Hoopla, Hullaballoo, Ballyhoo

Don’t you love the word “hoopla”? It’s so fun. Dictionary tells me it’s similar to ballyhoo or hullabaloo, another pair of excellent words with a lot of vowels. I also like the Shakespearean phrase “much ado about nothing” though what I am after here is a smallish ado about some smallish bloggy things where maybe our paths will cross.

I’m off to Mexico on a junket. Cancun, I believe. It’s one of these all expense paid let us show you how fabulous our place is kinds of trips organzied by an enthusiastic and funny PR guy. The whole thing is so far from anything I’d ever choose to do on my own that I kind of can’t wait and if that makes sense to you, well, you are my kind of person.

I believe we’re staying at a big all inclusive resort though I don’t yet know what’s on the itinerary. I’m telling you now, right now, that it’s all comped, you heard it here first. And this too, truth be told, things have been so effed up and stressful at the NEV HQ lately that this kind of change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. I am, however, somewhat skeptical of the value of jetting a handful of bloggers off to Mexico when it’s hot and muggy, it seems like a better PR tactic would be to do it when the destination is more appealing. If I end up spending the whole time in the hotel lobby drinking margaritas, ordering up a third plate of nachos, and reading yet another biography of Frida Kahlo, well, I’m okay with that.

I’m also off to Chicago. The long way, by road, with two other swell Seattle area travel bloggers. We’ve launched the TBEX Road Trip blog and are diving deep into planning. Our itinerary is published (subject to change, of course) and hey, if you’re on the way, we’d love to stop in and see you, maybe join you for pancakes at your favorite local breakfast joint or, you know, whatever. “Whatever” might mean camping on your lawn, I’m just warning you. Bits of that trip will be comped, other bits won’t be, again, I’m telling you now and I’ll probably tell you again. Repeatedly. Sorry, it’s just that I want it to be all on the level.

Did I mention Chicago? The reason we’re heading there is for TBEX, the Travelblog Exchange Conference where I’m on a panel. I’m also on a panel at BlogHer, the women’s blogging conference. I recently learned, to my terror and delight, that I’ve been selected to read at the Community Keynote — this means that, along with about a dozen other bloggers, I’ll read a selection from Nerd’s Eye View to a packed hall. No, a PACKED hall, like, a thousand people. Whoa. Yes, I know what I’m reading, no, I’m not going to tell you, yes, there will probably be recording of some kind, no, I do not know if this event will launch the career in public radio that I so richly deserve but am doing nothing about. Next question?

So, that’s the hoopla. Hullabaloo. Ballyhoo. Whatever. Use those words in a sentence today, okay? They seem so circus like and that makes a great deal of sense to me right now.