Hi.
I’ve decided to accept a blog challenge to post every day for the entire month of November. Considering that I’ve been averaging a post a week the past few months, that’s going to be a lot of posting! I am excited about it though, because I’ve been a bit miffed at myself for letting things slip blogwise. I used to have a pretty big reader base, a reader base who left gratifying little comments even on really stupid entries where I knew they were just humoring me because I clearly needed the attention. Now the awesome handful of dedicated Lou Fan’s (Hi Mom!) make me work for my feedback. I accept that. No where in the blogging world are comments expected- but I want to request that during the month of November, while I will be doing my best to regale you with crazy stories and scrappy goodness, you support me by dropping an extra comment or two. For some of you, that will mean de-lurking. For others, it’ll mean three comments a month instead of one, and for a select few, well, you’ll have to start leaving multiple comments on each post - ha- no, just kidding there.
I have been learning about my lurkers lately. When you think about it, the fact that I have people who drop on by, read and leave, it is a little strange. The other day one of my friends informed me that there were people on base who I don’t know who read my blog. They thought I might be a little weirded out by that, but not really. I am what I am, and my ability to put it all out there is just part of who I am. While it can create a sense of vulnerability, it also empowers. I may bitch about subjects that leave others a little ticked off, but at least I’m being honest. I am pretty open with the fact that I’m a less than stellar mother. I never say I don’t try, just that no one is going to give me any Mommy of the Year awards any time soon. I think the fact that I’m willing to say, “Here I am. I am imperfect. I am real.” is why people like me.
I’ve run into a few blogs lately that are all sweetness and sugar. I tend to be suspicious of the people I meet who seem uber together and just thrilled with life at all times. The mothers who you really think never raise their voices and always remember to serve a vegetable with dinner sometimes creep me out. I want to know that Cheerios ground into the carpet and a weedy garden are normal. I want to know that everyone else is growing and learning and progressing, just as I am. So what I’m saying is that by putting only what’s great about me out there on my blog, I’m really not doing anyone any favors. Not my reader, and not myself. I firmly believe that literature ought to humanize. A blog is one of the more modern forms of literature, and if doesn’t broaden your perspective on humanity, if it doesn’t make you delve deeper into your frame of consciousness and create new exceptions for how you define your world- then why bother? I’m not saying that a writer needs to be philosophizing about the dark mysteries of the world to find deeper meaning in our puny little lives. I’m saying that a person should be looking at the everyday and finding the divine. I’m saying that there is purpose in the little things. I think that my purpose in writing is to find that ordinary is obsolete. There is humor and depth in mediocrity and in the mundane, it just needs to be acknowledged, and that is what I do here.
So, now that I’ve let my mind wander, and taken you along for the ride, let me say thanks for being here and sharing this with me. November is going to be wild. If you have any requests, just ask in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.
I beleive I am one of those lurkers, of which you talk of. I pop in here every day read the new blog post and read the comments of others, but I never leave comments, I am a lurker, comming out of the dark today so say hi.
Comment by crystal — October 20, 2006 @ 9:02 pm
I, too, am a lurker (from MN) I will try my best to come out my “lurker” position and and say hi once in a while!
Joni
Comment by Joni Kuehl — October 20, 2006 @ 9:42 pm
You’re ambitious!
I only say that cause I’ve in the same sloo as you. I might need to accept a similar challege…and I also agree. Life isn’t uber anything all of the time.
Comment by tj — October 20, 2006 @ 9:51 pm
I use to comment quite a bit and haven’t for the past few months. Sorry about that, as I am a self-proclaimed whore for comments. They are like little pats on the backs, little strokes for the ego.
And I’m with you on the people that make life sound lovely and wonderful. Life isn’t like that all the time.
I like to keep it real. Talk about puke, fevers, travelling to the in-laws (dear. sweet. god.) in addition to the good stuff, what the kids say, stuff I make.
Anyway, good for you for taking the challange. I’m still on the fence myself.
Comment by capello — October 20, 2006 @ 11:18 pm
Hi..Lurker here. I’ve been reading your blog since I actually lived in the bay area about a year ago. I’m amazed..and slightly jealous..of your scrapbooking abilities so I usually check in to see if you put up any layouts. But yeah, I’m here. and have been for awhile.
Comment by Heather — October 20, 2006 @ 11:51 pm
I am good at lurking, though I do comment occasionally. Often, with a nursing baby, the choice is type with one hand or not comment, and I’m a little lazy that way! Good luck posting every day! Since I don’t have a blog right now, maybe that should be a challenge for me to write in my journal every day. I really should!
Comment by Mom2Six — October 21, 2006 @ 3:55 am
Hi Lou, lurker here. I “know” you from 2 Peas.
I love your stories. Can’t wait for November.
Happy
Blogging
Comment by Tracey — October 21, 2006 @ 2:04 pm
I’m so excited! More bloggity goodness.
Yay, Lou!
Comment by Sanisi — October 22, 2006 @ 6:07 pm
I appreciate your honesty. I’m a little suspicious of people who appear to have it all together, too. Seriously, are there people like that? Seriously, are there?
Comment by elsa — October 23, 2006 @ 11:32 pm
Another lurker here. I’ve been reading your blog for a while and LOVE how you write. . . about about everyday life. You have a gift for writing and for scrapbooking. Thanks for sharing with all of us!
Comment by Connie — October 24, 2006 @ 12:51 am
another lurker coming out of the woodwork. I’ve been checking for a couple of months, love your sense of humor, and scrapbooking posts. You inspired me to start my own blog (which still needs work) and althoug my kids are well past yours in age, I wish I had taken more time to laugh at the challenges parenting creates. I forward the best to my daughter as her son is only 18mo. old.
Keep up the great entries - I’ll be back.
Comment by Ellen — October 24, 2006 @ 5:18 pm
A lurking fan here. Guess I’ll have to comment more. Or lurk more.
Yes life isn’t all prim proper Martha Stewart. Mine’s more like chaos. Absent minded professor. Nice to know you’ll post more- will be nice to ‘hear’ from you.
Comment by Jen — October 30, 2006 @ 9:54 pm
Haven’t been here in quite a while so it’s good to see that you’re still blogging away Lou.
I’ll have to pop in more often this month to see how the challenge is going.
Comment by OldGuy — November 1, 2006 @ 5:53 pm
I haven’t commented in a while, mostly because it’s difficult to type with a baby in my arms, but I am happy to put him down for a minute for you! Good luck with NaBloPoMo.
Comment by Ella — November 4, 2006 @ 1:44 pm