Get To Know Thursdays

Featured Humor Blogger: TheSuniverse

During Blogoversary week last week, [which was so much fun, thank you], I announced a weekly Thursday feature that I'll be hosting here.

It's called Get To Know Thursdays: where I'll be showcasing some fantastic, funny, humor bloggers that I've been secretly, and guiltily, keeping to myself.

I'm going to be mature this new Blogging Year, and introduce you to them. Because it's the right thing to do. The world needs more humor.

This week's featured humor blogger  is TheSuniverse. 

And you'll have to get used to calling her TheSuniverse, because she prefers to remain Sunonymous. I wish I were funny enough for that to be my joke, but it's hers.

I followed Suniverse home from a tweet. [She's a lot of F.U.N. on twitter, you'll need to follow her @thesuniverse ]

She tweeted out this post.


With this post? Instant kindred spirits. She spoke a language that I understood. She spoke it like a long lost college girlfriend that would make me laugh hard enough for beer spit ups. Beer spit ups are good, people.

That post had me smiling for a long time, I thought I'd just go back again and revisit, whenever I felt the need for a good laugh. And, then, Sunny comes back at me with this one.

More guffaws and knee slapping from me, oh, yeah, I was serious about this girl now.I was following, I was RTing. I had stars in my eyes over that post.

Then, she moves in with the killer, and I'm just about to pack up and move across the street from her house.

All with this one.

I had already promised to love her till the day I die, and then she still seals the deal with this post on being assaulted by a bug and its eventual death at the hand of her boobs. Her.boobs. Oh, and this post on getting stuck on the phone with a longtalker. CanNOT miss that one.

What does TheSuniverse say about herself? Let her tell you, herself:

• Bio Liberal. Impatient. And profane. No. Seriously. Really, really foul-mouthed.

No sugar coating, just the real thing. And, as I said earlier, it's like finding that one college girlfriend you had, that you now miss so much. The one that would make you laugh hard enough for beer spit ups.

I love you, girl.

Stop over, say hi, and meet TheSuniverse. There's really no one out there like her. And, now, I don't have to miss my college friend anymore.

I introduce you to, TheSuniverse:

Because you would have asked me anyway

I tend to write more about myself and my crazy here than about anything else.  But I do have interests and opinions beyond worrying that I was allergic to the new pinconning cheese I picked up on the recommendation of my cheese lady [Of course I have a cheese lady. You don't have one? GET ONE!] to put in my mac & cheese and then not only not eating any of the mac & cheese, even though I forced myself to take a bite of the pinconning, which subsequently made me stand in the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror, staring diligently at my face to make sure that I wasn't swelling from an allergic reaction but which only made me realize that my features are lopsided so maybe I'm not allergic, I'm just a Harlequin mask . . . I have no idea where I was going with this [READ MORE HERE]  ....


-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS CLOSED

Your Child Talking

Have you thought of raising your child with a second language?

Do you want to raise your child with a second language, but think you can't?

Do you know of the benefits of exposing your child to a second language?

I'm over at Lori O's. exciting new language development website, Your Child Talking, with a guest post today on ways you can include a second language in your child's development. Even if you don't know a second language.


I hope you stop over, and talk to us about your concerns, questions, apprehensions, input, on this topic. Both Lori and I have degrees in Speech Pathology, and Lori is a currently practicing Speech Pathologist. We would LOVE to hear what you think.

Thank you!! See you there.
-------------------------------------------------------------

COMMENTS CLOSED

Farewell, Green Skirt --- or, The GiveAway Finale Post

Shake It Shake It Like It's Your Last Day

Did I milk this blogoversary or what??

You don't have to answer.  I know I did and it felt good. Real good.

I will miss this lady in the green skirt, but our time of celebrating is up. The blogoversary week is over.

But it was so much fun.

For the Grand Blogoversary Week Finale, we are going to Shake Shake It Good Bye Green Skirt, till next year. We will do it with a wonderful Grand Finale Giveaway.

The Giveaway prize up for grabs to one lucky commenter below will be:

• Homemade Truffles (ask KLZ and Suzy Soro and Brian about these)
• Hometown Roasted coffee, roasted right here, in our hometown
• A bottle of this, in honor of my celebrity look alike, and this post
• A signed original picture--drawn in magic marker color--by Baby E

I've had a truly wonderful week celebrating YOU, knowing you, meeting you, and having you in my life.

Thank you so very, very much, for a year that has been one of the sweetest ones in my memory.

I love you, all.

Now, leave a comment below to be entered in the giveaway-- I hope it's a lucky one. XO
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Final Installment -- When Someone You Love Has A Blog

The Sad, Sad Tale of Becky Blogger

The long overdue tale of Becky Blogger will finally be laid to rest today, in celebration of Blogoversary week.

We first met Becky in Part I, of the When Someone You Love Has A Blog Series. For Part I, Part II, and a  preemptive Post by Becky Blogger's husband,  the series can be found here.  

As promised, the final installment, Part III:  Re-introducing Your Blogger Back Into Society:


The sad, sad tale of Becky Blogger and BAD: Blogging Addiction Disorder.

Signs that  Becky's new :hobby:  had taken on a life of its own were only much too clear. Becky's husband could no longer ignore, or accept, Becky's excuses, for what was going down in their household.

The breakfast dishes were still wet to the touch when he'd arrive home in the evening, showing how they had they had just been done moments before he had walked in the door.  Dinner, one too many evenings this week, was the familiar bag of dumped out chicken nuggets intermixed with fries on the same, large sheet pan.

Becky's husband sighed as he hung up his coat, and went to search for the day's mail...the day's mail that should have been waiting on the kitchen counter, where it had always been for the last 15 years, but not since Becky had begun with her new :diversion: Upon seeing no mail in the house, he slowly pulled his coat back on, and walked out to the mailbox. He opened the mailbox, and saw the mail there, mail that had not been brought in. Again.  Becky's husband pressed his lips together into a thin line, with the "face." The "face" that meant, he had to become a man of action. 

Becky--a quiet, ordinary, mother of 2.5 children, living on a quiet, ordinary street in a not so extraordinary town, has BAD. Blogging Addiction Disorder. Her husband knows this, the children have hinted at it, and Becky...oh, Becky...there is no one more surprised than Becky, with what has happened to what she once knew as her life.

She openly acknowledges the physical symptoms of blogging: the pinched shoulders, a sore neck, strained vision.

She easily admits to playing beat the clock when it comes to getting the daily necessities of home life accomplished, such as dishes, dinner, grocery shopping, picking up the house, preparing classroom treats.

What she has kept hidden, and to herself, is the sneaking downstairs while everyone sleeps, to tweak and complete the last post she put up. How she asks her husband to take the children out for awhile so she can "really get this kitchen floor done right," only to run to the computer as soon as the door is closed behind them. She tells no one that her showers have become a wet, soapy rag that she quickly runs over her body, more than just a few times a week--in the hopes of being able to get on the computer faster. Becky is silent when her husband comes home at night, and asks, "so...what did you do today?" She stammers as she silently curses herself that she doesn't have an answer at the ready. "I..I..I, geez, well, the day just got away from me!"

Is this family doomed? Is this situation  hopeless?

The encouraging thing about BAD, blogging addiction disorder, is that Becky does NOT have to stop blogging. With a few pointers here, for Becky and her husband to follow, Becky can once again become a happy, guilt and anxiety free member of her household.

1. Becky can be taught to see Blogging as a PART of her life, but not as her whole life. 

For this change of perception, we must first find out what it is about blogging that feeds Becky. Is it the friendships? Is it the communication? Is she an alter ego in the computer world? Or has she become someone that is esteemed and valued, and listened to, when she is online? In order for Becky to trade in her hours blogging, her family, with the help of outside friends, may have to work to help Becky feel in the real world, what she felt in her virtual world.

2. Becky can be taught to change the habit by balancing the habit.

Becky needs a replacement activity or two--or three, depending on how deep she was in it. She will need someone to help her schedule outings, exercise, family bike rides, trips to the museum, lunches out with friends from her real life. She needs replacement activities in place of the time she spent in front of the screen. 


3.  Make Becky accountable for her time.


Yes, this does sound heavy handed, but this is what is needed as part of treatment. Becky needs to keep track of time on the computer, and to only use the computer after her daily minimum expectations are completed. That's how we have to roll with her during the intervention phase. This is the only way. Showers, full daytime clothing, dishes, errands, phone calls, all need to be done, before she can sign on. This is non negotiable.

4.  Just like matching dollars, Becky must match friends.

Becky must spend equal amounts of time with In Real Life People, as she does with her online people. Do not allow Becky to answer, when asked how she is, "Read my blog."  She has to make conversation.

5.  Acknowledge Becky's reasons, and allow her to be honest about them.


Blogging is wonderful for procrastination, and as avoidance for the mundane of bed making, and phone call returning, and dog walking. It's easier to blog than it is to exercise, or work on your dreams. It's easy to jump on behind the computer, when you have so many undesirable responsibilities like sorting the laundry, or organizing the Xmas ornaments in the basement, or going through the kids' closets, or...er..wait..we're talking about Becky. Sorry.

6. You, as the partner in Becky's life, must help her to create and provide what she seeks.


Was she lonely? Was she getting companionship? Was she feeling a sense of belonging? Maybe blogging did that for her. (Hah! maybe??!! er, sorry. again.)



A happy life that is blogger and twitter reduced is possible. Yes, you will have to remove Becky from influences and situations that are tempting..like a computer left on. You may have to watch her for the first 4-6 weeks, perhaps immerse her in another way of filling her time in the evenings.

BAD, when acted upon with love and family involvement, can result in Renewal and Rebirth.

Becky does want to regain control of her life again, but she does not want to give up all the loveliness of the blogging world.

Understand her, but don't confront her ways. Help her to improve her life. Your strength, plus her strength will equal OUR strength. Together, with friends and family, you can help re-establish and reintroduce Becky to In Real Life living. With people.

We leave you with this. Remember to: 

• Find out what was missing from her life, that blogging was able to provide her with.
• What played the role in sending her into solely blogging as her entire existence.
• What will replace those hours that she had been spending in front of the computer? Without a replacement, the siren's call of the computer will once again be too strong for her to resist.

We are all in this together, and we are wearing our "We have been there" T shirts, right along with you.

If you do find yourself at wit's end? Meet us at the BAR (Blogging Addiction Recovery). My husband is usually there, heading up the meeting.
--------------------------------------------------------------
What is your B.A.D. confession? Leave it here, in your comment below.

Thank you, to all of you, for making this week such a happy one for me. I mean that.


Be sure to stop back for the last day, tomorrow: for the giveaway. You won't want to miss all the goodies that will go out to a lucky commenter. Fun Stuff!!

Day 7 of the Blogoversary- Things I Learned From The First Year of Blogging

Day 7-- How did I ever live without her?

Day 7 of Blogoversary Week.

How ever did I live without this lady in the green skirt? She's my friend. (shuttup. I have attachment issues-- I have saved all my babies' toothbrushes.)

As much as I hate to see her go, it soon will be time to send her on her way. She has served me well this week. She'll be here yet to Shake It Shake it and announce the giveaway and to reveal the surprise post Saturday.

I felt that a celebration of one year of blogging needed a post on "What I've Learned In A Year of Blogging." When I began the draft of this topic, my notes filled 3 pages of my notebook.

Either I learned a lot, or I didn't know a lot.

You decide. No hurt feelings.

THINGS I LEARNED FROM ONE YEAR OF BLOGGING:

Blogging will take so very much more time in your life than you could ever imagine. So.Much.More.

Computer time is not the same as Real Time. One hour of computer time is equal to about 15 minutes in real time. Take into consideration all the freeze ups, load time, jumping across media: FB, twitter, your blog, other blogs, email, skype. Plan for that, and it'll reduce the stress of trying to get it all done.

You will talk to people you never dreamed you'd talk to.

You will become frustrated at how disinterested your non blogging friends are in your blogging existence. ("Ummm...so, yeah, wow. 10,000 tweets? huh...so...good, right? I mean, that's good...right?")

You MUST get to know more experienced bloggers who will explain to you things like the "super nice" lady who keeps emailing you to ask if she can use your blog for a guest post on her felted purses that you're trying to remember just how and when and where you know her from, is really not a super nice lady looking to do a guest post on purses at all. No, she wants to use your blog as FREE ADVERTISING FOR HER PURSES. Especially when she "found" your blog right after you did a post on "Pursey Galore."  [Thanks, Lori...I can't believe I was actually emailing her back and forth with "Hi! Good to hear from you again!"]

Be prepared for public displayS of humiliation. DisplayS with a big S at the end, since there will be many. You will tweet yourself, you will thank yourself for the follow, you will send a DM instructing someone else that "see, this is a secret between you and me DM, cool, huh?" and it actually won't be a DM. You will have 500 people on twitter call your attention to it--they'll be like ants to a dropped popsicle. To tell you-- in case you didn't notice. That you sent a tweet and not a DM.

You will receive a negative comment, or two, along the way. The first one will kill you. The second and third ones, you'll just delete, and won't even flinch.

People around you will say the words "blogging addiction" like it's a bad thing. I think of it as "blogging connection."

You will gain the blogger butt. And I don't mean powerful glutes developed from long hours of sitting.

Don't let the size of someone's audience, number of comments, or accomplishments intimidate you. I'd guess that 70% --no, 80%--of the contact that I've initiated with established bloggers, has been returned.

You will LOVE the people that you meet from blogging.

You will be grateful for the opportunities and doors to friendships that blogging opens up for you.

You will LOVE blogging more than you could have thought possible.

You will wonder where all the stories in your head used to go.

Blogging will make you walk a bit taller, smile a lot more, and will strengthen you for life's battles with your secret online corps of friends that are very real.

You will become a more interesting person, who will know so very many little this and that things...just enough things to keep dinner conversation with your family flowing. And lively.

Do not determine the worth of a post based on whether it was comment heavy or not. You posted it because you had something to say. That is enough.

If you follow someone, and they don't follow you back, do not decide to unfollow them based solely on that.  Do you enjoy their blog? Does their writing make you smile? Does their writing push you to do more with your posts? Do you look forward to what they have to say? Do you learn something each time you visit?

If yes, then why stop? I have been following one blog, (actually, more like 4), commenting every time they  post, for a year now. I laugh every time I am there. I think these bloggers are exceptionally bright, clever, witty, and very talented.

They have yet to visit me, or reply back. Will I stop visiting them? No. I gain too much from my visits there. They make me a better blogger, plus, I'm a humor junkie...and they are among the best. Always delivering. Their comment counts tops out at 13. But, to me, they are Stellar.  I will keep following them. 

Do not be offended when someone you are faithful to visits you sporadically, but you see this blogger on a daily basis at other blogs. Even if they are your bloggy crush. Be a big girl and realize that this blogger has her daily favorites, and you may not be on that list of what she needs to get in that day. Or she has a relationship with the blogger she visits daily. Or she just doesn't have enough hours in the day. The point is: DO NOT take it personally. People don't purposely shun us, they have their agenda, their daily list of "must do" and "never miss."

Just like us.

Taste is subjective. We can't be everything to everybody. Some people will love us, some people will think we are only meh. You have to be Okay with that. Not everyone loves Benecio Del Toro [though I canNOT for the life of me ever understand that one.]

Make peace with that fact of life. Not everyone is going to be crazy about your blog. I've gone online and read community forums that call themselves "I Hate So and So Big Blogger." Now, this big blogger sees $850,00 a year from blogging and gets 20,000 comments per post... do you think she focuses on those that create an online group saying they hate her? Probably not.  You be the same. [not hate her, I mean, be grown up about it].

Make commenting easy. I'm sure lots of my comments have been lost because I don't go back and check if I did the word verification thing. I comment, hit publish, then X out. I NEVER go back and check if it went through. 

Respect your reader. Seriously. If you wouldn't want to read it, then DON'T POST IT.

Think about what you want to offer your reader. For me, it's companionship. I would like to think that I offer a place where a reader can come anytime they have a minute, like a short visit with a friend. Like a home where the backdoor is always open.

Don't think you're great because you get 25 comments and don't think you're not great because you get 0 comments. You are not your blog. Keep that reality in check...spend time, quality time, away from your blog.

Be who you are and embrace it. Laugh at your mistakes. I know I'm a dork and don't know a thing about a thing. So what.  

BE PATIENT. It takes a good year [and that year will go quickly, though it may not seem like it in the beginning]  before you start to see some solid direction in the kind of niche you have.

Have fun. Love what you're doing. Be grateful for the AMAZING people you've met. Celebrate that the internet came to be. Be happy that you have your very own little space in the world, to place your words in.

Thank you, all, I am grateful for you. You've made this week so wonderful for me!!
------------------------------------------------------
Still to come: just a few more days with my green skirted friend. A giveaway, and a Saturday surprise post.

THANKS for being here this week! I have really loved celebrating with you.
XO