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Thursday, July 8, 2010

I've got a secret.

And my secret is this: I wear a retainer each night when I sleep!

Aren't you happy you know that?

Anyway... my real secret is this:

the BLEET-UP is in two weeks!! 

I was going to wait until the poster art was finished, but I'm so excited I can't hold it in any longer.

See, I have to admit something to you all. (This post is very confessional, non?)

Ever since the last Bleet-Up, I have steadily become less tech-addicted.

I am an average Tweeter. I don't have Twitter lists or anything. I'm a little too lazy to create a Facebook page for this blog. I've been going through this phase, or personal paradigm shift, or something, where I'm all about setting boundaries to my social media usage. Is that not strange, for a blogger to fear these tools? (Even texting! I'm considering disabling my phone's text messaging capabilities, just to see what it's like. Teach myself how to talk on the phone again.)

But leading up to that, things were different. For most of last year, I was all, TWITTER! Gimme!!

I - like many of you - jumped in, and in the process, discovered some awesome local blogs. Which I gobbled up by the handful.

So when we had the first Bleet-Up, I realized that my MOST favorite part about social media was meeting fellow bloggers in real life! Even more than stalking them online. During that first one, I met Seth Mazow, Year of the Pizza blogger. I met the man who ran that delightfully bizarre horror blog, the girl who turns beer and chocolate into cupcakes, and the woman who writes one of my favorite politics blogs, a blog I never had the guts to leave a comment on. (I still haven't. And I still love your blog, Betsy).

I got to talk to all of these people whose sites I read constantly, and that to me was a treat.

Some of you are really good at translating your social media connections into real-life connections. Me? I am so-so. The more time I spend with social media, the more I just end up feeling like I am better friends with my computer. But the Bleet-Up helps me meet you guys face-to-face, and you all are so funny / quirky / obsessive about very specific things! Like ME!

Last year, my friend/role model Rose Reyes said: "I've been to a lot of parties before, but the people here were so interesting. I just wanted to listen to everyone, for hours."

That's exactly how I feel. Bloggers are a special breed, because we ruminate over personal passions in a public forum. Sometimes, we wade around in our blogs for a long time before we figure just what exactly our passion IS. This trial-and-error process requires a lot of mental mining, which is why I typically find bloggers to be quite good conversationalists. We have a lot to say.

SO! Soapbox over, here are the details about our party:

the bleet-up
thursday, july 22
6:00-8:00pm
selected appetizers
happy hour wines by the glass
goodie bags for first 50 arrivals

Also, after that big long emotional post, would you believe what I have to tell you next? It's LIMIT 150 PEOPLE! NO! But yes. 150 is Trio's limit and we are respecting that, because they are wonderful in every way to us.

So know that you MUST RSVP to attend, and as soon as the RSVP site it up, I will post a link to it. I also have a couple other fun party details that I'll tell you about soon.

Note also that this is one of two Bleet-Up's that happen each year, and this summertime one is very much bloggers-among-bloggers. Low-key. The second one, the BIG one, happens right before Fun Fun Fun Fest, in November, with bands / drinks / food / ridiculousness / etc.

Because this blogger love-fest ain't a one-time deal, y'all.

PS: If you are new to this blog and have been wondering, "excuse me, what is a 'Bleet-Up?'" Here is the etymology:
Bloggers + meet-up = Bleet-Up
Click on the Austin Bleet-Up tag below to see our history.

21 comments:

Hipstercrite said...

YAY! I'm so freakin' excited!!!!

Unknown said...

Woo hoo! Bleet Ups rawk.

amber demure said...

Hey! I'm a real blogger too now, just listed under http://finfika.blogspot.com instead.

Fin Fika said...

Or I mean, under this?

Mean Rachel said...

soooo excited!! Missed the first Trio Bleet Up, made the Mohawk, now ready for Trio part two!

Anonymous said...

I wear a retainer, too. It's blue.

Anyway. YAY Bleet-Up! I've never been to one, so I'm stoked.

Dani Dudek said...

@fancypantsATX will be there!

James said...

My retainer is blue, too.

So excited for this.

P.S. Love the picture selection!

Michelle said...

Ahh! The last one was so much fun. I'm definitely looking forward to this :D

Le Tigre said...

I laugh in my sleep.

Kerissa said...

i do not see myself as a real blogger, but i do want to come!

CAMILLE STYLES said...

Hooray for a bleet-up when I'm finally NOT out of town, and for having real-life comvos w/ cool people (as opposed to tweet-only.) And you know Tolly, our friendship originated via Twitter, so...that's gotta say something about the merits of Twitter connections!

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@CAMILLE! That's true, actually. I'm glad you pointed that out. :) You're alright, social media.

@K - Yes you are a blogger. And of COURSE you're coming.

@Le Tigre - Now that's a little freaky?

@Michelle - WOOHOO! Me too! :D

@James - It's one of my faves. Dude, I haven't seen you in ages?? Getting excited for Cali?

@FancyPants - Rad!! You better.

@SugarSighting - Maybe we should both wear them to the Bleet-Up to be matching Retainer Twins. :) (JUST KIDDING).

@Mean Rachel - Sweet! Yeah, the TRIO one is smaller but I like it. More personal.

@Fin Fika - Damn, look at you and your fancy overseas self! PS I'm loving your pics!!

@Breanna - They sure do.

@Hipstercrite - Excited you will be there! :D

Dad said...

Yay! Get people off their computers and into the world of actual warm bodies opening and closing their underjaws in person instead of just typing. What a concept!

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@Dad - I love you, Daddy. :)

Le Tigre said...

I'd like to think of it more charming then freaky. :-/ But yes, a little freaky.

GARY! said...

Ok so this time i REALLY am going to try and talk to people i don't know... Last time i just talked to Andrew (my best friend). I suppose I've come a LOOOOONG way since the first Bleetup where i was trying to get the courage and walk up to Jill from @knuckle_Rumbler. She was so intimidating in her bad ass high tops and little purple shorts. I never did walk up to introduce myself to her. lame.

And in full disclosure i think I will also go a little drunk this time so i don't have to start drinking my courage right when i get to Trio. ;)

indiana said...

I loved the one at Trio (and the one at the Mohawk). I am so excited this is going down again. In other news, have I really been blogging for over a year?!

Kerissa said...

tolly i feel like i started meeting my entire friend group at the november bleet up. it was a pivotal moment in my life.

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@K - Kerissa! Wow. That is like magic to hear. Thank you for telling me that...I had no idea! You have always been a social media mover and shaker, in my eyes.

Mai said...

so jeal that i won't be there :(