Every time I travel, I type up an itinerary in Notepad and then print it out to keep in my handbag.  I include flight times, hotel information and a schedule of events for each day.

This Saturday, I’m headed to Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas where the weather is guaranteed to be better than here in Nebraska where I’m looking out my office window to see twelve foot drifts of snow. And I’m ready for a semi-vacation as we’ve been cooped up in the house for way too long! The kids finally got to go back to school today.  So I debated on nap vs. work, and work won out.

If you are attending Affiliate Summit next week and want to meet up for dinner, drinks or discussion, just holla! Here’s definite times/places to find me each of the days…

Sunday 1:30pm-2:30pm – I will be presenting on the panel…

MommyBloggers: Changing the Face of Affiliate Marketing?

MommyBloggers are involved in many types of monetization strategies for their blogs, affiliate marketing being one, however they aren’t necessarily doing it in the “traditional” ways. 

Granted I am a mom, and I am a blogger, but I don’t label myself a “Mommy Blogger” (as they usually get a bad rap), but I’ll share my blogging monetization secrets in this session. Other panelists include:

• Deborah Carney, CEO, Team Loxly (Moderator)
• Wendy Limauge, Blogger, Sweeties Swag
• Carrie Rocha, President, Pocket Your Dollars
• Heather Sokol, Proprietor, Inexpensively

I’ll also be attending the ShareASale Under the Stars Party (they are serving PIZZA, my favorite) and the Strike Out Breast Cancer Midnight Bowling Fundraiser.

Monday 11:30am-12:30pm I’ll be participating in the Affiliate Showcase

Affiliate Showcase will be an opportunity for affiliates to preside over tables where merchants and networks can visit with them to discuss working together.

Tuesday 10:00am – 11:15am Presentation of Pinnacle Awards where I’m up for Affiliate of the Year!

You’ll also find me roaming the Meet Market and Exhibit Hall, maybe checking my email in the Blogger Lounge, and attending a few parties (ie Carolyn Tang’s Bachelorette Party and the Affiliate Summit Trivia Tweetup with Lisa Picarille). See Missy Ward’s complete party list. I’ll be the one drinking “something fruity.”

I am honored once again to be finalist for the Pinnacle Award: Affiliate of the Year to be presented at Affiliate Summit West 2010 in Las Vegas next month. Will I once again be “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”? Those of you that know me personally can decipher that in various ways.

Anyway, last year I was up against two very deserving gentlemen where Mike Allen won the coveted title.  This year I am again up against two notable males – Nicholas Koscianski of NickyCakes.com and Eric Nagel.

Joe Sousa put his bets on the winners, so here’s my handicaps on the situation…

I didn’t even know NickyCakes’ last name until the finalists were announced, but I do read his blog and get a chuckle over his ability to tell it how it is. If the winner was chosen by “whose made the most money”, my bet is that Nicholas would take the cake (yes, pun intended) as he is a self-admitted reformed blackhat.

Now, if they choose the winner by the nicest, most thoughtful and kind-hearted person of the bunch, Eric Nagel would win hands down. Sure, I like to think of myself as having those qualities, but I can’t even compare to Eric.  I have seen Eric donate very generously to the Affiliate Marketers Give Back charities on several occasions.  Plus he’s just an all-around likable guy. The first time I really talked to him, he impressed me by mentioning something trivial that I had twittered about.

So, see you boys in Vegas! The only other woman to ever win the prestigious Affiliate of the Year award is Connie Berg, and those flamingo shoes are hard to fill.

Check out All of this year’s Pinnacle Award Finalists.  Plus see Past Pinnacle Award Finalist Nominees and Winners.

It was an honor to first be nominated and then be a finalist for Pinnacle Awards Affiliate of the Year Award along with Mike Allen of Shopping-Bargains.com and Scott Aikin of Hawkee.com.  During Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas earlier this week (great time, btw), Mike won the respected title, and it couldn’t have gone to a better person.  I’m happy for him and privileged that I was acknowledged as his peer.

Congrats to all the winners of the Pinnacle Awards…