Kissing Super Mario
Sometimes writing a blog — as opposed to being what I used to be, a news reporter — is very much an Augmented Reality.
The stories can be very real, or you get one like today’s, with a 3-D-ish photo of me kissing Super Mario in “augmented reality,” one of the mind-blowing virtual reality games available on the new system. All, after a day of hanging out in every 12-year-old’s version of the Promised Land, Mother Ship or Microchip Mecca — Nintendo U.S. Headquarters, a 300,000-square-foot wonderland just outside of Seattle.
I played the Atari Pong. In the ’70s. And now this.
I am going to tell you all about the new Nintendo 3DS, the hot new and amazing 3D game system, but give me a few days. Today, I am going to tell you about some of the people I met during the Nintendo Brand Ambassador Summit — a collection of 100-plus people from across the country whom Nintendo flew out to the gaming Mother Land. (Myself included, claro.)
The crowd was diverse in age, race and background and as I met and spent time with as many as I could, I gathered up cards and URLs to share them with you.
Following is a list of interesting and wonderful people whose sites are worthy of a closer look.
Kayley Hyde is 19 and has been doing YouTube videos on her popular Owls Say Hooot for five years. She’s traveled the world because of her channel. We should all have been as poised at 19.
Ilina Ewen writes Dirt & Noise. Why that name? She is raising two boys and they’re all dirt and noise. I loved her essays, her humor, her smarts. The cool bonus about meeting Ilina — she is friends with a dear friend of mine who also lives in Raleigh. The world is small. And wonderful.
Food in Jars is a super site about canning written by Marisa McClellan, who has a forthcoming book on the subject. Check out her lemon curd post. Que rico!
Gretchen is Texan Mama, a mother of 5 whose blog tag is “Even the Chaos is Bigger in Texas.” Go hang with her.
Jamie Ann is a Chicago native of Mexican background. She’s Etsy-obsessed, single, crafty, smart.
Maria Young has multiple channels on which to connect — everything from Twitter to YouTube to Tumblr. She’s Mexican and African-American, a single mom of two, who is smart and kind and bold. Loved her.
How can you not visit a site called Use Real Butter? Meet Jen Yu. Check out her Asian recipes and more.
Field Trips with Sue is about travel with kids in the Atlanta Metro area, perfect for you Latinos in the South, or thinking of visiting Atlanta.
Sex, Love & Liberation, a smartly written site by a talented woman, Ev`Yan, with whom I did not speak, but whose site I am enjoying. (May not be totally safe for work…)
Operation Nice by Melissa Morris Ivone, a Philadelphia graphic designer. You can spot the nice on Melissa from a mile away. Read her blog. Feel good.
And, last but not least, the four Nashville bloggers whom I traveled with…and with whom I got stuck in Denver for 24 hours. I could not have gotten waylaid with nicer, more interesting people.
Tori from Baby Bloomr
Calie from Broccoli Cupcake
Jamie from Blonde Mom Blog
Lindsay from Suburban Turmoil
There now…lots of reading for you.
And, if you have the new Nintendo 3DS, let me know.
Disclosure: I work as a Brand Ambassador for Nintendo via the company, Brand About You. My trip to Seattle was compensated and I received a free Nintendo 3DS. As a Brand Ambassador I am unpaid, but occasionally receive free Nintendo products for review and personal use. All opinions expressed are mine.
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