…and then the valet brought the Minivan around

I can talk a good game.

Hi, I’m Erin. Yes, I’m a blogger. Nice to meet you.

And then I drop words like ‘beta’ ‘tech’ ‘viral’ ‘widget’ ‘twitter’ ‘scalable’ and then drop names like ‘Arrington’ ‘Kawasaki’ and nod my head a lot.

It means I end up at places like the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood eating chocolate cake at 1am with a table full of PR and web types. All while I watch the clock on my blackberry, wondering if the kids got to bed ok and if Nana remembered to give them both their new allergy medicine.

(me and Pete Cashmore, CEO of Mashable.com. He’s a sweetie.)

Part of me wants to race home, the other part wants to buy everyone another round and head to a club. I’m loving the opportunity blogging and twitter have brought, but am confused at the same time. SOCIAL media is all about being SOCIAL.

Originally uploaded by
((CC) Brian Solis, bub.blicio.us, briansolis.com)

I’m really good at the SOCIAL. But how do I continue down this path and raise two small kids and make sure their laundry is done? How do I attend all these conferences and the PTA meeting?

I stood there last night talking shop with a gaggle of web types, ordered another drink, discussed flying to San Fransisco for a day to attend a meet up, planned parties and mixers, chatted about yet another party tonight and quickly had to say ‘no, no…I’m not coming, tonight is my night out.’

In the back of my mind I’m wondering if Nana can babysit again and if Friday night I can sneak out for a few drinks with the movers and shakers.

No. No. Balance. Balance is good.

I’m going to go fold some kid socks and put away HotWheels cars and maybe empty the dishwasher and remind myself the only reason they want me there is because I bring those of us carpooling to t-ball and tivo-ing Elmo to the table.

Make no mistake, we belong at the table.

I just wish they could put a kids table next to the adult table and make it lunch, not cocktails.

Comments

  1. Erin–how in the world did you just post everything I have been thinking for months now! I have 4 kids, write 7 blogs and do PR–all from my home office. I have been invited here, there and everywhere and I often wonder how I can balance it all. I don’t want to miss out on opportunities, yet I don’t want to miss out on my kids.

    I’m glad though that I am not the only one who feels this way.

  2. With my wife expecting twins in July (a boy and a girl), everyone says lief as we know it is doomed, and that blogging will be impacted. I expect there will be some disruption, but hopefully very little. Blogging and writing is a passion, and it looks like it is for you too. So if you make something a priority, not even bratty kids can get in the way!

  3. re: that dude in the photo with you – by “sweetie” I can only assume you were implying “painfully hot” — ?

    because, my retinas are singed.

    p.s. I have been in this marriage for longer than I’d realized.

    p.s.s. yow. he’s hot.

    p.s.s.s. that’s a damn fine summation of how I feel every single time I go out with my non-parent friends. yearning for more, and anxious to be home. split down the middle like a branch struck by lightning.

    whee!

  4. Erin! You are my new best friend. (Apologies to the old ones.) I am staring down a summer and fall of almost constant travel, which I am quite excited for until I look in the big blue eyes of my 2 yr old and 8 month old. I’ve hit upon a career I absolutely love (tech analyst) that requires visibility, face time and socializing out the wazoo. But I’d love it if my children know what I look like.

    I know we’re not the first to wrestle with life balance and we won’t be the last. I suppose we could be half-full about it and enjoy the problem of having too much of a life. That or set up childcare at every tech conference and get-together. Hmmmmm….

  5. lildb took the words right out of my mouth. That Pete Cashmore is smoking hot. I’m a little jealous that you got to meet (and touch) him. 🙂

    I feel your pain on the balance issue. As a working mom, blogger, and part-time college student it’s hard to keep it all in check. I want to do it all, but I have to always remember my priorities.

    Did I mention he is hot? 😉

  6. Queen of Spain says:

    I totally forgot to mention I’m holding up the Mashable card because we were discussing ‘branding’ and we decided the Mashable brand should not be IN the chocolate cake.

  7. Queen of Spain says:

    and yes, ‘sweetie’ is code for ‘hubba hubba’

  8. Can you make it lunch AND cocktails? My mom was feeding me Bloody Marys from a young age. Or is that frowned upon now? 😉

    I can be social, but I haven’t figured out the media part yet.

  9. Ever since I missed out on the Katie Couric thing last week, I’ve been REALLY struggling with this, too. This industry sets me on fire. But, the kids. Whew. Hard.

  10. Honestly I’m relieved to read this. Because it seems like just about EVERY other mom I know seems to know something I don’t about balance, and getting out of the house, and having other things besides the kids going on in their lives. I guess reading about you and others doing everything you do yet having only my kids in my life makes me think you all have some super powers I don’t – but it sounds like the same thing. I’m not out there much, but when I even do little things by myself out of the house I am torn. Baby steps, right? And as the kids get older, it’ll be easier to do non-mom things more often/fully. Right?

  11. Well you definitely belong at the table.
    I’m questioning my own right to sit there these days…

    But thank you for sharing the table.
    You might namedrop Arrington & Guy, but I’ll stick with name-dropping you… because I think you’re awesome – and your name should be just as high up there.

    🙂

  12. Paradigm shift.

    Think of it as showing your kids that your life is balanced. Some times you have nights with them. Sometimes you don’t. All parenting and no fun would burn anyone out. Getting out with tech types keeps you alive and vibrant and interesting. So do it 🙂

    Have both. Do both. Sure there will be tradeoffs, but so what? That’s life.

  13. Yeah. HUBBA HUBBA.
    Did you write something? I’m still stuck on that picture.

  14. hondagrrl says:

    is that hunk of hubba hubba single? Because I seriously need a sugar daddy.

    Yes, Erin, I totally understand your question. I am a in-the-process-of-becoming-divorced self-employed mother of two who often travels for work. Thankfully, my soon-to-be-ex is still a good sport about swapping nights so I can “work.”

    It IS hard to maintain balance. I don’t know how you do it, but I’d like to learn from you!

    with warm regards,
    HondaGrrl.

  15. hondagrrl says:

    p.s. Where does Mr. Mashable live? Because I’m also a SoCal Cougar, er, Mom.

  16. I am so feeling this post.

    *sigh*

    The social part of social media is so much fun!

  17. So do it!
    Don’t let the male minority dictate the rules of socializing. There are enough of you out there – instead of going along with the boys, start scheduling mom-friendly networking events (with a big fun playspace next door with trained child-carers), and watch the boys tag along because there are too many movers and shakers for them to miss out.
    Be the change 🙂

  18. Thanks for this post! It expresses my feelings perfectly. Of course, I just WISH I could go to some of these “events.” Since I haven’t yet managed to figure out how to get away…

  19. OK, no minivan for me. I am single and 28. There are totally not enough hot guys in social media. Seriously. I’ve dated one guy I’ve met from these tech events since I became interested (Sept or so?). This is by choice, not lack thereof.

    So yes, my vote is also for Cashmore. And more guys like Cashmore. Scoble just doesn’t do it for me. Sorry.

  20. I snorted at the line where you said you dropped terms like “beta” 😉

    Is it just me or does Cashmore look like Orlando Bloom?

  21. You are my new hero. Thank you for finding me so I could find you. SXSW interactive this year was my first exposure to this crazy life…and it rocked. And now I am still trying to integrate it into my daily kid infused everything. As I write, I am not even completely sure what “it” entails! Yeesh!

  22. Oh man, I loved this post. I am not usually a commenter but I am delurking just to applaud you.

    I used to be a Director of Social Media at a PR firm. I quit, to be a WAHM doing indie contract marketing/PR consulting. I’ve got a 9month old baby boy whom I hate to leave.

    I had to quit my official “social media” job – I simply can’t attend all the events that are required to stay in this “scene.”

    I was at PopCrunch too. Arrived at 7 and left at 9. I called home twice to see how the baby was doing. I saw friends from Barcamp and other LA tech community circles. I heard the whispers and drama of the people being thrown out, etc. I had 2 drinks.

    In the end, I went home to my family and honestly, it was the best place for me to be.

    As “social media” professionals it’s hard to find balance – sometimes I feel punished for not being “always on” or participating in every 2.0 event or blogging about every client, new app or site that crosses my path.

    At the end of the day, I’m a mom and wife first, though. The rest is hype.

    Thanks for this post.

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