There are a number of theories as to why otherwise normal people blog. In my opinion they can be boiled down to two:
(1) They are attention whores
(2) They are trying to get lucky
The rare individual (and I thankfully am not one) blog for both reasons.
With that in mind I want to bring a couple of things to your attention. The South-Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) 10th Anniversary Convention and Job Fair will be held in New York City on June 16-19, at Columbia University - Lerner Hall & Columbia Journalism School. Our very own Manish Vij will be on one of the panels disseminating his considerable wisdom. He will do so with a number of puns that he is preparing even now. I have read an advance copy. Very funny (even the ones that confused me). The panel name is The Ethnic Press in 2005 (SATURDAY, 3:15-4:45 pm). If you have ever even thought about becoming a journalist or might want to date one, you should totally sign up.
Coincidentally, that same weekend (June 17-18) is The North American South Asian Bar Association (NSABA) Convention in Washington, D.C. I went to the convention in Los Angeles last year and had a blast while learning a great deal about various lawyer things. I pretended to be a personal injury lawyer as a matter of fact. This year the convention is granting me a press pass and I will be attending once again. If you have ever even thought about becoming a lawyer or might want to date one, you should totally sign up. In addition the NSABA conference will play host to many South Asians who will one day make a run for office. Its good to network now so that you can turn them away from the dark side. Since I am press, it is entirely possible that I will approach attendees for a quote for this website. I may even ask for your number for follow-up questions.
Finally we have the BlogHer Conference ‘05 on Saturday, July 30 at TechMart in Santa Clara, California. At 2:30p.m. (session #3) there will be a panel titled: When Globalization is Good for Women- Shrink your world; amplify your voice. Learn whether you should stage your own SepiaMutiny.
I believe Anna will be speaking on that panel. What is BlogHer about?
Why BlogHer? Why a conference? Why now? “The guys all know each other, but we don’t…What do I want to get out of [a BlogHer Conference]? More leads to interesting women so that I can follow their writings and mention them in my blog.”- Charlene Li, Principal Analyst and Blogger, Forrester Research
BlogHer is a network for women bloggers to draw on for exposure, education, and community. By holding a day-long conference on July 30, 2005, and establishing an online hub, BlogHer is initiating an opportunity for greater visibility, learning and success for individual women bloggers and for the community of bloggers as a whole.
In all seriousness I encourage you to attend any of the above that might fit your career path. Networking can make a difference.
