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Saturday, March 7, 2009

Welcome Chicago Flower & Garden Show Peeps!

A special hello to the new readers from the Chicagoland Flower & Garden Show. It was great to meet you today at the panel discussion on garden blogging.

Regarding the presentation: I was so nervous that I really thought I would vomit before our discussion started. Meeting my fellow garden bloggers for the first time in conjunction with the whole public speaking thing created a very dangerous GI environment. Thankfully everyone was really nice and patient with us.

I made it a point NOT to pay attention to the display gardens today because tomorrow I'm planning to be back there when they open the doors to enjoy the show properly with Garden Buddy. I'll have my full review of the show afterwards. In the meantime, here's my review from last year. Oh, and I'll be issuing a public apology for the part of last years blog where I said the Dutch girls weren't really Dutch. Apparently I was mistaken. Not only that but one of them is about to graduate from medical school. Go on Dutch girls with your bad selves!


edit: here's my PowerPoint presentation from the panel discussion on garden blogging.

15 comments:

  1. Well, from where we were sitting, you looked as cool as the proverbial cucumber - your presentation (and delivery) was great, and I couldn't wait to get home and find out if your blog is as hilarious as you were up there.
    Glad that we sat in on the seminar today... it's definitely inspired me to get off my butt and start my blog. Thanks.

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  2. Chris - WOW! Thank you so much for the positive feedback. That really means a lot to me. And thank you attending the presentation. I did feel better a few minutes into my presentation. I think seeing the smiling faces in the audience made me realize nobody was planning to throw tomatoes at me up there, so that was cool.

    It looks like you are right down the street from me (I'm in Forest Park) in Brookfield. When you get your blog started, please do let me know the address so that I can put you on my reading list. And if you need any help with it, don't hesitate to email me about it.

    Thanks for visiting my blog, Chris.

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  3. Congratulations on both making it through your presentation and hearing from a local fan, Gina!

    Always loved the Chicago Flower Show but seeing you guys would have made it even more special.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  4. I had no clue you were nervous. You were very amusing and your presentation was wonderful. I'm honored that I was able to share a stage with you.

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  5. I really liked the PPT you posted here Gina. You hit the nail on the head about "why" garden blogging! Congrats. See you in May!

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  6. Annie - thanks for stopping by to leave the positive words. This was only my 2nd garden show in Chicago.

    Katie - glad you liked the PPT. I can't wait to hang out in May!

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  7. Great presentation! Hmm, wonder where you got those tulips and red wagon?!!

    I really loved the slide show; it was funny and said a lot with just a few words and images.

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  9. EAL - thanks for the positive feedback! I really appriciate it. I'm glad you were able to get the picture without the commentary. I wish there was a video! Anyway, I told the story about how you had gotten so many tulips you had no other place to plant them and that's how I ended up with them. I also told the story about your contest for the red wagon and how I won for tomato brandywine because "I could not go on in a tomato-less world". People really seemed to enjoy it. And thank you again for the FREE STUFF!

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  10. Hello!
    I'm the crazy Garden Lady with the silly skirt on!!
    My Sister and I really Loved all of your talks!! You were so FUNNY!!! really! She left for Florida today, lucky brat! But I will tell you she does not read blogs... she didnt even know they exist... she just thinks my blog is a fancy email!! But anyway, she loved your talk so much she leaned over and said to me

    " Wow! She has a good sense of humor, Maybe I will Look at Her site!! "
    That is your proof in the puddin! LOL
    I will be hanging around too!
    I liked the gardens very much this year, Better than 2007, that was my last visit...
    Have fun at the show! I wish I could go again!

    I am watching all three of her kids for a week... wish me luck!

    ~Vanessa

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  11. Hey "crazy Garden Lady with the silly skirt on"! WOW! Thanks for sharing the feedback from your sister - I really appreciate it. I was telling my friend today that you said my upsidedown tomato cages looked like they were trying to be toparies. That was you, right? I couldn't see that well from up there. That really cracked me up!

    I peeked at your blog last night and I'm planning to go back when I have more time to roam around. Thanks for attending the discussion yesterday, Vanessa. And thanks for visiting my blog!

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  12. Gina, you did great! I would never have known you were nervous. I really enjoyed your sense of humor and warm delivery, and hanging out with you and MrBrown Thumb afterwards.

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  13. Garden Girl - it was so great meeting you and hanging out after the talk. Also, I never got a chance to say thanks for setting me up so well by ending with how important it is for experience gardeners to blog in order to help the novice gardeners. That was perfect! You did great! (even that comment we read said so!)

    I'm really looking forward to hanging out at Spring Fling in a couple of months.

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  14. dude- as I was walking out of your presentation on Saturday, I was passed by a guy who was complaining about how much he hates tomatoes!!! it me laugh. (I LOVE tomatoes BTW)

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  15. Gina,

    Like Chris said you didn't appear to be nervous. Great job. Can't wait to see your posts on the show.

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