A few days ago, I started seeing tweets and facebook status updates from fellow bloggers saying they were going to Disney World for the Social Media Moms conference. I was jealous. And mad. I scoured my spam filters in both of my email accounts looking for my note asking me to come.
Nada.
I really want to go. It made me grumpy that I didn’t get one. Not very Disney-like of me, hmmm?
It’s invitation only, so you can’t buy your way into it. As far as I know, you can’t apply for it. You are just supposed to be on some Pixie Dust Magical radar, and it’s life-changing when you go. Attendees can take their families, and *poof* fairy godmothers are in the house and everyone’s wildest dreams come true.
I won’t lie. Some of the people I saw chosen to go I felt didn’t deserve it. Because it seems like they get chosen for everything. Everything. There were a few others I was really excited were chosen because they are considered “smaller” bloggers, like me. Blogging is competitive, more so than you realize if you aren’t out there applying for sponsored post gigs, pinning, tweeting, status updating, and hatefully learning Google+ in order to get your posts noticed by more than three people. Sometimes it feels like I’m selling out to make a fifty bucks here and there instead of just sharing stories and information and entertaining people like I really want to do.
But what I really want to is to be a part of that elite group, the majority of whom seem to have some type of voodoo lock on the invisible wizards who make the decisions on who gets what. It’s tough when you work so hard on something and no one seems to recognize it.
The other thing I saw, which is what I expect of a lot of the other bloggers I know because they are supportive and loving people, is bloggers who are nicer than I congratulating the people who were chosen. (I secretly thought they were being “nice” about it because they want to be on the radar for next year because they sure were hash-tagging. Hi, I’m cynical.) Other than a few facebook “Likes” on status updates announcing their status as chosen ones, I couldn’t muster well wishes. Because I was being jealous and shitty. And I knew that anything nice I said wouldn’t be authentic, so I kept my mouth shut.
I’m slowly coming around, and after reading this post from my friend Andrea, it gave me the courage to say what I feel. Which is what blogging is supposed to be about anyway.
37 Comments on "Why I didn’t get chosen for the Disney Social Media Moms Retreat"
Girl, you know I feel you.
What’s funny is that I honestly had no expectations about that specific conference. But maybe seeing all of the glee was the icing on the cupcake for me, in that it triggered me to hit submit, I guess?
Because I was honestly bitching about some other stuff. But I feel you. Sometimes they who always get the chances make me cranky. But hey, it happens. I suppose.
And yes, I did congratulate a ton of peeps. With the hash tag. Oops. I didn’t even think it would look redonkulous. I guess it did, though. But again, some of our amazing girls got the chance, and I couldn’t be happier for them! The rest? Whatevs! We’ll start our own revolution!
I was being a brat. I know this. I don’t even know what goes on at that conference, but it is Disney so it must be awesome, right? I guess what I’m trying to figure out is what do I need to be doing differently to get noticed more?
And I told you I was being cynical. Because I was being a brat. I’m actually feeling much better about it now.
I did the same thing, Andrea. BUT there will always be those girls who have to shout it from the roof tops and boast on their achievement. For those bloggers, I stay away from as they are out for themselves, and that is NOT why I use social networks. For those who are friends who got it, I am truly happy for them as their family will appreciate it. :)
I don’t think people shouldn’t have used the hashtag. I was just being rotten and thinking that people were insincere because I was disappointed. We can all tell when it is sincere and when it isn’t. All you have to do is look at a person’s twitter feed to see what different people have as agendas, in any situation.
I would have LOVED to read what you had to say about an event like that. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you for next year. Until then, you keep plugging away. There are bloggers out there who wish they had half your talent (not to mention your cute ass.) So there.
You are sweet, Jenny O. Thank you for being nice to me about my bratty disappointment.
What Jenny said, and also this makes me love you all the more, because I am well-acquainted with the green-eyed monster, mahself.
I fight that monster a lot, Jenn. She’s a jerk.
Let me be the cliched one here and say that they’re the ones missing out. You are magic, my friend. The Disney peeps just haven’t seen it yet :)
You are sweet. xoxo
Ah, the old adage “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything.” Sometimes easier said than done, and I’m glad you still had the opportunity to voice what you’re thinking here. Disappointment tastes like poop, and I hate that you got a spoonful; you know we all love you and think you should be crowned Belle of the ball. Maybe another adage would help here? “I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member.” – Woody Allen
Disappointment does taste like poop. Thanks, Karen. xoxo
Tricia, I am sorry you did not get an invite. For 2 years I sat and congratulated people and then I can admit, I cried because I wanted to be invited so badly. The first of those years I made it to the registration screen and registered and then there were all those huge glitches and got the email, with so many others, that I did not have a golden ticket. It was hard. I thought I might get invited last year and I did not. But I did congratulate people because despite the fact that I was not going, I was really happy for the people who were and for the great gift that they would receive and the amazing gift they would give their kids. It was not with the thought of a hashtag.
I am going this year and I cried again. I was actually shaking. I guess it is because no one knows how the list is made and there are blogs of all sizes on it. I for one have no idea!
I guess I did not say anything helpful here but I have long been a very vocal Disney fan and have written about it and shared posts and tweets etc and that didn’t “work” for 2 years. Maybe it had something to do with it this year. I don’t know. Keep sharing yourself and your views and your travel experiences here and opportunities will come!
Brittany, thank you so much for being so kind. I admit this was a self-indulgent post and I know that not everyone is as cynical as I am. I appreciate the encouragement so much, and I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences there. Thanks again for being so sweet. xox
Brittany, that is an awesome response. Congrats to you. I know a lot of people I am thrilled to see going, and though I keep saying this doesn’t truly sting, it does make me feel better to hear how so many *worthy* peeps were chosen. I’m excited for you and yours, and happy you got to cry happy tears for a change!
Girlfriend, it sounds like they may not know what they are doing with these invites. I’m betting it wouldn’t be nearly as awesome as wine with me anywhere. Just sayin’.
Wine with you anywhere is the best. xoxo
I’m going to be the odd woman out. I thought it was great that people got chosen but i was not looking for nor did i expect an email in my inbox for it. I would have been so shocked i might have put pants on. There are people who i was completely surprised weren’t picked and a few repeat offenders who i didn’t get why they got picked but as for me i truly don’t mind that i wasn’t picked. I was more upset when wasn’t the selected group of bloggers who got flown to California for the Oz premiere red carpet. That stung probably as much as this stings for you. But its ok to be upset about it. Stay on their radar and good things will come soon.
As always, Kia, you crack me up. No need for either of us to put on pants, I suppose. :)
I would sell a kidney to be invited, honestly. And you want to know the real reason…because it would actually allow blogging to give my family something that I can’t. I feel like my family sacrifices a lot for this dream of mine and that feels like the ONE big way I could say thank you. And plus, like you said it would be nice to be picked. I adored Andrea’s post in every way. And this one, too. :)
Exactly. I feel like I work so hard on this, and I would love to be able to take my family down there with me. xo
If I had a theme park, you would be the FIRST person I would invite!!
And BTW, make sure you read the chapter about the lady in the minivan in my book. It will make you feel a lot better about this whole mouse thing!!
Thanks, Tracy. I’d invite you to my theme park, too. :)
I have the e-version of your book! I’m starting it tonight and I’m so excited. xoxo
I feel you. I am a small blogger so I understand. I love that you have the guts to say what people think.
Thanks, Barb. Sometimes it gets me in trouble, but it is what it is.
I thought it was something you had to apply for, so I kept waiting to see the Apply Now announcement. And then suddenly everyone was going! It’s very mysterious. I checked my spam folder, too, before I remembered that my blog is tiny and I don’t write about anything of substance. :)
I knew it was an invitation only thing, so I was trying to behave, but we see where that got me. And supposedly they were trying to integrate bloggers who hadn’t been before and/or who have smaller blogs this year. Sooooooo … yeah.
I understand… I see all of these “little” blogs that started at the same time as mine flourishing and I am held back by my decision to remain mostly anonymous and sometimes that is a hard pill to swallow. I read Andrea’s post too. That said, I wouldn’t be opposed to our own “Awesome Mom’s Conference” with just people we want to hang with! :-) (Except I get veto power, because you know people I know that don’t know they know me! ) Beach weekend anyone???
I was anonymous on my first blog, and then I realized for this blog it would be better for me to use my name. Anyway, thanks for understanding my frustration. I was bummed about it the first day or so, but now I’m ready to move on and up my game so I can improve.
And “beach weekend” is possibly my favorite term in the world.
This sucks hard because you want it so bad. Sometime I feel like (and if I had a money tree to shake) paying for the damn trip would be so much easier than this social media conference bs. I know one person that is going and she deserves it. There are probably more people I know that are going, but I somehow miss all of these social media updates. Which is pretty awesome because I’d probably be rolling my eyes like yay! the person who’s gone to Disney 4 times in the past year is there AGAIN. Of course.
I tend to think of it this way, which I also left on Andrea’s blog, when you’re working hard to be picked, you probably won’t be. I find that when I least expect it, good shit happens. I work on picking myself everyday and not having Disney or Tide or whatever the hell validate me. I validate myself everyday by being awesome. I don’t need Disney for that. Now, my kid on the other hand would sell me for a ticket. But that’s a different story.
I agree. What I really wanted was to be able to take my kids, and to have the validation from that brand, which is one of the few that interests me. However, I get to do cool stuff, very often, from the blogging gig. I met Andy Cohen, who is one of my favorite personalities, on Saturday. I never would have gotten to do that if I hadn’t been on a PR person’s radar via my blog here in Charlotte. And after I published this post, I was over it. So it works out. :)
So true and I already came to terms with why I would never be “Freshly Pressed” which also happens to be because of DIsney. Seriously, I have to share because…well, I am a B-Lister and we B-Listers have to self promote. ;) http://allthatmakesyou.com/why-i-will-never-be-freshly-pressed-2/ If I ever get chosen for DIsney I will have you dress up as my little girl. Then we can saran wrap all the toilet seats at the
conference.
You are not right. I’ll keep you only because of that.
OMG. I so did that with my spam filters, too. I checked both of my blog email accounts’ spam SEVERAL times, thinking maybe, just maybe my invite was there. But it never was.
And I admit, I felt really and truly let down.
I wanted this SO much. Even though I tried to rationalize it all away and remind myself that there was no real reason for me to think that I would get an invite. I still wanted it really badly.
I was so disappointed that day. But then the next day I was all {shrug}.
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