You can stop holding your breath now, because
It’s!
Time!
For a new batch of t-shirts.
Brace yourself for design #1:
This one is for kids, and I am trying to get some baby sizes, too. I tried to make the colors kind of androgynous. (I learned my lesson after a hush fell over the Internet when I introduced last fall’s stunning pink-and-brown combination.) Also, every parent knows that if you want to find your kid in a crowd, the red shirt doth beckon like a beacon. A beacon that gives you permission to holler, “BRITNEY! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!”
I am going to go with the Hanes tagless 100% cotton tees again because they look so great after a couple of washes.
Next we have design #2:
This is a women’s shirt. Different colors, same cheerful, summery font. Actually, this would be a great masthead if I had a blog named “Blog.” I think of it as an exhortation. “You! Yes, you! Think of a clever domain name! Go blog!*” But it says all that in a casual, swinging-a-Barbie-doll-around-by-its-hair sort of way.
*Next St. Patrick’s Day I might do a green shirt that says, “Erin Go Blog.” You know, for the ten people who would think that’s funny.
The BLOG shirts will be the same nice, breast enhancing Hanes shirts that take some women to the very limits of propriety. (If you don’t know what I mean go check out some of the links at the bottom of my t-shirt page.)
And then there’s #3:
I know. OBVS. I mean, I’d wear one. In fact I may be wearing a whole lot of them if nobody agrees with ye olde provocative saying.
And for #4, I’m also reordering the regular, black “writing well is the best revenge” tees so if you’ve been craving the classics you need to e-mail me and order one right now. This instant! Go! Erin Hit Send!
All shirts should be ready to ship at the end of May so E-MAIL ME if you’re willing to prepay, then I’ll be able to ship out your shirt tout de suite before I close up shop and run off for a long-ish June trip to points east. I’ll be back in business in July, though, and then I’ll be hauling all this swag up to BlogHer. So if you want to wait you can purchase from me there at discounted conference prices, but ordering now guarantees I’ll have your size.
Which reminds me, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you but my bottomless trench of diffidence hasn’t allowed me to cough it up:
I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut, but I had this idea for a panel that I’d like to go to and I said to GraceD, “Hey! Wouldn’t it be great if there was a panel about blogs being an artistic end in themselves? You know, for all of us so-called writers who most likely won’t actually finish the novel/play/book of essays we’ve been working on for the last fifteen years. A discussion about all the work we put into writing something that will never end up on anyone’s shelf wearing a dust jacket with a picture of shoes and feet?” And Grace said, “You should tell that idea to Elisa.” And then I did! And after a fair amount of back-and-forth I found that I, MYSELF, was a proud co-owner of this panel, which they folded in with another idea they had about doing something similar with visual artists. So now I’m the writer blogger on the panel with an art blogger and a photo blogger and I am kind of stumped about which tools to use to approach this subject so that I can neatly carve it up and lay it on your plate. So that, if you choose to attend, your hour-and-a-half (DEAR GOD, AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF) will provoke some thought about Why We Do This, The Blogging, and explore the idea of blogging as a valid medium for what would otherwise be a bunch of scraps in my pocket that would end up in a forgotten file folder labeled “Story Ideas.” At the very least I will try to make my part in this conversation mildly amusing, and then there will be cocktails. And Susie Bright is going to be there, for god’s sake. Cocktails with Susie! I may faint.
One final note for those of you who don’t check my Flickr page: I’m growing my hair out again and it is agonizing. Really, I hate it, and somehow, unlike the last time around, taking pictures every day feels really, really stupid, but I’m going to keep doing it because I have this idea that the accumulation of images will be somewhat interesting, even if the daily ones aren’t so much. It’s sort of like watching paint dry, except with captions. And not very good ones at that. I know, you really want to go over there now, don’t you! Fuck.
I think your latest banner would make an amazimg t-shirt.
How do I order? I want a red fussy one!!
Spose I have to actually look around for the order button huh?
lame.
I’m told that because of the colors that banner image isn’t suitable for screen printing on a shirt. I could do iron-ons but they would be kind of half-assed.
Wait, are you implying that my other t-shirt ideas suck?
Oh I get it… I tell you I need a black writing well is the best revenge in large, you tell me your out… so I buy a white one in medium which now hangs in my closet in protest until I lose 10 pounds and drop a size. THEN, the day after I receive my shirt you post that you are getting black in large… is this some sick consipracy?
I love the shirt by the way, white or black, and it serves it purpose nicely, even if its just to get my ass on the treadmill.
Really off-topic but I was looking at your Gallery-o-Hair and thought you look a lot like Elyse Sewell from America’s Next Top Model. Do you get that a lot?
On the topic of being a writer and a blogger, check out the article at slate.com: This Is My Last Entry: Why I shut down my blog by Sarah Hepola. It’s not what I expected (I expected the reason would be the constant barrage of hostile comments). Instead, she feels that blogging is preventing her from writing. (I sometimes wonder the same thing about Morning Pages.)
Elyse who?
That Sarah Hepola link was good, thanks for posting it, that’s a serious part of what I’m talking about, but I also want to talk about the other side. Like, maybe you do write a book and it’s crap. You’re actually better as a blogger than as a novelist. Then what?
I’m so glad you’re speaking at BlogHer. It’s a great idea for a panel. That Grace will get you into trouble every time.
Christ, now I have to save up money for another fantastic Fussy shirt (or two)? Thanks a LOT, Eden.
Heard recently at the reference desk, get on the internet, “Fussy is growing out her hair again!!”
Thank you,
Well, I’m one of the ten who thinks the St. Patty Day’s Tee is funny. I’ll gladly order one. Ditto on the new banner being a tee as well… Great idea.
How long do you think you want it?
the hair I mean.
Maybe you could fix the conference schedule so that cocktails are right before the panel – then, even if you have to tell jokes to fill time, booze-induced laughter is assured!
I’ll be on the sympathy train as your hair-growing project continues; my husband convinced me a couple of months ago that it would be a good idea to grow my hair out. I’m still hanging in there, but the hair falling in my eyes may soon add up to a trip to the barber. If more men understood what a pain in the ass it is to maintain hair longer than an inch, they wouldn’t even suggest this shit. Stupid hair.
I would totally wear an Erin Go Blog shirt. I’d probably even wear it all year round!
mrs. kennedy- you are my hero.
Dammit! And I thought the idea I had this morning of taking pictures of my hair every day was so original. Btw, good luck with the growing out. I experimented with that for awhile, but finally gave up and went short again. But my hair’s weird.
I LOVE the new shirt designs! So much fun – a must have. . .I think my daughter would love the kid one and I actually do too. Don’t know how I feel about wearing a shirt that says: “blog” that just doesn’t cry out to me. but hey, who cares what I think?
Anyway, I will stop in to your session at Blog Her, it sounds very interesting indeed!
i’ll give you my best grow-out-short-hair secret. they’re called thinning shears, and what they do is take out that carpet-like bulk and leave the length… that is… if you don’t overdo it. i’ve used this trick many times, and it always gets me through the worst growing pains. not sure where to get some– mine came with a men’s grooming kit. good luck!
Ooh! Ooh! I totally believe that blogging is a new genre. We’re just at the very start of it though so the idea of someone being “just” a blogger and not being validated as a writer by killing loads of trees seems very strange. I am so happy that you are having this panel, except that I am not going to BlogHer so I won’t be able to participate. If I were going I would be the one in the front row with the deadly earnest expression nodding a lot. I think one of the most interesting things about blogging is the horizontal communication – it is a text that is often “authored” by one but annotated by its readers whose comments become part of the text. It makes writing much more like a performance where your audience is a vital part of the artform. I could go on, but I’ll spare you. I think that you will be surprised by the level of interest. It’s a great topic.
OH! You’re the yogabeans genius! (And I’m the dingbat who didn’t know that…) Was intrigued by the flickr hair photos, so went to check ‘em out, and saw your set with the three most recent dudes in the background! Duh. LOVE yogabeans (I know…get in line…). Good luck with the hair. You could do what I did for my 5-year-old and bribe yourself with sparkly hair accountrements — maybe some with Barbie on ‘em? Or some that come with matching purple lipgloss?
I wish I could go to BlogHer to see you and the others on that panel. It sounds like a fabulous topic.
I’ll see ya BlogHer!! I’m looking forward to that panel…
Just for the record, some women just look good with short hair. At least, that’s what I tell myself, because I’ve been trying to grow it out for twelve years. I try use words such as “nymph-like,” “Audrey-Hepburneque,” and “kicky” to boost the go. Sophisticated and brave also work nicely.
Mrs. K, I’m so glad you’re speaking at BlogHer. Cannot wait to hear you hold forth.
Re: Your lovely ‘do, well, here’s one approach. Look at her face — Glamour, The Attitude!
I will totally prepay for a red/blue tee in size 9 months, if you get ‘em. And dang, what courage. I grew my slick little side-parted gamine cut out in 1995 and swore I would have long hair till it went grey, at which point I’d chop it all off and leave it short till death did us part. I don’t have the nerves for the in-between stage.
please note: marcia brady is now gleth, for reasons of not understanding how blogger’s mandatory log-in works.
I just wanted to say I love the new look of the blog.
I like the new blog look, too. As for the hair…growing it out is a bitch. Take some hair vitamins if you want things to progress faster.
RE: Your hair. Thanks. I need a daily check point as I’m bored with Charlotte MacLeod.
I love the BLOG shirt. I also think I would buy an Erin Go Blog shirt, although the only person I know who would get it is my DH. Oh, and if I had a baby, I would totally buy the FUSSY shirt.
Looking forward to hearing you speak. If it goes one second less than 90 minutes I will demand my money back, just so you know.
Katie needs to meet my bulldog Emily because I swear they’re related.
Hi there! I’ve never left a comment here before, although I’ve been reading for a few months now. I just wanted to say that I love your new T-shirt designs, especially the blue “BLOG” one.
Also, my name is Erin, so I love your green “Erin Go Blog” shirt idea. I would totally purchase one. Then again, I’m not sure it would have that much widespread appeal… 
Anyway, keep up the good work, and if I decide I can afford it I may buy one of your T-shirts! 
Congrats on the BlogHer speaking engagement. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.
I tried to follow your lead on the hair growing thing last summer when my fingernail got ripped off in a freak diving accident, but I kept forgetting to take the pictures every week. Growing out your hair is freaking impossible when it’s short to start with. I’m in the process as well and if I had the balls to take scissors to my own hair like you do, I can promise you I would never grow it out. Good luck!
I agree with erin mj’s above comment. I’d totally buy an Erin Go Blog shirt ’cause my name’s Erin. But you were kidding about that one, right?
Have to email you now about that blue one.
I, too, would buy an “erin go blog” tee. My daughter’s name is Eryn, but that’s not why I’d buy a tee – I think it’s funny and clever and, well, I’m an English teacher and I love wordy witticisms. I’ll probably also buy a “blogging well is the best revenge” shirt, too. Kizz (http://117hudson.blogspot.com) gave me a “writing well” tee for my birthday this year, and I love it. The “blogging well” would be a nice addition to the collection, given that I was dooced out of an internship by a colleague who found my blog and WAY overreacted.
I would buy TWO “Erin Go Blog” t-shirts. At least two. Maybe more.
Looking forward to hearing you speak at BlogHer.
I just found the photos of Katie – i’m in love with your dog, she is so damn cute! Have you considered a calender, cards… something? I do believe you could profit off those great looks and what must be a fabulous personality!
I will definitely be ordering a “Blogging well is the best revenge” shirt. Love it.
And ok, you can grow out your hair if you promise to lock up those hair-cutting scissors of yours. You can do it, be strong
If one does not have that “I’m speaking at BlogHer” icon, but still plans to attend (not me, but someone), does that mean that person plans to remain mute while there? Is BlogHer just a front for the Ellen James Society? Fuck, I knew it.
oh–I can’t believe how fast I clicked just to watch your hair grow. Again. I’m pathetic. But it’s fun. Thanks!
Loving the shirts…do you send to Canada?
effies.world @ gmail.com
I knew you were speaking because I had recently checked the BlogHer page and was soooooo excited.
I wet myself a little.
Ok, so the hair… I mean it. Want to have a Hair War to see whose is the worst? It’s just an amazing process to get mine to BEHAVE. I’d go short, but it’s required that you have a cute face. That is clearly missing in me. You? Well, you got it goin’ on, girl!
Love the shirts, if you get them in baby sizes I might have to get one and cover it on Urban Baby Runway.
I pimped your shirts over at my blog. It’s the least I can do, since I get so much joy from the Katie photos.
OK, count me in for an Erin go blog shirt…don’t wait til next Feb to start selling them!
Second….why grow your hair? It looks great short! I have had the same hair for 8,000 years. Sometimes I wish I had the balls to cut it short but I fear living life without ponytail ease. I’m telling you, you’ve got a good thing, stick with it.
I want an Erin Go Blog shirt too! And you know…I’m with you about the hair. I’m growing mine out, and I’d forgotten how horrifyingly excruciatingly painful it is to wait it out and power through allllll the phases of really bad hair. But. I’m gone from your length to a medium bob–in just less than a year…and I’ve been really happy with the progress the last 3 months. If it’s what you really want, power through it. You can always cut it off again.
I would totally preorder a blue “blog” shirt. The font is just so girly and yet it’s on a BLUE shirt. O, the enigma.
Glad to hear more about your workshop at Blogher. I’ve not attended before and that big chart on the Blogher website was a little intimidating…
Anyway! Send me a shirt!