Ash Buckles | A personal repository.

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I’ve been looking at going to the Blog World and New Media Expo for a couple of weeks, but the deadline for cheap tickets is Friday, August 3 so I signed up today.

Looking further into it today, I found that the $125 ticket price has all the stuff I need, which saved me $375 up front.

Tons of good content is already lined up and I’m looking at the following classes:

• Smart Ways to Monetize Your Blog
• The Long Tail… Or Not?
• Social Media vs. Corporate Blogging
• Making Money with Affiliate Programs
• Developing Relationships with Bloggers
• Leveraging Social Media for Your Company
• Utilizing Social Media
• New Media as an Agent of Change
• What Web 10.0 Might Look Like: The Far Future
• Optimizing Your Blog for Advertising Networks

Plus, of course, almost all the keynotes, opening party, awards reception, and exhibits

For the life of me, I cannot find a list of speakers to post (it was there this morning). But there were some really really well-known names and people I’d like to meet.

Vegas is never dull, and if I’m lucky a sweet band will be in town for a great concert (or something). Last time I missed Keith Urban, Avril, and Bon Jovi by a week but this will be over my birthday so maybe Las Vegas luck will be with me for once.

As many of you know, Phil801 and I had our head shaved by Seth Godin back in May. For a few days I played with the idea of keeping my head shaved since I was getting compliments on how it looked. Of course, most of those where from people who knew me and were probably just being nice. Plus my wife was anxious for my hair to grow back. She didn’t like my new look.

The morning after the Seth Godin event, I received an email from Todd Greene, Owner of Head Blade, of which Seth mentioned in our video. Todd heard from Seth and had already seen our videos on YouTube (all within about 14 hours of the event). I love Web 2.0.

Anyway, he was writing to see if I needed anything and to thank me for the mention in my blog, YouTube post, flickr account, etc.

I wasted no time in writing back and asking for some swag. I love swag. Especially cool swag. And these guys have cool swag. Anyway, he responded and a box arrived the next week. However, I let it sit all this time because I’ve been busy (and since I didn’t keep my head shaved) I wasn’t able to use most of the product.

All this time I intended to give it to people who would actually use it, but I wanted pictures of it all and a blog about it first. After all, Todd deserves it for being so great in getting on the ball and reaching out to us.

Since tonight is our monthly Utah blogger dinner, I’m bring the Head Blade swag to share with my fellow Utahns. The razor is going to Thom, who shaves all the time, and stickers, pens, and head lube for everyone (those who need it), but the bag and t-shirt are going to James.

Thanks again to all involved. This was truly a killer experience! Thanks to Todd (Head Blade) for being so cool. Thanks to Seth for being… well… Seth.

After a couple months off, we’re finally getting a bunch of bloggers together again to recap Summer 2007.

Come join us this Thursday, July 26 at 6 pm at:

Goodwood BBQ
133 E 12300 S
Draper, UT 84020
(801) 495-4840

A new restaurant this month after several requests for new food.

The month of July has been crazy busy in 2007. I started out by entertaining three of my nephews from Seattle, quickly moved into a complete overhaul of Brides Club, and this week I’m facing the final marketing for our Hawaii Bridal Expo in Honolulu. Well I’m not in Honolulu, as planned, but we’ll be there next month for surf and sun.

So how did we entertain three young men in Utah for 10 days? We just took them to do all the things we grew up doing here years ago.

- Seven Peaks
- Lagoon
- Scera pool
- Temple Square
- Movies (Ratatouille)
- Mormon Tabernacle choir
- The Mayan
- ATVing
- Wake boarding
- Movies (Evan Almighty)
- Springville Art Museum
- Stadium of Fire
- Neighborhood BBQ/water party
- River rafting down Provo River
- BYU museum
- BYU bookstore
- Ripples drive-in

There are so many other things to do but there’s only so much time and money. I was hoping for a couple additional things like:

- Kennecott copper mine
- Golden Spike Monument
- Miller Motorsports Park

There are so many things to do in Utah that anyone who claims boredom is simply not trying.

Get outside and experience Utah when you visit. Make it worth your time here.

I’m so busy lately that blogging is coming in second and I feel bad about that. So when I came across this blogging quiz, to see how addicted you are, I had to take the time to check it out.

Here’s the results:

75%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle² - Online Dating

It’s actually pretty good news because it shows that although I’m on the high end (above average for once) I’m not a blogging freak.

Check it out for yourself.