5 Crazy Reasons Why I Should Go To SoFabCon

Last Friday, it was announced that #CollectiveBias was giving away SIX scholarships to #SoFabCon in the #LuvSoFab14 contest. Since that day, I have been trying to think of a creative way to express why I should win one of these scholarships. The truth is…my creativity sucks! I’m a writer and words are my gift. So, today I am entering the contest with this blog post and my words and I’m going to tell you why I should go to SoFabCon this year.

This past year was a tough one for my family. You might remember that many years ago my husband lost a job suddenly and it almost broke our family. Brookshire’s was the answer to our prayers (back before we even prayed) when they hired Howard on a Sunday. Over the next few years, our family flourished and we grew even more after finding the Lord and becoming a Christian family. We settled into life and then I started this blog. I joined Social Fabric and the blog, along with my family, really flourished into a loving, playful, and fun family. All of that was threatened again this Summer when Howard was suddenly let go from Brookshire’s one Sunday morning.

That was a terrible, scary, heart-breaking, wonderful day for our family.

When I picked Howard up from Brookshire’s after he had only been there long enough to hear he was being let go, he cried. My heart broke for him as he felt that he had let his family down. His thoughts were right back to where we were as a couple the last time he had lost a job and I told him to get out. This was the furthest thing from my mind and all I wanted to do was comfort him and take away the hurt and fear that he had in his heart. We headed home and my mind kicked into gear on ways for us to make money so the family would not feel much of an impact.

My first thought was to email Collective Bias and ask for more work.

And…more work is what they gave me!

I had been leading a couple of campaigns already, but Collective Bias (specifically Kim and Mel) jumped to my rescue and offered me more campaigns, extra work, blogging assignments, and this kept our family afloat! I worked harder and harder to improve my skills in photography (still working on that) and writing and leading others to write great blog content as well. I spoke up when my campaigns were ending and asked for more work and more work came my way. I helped Howard get his blog off the ground and he was able to join Social Fabric and start making money as well.

After dealing with an injury that kept Howard from working for a few months, he finally found another job (this time at Kroger) and he is working hard at establishing himself again. Of course, he had to start at the bottom again at minimum wage, but Collective Bias has continued to give me work and tell me that I’m doing a good job leading campaigns so our family has felt a very minimal impact from this time that could have been tragic.

Having said all of this, you can imagine why I HAVE to be at SoFabCon!

I have a million necks to hug, a million thanks to give, and a million new people to meet who I have talked to and worked with over the past few months! Yes, I met some of them at SoFabCon last year, but most of them didn’t know me. Now that I’ve worked with them on campaigns, they will really know me and I can’t wait to have that “family reunion” feel that I heard so much about last year.

I can’t wait to make even more Personal Connections again this year!

5 Crazy Reasons Why I Should Go To SoFabCon

{on scholarship}

1. I’m buhhhh-roke!

Let’s just get the most important one out of the way. Hey, just because Howard is working now and I’m doing more campaigns doesn’t mean we didn’t get behind on bills while he was out of work! I mean, we have had our cable cut off twice recently, the car company constantly calls me because I just pay them a little at a time. I’ve pawned our TV, PS3, my wedding ring, and my {gasp!} good digital camera for grocery money. Of course, we had to tell our boy that the TV and PS3 were “broken” and the pawn shop “fixes” things for us so he doesn’t know we’re broke, but whatever works!

2. I need to find my creative side!

When I started blogging, I just thought it was all about words, and to some degree it is, but in order for me to get better (and get more opportunities) and to make this my career, I need to find my creative side. I have one, I think, and I just need to tap into it. Last year I learned a lot about telling my story and engaging my audience and just being me. This year, my goal is to learn about being creative and taking great photos and using this awesome camera that I bought (which is now out of pawn…yippee!) to make some beautiful images on my blog.

3. I want to make more Personal Connections.

Last year, I was sick at SoFabCon with a staph infection. I’m also super shy and reserved. This year, I just KNOW I’ll be more comfortable because everyone has become more of a family for me. I need to meet my family in person, hug them and laugh with them. I need to party this year and have a blast!

4. I need to represent!

Not only am I looking forward to meeting people whom I’ve worked with in the past months, but I want to meet the bloggers I’ve worked with as well! I talk to so many people through email every day and I’ve worked with so many different bloggers and I want to meet as many of them as possible! I need to help represent the campaign leaders who love what we do and love our awesomesauce bloggers.

5. It’s SoFabCon – It’s Epic!

SoFabCon is not just any blogging conference. It’s a family reunion and I have to be there. It would be like my bio family having Christmas without me. There would be tears and heartache and drama and you know what…my husband would be miserable if I was home that weekend just moping around and whining about not being with my bloggy family. It’s really for my husband and son’s sake, after all…

So…do you think I have a chance at winning a full scholarship? Have I whined enough? Do you think 1000+ words will do the trick? Leave a comment and tell the judges why YOU think I should go!