Let’s all gaze at my navel, shall we?
I was going to name this post “Shock and Awe” because I’m sort of numb about how widely my Mommy Wars Hunger Games post has been read and shared. It’s my first “big post” and I think the appeal is pretty obvious – all mothers – nay, all women – have at one time or another felt guilty about, or been made to feel guilty about, the choices they’ve made in their lives. The tongue-in-cheek chart illustrated the absurdity of how women in any situation can be castigated for their decisions. So, apparently, it struck a nerve.
Huge thanks to Liz Gumbinner of Mom 101 for supporting a new blogger on Twitter, and to Cecily Kellogg for giving the post a shout out in the Babble’s MomCrunch article “Don’t Call Me a Mommy Blogger.” But I was totally cool about it when the Babble article went up. I didn’t start jumping and screaming and bouncing all around the kitchen like a complete fool. Yes I did. And because my four year old likes to jump, scream, and bounce, she happily joined in even though she had no clue why I was celebrating. Until I’m like, “Let’s go look at the computer screen again! Let’s refresh my site analytics!” And that was totally boring and then she just wanted me to make shells and cheese and put on Blue’s Clues.
My eight year old, who is, in general, less enthusiastic about life events, looked at me the next morning and says, deadpan, “So are you still a real bloggist now or what?”
Kids. They will always keep you real stomp on your buzz.
When I started the blog, I just sort of dove in. I went with WordPress even though I didn’t (and still don’t) really have a clue how to use it. I decided I just wanted to write, and I would worry about design and technology later (clearly). Rather than having an initial post all about “Hi! Here’s my blog and here’s who I am and why I’m doing this!” I jumped in with a post about murdering bagged salads. And it pretty much deteriorated from there.
But now that people beyond my friends are maybe reading my stuff, it seems like a mildly reflective time. So I’m going to get a bit meta on your ass.
Here’s why I decided to blog: Every few years I get it together enough circa New Year’s to do something at least a little bit mindful, and this year I decided to come up with a “word of the year.” Some touchstone against which I could reference my choices and actions for the next 12 months. This was inspired by when I lived in Manhattan and my friends and I would “name” our summers. Those were more things like “The Summer We Might Finally Get Invited to a Hamptons Share” or “The Summer the Hot Investment Banker Guy Might Decide I am Actual Girlfriend Material Instead of Late Night Booty-Call Material.” You know, profound stuff.
As we age and think more philosophically, and consider our futures and our kids’ futures and the planet’s future and such, life can easily devolve into a hand-wringing nightmare. Especially during an election year. So instead of turning to my second and third favorite activities – ranting and crying – I chose as my word of 2012: LAUGH. To find the humor even in the difficult. As my idol Erma Bombeck once said, “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” I wanted to see if I could – maybe even once a day – dissolve into those gut-hurting, tears flowing, uncontrollable inappropriate giggling sessions. And maybe, even, cause such outbursts in the lives of others. No matter what chaos is swirling around us.
I’ve always loved to laugh, and to make other people laugh, though I was hardly a class clown (I was editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper – funn-ay!!!). But I remember sitting in our den growing up – before LOL was even a gleam in some texter’s eye – watching the literally laugh-out-loud Saturday night line-up – The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and The Carol Burnett Show – tears in my eyes as Tim Conway and Harvey Korman tried, and failed, to keep it together once again.
I’ve been to writing workshops where the people are all “I just write. It’s like breathing. I don’t care if people read it or not. It’s a meditative process for me.” And I nod, knowingly. Knowingly, in the sense that I know damn well that I write for one reason: To be read. I mean, that is awesome for those people. I wish that I could be so, you know, without ulterior motive. But I write to make people laugh. Laugh through tears, laugh through anger, and laugh because life is silly and funny underneath it all.
So when I considered a “voice” for this blog, it came pretty easily. My voice. The one that brings me most joy and, I hope, spreads a little bit of light around to others. The voice of laughter – at the everyday and at the small things and at the large events in our lives and in our world, at the things that are outright awesome, and at the things we need to work a little bit harder to keep in perspective. To laugh instead of to cry, or to rant. I hope you continue to read and enjoy.
But maybe the “Mommy Wars Hunger Games” post was my “Funkytown” or “Afternoon Delight.” In that case, it’s all downhill from here…
Oh, and we laugh. Sometimes we laugh so hard that we wake up our cats.
I’m glad your girls are keeping you grounded. You know – still keepin’ it real.
That might be a good tagline: The Reedster Speaks: Laugh so hard you’ll wake up cats.
I’d read it.
That’s the best tag line I’ve ever seen.
I’m glad you chose laugh for your word of the year, as you do make me laugh every time. Please don’t choose “despair” for 2013.
Even your comments make me crack up, Carrie. But now you have me stressed out about what to name 2013.
You definitely make me laugh & your voice rings loud and true! You’ve accomplished a lot in a short time, and you should be proud of yourself! I’m looking forward to meeting you at Type A. I’ll be the tall red head w/ an extremely dry sense of humor
Keanne, I’ll be the one talking, loudly, about vagina cookies.
Reedster: I sincerely doubt this is your “15 minutes.” Like I mentioned in a previous comment, I spent all of nap time, NAP TIME!, reading your posts. You have a addictive style – funny, relatable, and warm. I think people are going to continue to flock to your posts.
And thank you for going meta on all of us. I tend to wonder what motivates people to blog and just assume it’s a mixture of vanity and boredom, but maybe that’s just my motive. ; ) But this makes just so much sense to me. You clearly so easily find the humor in the everyday and you are certainly accomplishing your goal of making us see it to. Can’t wait to read more!
Thanks Kim! I can barely sleep at *night* lately because of all the amazing blog writers I need to read. I’m adding you to my list
**”maybe the “Mommy Wars Hunger Games” post was my “Funkytown” or “Afternoon Delight.” In that case, it’s all downhill from here…”**
Somehow Cindy, I don’t think that’s you in a leather jacket on water skis hurtling over the Great White anytime soon…!
Congrats on the ‘Yeah, Write’ recognition too!! It’s so fun watching you blow up!
Thanks Tony. And am I the only one who thought that episode was PURE AWESOME?
dude, it was a hilarious post – like many, MANY others i’ve read here. ain’t no way this is your funkytown…you are a BLOGGIST!
OK so, I read your post at Greta’s (that was also linked up with yeah write), loved it, then I heard about the Mommy Wars Hunger Games post (but haven’t read it yet), so I come here to check you out and read THIS post….and I think I’ve just fallen in love and will have to add you to my freaking reader!
Thank you so much! I think I’ve fallen in love with you too now
I haven’t read your post yet (which I just linked to from Mom 101) but as another blogger who gained a substantial audience literally overnight, welcome! And also, go get yourself a Facebook page. And don’t worry, people will keep reading even if every post isn’t a Mommy Hunger Games. Congrats!
Thanks! Hoping to have a new one up tomorrow
Just found this through mom-101′s twitter and am IN LOVE. Er.. with your writing and your humor. Currently going through every post you’ve ever written in true stalker-like fashion and am anxious about getting to the end because then I won’t be able to read 10 posts a day and will have to be content with two a week. How will I deal?
But please don’t stop writing! You are awesome and I am jealous (except not of the sw’obe)
I loved your hunger games post and you are certainly only going to head uphill from here – you have only the ‘best’ backing you.
Plus – you are a fabulous blogger.
Thank you!!!
Enjoy the laud and love! But don’t go away when it dies down. You’ve got talent, talent that can survive the tides of blogging. I hope to see you around a lot.
Thanks Julie!
I can’t believe I missed your Hunger Games post- gonna go read it. But I love your word of the year.
Hey Cindy – now you even have my wife as a subscriber! Dual-household win!
She is already quoting you – and really really likes your voice!
Oh, when I start giving out prizes, there will totally be something for your family.
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