pretty much believing she actually knows who I am! And there was Jozet at Halushki, who was very calm and collected when I realized I was sitting right next to her during one of the sessions and screamed "OMG, I love you, you are on my LIST!" like a total dweeb. She is also one of the most talented writers I know and I think she might even, like, talk to me again sometime!! Squeee!

Socially, in some areas I think I did better than I expected. Not knowing anyone there forced me to sit down at tables with strangers during the meals and sessions, and in doing so I met some very nice and very interesting women. In small settings (when I'm sitting down especially??) I'm not bad at actually talking with people.

I didn't however, make it to any of the parties in the evening, and I'm still deciding if I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't. Friday night I was exhausted by the time the sessions were over and was asleep by 10pm. Although I regret that I missed the specific parties that were held that night, I think staying in was the better choice. Saturday I don't have a good excuse for staying in, other than I really don't LIKE big parties with lots of noise and lots of people. So I have this internal debate going on, where I alternate between telling myself that its OK that I don't like parties and that there is nothing wrong with not going to something I don't like, and telling myself that I'm a looser and need to make myself do these things. I'm sure that because I didn't go to the parties I missed several opportunities to actually get to know some of the women I've wanted to meet for a while.

I've always been shy, and I don't think that is something that just goes away. It doesn't matter how many happy pills I take...the social anxiety doesn't ever really go away. I pretty much feel like I'm right back in high school.

Over all I'm very happy with the experience I had. I'll talk more tomorrow about what I learned and what I took home with me (and I'm not talking about the swag!). I think I'll do a few things differently next year, like have a roommate, who will hopefully force encourage me to do more socially while holding my hand. I'll also do some more networking before I go and have some firm plans to meet with some of the women I've come to know online over the last couple years, that I feel especially comfortable with. And I'll make sure that I don't get a case of the runs in the middle of the Community Keynote and have to leave and miss a bunch of great speakers! Yeah, for real...