And by Superstar, of course I mean, A Blogger who gets Free Stuff.

Like I said last week, I was just plugging away, writing my little heart out about why we should all eat more green vegetables (or whatever) and one day I got an email inviting me to an event as a Blogger.

It was from Mimi San Pedro representing P. Allen Smith. I immediately sent it to my friend Sarabeth with a big IS THIS IMPORTANT? in the subject line and she told me she was not sure but that I should just go. Soon, Jerusalem and I realized we were both invited and we heaved big sighs of relief and made plans to go along together to Moss Mountain Farm.

This next part is important, y’all:

I had absolutely no idea what I was going to.

Seriously.

I had never been invited to an event as a blogger before and I did not have any clue that bloggers were sometimes Given Nice Things For Free.

I need you to know that it was by ignorance, friends, and not audacity that I found myself at the gorgeous magazine spread that is P. Allen Smith’s house armed with nothing but a point and shoot camera and a flip phone. 

Gals, I did not even have a Smart phone. It was 2012, but I was resisting. What can I say? However, I was nothing if not resourceful. I joined in with everyone else on Twitter because I had learned to tweet via text message on my Razor.

I’ll pause for you to Be Very Impressed.

I loved every minute of my time at Moss Mountain Farm, and not just because it was a blogging event. That place is amazing. The food, the décor, the chickens! P. Allen Smith gave us a personal tour and I could have listened to him talk all day long. He told stories while Mimi kept us on schedule with her clipboard.

At one point, we were interviewed by cameramen while we had drinks on the lawn with live music. I was star struck. Jerusalem and I both felt like we had hit the jackpot.

On the way home, with my goodie bag full of loot in my lap, I decided that I was now a blogging star. Jerusalem told me she would lend me some pictures so that I could properly write up my day.

I could not wait to get started on my post about Moss Mountain Farm, alternately titled: Look What I Got To Do Because I Am Such A Fabulous Blogger.

Upon writing it, I decided I had officially moved into a new phase of blogging.

Stage 4: Mesmerized By Free Stuff

I blogged about all the parts of going to P. Allen Smith’s house that I enjoyed, which was, of course, EVERYTHING.

Then my brain quickly moved on to this brilliant line of thought:

If someone gave me a candle and some boots because I am a blogger, I bet I can get some more stuff because I have a blog. Wait a minute! I have already blogged about my favorite sunscreen. I should get that sunscreen for free!

Dear Sunscreen Company,

I am a blogger and I love your sunscreen. I will blog about it some more if you send it to me for free. Here is my address.

Signed,

A Very Important Blogger

I wish that I could tell you that I did not send about eleventy million emails that looked almost exactly like this. If you went through the Sent Messages folder in my inbox from the last two or three years, I can tell you exactly what you would say,

Bless her heart.

I did get a few free things this way, which just added fuel to the fire of my ludicrously bad pitching habits.

It was around this time that I joined Arkansas Women Bloggers. And I went to a conference where I got More Free Stuff, also sometimes called Swag.

I embraced the writing about free stuff with abandon, partly because I am just a writer. Give me something to write about and I will go for it.

Tea?

Candles?

Boots?

Bacon?

Bring it on, y’all!

After about a year I started to wonder if instead of just Free Stuff, I could actually get something even more valuable for blogging.

Like actual money.

Hot diggity. I’m all out of time for this week folks, but come back again next time to learn how to Become Rich And Famous* Like Me.

*Disclaimer: Rich and Famous might be a slight exaggeration.

Go on and tell me. What’s the best FREE thing you ever got for blogging? You’re among friends here. Brag away.