I like blogging. A LOT. And I could list a hundred reasons why. Maybe someday I will (uh, yeah, don't hold your breath for that one), but what's actually spinning through my head today are some of the complexities bloggers face, and maybe finding out how you handle them.
One of the tricky parts of blogging - at least for me- is how to tell a story about people I know without making anyone look really stupid or bad. Well, except me. I'm resigned to the fact that I will look stupid in fully half of what I write... Which is probably more realistic anyway. But if I write a post and someone else comes out looking really dumb ( I mean, you know, unless it's someone that IS really dumb) I usually feel bad and I don't publish it.
Being "real" is a continual reality check for me. Too whiny and I think people begin to tune out. Too perfect, and you lose readers even faster. Be judgmental and people yell at you anonymously in the comments. Not that I really care what mental anonymous commenters think, but I am trying to curb my judgmentalness streak.
Where's the balance there? Do you really want to get to know a blogger? Or bottom line-- do you just want to be entertained? (Mostly by being able to think "Schwoo - glad that's not me!")
Also, how much information to share? Mimi asked me the other day why I don't blog about some of the funny things she does. GIRL! Do you not remember the yelling fit the last time I blogged about you???? She didn't. Fortunately, Lizzie did. So at least they can't label me the crazy one this time. Again.
I know other people struggle with this. C'mon. What are your thoughts?
Short AND long comments completely welcome for this one. (you know, as always)
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
You Just Made The Blog
Things That That I have Started To Blog About In The Last Week , But Have Decided The Post Was Really Stupid And Not Funny or Meaningful:
Being On Hold with BYU for 26 minutes while listening to the loudest classical music of my life. Seriously, I had to set the phone down on the counter. I got to thinking that maybe they could have told me the names of the pieces being played, and then every 15 minutes or so they could give me a little pop quiz on what I'd just heard. Doing well on the quiz would move me up in the "order in which my call would be answered". Don't you think I'm on to something there?
It IS an educational institution, right? Shouldn't we reward learning?
There are consequences when you give me time to think, people.
Swimsuit Shopping. That post changed moods as you read through it sort of like a bipolar woman in the manic cycle. With PMS. And No Chocolate.
Church Callings, and people who feel like they have to do a little bit MORE. I can sum up the whole post by saying "PLEASE, please don't". Just what needs to be done, and do it well.
Grocery Store Clerks playing "Guess what's for dinner" as my stuff rolls down the belt. I'm not making a judgment call on the customer serviceness of that game... but since they'd already guessed TACOS, don't you think it would have been nice of them to mention that I had forgotten the ground beef?
Rabbits. More Rabbits. There would be continuously flowing rabbit posts around here were it not for my amazing restraint. I've even considered starting a Bunny Blog. But anyone reading it would certainly think about turning me in to peta after only a few posts. I have no more love for the bunnies.
So you've been spared those topics. At least for another few days, although that bunny thing could really get the better of me soon.
Heaven help us.
Being On Hold with BYU for 26 minutes while listening to the loudest classical music of my life. Seriously, I had to set the phone down on the counter. I got to thinking that maybe they could have told me the names of the pieces being played, and then every 15 minutes or so they could give me a little pop quiz on what I'd just heard. Doing well on the quiz would move me up in the "order in which my call would be answered". Don't you think I'm on to something there?
It IS an educational institution, right? Shouldn't we reward learning?
There are consequences when you give me time to think, people.
Swimsuit Shopping. That post changed moods as you read through it sort of like a bipolar woman in the manic cycle. With PMS. And No Chocolate.
Church Callings, and people who feel like they have to do a little bit MORE. I can sum up the whole post by saying "PLEASE, please don't". Just what needs to be done, and do it well.
Grocery Store Clerks playing "Guess what's for dinner" as my stuff rolls down the belt. I'm not making a judgment call on the customer serviceness of that game... but since they'd already guessed TACOS, don't you think it would have been nice of them to mention that I had forgotten the ground beef?
Rabbits. More Rabbits. There would be continuously flowing rabbit posts around here were it not for my amazing restraint. I've even considered starting a Bunny Blog. But anyone reading it would certainly think about turning me in to peta after only a few posts. I have no more love for the bunnies.
So you've been spared those topics. At least for another few days, although that bunny thing could really get the better of me soon.
Heaven help us.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Freudian Slip?
Naaaaah. Just a cute kid with a picture that makes me laugh out loud ever time I see it.
Best Christmas picture I've seen on the internet this year!
Thanks to NCS and her Silly Saturdays!
Best Christmas picture I've seen on the internet this year!
Thanks to NCS and her Silly Saturdays!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Speaking of Speaking Your Mind...
One of the things I love about blogging is the new people I meet, and the friendships I make. I can't tell you how much it enchants me to find so many kindred spirits. And like Anne of Green Gables (one of my all time literary bff's), I am continually surprised when I find yet another one. Surely there must be a limited number of kindred spirits out there for me, and I keep hoping I haven't reached the end of my amazing run of luck.
So anyway, Heidi is one of my recent kindred spirit discoveries. Yes I take all the credit. No you didn't find her first.
When I heard she was blog touring to promote her new book, I immediately asked her to come here. I am thrilled to promote Heidi. Oh, and her book, too!
(When she asked me if Tuesday would work, I had to laugh. "Ummm, let me look at my list of well written and pre-scheduled blog posts. (bwahaha!) Yeah, I think I can squeeze you in!)
I could go on and on, but today is the day I get to publish Heidi's post about her brand new book Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind! Read this, and if you'd like to read more about the talented Heidi Ashworth, here's a link to her blog, Dunhaven Place.
January 23, 2008 was the day I got “the call”, the day I found out that Avalon Books wanted to publish my book, and I was sick. With a virus. Again. My entire system was clogged up with all sorts of phlegm hanging out in my head, sinuses, ears, throat, not to mention my nose. In fact, a few days later would be “the day” (not to be confused with “the call”) I went through 3 boxes of Kleenex in a 24 hour period. My husband, who has a much better math brain than I, figured I needed to blow my nose every two minutes to use that much tissue. Considering I was asleep, off and on, for about a third of that time meant there were moments when the nose-blowing rate was much higher. I suppose that would be mostly because each and every blow was at least a two tissue job.
These were sad days indeed, but they were very much brightened by the news that I had sold my book. (Except for that awful 24 hours--even the achievement of a 30-some-odd-year desire wasn’t enough to banish my gloom.) The newsworthy point of this story, the part that someone other than myself might find interesting (though, there is a lot of wishful thinking in that statement, I must admit) was my state of total goofiness when the call finally came.
Imagine, if you will, a woman whose goal to publish a novel has been beating solidly in her heart since she was seven years old. A woman who knows this is really the one and only chance for this particular “baby” of hers to come to light without producing numerous copies of it on her printer and posting it off to many unsuspecting victims, giving the term “vanity printing” a whole new meaning. A woman who has been waiting for “the call” for nearly eight months after having sent in a requested revised version of her story (the operative word here being “requested”). A woman who is anxious to make a good impression on “her editor” but who currently has the voice of a longshoreman after a long night of drinking tequila out of a boot while standing on a dock in the pouring rain--while chain smoking.
Now, ordinarily, I don’t do any of those things. In fact, I have never done any of those things. It’s just that this awful sinus infection made me sound like, well, like I said. The funny thing is, just a few days previous, I was chatting with my good friend Shirley Marks (who has received five of these wonderful phone calls from Avalon Books) about how anxious I was getting and how I would really love to know if and when I was ever going to have my book published. That’s when she said “Don’t worry, ‘the call’ will come when you least suspect it”.
Now, I really couldn’t see how that could possibly be true. I had been expecting this call for a long time. I thought about it pretty much constantly—there was no way I was going to stop thinking about it, hoping for it, for even a split second. But, sure enough, when I picked up the phone that morning and croaked, “Hel . . lll . . .ooOOoooww?” the editor at Avalon was the furthest thought from my mind. So, when she said, “Hello, this is F---- B---- of Avalon Books,” I was so embarrassed that her first impression of moi had to have been that I was a chain-smoking late night boozer that I blurted out, “I’m sick! That’s why I sound like this!”
Oh, smooth! Here I am talking to an editor, something I have dreamed about doing my entire life, and that’s what I say!?!? So much for coming across as an intelligent, witty, educated person whose books you would wish to buy and publish into perpetuity. The rest of the conversation didn’t go much better and by the time I hung up I was sure she was regretting her decision to put me on the payroll. But, I am happy to say, it was too late for her to make that move. My book, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind, lives.
Heidi's book Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind is available here.
So anyway, Heidi is one of my recent kindred spirit discoveries. Yes I take all the credit. No you didn't find her first.
When I heard she was blog touring to promote her new book, I immediately asked her to come here. I am thrilled to promote Heidi. Oh, and her book, too!(When she asked me if Tuesday would work, I had to laugh. "Ummm, let me look at my list of well written and pre-scheduled blog posts. (bwahaha!) Yeah, I think I can squeeze you in!)
I could go on and on, but today is the day I get to publish Heidi's post about her brand new book Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind! Read this, and if you'd like to read more about the talented Heidi Ashworth, here's a link to her blog, Dunhaven Place.
January 23, 2008 was the day I got “the call”, the day I found out that Avalon Books wanted to publish my book, and I was sick. With a virus. Again. My entire system was clogged up with all sorts of phlegm hanging out in my head, sinuses, ears, throat, not to mention my nose. In fact, a few days later would be “the day” (not to be confused with “the call”) I went through 3 boxes of Kleenex in a 24 hour period. My husband, who has a much better math brain than I, figured I needed to blow my nose every two minutes to use that much tissue. Considering I was asleep, off and on, for about a third of that time meant there were moments when the nose-blowing rate was much higher. I suppose that would be mostly because each and every blow was at least a two tissue job.
These were sad days indeed, but they were very much brightened by the news that I had sold my book. (Except for that awful 24 hours--even the achievement of a 30-some-odd-year desire wasn’t enough to banish my gloom.) The newsworthy point of this story, the part that someone other than myself might find interesting (though, there is a lot of wishful thinking in that statement, I must admit) was my state of total goofiness when the call finally came.
Imagine, if you will, a woman whose goal to publish a novel has been beating solidly in her heart since she was seven years old. A woman who knows this is really the one and only chance for this particular “baby” of hers to come to light without producing numerous copies of it on her printer and posting it off to many unsuspecting victims, giving the term “vanity printing” a whole new meaning. A woman who has been waiting for “the call” for nearly eight months after having sent in a requested revised version of her story (the operative word here being “requested”). A woman who is anxious to make a good impression on “her editor” but who currently has the voice of a longshoreman after a long night of drinking tequila out of a boot while standing on a dock in the pouring rain--while chain smoking.
Now, ordinarily, I don’t do any of those things. In fact, I have never done any of those things. It’s just that this awful sinus infection made me sound like, well, like I said. The funny thing is, just a few days previous, I was chatting with my good friend Shirley Marks (who has received five of these wonderful phone calls from Avalon Books) about how anxious I was getting and how I would really love to know if and when I was ever going to have my book published. That’s when she said “Don’t worry, ‘the call’ will come when you least suspect it”.
Now, I really couldn’t see how that could possibly be true. I had been expecting this call for a long time. I thought about it pretty much constantly—there was no way I was going to stop thinking about it, hoping for it, for even a split second. But, sure enough, when I picked up the phone that morning and croaked, “Hel . . lll . . .ooOOoooww?” the editor at Avalon was the furthest thought from my mind. So, when she said, “Hello, this is F---- B---- of Avalon Books,” I was so embarrassed that her first impression of moi had to have been that I was a chain-smoking late night boozer that I blurted out, “I’m sick! That’s why I sound like this!”
Oh, smooth! Here I am talking to an editor, something I have dreamed about doing my entire life, and that’s what I say!?!? So much for coming across as an intelligent, witty, educated person whose books you would wish to buy and publish into perpetuity. The rest of the conversation didn’t go much better and by the time I hung up I was sure she was regretting her decision to put me on the payroll. But, I am happy to say, it was too late for her to make that move. My book, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind, lives.
Heidi's book Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind is available here.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Talk About Insecurity
Does anyone else get nervous when you do the word verification thingie required on some blogs, and you get it wrong? It kinda makes me think the universe is saying to me," Do you really want to say THAT? Seriously, I'm giving you another chance."
Then I reread my comment and change it all around.
Stupid word verification.
Then I reread my comment and change it all around.
Stupid word verification.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Email, and Other NOT Scary Things
You know one thing I really love? I love when I comment on someone's blog, and they email me back about the comment. I try to do that when people leave thoughtful comments on my blog, but here's the thing. Most of the people who comment on my blog do not have their email enabled.
If you've enabled the email on your blog profile, it associates your email address with your comment in my inbox. Do you know how incredibly convenient that is? All I have to do is click on your name, and a little email message comes up addressed and stamped and everything.
Sometimes? I would love to send you back a private reply. (Usually it's some flippant excuse for a joke, but that's not really the important part of this post.) But if your email doesn't pop up...well, I mean, If I REALLY think my joke is funny, I will probably see if I can hunt down your email address anyway, but my jokes are rarely worth the time it would take to do that. So if I click "reply" and it comes up "noreply", well, usually, I just say - meh - and forget about it.
I think a lot of bloggers are the same way.
So if you're not getting ANY replies to your comments, you might want to consider opening up a separate new email account ( lots of people use gmail!) especially for your blogger account. Then give people access by enabling the email feature.
Go to:
(sorry- I only know how to do this in blogger)
Really you'll have more fun with this option on. And if it doesn't work, you can always shut it down.
I just read this and it sounds like an advertisement for something. I can assure you, no one is getting paid for this post. Though if you can think of a way, I'd be open to it. If I got a dime for everyone who opened a gmail account as a result of this, I'd probably have more from that than I have in my 401K right now!
If you've enabled the email on your blog profile, it associates your email address with your comment in my inbox. Do you know how incredibly convenient that is? All I have to do is click on your name, and a little email message comes up addressed and stamped and everything.
Sometimes? I would love to send you back a private reply. (Usually it's some flippant excuse for a joke, but that's not really the important part of this post.) But if your email doesn't pop up...well, I mean, If I REALLY think my joke is funny, I will probably see if I can hunt down your email address anyway, but my jokes are rarely worth the time it would take to do that. So if I click "reply" and it comes up "noreply", well, usually, I just say - meh - and forget about it.
I think a lot of bloggers are the same way.
So if you're not getting ANY replies to your comments, you might want to consider opening up a separate new email account ( lots of people use gmail!) especially for your blogger account. Then give people access by enabling the email feature.
Go to:
(sorry- I only know how to do this in blogger)
- Dashboard
- Edit Profile
- then check the box that says "show my email"
- then a few lines down from that, make sure the email address shown is the one you want everyone to have.
Really you'll have more fun with this option on. And if it doesn't work, you can always shut it down.
I just read this and it sounds like an advertisement for something. I can assure you, no one is getting paid for this post. Though if you can think of a way, I'd be open to it. If I got a dime for everyone who opened a gmail account as a result of this, I'd probably have more from that than I have in my 401K right now!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Anti- NaBloPoMo
I'm sorry. I just can't do it.
If you don't already know, many people in the blogging world participate in a little thing in November called NaBloPoMo or National Blog Posting Month. They commit to a post a day for the 30 day period. Which is a lot more work than it may sound like.
As for me, I can't even commit to NaBloPoWe, or even NaBloPoDa. Hey, even NaBloPoHo is stretching it. ( and when I look back on that last acronym or whatever it is, it just looks wrong, doesnt it?) I realize that you may think I often post when I have nothing to say, but really, I try hard not to do that. And I know for sure that I have NOTHING to talk about for 30 days on end. If you thought I was random and shallow before...
Yes an attempt on my part at NaBloPoMo could only end in 2 words:
EPIC FAIL
Good luck to my NaBloPoMo friends, and may the muses of November bring you many experiences for your daily writing sessions. And lots of chocolate cake. Because all good wishes should end in chocolate cake.
If you don't already know, many people in the blogging world participate in a little thing in November called NaBloPoMo or National Blog Posting Month. They commit to a post a day for the 30 day period. Which is a lot more work than it may sound like.
As for me, I can't even commit to NaBloPoWe, or even NaBloPoDa. Hey, even NaBloPoHo is stretching it. ( and when I look back on that last acronym or whatever it is, it just looks wrong, doesnt it?) I realize that you may think I often post when I have nothing to say, but really, I try hard not to do that. And I know for sure that I have NOTHING to talk about for 30 days on end. If you thought I was random and shallow before...
Yes an attempt on my part at NaBloPoMo could only end in 2 words:
EPIC FAIL
Good luck to my NaBloPoMo friends, and may the muses of November bring you many experiences for your daily writing sessions. And lots of chocolate cake. Because all good wishes should end in chocolate cake.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
About That Follower Thing
So, normally, I would obsess about this post, and rewrite it eleventy-one times, to really do my best not to offend anyone... But I don't have time for that today, and I really need to get this posted. I'll depend on you to know that I love you. Right?
OK.
As I've recently discovered, adding many, many people to your Follower gadget also adds many many people to your Googlereader list.
And after I added a crazy number of people to the thing, I began to feel obligated to visit them every time they posted, and thus appeared on Googlereader. I've spent every free hour I've had this last week trying to keep up with Googlereader, and this morning I was actually dreading pulling up that long "to do" list. Which sort of makes this more a chore than a hobby, and heaven knows my chore list is long enough. NOT that reading anybody's blog is a chore!! Just that I become a slave to the reading list. I'm compulsive about getting those things crossed off as soon as I can. I'm probably not explaining this very well.
I haven't had a lot of free time lately, as you might all ready know. We've got some things going on around here.
So I have to apologize and tell you that I've decided to go back to my old method, which is to follow a much smaller list - mostly blogs I just stalk, and big blogs where the authors don't really come around here much. Like Segulla. And Mormon Mommy Wars. And Light Refreshments Served.
The way I keep up with more personal blogs is to just plain old fashioned bookmark them. I also try to visit everyone that comments on my blog, at least now and then.
So, I have to give back the tiara. And even if I have to take you off my follow list, I want you to know that I STILL completely vote for you as Homecoming Queen! (or King, if applicable.)
If you have to take me off your list, too, just so we'll be even, I completely understand.
Believe me. I understand.
OK.
As I've recently discovered, adding many, many people to your Follower gadget also adds many many people to your Googlereader list.
And after I added a crazy number of people to the thing, I began to feel obligated to visit them every time they posted, and thus appeared on Googlereader. I've spent every free hour I've had this last week trying to keep up with Googlereader, and this morning I was actually dreading pulling up that long "to do" list. Which sort of makes this more a chore than a hobby, and heaven knows my chore list is long enough. NOT that reading anybody's blog is a chore!! Just that I become a slave to the reading list. I'm compulsive about getting those things crossed off as soon as I can. I'm probably not explaining this very well.
I haven't had a lot of free time lately, as you might all ready know. We've got some things going on around here.
So I have to apologize and tell you that I've decided to go back to my old method, which is to follow a much smaller list - mostly blogs I just stalk, and big blogs where the authors don't really come around here much. Like Segulla. And Mormon Mommy Wars. And Light Refreshments Served.
The way I keep up with more personal blogs is to just plain old fashioned bookmark them. I also try to visit everyone that comments on my blog, at least now and then.
So, I have to give back the tiara. And even if I have to take you off my follow list, I want you to know that I STILL completely vote for you as Homecoming Queen! (or King, if applicable.)
If you have to take me off your list, too, just so we'll be even, I completely understand.
Believe me. I understand.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Followers
Does the new Blogger Follower gadget remind anyone else of the dreaded Homecoming Queen voting in high school? You know, you want to know how popular you really are, but you don't want to have to face the reality that you might not be as popular as you think in your own little world that you really might be, but only if nobody tells you otherwise... but you kind of want to know.
Maybe it's just me.
So anyway, since it became available I've been waiting to see my many followers roll in. Thanks to all - ahem - 9 of you very brave and a little bit crazy souls!!
I don't really understand the protocol of it. Is it like the blogroll, where I feel bad if I don't include everyone who has ever been to my blog and left a comment?
Is it supposed to replace the blogroll? Because if you have both, isn't that a bit redundant? Aren't you saying that these up here are the blogs I FOLLOW, but these down here are the blogs I LIKE. You see how that could get kinda messy really quickly.
SO this morning, I did the only thing I could do. I added everyone I know to the "blogs I follow" list. Seriously. If somehow I missed you, ( and I know you) and you would like to be added to my following list, just lmk.
( fyi, it won't add private blogs. I tried.)
And if you have any ideas on how the thing is supposed to work, feel free to lmk that, too.
And PS, I'm voting for ALL of you for Homecoming Queen, too. All of you.
Maybe it's just me.
So anyway, since it became available I've been waiting to see my many followers roll in. Thanks to all - ahem - 9 of you very brave and a little bit crazy souls!!
I don't really understand the protocol of it. Is it like the blogroll, where I feel bad if I don't include everyone who has ever been to my blog and left a comment?
Is it supposed to replace the blogroll? Because if you have both, isn't that a bit redundant? Aren't you saying that these up here are the blogs I FOLLOW, but these down here are the blogs I LIKE. You see how that could get kinda messy really quickly.
SO this morning, I did the only thing I could do. I added everyone I know to the "blogs I follow" list. Seriously. If somehow I missed you, ( and I know you) and you would like to be added to my following list, just lmk.
( fyi, it won't add private blogs. I tried.)
And if you have any ideas on how the thing is supposed to work, feel free to lmk that, too.
And PS, I'm voting for ALL of you for Homecoming Queen, too. All of you.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Sue's Blog Book
Have you heard about the book and contest that Sue is coordinating as a fund raiser for Nie Nie?
I haven't decided whether to submit something or not. Not that I don't support the cause or the book, which I completely DO.
It's just that I have a hard time being funny on cue. And I don't really think of myself as a funny blogger. More like "somewhat amusing". Occasionally.
Anyway, I'm not sure I can go head to head with the funniest bloggers out there.
But I wanted to let you know about the contest, in case YOU want to try to get something in there. I know plenty of my readers who are QUITE funny, thank-you very much, and have already written any number of posts that could easily make it into such a collection.
And then we can all sit back and know in our hearts that we knew you BEFORE.
I haven't decided whether to submit something or not. Not that I don't support the cause or the book, which I completely DO.
It's just that I have a hard time being funny on cue. And I don't really think of myself as a funny blogger. More like "somewhat amusing". Occasionally.
Anyway, I'm not sure I can go head to head with the funniest bloggers out there.
But I wanted to let you know about the contest, in case YOU want to try to get something in there. I know plenty of my readers who are QUITE funny, thank-you very much, and have already written any number of posts that could easily make it into such a collection.
And then we can all sit back and know in our hearts that we knew you BEFORE.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
We Laughed, We Cried
Ok, we didn't actually cry...
But oh my goodness our little bloggy lunch was fun. We wandered around the lobby looking for each other (Marco! Polo!), ate Thai lettuce wraps until the sauce dripped down to our elbows (it's possible that was just me), and talked like we've known each other for years. Because you know what? We have. I mean, everyone knows that there are about 7 blog years to one regular year, right?
Bloggers understand this kind of relationship in a way that leaves "Real People" umm, a bit confused.
I had more than 1 "real" person ask me if I was worried about who I might actually find at the restaurant, pretending to be a middle-aged suburban housewife....
....Like anyone could really make this stuff up...
Let's just say if you're in the area, you DEFINITELY don't want to miss the next bloglunch. And oh, yes, there will be a next one.
Here are Talitha, Ganell, Kristy, and JustMe.
I thought we got out of there without anyone stalking us, but do you see that "waitress" in the back? See the way she's eying the camera like that? I know, right? Or maybe she was eying the cheesecake we were taking home "for our husbands".
Anyway, thanks, ladies. It was a BLAST.
But oh my goodness our little bloggy lunch was fun. We wandered around the lobby looking for each other (Marco! Polo!), ate Thai lettuce wraps until the sauce dripped down to our elbows (it's possible that was just me), and talked like we've known each other for years. Because you know what? We have. I mean, everyone knows that there are about 7 blog years to one regular year, right?
Bloggers understand this kind of relationship in a way that leaves "Real People" umm, a bit confused.
I had more than 1 "real" person ask me if I was worried about who I might actually find at the restaurant, pretending to be a middle-aged suburban housewife....
....Like anyone could really make this stuff up...
Let's just say if you're in the area, you DEFINITELY don't want to miss the next bloglunch. And oh, yes, there will be a next one.
Here are Talitha, Ganell, Kristy, and JustMe.
I thought we got out of there without anyone stalking us, but do you see that "waitress" in the back? See the way she's eying the camera like that? I know, right? Or maybe she was eying the cheesecake we were taking home "for our husbands".
Anyway, thanks, ladies. It was a BLAST.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Bloggity Blah Blah
Hey all you Denverite bloggers!
"Vern" of Rabbit in the Headlights (whom I have never met) and I are cooking up a bloggy lunch get together. It's very impromptu and very informal. We both just kinda figured out we have Thursday afternoon free. (and just to be clear, neither one of us will actually be cooking!)
So if you live in the area, and would like to get together this Thursday for lunch, shoot me an email and I'll give ya the details.
I'm making you leave a paper trail electronic trail so that if any of you are creepy stalkers, at least the police will have some leads to go on.
Everyone is welcome.
(Well, except creepy stalkers, who are not welcome at all.)
"Vern" of Rabbit in the Headlights (whom I have never met) and I are cooking up a bloggy lunch get together. It's very impromptu and very informal. We both just kinda figured out we have Thursday afternoon free. (and just to be clear, neither one of us will actually be cooking!)
So if you live in the area, and would like to get together this Thursday for lunch, shoot me an email and I'll give ya the details.
I'm making you leave a
Everyone is welcome.
(Well, except creepy stalkers, who are not welcome at all.)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Ooo! Sparkly!
Hey, I forgot to mention in my last post another little happy thought. And here it is!
Thank-you so much to my imaginary friend Nancyface for helping to make my happy day even happier!
Now, one of the rules is that you have to pass it on to 7 bloggers. Sooooo for this little bling, I picked 7 of the blogs I regularly read, who's names crack me up. Because if you can think of a cute blog name, you're not just brilliant, you are BRILLIANTE!
Congratulations to:
Rabbit in the Headlights
Chocolate Chip Cookies for Lunch
Busy Bee Lauren
Temporary? Insanity
Navel Gazing at it's Finest
Carrot Jello
Thou Shalt Not Whine
ps: If I knew you'd already received this award, I didn't pick you. Even if you have the world's cutest blog name. Cause, you know, we've gotta spread the love.
Thank-you so much to my imaginary friend Nancyface for helping to make my happy day even happier!
Now, one of the rules is that you have to pass it on to 7 bloggers. Sooooo for this little bling, I picked 7 of the blogs I regularly read, who's names crack me up. Because if you can think of a cute blog name, you're not just brilliant, you are BRILLIANTE!
Congratulations to:
Rabbit in the Headlights
Chocolate Chip Cookies for Lunch
Busy Bee Lauren
Temporary? Insanity
Navel Gazing at it's Finest
Carrot Jello
Thou Shalt Not Whine
ps: If I knew you'd already received this award, I didn't pick you. Even if you have the world's cutest blog name. Cause, you know, we've gotta spread the love.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
My Drafty Drawers
Wanna play a game?
I'll show you 3 titles out of my draft files. If you want to play, you try to guess what they're about and then vote on which one I should finish for a post next Monday. (You gotta give me some time, people. After all, there's a reason why they're still in the "draft" file.)
I figure even if you're not a regular commenter or anything, this can be your big chance to come out of the closet (so to speak) and vote for your favorite.
And the nominees are:
The post with the most votes on Thursday night wins.
I'll show you 3 titles out of my draft files. If you want to play, you try to guess what they're about and then vote on which one I should finish for a post next Monday. (You gotta give me some time, people. After all, there's a reason why they're still in the "draft" file.)
I figure even if you're not a regular commenter or anything, this can be your big chance to come out of the closet (so to speak) and vote for your favorite.
And the nominees are:
- HOA - This Time It's Personal
- Grocery Games
- I'm No Movie Critic, But I Play One On TV.
The post with the most votes on Thursday night wins.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
Denver is trying to set a record this week, but not in a good way. We're going for the record number of days in a row over 90 degrees, and if it continues through Thursday, we'll break a 100 year old record.
On the up side, we've never had so many tomatoes!
On the down side, though, I don't like being hot. (Which is completely different than being hott. Which I would really like to be.)
So how I ended up in Arizona in July is beyond me.
Anyway, knowing that I was going to be traveling this week I thought I'd be really blog savvy and line up some blog posts in advance to post on different days. Ahhh, such good intentions.
Realistically, I could have predicted that it wouldn't happen, but you and I both know that I pretty much live in my own little reality...where I enjoy eating key lime tarts with my BFF's Glenn Beck and the boat Captains from Deadliest Catch. And everything is clean and stays 73 degrees all the time. Oh, and no one ever contradicts me or even tells me that I'm not in my right mind. And most importantly, I planned ahead and all my blog posts are posting like clockwork every single day. Because that's the kind of fantasylife I lead sometimes. Forget mansions and diamonds, just make sure there are key lime tarts.
See you all in a few days!
On the up side, we've never had so many tomatoes!
On the down side, though, I don't like being hot. (Which is completely different than being hott. Which I would really like to be.)
So how I ended up in Arizona in July is beyond me.
Anyway, knowing that I was going to be traveling this week I thought I'd be really blog savvy and line up some blog posts in advance to post on different days. Ahhh, such good intentions.
Realistically, I could have predicted that it wouldn't happen, but you and I both know that I pretty much live in my own little reality...where I enjoy eating key lime tarts with my BFF's Glenn Beck and the boat Captains from Deadliest Catch. And everything is clean and stays 73 degrees all the time. Oh, and no one ever contradicts me or even tells me that I'm not in my right mind. And most importantly, I planned ahead and all my blog posts are posting like clockwork every single day. Because that's the kind of fantasylife I lead sometimes. Forget mansions and diamonds, just make sure there are key lime tarts.
See you all in a few days!
Friday, May 16, 2008
I’d Rather Be Blogging Right Now
But when wouldn’t I?
Today I’m subbing for the LMC Specialist in the elementary school. (That’s LIBRARIAN to those of you who don’t speak Public School Talk.) Oh, and also? It’s field day at the elementary school. And also? It’s 2 weeks until the end of school, so no one is allowed to actually check out books. Which I would have THOUGHT made this a pretty easy gig, right? Read to a couple of kindergarten classes, and then maybe a little book shelving.
Reminder to those who are as naive as I am: If it SOUNDS too good to be true…..
Yes. Yes it is. There was no instruction sheet for me today, so I happily pulled out my laptop and set it up near the circulation desk. I was all prepared to check in and put books away, and answer any questions about what’s still missing and whatnot, while using the vast spaces of empty time in between to blog to my heart's content!
To my dismay, though, one of the school aides just came in with a message from the
Usually fiction books are shelved by the first 3 letters of the author’s name. So if you’re looking for say, a Harry Potter book, you’d go to the shelf with the ROW’s on it, and then you just have to sort through ALL the ROW’s. Which at our library would be all the Harry Potter books plus one more.
Can someone PLEASE tell me why true alphabetical order is so important for the end of the year? The way it was explained to me, is that during the last week of school, many many children (and parents) will come to the
Riiiight.
Because I know that if it were me, I’d never check the rest of the shelf. And the shelves above and below are clearly out of the realm of possibility, too.
I thought about trying to explain to the aide the total lack of productivity in alphabetizing the books, versus the TOTAL productivity of blogging for a couple of hours, but somehow I didn't think she'd understand.
So, I'm about halfway through my totally lame busywork. Also about halfway through my mindmeld with the wall paint. Which about doubles the fun of this activity, by the way.
At this point I'm hoping for somebody to bring in a torn book, so I can spice things up by getting out ... The Tape.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I'm Baaaaack
(Insert psycho music here) reeeeek! reeeeeek! reeeek!
It's been awhile, hasn't it. Thanks everyone who missed me. I missed you, too. In a way that almost kind of worries me.
As I've been reading through my google reader, it seems that there are lots of people who are struggling with the same issues; time on the internet, blogging burn-out, etc...
What?
Oh, you thought I was going to say something profound there? Yeah, no. I got nothin'. Except to say that I'm starting to believe that internet addiction is as real for middle aged women as it is for teen gamers.
Who knew?
So my new strategy is to limit myself to an hour per day. Which is going to have to include writing and surfing.
I have a missionary leaving in 3 weeks. And besides all the things we still have to DO, I would just like to - you know- spend some time with him.
Also I might be able to excavate my laundry room in the near future. Oh, the discoveries that await.
AND- I'm getting ready to start a new business. Which I will give more details about soon, but for now is really sucking up a lot more of my time than I thought it would at this early stage of the game.
On the up side - getting out and actually, you know, having a life - just might make me an interesting person again and possibly, POSSIBLY give me new things to blog about. Which has GOT to be more interesting than my recent trend of blogging about blogging.
At least that's what I'm hoping.
It's been awhile, hasn't it. Thanks everyone who missed me. I missed you, too. In a way that almost kind of worries me.
As I've been reading through my google reader, it seems that there are lots of people who are struggling with the same issues; time on the internet, blogging burn-out, etc...
What?
Oh, you thought I was going to say something profound there? Yeah, no. I got nothin'. Except to say that I'm starting to believe that internet addiction is as real for middle aged women as it is for teen gamers.
Who knew?
So my new strategy is to limit myself to an hour per day. Which is going to have to include writing and surfing.
I have a missionary leaving in 3 weeks. And besides all the things we still have to DO, I would just like to - you know- spend some time with him.
Also I might be able to excavate my laundry room in the near future. Oh, the discoveries that await.
AND- I'm getting ready to start a new business. Which I will give more details about soon, but for now is really sucking up a lot more of my time than I thought it would at this early stage of the game.
On the up side - getting out and actually, you know, having a life - just might make me an interesting person again and possibly, POSSIBLY give me new things to blog about. Which has GOT to be more interesting than my recent trend of blogging about blogging.
At least that's what I'm hoping.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Rethinking
Over at Sue's blog several days ago she posted a photo montage with a Trace Atkins song. It was beautiful, and I was a little weepy and thinking about how fast the time went when my kids were little and how I really did miss that.
And at some point, one of my children came in to ask me a question, and I was just annoyed at the interruption. Couldn’t they see that I was trying to appreciate how fast children grow up, and how special our time with them is?
Oh.
Yeah.
And it hit me like a windshield on a bug - that this little time period I'm living right now, may be the last time I have all my children living under one roof. Ever.
( Well, I mean, unless they all turn out to be slugs, and live in the basement when they're 40... but let's not go there.)
And as I've contemplated the hours I spend online reading, writing, rewriting (stop laughing! I rewrite! ) I’ve determined that I have GOT to step back from it a little bit.
I'm embarrassed to talk about the number of times I've been annoyed when my kids have interrupted my blogging time. I’m sad for the conversations with them I've missed, and the opportunities to serve them and others that have gone unnoticed because I’ve been spending more time than I should online.
Basically, I’m having trouble finding a balance between my cyberlife and my real life.
So I’m taking off a week to spend with my family.
Oh, I’m not giving up blogging. There are too many things I love about it. Especially all the new friends I’ve made, and continue to make. I’m just taking it down a notch. No more pressure (from myself) to post every day, and no more pressure (again, from myself) to go visiting every blog on my google reader every single day.
There’s a balance in here somewhere, and I’m going to find it.
(PS- Thanks for missing me! I'll see you soon!)
Monday, December 10, 2007
Who Would I Be?
Sometimes I wonder what I would write about if I were completely anonymous. I mean, to lots - probably most of you- I AM pretty anonymous.
But I do have lots of people I know who read my blog. Family, ward members, friends, some of my young women even pop in from time to time. Which means there are some things I can't really write about. Like if something ultra-embarrassing happened to one of my kids.... Or if I'm angry or frustrated with someone. Or I've gained like 10 pounds. Oh, wait. I feel perfectly free to post about that. But as far as the first two examples, it's probable that someone really could connect those dots. And I'd have to live with the fallout.
I've done things like that before. Sent email when I was angry, or told a story about a family member that they did NOT appreciate me divulging to all my friends. And so one thing I decided when I started the blog was that I was going to try really hard to never write something that I would be embarrassed or sad about later.
Sometimes I wonder - - if I don't post a lot about my frustrations and the negative emotions I have, does that give a real picture of who I am? Or is it more like watching Sister Perfect at church with her little row of perfect children on the pew.... Nevermind that she screamed at them all morning long to get that result.... because you don't see that part. I sometimes read back through my archives and wonder who people think I really am. And after reading a mish mash of entries, I think they're pretty honest.
(Shwoo - 'cause I was so worried that you all were thinking I was Sister Perfect or something. Uh huh. )
But boy, there are times, when I'd love to rant anonymously. Maybe I was a little hasty about getting that url pasted into my email signature.
Sometimes I think about starting a completely anonymous whiny blog. It would have practically no readership. Because really? Who wants to read that whiny crap day after day? But it sure would be a good vent.
So if you notice a new commenter on your blog, someone with a name like Whiny McWhinypants, I recommend NOT following the link.
That's all I'm saying'.
But I do have lots of people I know who read my blog. Family, ward members, friends, some of my young women even pop in from time to time. Which means there are some things I can't really write about. Like if something ultra-embarrassing happened to one of my kids.... Or if I'm angry or frustrated with someone. Or I've gained like 10 pounds. Oh, wait. I feel perfectly free to post about that. But as far as the first two examples, it's probable that someone really could connect those dots. And I'd have to live with the fallout.
I've done things like that before. Sent email when I was angry, or told a story about a family member that they did NOT appreciate me divulging to all my friends. And so one thing I decided when I started the blog was that I was going to try really hard to never write something that I would be embarrassed or sad about later.
Sometimes I wonder - - if I don't post a lot about my frustrations and the negative emotions I have, does that give a real picture of who I am? Or is it more like watching Sister Perfect at church with her little row of perfect children on the pew.... Nevermind that she screamed at them all morning long to get that result.... because you don't see that part. I sometimes read back through my archives and wonder who people think I really am. And after reading a mish mash of entries, I think they're pretty honest.
(Shwoo - 'cause I was so worried that you all were thinking I was Sister Perfect or something. Uh huh. )
But boy, there are times, when I'd love to rant anonymously. Maybe I was a little hasty about getting that url pasted into my email signature.
Sometimes I think about starting a completely anonymous whiny blog. It would have practically no readership. Because really? Who wants to read that whiny crap day after day? But it sure would be a good vent.
So if you notice a new commenter on your blog, someone with a name like Whiny McWhinypants, I recommend NOT following the link.
That's all I'm saying'.
Friday, November 16, 2007
My Last Annoying Blogger Question...
That's false advertising right there in the title.
We all know that I will NEVER have a last annoying Blogger question. But thanks for humoring me anyway.
I have absolutely loved my Google Reader. In case you don't know what it is, it's a free subscription service that tells you whenever your favorite blogs are updated. So you don't have to keep clicking in to see.
(I know I may be killing my Statcounter numbers by giving this information!)
Anyway, you can set your blog to feed the full post, a partial post, or headlines only into the notification. It's very convenient. And did I mention it's free? (Although Google should totally pay me for all this advertising!)
So, my research says that people who use a reader are annoyed when they can't read the whole article, and they have to click into your website to finish the article.
So readers don't like it.
Bloggers OTOH, don't like the full feed, because then people read the article in the feeder and they never click on the actual website.
I do enjoy knowing how many people are reading by having them click in to finish the article. I follow quite a few blogs that use that setting and it doesn't bother me in the least.
Does it bother you?
We all know that I will NEVER have a last annoying Blogger question. But thanks for humoring me anyway.
I have absolutely loved my Google Reader. In case you don't know what it is, it's a free subscription service that tells you whenever your favorite blogs are updated. So you don't have to keep clicking in to see.
(I know I may be killing my Statcounter numbers by giving this information!)
Anyway, you can set your blog to feed the full post, a partial post, or headlines only into the notification. It's very convenient. And did I mention it's free? (Although Google should totally pay me for all this advertising!)
So, my research says that people who use a reader are annoyed when they can't read the whole article, and they have to click into your website to finish the article.
So readers don't like it.
Bloggers OTOH, don't like the full feed, because then people read the article in the feeder and they never click on the actual website.
I do enjoy knowing how many people are reading by having them click in to finish the article. I follow quite a few blogs that use that setting and it doesn't bother me in the least.
Does it bother you?
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