I'll do it later

I'm a procrastinator. As organized as I think I am, I generally end up waiting until the last minute to pack for a trip.

My ride arrives at the crack of dawn tomorrow for New Jersey and do I have anything packed yet? Noooooo. I have "an idea" of what I'm bringing along but nothing actually physically in my suitcase yet.

I do know for a fact that I'm bringing four pairs of shoes. Three pair in my suitcase and one pair on my feet. Yeah. That's right. That's just me. For some reason, I'm packing "business casual". I'll have casual clothes with me too but I think I'm just getting into business mode because I start a new job when I return from Camp Baby.

Oh, I can't wait to get there. There are so many people I want to meet. I hope we all have a chance to get acquainted. Please don't be offended if I don't remember your name, I'm bad like that. I'll be the girl there wearing a different pair of shoes everyday!

PS: If the festivities end earlier enough on Thursday night - LOST party in my room!

Technorati Tags: jnj, jnj camp baby, johnson's camp baby

So Nervous to Meet Real Bloggers

Jenny, you aren't the only one with clothing issues. I went out last night because I needed something to go with my classy maternity shirt (shhhh, don't tell anyone that my youngest is 2 years old!) I bought a pair of capris. Only they aren't capris on me. They're just pants. I kinda look like George Costanza. I know, I know. Don't be all jealous now.

I'm so looking forward to this trip! Wine - good. Dinner out - good. A bed all to myself without toddler feet, knees, and elbows kicking me in the face all night - good. The smell of Johnson's baby lotion - good.

I'm not so sure about the braiding, bug juice, ghost stories, and getting my butt kicked playing Wii (my children have informed me I'm pathetic because my Wii age is 492.)

Sooo, if you see a George Costanza shaped dork wearing a maternity shirt and floods, sitting over in the corner looking nervous because she doesn't know a single person, it's me. You know, just so you can avoid me and all.

Because Johnson & Johnson Already Practically Owns Me, Apparently!

If you're plugged into the blogosphere, particularly the world of "mom-bloggers," you've heard more than enough about The Great Camp Baby To-Do of 2008. If you've missed the dustup, you can bring yourself up to speed here, and a little Googling will turn up plenty more fallout.

What happened was, Johnson & Johnson and their PR firm, in an effort to "connect" with what is becoming an increasingly powerful demographic, MOMS WHO BLOG, decided to host a 3-day "getaway" for moms, culminating, naturally, in a field trip to J&J headquarters for a product expo. The hope is that the blogger attendants will return home and write (hopefully glowingly) on their blogs about the J&J products they saw, and how well they were treated by the giant corporation. They invited 50 "influential bloggers" on this junket, and shockingly enough, Yours Truly was one of those 50. I'm still trying to figure out quite how "influential" I am, but I registered for the trip based on a few key factors:

1. FREE. The trip is FREE. As in, all expenses paid, including airfaire, car service to and from the airport on both ends (though I excused them from sending a car for me here at home), great hotel accomodations, meals, a wine-tasting hosted by Ted Allen (fangirl squeeeee!), lots of pampering activities, a Wii-party and fine dining at The Frog and The Peach, etc. Yes, apparently, I can be bought--although I have to give props to our sponsors at J&J for making it clear right up front that: a.) We are not obligated in any way to write about the trip or the product expo, and b.) If we DO write about any of it, they ask that, in the interest of total transparency, we reveal that we were there on THEIR dime. I respect that.

2. The opportunity to visit with scads of my all-time favorite blogger-buddies from all over the continent! And these are just a few of the ones who I know will be there--I'm sure I "know" a heck of a lot more of the 50 attendees, if only online. If I had to guess, I'd say that MOST bloggers who accepted the invitation did so with this motivation high on their list of priorities. That was smart of J&J. I've heard lots of complaints that "the same group of bloggers gets invited to all these corporate-sponsored junkets," but this is the first time for me. It will be interesting to see if my participating in this activity gets me on some kind of PR "list" in the future. I do get PR pitches from time to time, but I'm certainly not inundated by them like some folks say they are.

3. TED ALLEN. 'Nuff said. I'm a dorky, dorky Top Chef/Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fangirl. I'm not ashamed. Much.

In preparation for this trip, in order to educate myself about exactly who was buying my attention, I did some research into the companies owned by Johnson & Johnson, and the products they make. I was ASTOUNDED at the sheer number and variety of things made by J&J or one of their subsidiaries which have directly impacted my and my family's lives. They're not just Band-Aids and Baby Powder. From psychiatric medications that have benefited my bipolar husband to the Interceed fabric that repaired my resectioned colon and protected me from adhesions during a lifesaving surgery in 2000, I've spent enough money with Johnson & Johnson that a plane trip and a few dinners are looking like a nice "Thank-You" note at this point! Check here to see how much influence Johnson & Johnson has in your life--you might be surprised!

I'm looking forward not only to visiting and schmoozing, but also to doing my best at being a representative of wonderful folks like this amazing woman and others.

Cross-posted at my space on The Arkansas Times Blog.

T-Minus 33 hours

Today, I took a look at all my spring and summer dresses hanging in my closet. And then I took a look at the weather report and did sort of a double take.

I mean - yay! No call for wearing summer dresses! My skin is so white it glows. The radioactive kind of glowing. The fact that it will be cool, cloudy and or raining is super fantastic.

But then again - my hair freaks in humid conditions, and my skin reacts weird and my wardrobe? Consists of summer dress and a few pairs of jeans and some stained tees from Target.

I took a kamikaze run through a department store, grabbing things that looked like they might work in an orgy of I'll try this on at home shopping. Back at home, I tried on everything, and there's a few things that might sort of work, but nothing that I love.

I just want some outfits to love. I just need some outfits to love. Everybody needs some outfits to luh-uuuve.

I decided to console myself with some Botan Rice Candy (just wait until I finally write my letter to my body - it'll be a doozy!) and picked up some of those $3.99 black cloth mary janes from the Asian Grocery.

And I love them. LOVE. Granted, they aren't the most practical footwear for rain, and I'm frankly running out of time to put together any outfits worth wearing.

This is a big ole dilemma. More shopping? Real shopping with trying things on? Making do with what I have and (to borrow a quote from my mother) accepting that people will just say "Oh, Jenny - she's just not into fashion."

Can I just scream it from the rooftops now? I'm Jenny and I'm just not into fashion. And I really like my cheapo cloth mary janes. I even wear maternity shirts and I don't give a hooey!

I guess I could squeeze into my nice slacks that are two sizes too small. That's a fun look. Business from the thighs down, party in the back and spilling over the waistband.

Or I could wear some of my summer dresses with tights and a sweater and complete my transformation into deranged toddler/80-year-old woman.

I NEED MORE TIME! I NEED MORE CLOTHES! I NEED A NAP!

(crossposted over at the Three Kid Circus)

Watch out, New Jersey. Here I come!

I'll admit, I was a little floored by the invite from J&J - they wanted me? To come to New Jersey and hang out with other blogging moms and have fun?

I don't know how I got on that invite list, but I'm really looking forward to it.

The last few weeks have been busy, and I haven't had a chance to do much planning or anticipating for this whole Camp Baby weekend. The kids had field trips, I had to work, there were a couple of holidays and birthdays in there... and then I looked up at my calendar and realized that on this coming Wednesday morning, "a car" will be picking me up and whisking me away for a whirlwind adventure.

A car! A car not driven by me! If it is a limo I might piddle. Because that? Would be hilarious. I might not be able to restrain myself from doing the Mary Katherine Gallagher "SUPA-STAH" upon arrival at the airport.

I might do that anyway. I'm just like that.

I'm also giddy with anticipation about being able to fly with my buddy Jenifer - we've even got seats together, which means that no harmless strangers will be talked to death on this flight!

J&J recently sent out the itinerary for the trip, which is making me all kinds of intrigued. First of all - I hope the flight lands in time for me to freshen up at the hotel before the Welcome Social because airplane travel makes me look like a greasy, drowned rat. No really! Photos to come! You're welcome!

No, see, I need to make myself look nice, because OMG Ted Allen leading a wine tasting. I need to work on not sloshing my glass. Bad things happen when I'm drinking and gesturing. Trust me.

And then the next day looks packed with great activities, too.

Two sessions that are already getting a lot of speculation are the "What's Happening Down There? and the "Braiding At Its Best" sessions.

Will there be an Australian celebrity telling us the latest news from Down Under? OMG, J&J is bringing Nicole Kidman to Camp Baby!

As far as the braiding goes, I'm not sure what they have in mind - will it be lanyards? Xtreme friendship bracelets? Will we be braiding each other's hair? Man, if it involves beads too? That will be awesome.

Next up? Figuring out what exactly to wear. Because man, do I have issues with clothes.

cross-posted at Three Kid Circus Auditions.